A gathering of his friends was held on Saturday December 15, 2007 at 2:00pm SL in Memorium for Jeff "Lthrgoat Grot" Franklund who died Tuesday morning, November 27, 2007.
This is a transcript of the gathering. Short and sweet, like Jeff.
[11:18] Jungle Torok: dear friends,
[11:18] Jungle Torok: It has probably been difficult for many of us to find time to be here during the most festive period of the year. Thank you so much to all who were able to join this gathering today.
[11:19] Jungle Torok: Though I learned of Jeff's death about 2 weeks ago, my heart still hurts when I realise he will never join us again, be it in SL or RL where I had the privilege to know him also.
[11:19] Jungle Torok: After having become close friends in SL, we decided we would meet somewhere in the US, which we finally got a chance to do this summer in June in San Francisco.
[11:19] Jungle Torok: Even though we never had met before, all what I knew and felt about him in SL was confirmed when I saw him in person.
[11:20] Jungle Torok: Please believe me when I say that he was in real life as we got to know him here in the virtual world. I will never forget these days with him, as well as the time we spent together here in SL.
[11:20] Jungle Torok: I will always remember him dearly as a warm hearted, kind, caring and wise, but also unboastful , curious and humorous friend with whom I had a chance to share so many things.
[11:20] Jungle Torok: I hope some of you will share a few of your memories of Jeff with us now. Hooten, would you like to go first?
[11:20] Hooten Haller: Thank you
[11:21] Hooten Haller: I'll stay here as moving is hard for me.
[11:21] Hooten Haller: I met Lthrgoat Grot early in 2007, I guess. He was among my earliest friends when I joined SL.
[11:21] Hooten Haller: I remember him as an explorer and adventurer. SL was a technical toybox for him. Witness these stunning megaprim panoramas. I stitched his cigar smoker movie clips together into one longer clip so he could experiment with longer movies. And of course he played and built much more in SL.
[11:21] Hooten Haller: We also chatted by AIM any time of day. His live webcam was a bond for me, it was great to have someone I knew in sight. My photocube over there shows the last image from his live webcam, so it is a sad reminder for me.
[11:22] Hooten Haller: Our very last chat was 11 Nov, his last Sunday morning. It was a quick hello, as he was on his way out for some hot cocoa. Jeff, when I heard you died I was completely wrecked. I miss your welcoming friendship, your playfulness, your uniqueness... you. I know SL is not just a toy if I can find friends like you here.
[11:22] Hooten Haller: Buddy, I have one more message for you: \hug Lthrgoat Grot
[11:22] Pex Petrov: : )
[11:22] Gradgrind Binder: well, said
[11:22] Hooten Haller: Thank you Jungle
[11:23] Jungle Torok: thank you Hooten.
[11:23] Jungle Torok: that is so true
[11:23] Jungle Torok: Drew, I believe you would like to say some words too?
[11:23] drew Lubezki: hello my dear freinds
[11:23] drew Lubezki: and you are dear to me today , because you loved lthr
[11:24] drew Lubezki: what a precious man
[11:24] drew Lubezki: i also met my dear friend in early 2007
[11:24] drew Lubezki: and now i am having trouble speaking thru these tears
[11:24] drew Lubezki: he was a good friend of mine
[11:24] drew Lubezki: always there to greet me
[11:24] drew Lubezki: to have our fun times
[11:25] drew Lubezki: i was so impresse then he told my his avatar loooked like rl
[11:25] drew Lubezki: and he showed me his pix
[11:25] drew Lubezki: not taking this too well i am sory
[11:25] drew Lubezki: but i remember him as you do
[11:25] drew Lubezki: a wonderful gentle, kind soul
[11:25] drew Lubezki: omg. this is so hard
[11:26] drew Lubezki: i have to say he was one of my best friends. and i miss him so much
[11:26] drew Lubezki: and lthr
[11:26] snaper Strong: you are doing beautifully drew
[11:26] drew Lubezki: i just want to say something to you
[11:26] drew Lubezki: i love you so much
[11:26] drew Lubezki: i miss you so sorely
[11:26] drew Lubezki: i wish you were here.
[11:26] drew Lubezki: but you will always live in my heart
[11:26] drew Lubezki: i cant believe you are gone
[11:27] drew Lubezki: but you wil always be a flame in our hearts
[11:27] drew Lubezki: ty all
[11:27] Jungle Torok: thank you Drew.
[11:27] Jungle Torok crying
[11:27] drew Lubezki: crying too
[11:27] Jungle Torok: Pex, would you take over?
[11:27] LatinAngel Ariantho: /hug drew
[11:27] LatinAngel gives drew a big hug.
[11:27] Hooten Haller nods somberly
[11:28] Pex Petrov: What good is a memorial service without at least one weepy amateur poem, right? It's hard to type, I'm shaking....
[11:28] Pex Petrov: Here goes. Its called We Only Met Here.
