April 21, 2009
Gates 6 was an amazing success. Seeing everyone join together to remember Jim was awesome too. Friday night was the memorial for him, complete with a ship burning. Saturday was full of beating on people with foam swords. I think this youtube video sums it all up though:
April 1, 2009
There was an update on the Midwest Dagorhir Forum today. The date for the funeral has been set. Thanks to Kultprit for posting the information for us.
For those interested in attending Jim's service, it is being held Friday April 3rd at 10am at Beth Torah (6100 W. 127th, Street, Overland Park, KS 66209). It is my understanding that this is the Temple that his parents attend (this is a Jewish Service for anyone like me who has never been to one). You can find more info here: http://www.louismemorialchapel.com/ (link should be attached below) by clicking on James Gasser on the left hand toolbar.
I plan to be there, sporting my Barbarian Horde medallion he bestowed on Princess Genevieve in 2002 when he finally convinced her to join his army the last day of festival that year.
Some things I've found out about Jewish Services:
-Black attire isn't necessary, but a conservative dress or suit for women, is. Lower than your knee, if possible - think Business Casual.
-Men may be asked to take a cap from a basket near the door to cover their heads, Jewish or not.
-Graveside attendance is expected (unlike for Christian burials, where graveside is intended for family only)
-Don't approach the immediate family to pay your respects at the actual service. Your presence is appreciated and is all that is necessary (they will typically hold a week of home visitation, during which respects are paid)
-Those attending are sometimes asked to shovel dirt onto the casket once it is lowered into the ground, as a mark of respect for the dead
-Wash your hands after the gravesite service to symbolize the washing away of death. (you might want to bring a water bottle with you, just in case, to do this, if the family is doing the same thing.)
I cannot make this funeral personally, as I have to be in the hospital around the same time. Scott (Oz), myself (Nyt) and my kiddos are going to me sending flowers and condolences though. I strongly encourage anyone that can make it to do so. And please guys, I know that Jim would think that garb would be cool to wear to this, but his family may not agree with that choice. Guys: Slacks and button down shirts. Ladies: Slacks (or knee-length skirts, at the shortest) and dress shirts.
March 31, 2009
This week, our sport
lost someone who made an impact on many, many lives. If you didn't have the opportunity to meet and speak with
Jim Gasser, you probably know someone who had. Jim was a friend, mentor, teacher and father. He was an amazing soul. He was able to reach out to anyone near him, and bring them into his bubble of protection, and they didn't even have to be aware of it.
I remember first meeting him at my very first weekend event, which was hosted by KCD ages ago. I spied him across the field, and to me, he looked to be seven or eight feet tall, and built of solid stone. It was an imtimidating site, seeing him dressed to the nines in full barbarian garb, wielding a foam weapon that was easily as tall as I was. He was almost surreal... and I was so glad that he was on my team when everyone was split up. In hindsight, I am not so certain that I wouldn't have enjoyed the deaths, were he not on my team. After the fighting was finished, I had the brief opportunity to speak with him. It painted a far different picture of him than the one I had crafted in my mind.
The next opportunity I had to see him, it was at the Ren Fest, held in Bonner Springs every year. He was showing small children how to wield swords. That sealed it in my mind. This man was some sort of extraordinary individual that was placed on this earth to bring a sense of strength to others who wouldn't normally have it. He almost always had a smile to offer, especially after a good battle. But, if he ever thought that he had hit someone too hard, he was the first to stop, check and apologize. I suspect that he would have made an amazing pediatrician, because he had this gentle voice and a hug that was readily available.
I started seeing Jim around Dagorhir more. I don't really think that it was him making more appearances though. I think that I just started noticing that he was there. He was very much like a sun, who would brighten anyone's day that was near him.
So yesterday, amidst my heated conversations with the former webhost for our site, there were notices popping up around our Dagorhir community. I would have probably noticed sooner, had I been reading what was happening on Facebook, or Myspace... or the Midwest Dagorhir Boards. But life is funny like that sometimes. A person tends to be pointed in the direction that they are needed most, and when they are ready to process something that they cannot change... that is when they are shown this thing that they would want to change most.
There are things that happen for reasons that we do not understand. I believe that Jim wasn't finished here, but someone that was looking from above must have needed his help really bad. That is the only reason that I can find for why something so permanent could happen to the one person that was always making a change.
If you have pictures that you'd like to have added to our
Photobucket Album, please email Lady Nyt or Lady Mystic and they will be added, post haste. There is a
Facebook group regarding this tragedy as well.
And I felt that it really needed to make it up onto this page. It'll stay up here as long as the link is still active.
Here's to you, Jim. You will be missed. You may be gone, but you are never going to be forgotten.
Remembering Jim
