We have received the following news about the creator Osprey Therian, who died this week. A memorial will be held to celebrate her life on Saturday, December 14, at 10:00 am SLT at http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Bodega/225/112/23.
Vivian’s decision is that her Second Life avatar should continue as a fictional character. It is, I think, a similar thing to the way Greg Merryman is commemorated in the Babbage public house. the Merryman of Babbage.
I think of Auden’s poem on The Death of WB Yeats:
But for him it was his last afternoon as himself,
An afternoon of nurses and rumours;
The provinces of his body revolted,
The squares of his mind were empty,
Silence invaded the suburbs,
The current of his feeling failed; he became his admirers.
Now he is scattered among a hundred cities<
And wholly given over to unfamiliar affections,
To find his happiness in another kind of wood…
More details below, in the information we received from Justin Esparza.
Vivian Kendall, the creator behind the Second Life avatar “Osprey Therian,” passed away early Monday morning from her battle with multiple sclerosis and cancer.
Osprey’s physical life counterpart or “meat puppet” (to which she liked to refer), passed away in her sleep early on Monday morning, December 9th. She had lived with multiple sclerosis for about 25 years, had recently been diagnosed with breast cancer, and (according to a recent post she made at http://www.atomic-raygun.com/2013/11/having-difficult-time.html ) was juggling a third malady. She was fiercely independent and managed to live by herself, with the support of many caring and supportive friends, in her little home by a little lake in the middle of a big forest in Washington State.
Since her avatar’s creation on July 6, 2004, she created numerous items, held regular events, and was involved in various role play activities in Second Life including:
A prolific creative force in both the physical and virtual worlds, Vivian’s legacy will live on and continue to touch and enchant souls as they encounter her creations in this world and others.
The gathering will begin with a welcome introduction and brief summary of Vivian’s Real World life and Second Life history. Next, some time for others to publicly express remembrances and chat with each other. Then, at approx. 10:45 or so, a donning of Osprey’s Moth Wings and mass flight up to the Iris Infohub.
Vivian wanted her avatar, Osprey Therian, to continue on as a fictional character in stories and interactive experiences in virtual worlds, much like the role Magellan Linden plays for Second Life. Plans are in motion to fulfill her wishes. The last SL-related Tweet she sent illustrates her playful nature to the very end: https://twitter.com/Osprey/status/406425278278156288
Osprey’s Second Life profile has been updated to reflect Vivian’s passing and the avatar changes. A new Twitter account has been created for the now fictional Osprey Therian character: https://twitter.com/ospreytherian
The portal on Rodeo
To celebrate the transition of Osprey’s new role, she will be going through an unstable portal in Rodeo on Sunday, December 15, at 10:00am SLT to help find Salazar Jack. All longtime role play friends and cohorts are welcome to attend, assist with the sendoff, or follow her through at http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Rodeo/31/29/50
Prim Perfect 
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