[11:28] Pex Petrov: .
[11:28] Pex Petrov: We only met
[11:28] Pex Petrov: Here.
[11:28] Pex Petrov: In this place where all things seem possible.
[11:29] Pex Petrov: Where scorpions speak French
[11:29] Pex Petrov: And chasing eachother
[11:29] Pex Petrov: Along the back of a brontosaurus
[11:29] Pex Petrov: Is as easily done
[11:29] Pex Petrov: As riding the rings of Saturn
[11:29] Pex Petrov: Around a smiling sun.
[11:29] Pex Petrov: Where, when you fall off the edge of the sky,
[11:30] Pex Petrov: (Or perhaps you are pushed)
[11:30] Pex Petrov: Your cigar stays lit
[11:30] Pex Petrov: And you bounce.
[11:30] Pex Petrov: So it seems like you might still be here,
[11:30] Pex Petrov: Somewhere.
[11:30] Pex Petrov: You liked to hide behind things.
[11:30] Pex Petrov: .
[11:30] Pex Petrov: And the elevator you built
[11:30] Pex Petrov: Is gone.
[11:30] Pex Petrov: As if you took it
[11:31] Pex Petrov: With some purpose in mind.
[11:31] Pex Petrov: So I'll stay alert
[11:31] Pex Petrov: To signs in the sand
[11:31] Pex Petrov: Even after I've removed
[11:31] Pex Petrov: Your name from my contact list
[11:31] Pex Petrov: With a sudden click
[11:31] Pex Petrov: As final and precise as the moment
[11:31] Pex Petrov: I heard you were gone.
[11:31] Pex Petrov: Off to explore a place
[11:31] Pex Petrov: With limitless prims
[11:31] Pex Petrov: Where anything is possible.
[11:32] drew Lubezki: weeping
[11:32] Hooten Haller cries openly
[11:32] Jungle Torok: thank you so much Pex.
[11:32] Jungle Torok: shaking and crying.
[11:32] Jungle Torok: sorry
[11:32] Gradgrind Binder: that was wonderful
[11:32] Jungle Torok: anyone else who would like to add something?
[11:32] Gradgrind Binder: I will
[11:33] Gradgrind Binder: I met jeff in february in a bar :)
[11:33] Gradgrind Binder: and i was a total noob
[11:34] Gradgrind Binder: he picked me up and dusted me off and shaped me up
[11:34] Gradgrind Binder: and we became friends
[11:34] Gradgrind Binder: he shared with me his love of bikes and the scenery around seattle
[11:35] Gradgrind Binder: and his desire to find a RL Daddy of his own
[11:35] Gradgrind Binder: and RL dragged me away from SL
[11:35] Gradgrind Binder: but I hope he accomplished that
[11:36] Gradgrind Binder: and I hope that where ever he is now he keeps on looking
[11:36] Gradgrind Binder: and using that sweet shy smile of his
[11:36] Gradgrind Binder: and his sweet spirit. Jeff I miss you
[11:36] Jungle Torok: thank you so much, Grad.
[11:37] Jungle Torok: thanks for these memories, who at the same time, for me at least, make my heart feel so heavy, and warms it up at the same time
[11:37] Jungle Torok: To honor him and wish him goodbye, I suggest we have a minute of silence now. Would you please detach any noisemaking attachments, blinks, poofs and so forth, now. I'll give you a second to do that.
[11:37] Jungle Torok: Silence, please. Beginning now.
[11:39] Jungle Torok: So long Jeff, we will dearly miss you.
[11:39] Jungle Torok: thank you my friends!
[11:39] drew Lubezki: ty jungle
[11:39] Hooten Haller: bye Jeff.
[11:39] drew Lubezki: bye my friend lthr../jeff
[11:39] Hooten Haller: Wonderfulo to see you all here.
[11:39] Jungle Torok: I expect we all have many more stories to share. Memories that are bittersweet now, but will allow us to have LG with us for the rest of our lives, too.
[11:39] LatinAngel Ariantho: Bye jeff, i will miss you
[11:40] Jungle Torok: Feel free to stay for a while, share some other memories, meet Jeff's friends, and have a look around the things he made
[11:40] Jungle Torok: some memorabilia i could collect are at the endtrance of this plateform.
[11:41] Jungle Torok: some refreshments at the other end
[11:41] Jungle Torok: thanks again. it does hlep to see you all
[11:41] drew Lubezki: ty jungle
[11:41] Gradgrind Binder: yes, its good to see everyone
[11:41] drew Lubezki: ty pex
[11:41] Hooten Haller: Yes, TY to J and P for putting this together.
[11:42] Jungle Torok: thanks to you my friends.
A gathering of his friends was held on Saturday December 15, 2007 at 2:00pm SL in Memorium for Jeff "Lthrgoat Grot" Franklund who died Tuesday morning, November 27, 2007.