Created: 1997.01 Updated: 2002.12.17 Viewed: 938

Special Notice!

I have to report some very sad news..

Adam Delafield, list adminstrator and frequent contributor died suddenly on 17th January 1997 reportedly from pneumonia.

Aside from the obvious sadness we all feel at such events, this throws the future of the list somewhat in doubt. Since I also work at Bolton Institute (which hosts the list) I *may* be able to take over administration temporarily but I have to make contact with our mainframe adminstrator to confirm it.

-Jonathan White

Laments from the list members:

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I have no words to express the sadness that I feel. I did not know Adam. But this list has brought me great joy for the several months I have been a subscriber. The great effort he has put into this list has not gone unnoticed.

I could not let this event go by without expressing my condollences and prayers to his family.

Brian Bell

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I've been a member of this list since it started, purely to make sure it was working correctly, as it was one of the first ones we set up here. Adam was the administrator and did all the work and to be honest I don't know anything about Full Thrust other than Adams interest in it.

I have however been extremely moved by the comments that have been posted since Jon notified the list of the sad news and I thought that you might wish to know a little about Adam as I presume you all only knew him through the list. In the circumstances I don't think it is appropriate to give an address for cards but I will make sure that his parents and brother are aware of your condolences.

Adam was 26 years of age and died of pneumonia on either Thursday or Friday last week. He lived alone and was found by his father in bed. He had been at work on Wednesday and was obviously suffering from either flu or a very bad cold. It was therefore no surprise when he phoned in sick on Thursday but it honestly did not appear to be any more serious than that. It was a great shock when we received the phone call from his parents on Monday morning.

Adam and I first met in 1990 when we were both students, he was a quiet person, but had a very quick, dry sense of humour and was always ready to go on any office outing and invariably was one of the last ones to go home.

He was a very nice person and will be sadly missed.

As far as the mailing list is concerned Jon will take over as administrator initially and as he says he will see how it goes.

Eileen Richards

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This morning I have started to read all the tributes to Adam. I feel there is little I can add to what has been already said by all the other list members. This was the first list I got onto when I came online and it is the one I compare all the rest to. it is a tribute to him that this is the best mailing run mailing list on the net. I will remember him for the politeness he showed me as I started to learn netiquette and how to conduct myself .

Goodbye Adam

SimonC

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I knew Adam personally and professionaly, and I found him to be pleasent, cheerful, interesting and always very helpful. My condolances to his family. GOD BLESS

Mark Jones

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It is always a sad time when a friend leaves us, but as long as we rember his contributions and his comments he'll be with us always.

My condollences to his family and friends.

Tim Klaus.

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He already is (missed). Our condolences to the family at this tragic time. There are people here in Australia who consider the world to be a poorer place since that awful day, and not a few tears have been shed.

We can't send flowers, or a card, but with the family's permission, we'd like to make a donation to the Salvation Army, Australian Red Cross or whatever Charity they'd prefer in memory of Adam. Wish we'd known him better in the time available, but very glad we knew him at all.

Alan & Carmel Brain

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Thank you for taking time out to do this, please pass on my condolences to Adam's family.

A great many people around the world who never had chance to meet Adam will miss him nevertheless.

Geoff Webb

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This is a general reply to the messages that followed the announcement. I'm sure Adams family would appreciate the sentiments that have been expressed here and as soon as I can get in touch with one of them (his mother is actually a researcher in this department) I will pass on the sentiment. HOWEVER, I am not going to give out a postal address. Firstly, the family have requested their privacy and I sympathise with that and secondly given the time for international post it is unlikely that any messages would arrive in time for any memorial services. Nevertheless be assured I will make sure the family know how highly Adam was regarded here.

Jon

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I'd like to also to add my condolances to Adams family and friends. Like many I only had small dealings with him, but found him to be truely both comitted and enthuisasic about Full Thrust and other games.

It is rare to find a person dedicated to sharing with others his passion for the games he played and providing services and information for no personnel gain. We have much to thank him for, he has helped expand our enjoyment of the games we play.

