# Dopers Who Die: A Plan To Let Us Know **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 24, 2003, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-who-die-a-plan-to-let-us-know/177198 "2003-05-24T07:26:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2003, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-who-die-a-plan-to-let-us-know/177198/21 "2003-05-24T20:59:03Z")
Am I the only one who sees opportunities here for realizing a childhood fantasy? You know, the one about staging my own death? And then eavesdropping on them weeping at my grave, lamenting how special, beautiful and talented I was, how they never appreciated me enough and how their lives will be empty without me? The hard part is admitting you’re still alive after the funeral is over. Now that would be an easy problem to solve on SDMB… hey, why are you all looking at me like that? ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2003, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-who-die-a-plan-to-let-us-know/177198/22 "2003-05-24T21:15:49Z")
I made out a very detailed will after my father died, and I have a Doper down to be notified when that Sweet Chariot Comes for to Carry Me Home. I also note that _I want my memorial smilie_: one glaring through a lorgnette and saying, “Well, _really_.” And I intend to come back and h’ant you iff’n I don’t get it . . . ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2003, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-who-die-a-plan-to-let-us-know/177198/23 "2003-05-24T21:20:28Z")
I got ten bucks sez I know who that Doper is… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2003, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-who-die-a-plan-to-let-us-know/177198/24 "2003-05-24T21:36:16Z")
Oh, _yeah?_ Well, I’ve surprised you people _before_ . . . ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2003, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-who-die-a-plan-to-let-us-know/177198/25 "2003-05-24T21:52:08Z")
Well, give me ten bucks and we’ll see who’s right! ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2003, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-who-die-a-plan-to-let-us-know/177198/26 "2003-05-24T22:02:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dantheman \* > \*\*Well, give me ten bucks and we’ll see who’s right! \*\* Okay, if **Eve** turns up dead, we know **dantheman** did it! Somebody alert the mods! ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2003, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-who-die-a-plan-to-let-us-know/177198/27 "2003-05-24T22:20:07Z")
:eek: I cannot kill by thought alone… … anymore. ---
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2003, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-who-die-a-plan-to-let-us-know/177198/28 "2003-05-25T00:33:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ringo \* > \*\*With 35K registered members, I’d bet money that more than the three Dopers I know about have expired. **WallyM7** , **poopah chalupah** and **Dr. Watson** all died in accidents, and all had extraboard communication with other posters. \*\* I remember hearing about this **Dr Watson** poster, and the stories I heard made me wonder if there was any evidence that he actually died. The stories I heard were, well, fanciful. Did anyone know him off the board well enough to know that he did pass away as opposed to just changing his screen name? ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2003, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-who-die-a-plan-to-let-us-know/177198/29 "2003-05-25T00:40:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JillGat \* > \*\*I remember hearing about this **Dr Watson** poster, and the stories I heard made me wonder if there was any evidence that he actually died. The stories I heard were, well, fanciful. Did anyone know him off the board well enough to know that he did pass away as opposed to just changing his screen name? \*\* Well, according to [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=59519&highlight=watson) the news was received by **Little Nemo** , but I’m not sure where from. ---
**Author:** ![Adman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ccd318/32.png) [@Adman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Adman)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2003, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-who-die-a-plan-to-let-us-know/177198/30 "2003-05-25T00:42:56Z")
I died yesterday, oops I forgot to tell you guys right away. I am sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2003, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-who-die-a-plan-to-let-us-know/177198/31 "2003-05-25T00:51:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JillGat \* > \*\*I remember hearing about this **Dr Watson** poster, and the stories I heard made me wonder if there was any evidence that he actually died. The stories I heard were, well, fanciful. Did anyone know him off the board well enough to know that he did pass away as opposed to just changing his screen name? \*\* I never met the good doctor in person, however one of my very good friends (both on other boards and IRL) knew the gentleman very well, and told me about his death before anything was posted either here or at Fathom. Their word is good enough for me. So did I see the body? No. Do I believe he really died? Yes ---
**Author:** ![Tinkertoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f19dbf/32.png) [@Tinkertoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tinkertoy)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2003, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-who-die-a-plan-to-let-us-know/177198/32 "2003-05-25T02:39:29Z")
Hubby has been instructed to post letting the Dope know when I die. Mostly so everyone can say “Who?” ---
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2003, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-who-die-a-plan-to-let-us-know/177198/33 "2003-05-25T02:49:48Z")
If I went **Palve** would probably pass the news on… and likewise. ---
**Author:** ![DadWagonDriver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/edb3f5/32.png) [@DadWagonDriver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DadWagonDriver)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2003, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-who-die-a-plan-to-let-us-know/177198/34 "2003-05-25T03:39:06Z")
Hmm… seems I need a buddy on here. Time to really establish myself in the community. Maybe I’ll just have to instruct my gf on how to post on here. According to the docs, one more bad concussion and my brain is turning to goo (what the hell do they… what were we talking about?) So, I may not die, but I might become unable to post. I consider that worse: Alive but not able to get my fill of the SDMB. Now I’m worried. ---
**Author:** ![Adman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ccd318/32.png) [@Adman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Adman)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2003, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-who-die-a-plan-to-let-us-know/177198/35 "2003-05-25T04:57:35Z")
Need a buddy? About to die? Have a lot of money? If you said yes to all three questions, please email me. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2003, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-who-die-a-plan-to-let-us-know/177198/36 "2003-05-25T05:13:45Z")
> [@](#): > > Well, according to this thread the news was received by Little Nemo, but I’m not sure where from. It was a confusing situation. There was a poster known as Doc Watson on the 3F board. Unfortunately, he definitely died. I heard it from a mutual friend shortly after his death. The confusion was over whether he had been an occasional poster on this board as well. There were posters known as Watson, Dr Watson, and Watson&Crick that some people thought might have been the same person as Doc Watson. There was even some speculation that Dr Watson was a different poster than Doc Watson but was also deceased. As for myself, no one I know offline would know to inform people here if I died unexpectedly. I prefer it that way. I’d rather disappear quietly than cause needless grief. If I ever stop posting, please assume I’m alive and happy and remember me that way. ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2003, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-who-die-a-plan-to-let-us-know/177198/37 "2003-05-25T05:22:25Z")
Maybe we should set up an Internet Death Registry. Like, we could provide our info and where we hang out/are registered (no passwords or anything) and then, when we pass on, someone from the site could come by and be like “Soandso snuffed it.” Steal my idea and I sue ya! Heh. ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2003, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-who-die-a-plan-to-let-us-know/177198/38 "2003-05-25T05:32:28Z")
Or maybe like a little memorial page. Like "GMRyujin, known around the 'Net as: GMRyujin at the Straight Dope Message Board soandso from AOL etc. etc." ---
**Author:** ![j\_kat\_251](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/71c47a/32.png) [@j\_kat\_251](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j_kat_251)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2003, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-who-die-a-plan-to-let-us-know/177198/39 "2003-05-25T05:35:16Z")
Yeah guys this would be a great idea in case one of dies suddenl ---
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2003, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-who-die-a-plan-to-let-us-know/177198/40 "2003-05-25T12:27:36Z")
Was there anyone besides Melin (on 3F or elsewhere) who can provide any evidence that Dr Watson really died? Does anyone know any of his family members on anyone else associated with him offline? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-who-die-a-plan-to-let-us-know/177198.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-who-die-a-plan-to-let-us-know/177198.md?page=3)