The grandfather of fantasy role playing passes. A great one is gone. He was gaming all the way up until recently. I never knew him as a person and never met him. I have seen him on videos talking about gaming. He impressed me as a gamer. He has 6 kids and a wife, so he definitely impresses me as a man and a father.
I resisted D&D forever. Played it once and saw that there was so many other games, that I felt others deserved a little attention. Also, my parents felt that D&D was not something I should be getting involved with – they basically fell for the anti-D&D hype – and so I went other directions. I played mostly sci-fi games, but in the end, they would not have existed if D&D had not broken the ground.
I play D&D occasionally now, more regularly than I ever have. It is ironic that he dies just a few months before WotC revolutionizes the D&D game system with 4th edition. I think he will be rolling in his grave in more than one way when it is released.
He was a great man at least in terms of the industry and apparently a good father. I was told htat he was also a Christian and on the Fans for Christ forums occasionally. So his greatness goes beyond the industry.
I say it a lot … Game ’til you drop… and he nearly did, from what I understand. He will be missed. Maybe he can find a gaming group up there too.