Someone stated how do you mourn someone you have never meet, but feel like you know them? Well I quess thats the internet for you. I for one do not regret this for the if the mail regarding this unfortunant news is anything to go by Adam will be very badly missed by many, who otherwise would never had the chance to meet him.

A tribute of some description would be nice especially if it could be in one of the games that he put a large amount of effort into.

Shocked and Saddened.

Darren

Words can not replace what death can take away.

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May I suggest a one or two lines in the next GZG release for Adam. Running this list is an effort whould should not go unremembered.

Bob Blanchett

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This news comes as a great shock - Adam is someone whose opinions I have come to respect and he will be missed.

A small piece of eternity - I commend the suggestion (trubute to Adam in the next Full Thrust) and whole-heartedly place my humble support for the idea !

My sympathies

Brendan

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Oh my God. That's my initial reaction. And I think everybody else has pretty well said what all of us are feeling.

I agree whole heartedly with the above (tribute in next Full Thrust). Even though I knew Adam only through the List, his comments added a lot. He deserves a tribute; at least name a Federation or something after him. Or, at least, kill off a couple of Narn.

Is there anybody or anywhere we should send our condolances to? Cards and such?

Man, death sucks.

Jerry Han

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How do you mourn someone you never met, even though you feel like you knew him?

I'd just like to add my condolances to Adam's family and anyone else who knew him closely. I'm sure administrating and participating in this list wasn't the major achievement of his life, but those of us who only knew him through the list will still miss him.

Scott Field

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...How do you mourn someone you never met, even though you feel like you knew him?...

I don't know. Yet I do.

All I would say has already been said by others, and said better than I could, but I too wish to express my shock and sorrow.

Rest in peace, Adam. We will remember you always.

Oerjan Ohlson

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Shocked.

Spoken for years over the net. Only got to meet him once.

Will miss him, and his great humour, a lot.

Steve Gill
+-------------------------------------+--------------------+
| Adam Delafield, I.T. Officer        | Bolton Institute,  |
| #include "witty_saying"             | Eagle Tower,       |
| E-mail : ad4@Bolton.ac.uk           | College Way,       |
| Phone  : +44 1204 528851 (ext 3163) | Bolton, UK.        |
| Fax    : +44 1204 399074            | BL3 5AE.           |
+-------------------------------------+--------------------+

The post about Adam was a bit of a shock. I am on several lists in additional to running a gaming club so I usually don't do much more than lurk on a list and send off a short post once in a while. I make an effort to read as much of the mail as I can and I notice the blurbs and quotes at the bottom of the posts and remember the ones I see over and over again. It is a sad thing that the above will never be seen again and I agree with the many others who have said that we are all a little poorer than we were before. My best to Adam's family and friends.

Mike J. Murtha

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I reccomend that everyone stop by my FT page and scroll down to the new section titled "special announcment." I think it speaks for us all.

Cordially,

Mark A. Siefert
Unofficial Full Thrust Home Page

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Contributors and friends,

This is sad news indeed. While I never met Adam, save through the net, I have always enjoyed associating with him and occasionally shooting at him via e-mail. I always found his discussions insightful and he will be sorely missed. I think the world just became a poorer place.

Mike Wikan

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All I can say to this is "Oh, MY GOD!"

Pneumonia? That is truly tragic.

I think it would not be inappropriate to ask a moment of silence for Adam, who I didn't know, but whose posts were always insightful and whose work kept this list going.

Stunned,

Gary A. Ballard

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I just read the notice on Mark's site. While I'm largely a lurker on this list, I always found Adam's comments to be imaginative, logical and insightful, and I regret that I didn't have the opportunity to get to know him better.

Tre (Donald A. Chipman III)

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May I suggest a one or two lines in the next GZG release for Adam. Running this list is an effort whould should not go unremembered.

Bob Blanchett

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I second, third, fourth everyone else's statements. I didn't talk to him as much as many of you, but still will miss his input and discussions.

