Begin Part Three .... Dear Mr. Gorey, I know you are gone, and this saddens me. From the first time I came across your work and found out I'm not alone in this world. I've been amused and completely fell in love with all of the characters. When I met the first guy I thought I loved I gave him a copy of one of you're books as a present, he rejected me but you never had. I've never felt left out in your world and as a matter of fact always felt very welcome. I've learned so much from you yet I've never met you. I'm very sad that I'll never get to read a new Gorey creation. I will however save all the books I've bought over the years and save them for my children to let them know creativity is not dead in this world but just harder to find. So I end this with a good-bye and a thanks. You've inspired me more than I'll ever be able to let you know. Thank you for being you. Forever, Stacy M[], who got crushed by her horse... .... His artwork and his whimsical yet morbid sense of humor will definitely not be forgotten. I regret that I, as a Fine Arts Major, had never had the opportunity to meet this man. Perhaps many more will follow in his whimsy and bring new images of skulls intermixed with everyday items and lizards on furniture about for all to see. Here's to you, Edward Gorey, you will not be forgotten. Erika J. S .... I began reading one of the Amphigorey books when I was in 3rd or 4th grade, my aunt had left it lying around my grandparents while I was visiting there one summer, and I was hooked, I proceeded to con her into letting me read them all and since I have read everything Gorey, I could get my hands on, I found a "The Gashlycrumb Tinies" poster one day while shopping and much to my husband's chagrin, it now takes a place of honor on the wall above the head of our bed :) I will think great thoughts of the man each time I re-read his works.... Tara B .... When I heard that Edward Gorey died, I could do nothing but sit in my chair, feeling numb and empty. It didn’t seem possible. I went outside and sat on the front stoop, and tried to cry. I wanted to, but the tears wouldn’t come. Now, with the benefit of hindsight, I realize that Edward would have thought the idea of a complete stranger crying over his death as ludicrous. That makes me feel a bit better. I’ve never met anyone that loved his work as I did. I don’t think I ever met anyone (besides over the Internet) that even knew who Edward Gorey was. My co-workers would walk by my desk and give curious looks to the pictures on my wall. Embley and Yewbert whacking each other with croquet mallets, Jasper standing in the rain to by 3rd gallery ticket, and the immortal Doubtful Guest, scarf flying mightily in the wind. I’ve tried to share his work with other people, but I’ve never met anyone that saw the work for what it is: sheer and utter beauty. I showed The Inanimate Tragedy to a friend. Her only reply was "weird." I gave up on trying to turn other people on to Gorey. I guess only a small number of people can really respect and understand Gorey’s work. The Object-Lesson is a classic, changing the "rules" of the narrative. The Epiplectic Bicycle is a wonderful journey into the surreal. My favorite book, however, has to be The Blue Aspic. It’s such a beautifully sad story. On the surface, it seems like a rather bland tale of two disparate people. But much deeper, one finds a story of passion and obsession. The wonderful juxtaposition of the lives of Jasper and Caviglia becomes almost haunting. Thus was the beauty of Edward Gorey: strange creatures speaking a series of nonsensical words; the eerie Black Doll showing up in the oddest of places; tall men with top hats, great coats, and long beards, contemplating the ill fortunes of children; a horrid bloated baby; a great alligator rising from an even greater puddle; the nimble Figbash; stories that seem to go nowhere, but actually delve deep into the mind’s subconscious; and of course, without fail, the seemingly clandestine and mysteriously blank (?) card left almost haphazardly on the ground... Edward Gorey has left this mortal coil. I bet he would think that all the fuss we make over him was rather funny, and maybe it is, and that’s okay. It’s a cliché I know, but his work has made him immortal. I think a small part of me died, but that’s okay too. Life’s like that sometimes. So, to Edward Gorey, we say good-bye. I can think of two epitaphs that I think he would have enjoyed. The first are the final words of The Unstrung Harp, "Although he is a person to whom things do not happen, perhaps they may when he is on the other side." The other, and perhaps more fitting, comes from the last page of The Object Lesson. A threesome of two women and a man stand silently against the horizon of the setting sun -- the man, assuredly a not-so-vague self-portrait: Tall, bearded, and sporting a full length fur. A single word is neatly laid at the bottom, in the most characteristic and unique lettering style we shall ever know. Farewell. .... We Love you Mr. Gorey, You did not want to live forever..... He never was careless or harried his art He spoke to a vary dark place in my heart A petulant tear is sliding over our age The macabre Mr. Gorey has gone into his grave He will not be lonely in that cold and dark place I know he'll be meeting his crunk face to face A more appropriate funeral one cannot imagine Than Mr. Gorey's last journey to pen and ink heaven Kristen, with apologies 4/17/2000 .... sad sad so sad very overcome sad because it sad reminds every sad last one of us that sad no matter how beautiful no sad matter how blessed by the exciting sad moments of the sad world we fall down quirky sad and eccentric, it's better sad to have lived every last moment and sad embraced th'ebeauty that we sad have to offer and there won't be someone sad great like Edward Gorey. -- Wiccasmile .... The most inspiring aspect of Edward Gorey was that he stuck to his own story and his own way, as idiosyncratic and morbid as it at times was. Its tempting to let the world assess and dispatch an artist in whatever way it wants, but Edward was undeterred. He was a champion individual. -S. Taylor .... Passing is an appropriate way to describe our loss of Mr. Gorey. He has brought us many hours of wonder, with his intriguing observations and entertaining moments of schadenfruede, providing us with a strangely comforting melacholy to nourish our ever-wandering souls. Now, we trust, that his spirit dwells among the immortals. We shall miss you! Yet your illustrations and tales of joyous grief and playful woe will no doubt, sustain us - until we meet again - in less hapless times. May the etherial stygian wings, of almost unimaginable creatures, which you so lovingly created over time, carry you to to a final home in eternity. Rev. J. Schad, s.j. .... I was very much saddened at news of his death. He was a unique talent and I will miss his vision. Maurine .... He was a wonderful man, thoughtful,generous and shy. I worked for him for 11 years and he never had an unkind word to say to me. He was always interested in what was going on in my life and we would talk about tv movies etc.I am going to miss him terrible and I still wait to hear him say" Hello there" when he came through the door. As I read the books he gave me I can hear his voice in my head and feel that he is still here. My only regret is that I didn't get a chance to say good-bye. I saw him the week before he died and he looked so fragile I think I knew then that he wasn't going to get better but still had hope. He is really, really missed. -- Sally W .... I was truly saddened to hear of Edward's passing. He was one of my heroes in life. I always looked forward to the day when I could finally meet him. Over the years I've gotten two tattoos (his cat and The Doubtful Guest), made new friends that shared my love of his work and collected all the books and prints I could afford. His view of the darker side of life and wonderful illustrations just struck a chord and reminded me not to take the everyday stresses so seriously. -Corey S Woodstock, NY ....