Bagdaddy passed away today

[knightmonger]

For those of you who don't know yet, Bagdaddy passed away today from complications due pneumonia. I received and accepted a cancellation request from Stan this evening, as did about 8 others he was actively playing. Evidently, he had been in the hospital over the 16th - 18th.
He was always asking about others kids and health from my experience with him. Despite seemingly chronic health problems, he remained optimistic about life from what little I knew him. This is a real bummer for me. I had lately been enjoying our conversations on Stans. I think we have played 6 games this year alone. It's kind of strange that our last interaction was my commenting that, "It could be worse". and his reponse being that, "Yes, it could." I know that several members have died over the last several years. I wonder if some sort of memorial page could be started. I remember when Essleigh died a couple of years ago too. I was playing him at the time as well. Bagdaddy, you will be missed!

[reyn]

I'm shocked to hear this!!

I had heard from Cubes that he had gone into hospital with some trouble, but I thought it was to do with his back trouble. Something that he spoke of from time to time.

I played some 26 games with Twain. He was a good player. His brother, 'poplarhollow' also is playing here.

We had many personal conversations. Most recently in regards to his family. He was very proud of his daughter, and loved her very much.

We shared another hobby in common - photography - and exchanged ideas and photos. I know he had some big plans to do make a business of doing wedding photos with another friend.

My heart goes out to his family, and wish them strength in this time of crisis.

Twain, I'm glad to have known you. You will be missed by us who called you 'friend'.

Thanks, Mike, for starting this thread.

[Stan Steliga]

I don't think I want to try to maintain a memorial page. There are a few things that make me hesitant to have something like that.

I don't know that it would be right to put someone on such a page without consent from family members. I know that it would not be an issue for most people, but I could understand if a family wouldn't want it, and we'd be putting them in a position where they have to defend their decision in a time when they are hurting most.

Unfortunately there is also the consideration of people abusing the list by reporting fake deaths. Sounds terrible, but I have had to deal with that in the past here at this site.

Then, where do you draw the line? What if someone wants their family member added to the page as a memorial and I have to decide if it is appropriate.

I'm sure that many of you don't agree with me here. I don't mean to sound insensitive at all. I feel terrible when these deaths are reported.

I'll listen to feedback. I guess I haven't totally ruled it out yet.

[reyn]

Here's a sample of the sort of great shots that Twain would take:



Wonderful, isn't it?

If you like to see others, just click HERE.

[knightmonger]

Yeah Stan I can see your point here. I'm sure it might violate some HIPPA standards regarding confidentiality. As a nurse I should have guessed that so I'm sure a memorial page could be potentially problematic for you on many levels.
Just curious tho, how do you find these things out about players? Do family members contact you? With so many things to organize around a funeral i'm surprised contacting a loved-ones chess site would be a priority.

[Stan Steliga]

Yes - it's family members or close friends that let me know. There have been some pretty touching e-mails. I remember the wife of one member contacted me one day. She said that every morning her husband would say happily, "time to check my games". She told me how much he loved the site and she thought she should tell me about his passing and his love of the site.

[The Ancient Brit]

Thanks Reyn for the link to Twain’s photos. I had begun to fancy myself as a photographer. I live in a area of outstanding natural beauty with mountains and castles aplenty and last year I took over two thousand photos.

Looking at just a small sample of Twain’s work however has brought me to the realisation that I am a mere snapshot taker, not a photographer in the way he was. It is not just that he had eye for colour and composition but what is clear from his shots is he had a nose for interest and content.

His children and animal shots riveted me. Technically, there is no reason why any of us with a digital camera should not take photos of similar interest. The fact we don’t however points to something that Twain must have possessed in abundance and perhaps we lack, a deep and sympathetic interest in the life that surrounds all of us and surrounded him.

I never knew him or played chess with him and so never had the chance to engage him in dialogue. He must have been an interesting and mature person. I don’t believe it is possible to produce photos of such artistic merit and be without soul.

[reyn]

You're welcome, Denis. It's my way of creating a small memorial here.

I'm no great photographer myself, but I did recognize that Twain definitely had talent for taking pictures, and told him so on occasion that he should try to sell some of his photos.

His life was rather sad. His back trouble prevented him from holding down a full-time job. He was frequently in pain. So, I think photography was a creative outlet for him. He was so excited that this opportunity to start a business to do wedding photos came up. I think he would have made a good go of it, too.

Life seems so unfair. He was just a young guy. I believe he was in his early forties.

[reyn]

Really? Well, he sure looks young for his age. Either way, he had lots of life ahead of him.

[reyn]

Previously, I had put a note on Twain's albums (announcing his passing) at WebShots where he was hosting his photos. I just received the below letter, which I thought was very nice of that website:

----------------------------------------------------------------

Hi Reyn,

We thought you'd like to know that as a tribute to your friend Twain Barnes his photo album, Twains Second Album, was featured on the Webshots Homepage on March 22, 2006.

www.webshots.com/homepage.html

Be sure to check his guestbook to see comments and feedback from other members of the Webshots Community. Please send our sincere condolences to his family and friends. He will be greatly missed in Webshots.

Sincerely,
Webshots Customer Support

---------------------------------------------------------------

There are a lot of nice comments folks have made in his guestbook there.

[Blockhead]

I have just read some of Bagdaddy's game dialog with the three players still on his player page. I got a clear sense of the man, his good humour, his love of family, his passion for photography (and chess!). A gentle understanding man who loved life. I regret not knowing him. I'm sure I would have loved talking with him, sharing a small part of his life.

Thank you Reyn. I have just seen some of his fine photography. A creative spirit wedded to a sensitive eye! I weep for him and his family!
#
Achilles II (2006-02-07 4W): =) Where does your name come from, what does it mean??

bagdaddy (2006-02-07 4B): A nickname that stuck with me since highschool. They called me Bag, because I was so skinny, bag of bones, aster my daughter was born, they changed it to Bagdaddy,,that's the story..
#

[reyn]

Bump back to Page 1

[jlfvideo]

I h :(pe y'all don't mind me chiming in here, a little after the fact. I had played Twain many games and he helped me get started here. He also made it fun to win and lose. I was always learning along the way. He had pushed my game to a new level and at the same time put in perspective what chess was, The Greatest Game Ever. It almost became second nature to challenge each other as soon as the game was done. Our games were challenging and we enjoyed conversations, about our daughters, chess, his ills and dreams. He accessed my website and I believe we became instant friends. I shoot video professionally and Stans is always a great outlet between merges. Bagdaddy was always striving to improve on his work. He had bought a very expensive camera a few weeks before death and sent many photos to me for conversation. He even suggested using some of them in my work on memorials. I'll miss Bagdaddy, I do miss him daily, I could always count on him to make a move and then tell me his schedule for the day. I felt I knew him and knew him well. But I never met him. :(Twain you were the Man! Thx for the fellowship in Chess.

[reyn]

Thanks very much for your rememberances. Your experience was much like my own.

I was in awe of his photographic talent.

Rest in peace, Twain.

[reyn]

More sad news to report, I'm afraid.

I just found out that Bagdaddy's brother, poplarhollow (Leverne), died around May 26th due to a 4 wheeler accident.

What a terrible series of hardship this family has suffered.

RIP Twain and Leverne.