Mike Elliott, I'm sure Jon T prolly didn't really know Adam, either (then again, maybe he did), but would you consider it inappropriate to put in a thought/suggestion to Jon about naming a class of ships after Adam? Either in the Full Thrust universe or in the Babylon Project RPG game? Though for the latter Jon might have to talk to JMS about.

Mk

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May I suggest a one or two lines in the next GZG release for Adam. Running this list is an effort whould should not go unremembered.

I am sure all of us will agree to this as being the most fitting tribute to Adam. He will be missed by all.

Ludo

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As for Mr. Wikan I have never met Adam, but when I first subscribed to this list I soon got to know and respect the thoughts and ideas that were being put forward by Adam and to recognise the box at the end of his mailings. I certainly will miss this.

I don't think that this list could have had a more dedicated administrator. My condolences go out to his family.

M. Penneck

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We are all very saddened and suprised by this bad news. Adam's insight, intellect, and wit were a real high point of reading this mailing list and we will miss his contributions greatly. I agree with the suggestion that GZG add some sort of dedication to Adam in their next edition of FT.

Please pass along our sadness and sympathy to Adam's family. It says a lot about him that he made such a good impression on so many of us all over the world.

Rob Pruden

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As with nearly everyone, it seems, I only knew Adam through the list, but he had some good ideas and always kept some control over the list's direction. He will be missed.

Aaron Teske

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I'm normally very scathing about "Me Too" postings. In this case I wish to post one myself.

Me too, I'm sorry to say.

Nick Meredith

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Adam always seemed to me as the father figure of this list, both as the administrator and as a contributor. It is ironic from my point of view that I learn of Adam's death on the 2nd anniversary of the passing of my wife's father (I was at a Star Trek convention at the time, silly coincidences). The universe has lost one of its lights.

Jonathan, if appropriate, could you post an address where we could send sympathy cards to his family. I think cards from around the globe would show his friends and family the friendship and respect he had on this list.

Dean Gundberg

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I as with many of us on the list didn't know him well, but I must say I had always found him more than helpful, whenever I had a query. His intelligent commentary will be missed.

Its strange to think we're already using the past tense to describe him. My sincerest condolences to his family and friends.

Mike Elliott, I'm sure Jon T prolly didn't really know Adam, either (then again, maybe he did), but would you consider it inappropriate to put in a thought/suggestion to Jon about naming a class of ships after Adam?

This had occured to myself as well. It seems an excellent idea and I beleive it would be something of a fitting tribute to his work on this list.

I can only presume the SFSFW will make mention of him and his willingness to host their website for quite a while.

ngilsena@aoife.indigo.ie

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My condolences to Adam's family, I have not been on this group long, but he was the first to welcome me in. He will be missed greatly.

Joseph A. Noll

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My total agreement with everyones thoughts and I just want to add that he did great credit to our hobby, to this list and to the net where we all knew and always enjoyed him. He IS a great example of how wonderful this cyberworld can be.

He is a man of Honor.

My best wishes to his family.

Will Tijerina

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As has been said by many, I never met Adam, however his passing will be felt.

Please forward a postal address for cards.

Michael Brown

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I have just heard the dreadful news about Adam Delafield, having had several of the messages from the list passed on to me (thanks, Steve and Jim). I didn't know Adam all that well, but had spoken to him on a few occasions and got on very well. His enthusiasm for FT and games in general was obvious, and he has done a marvellous job of running the mailing list.

It is always difficult to know what to say in these situations, except to add my deepest condolences to all his family and friends. Rest assured that Adam's liking and faith in FT will be remembered in our next printing, and I shall be acting on the suggestion of naming a ship class for him - something that may seem trivial to "outsiders", but we will all know and understand the spirit in which it is meant. Perhaps it will encourage us all to think of him every time a Delafield class ship takes to the games table...

Rest in Peace, Adam - our thoughts are with you.

Jon Tuffley.