Dave Arneson
October 1, 1947 - April 7, 2009
We have lost another giant of gaming my friends. Mr. Dave Arneson has left us, but this world is a much better (and more imaginative) place for Dave having been here with us. Dave and Gary created this game we all love so much. The above picture was taken at the greatest hobby store I have ever been in - The Source, in Falcon Heights, MN. My homebase store and my weekly stop for comics and new games/minis. Dave Arneson stated this was by far one of the best hobby stores in the world (and he has seen quite a few in his time). Dave and I actually started a fun (but short lived) tradition of meeting for lunch every 2-3 weeks over the winter as he moved back to MN to be with his family last year. His stories of the very early days of D&D and Gary starting his favorite reclinder on fire because he fell asleep while smoking on it were indeed fun and something I will fondly remember for the rest of my life. Dave was a big fan of Dark Sword and our award winning miniatures. He was even going to DM two of my gaming groups through an adventure, but we never got around to it as one day he was doing fine and then he took a turn for the worse and then left this world a week or so later. He died peacefully surrounded by family and close friends while in Hospice Care. I attended his wake and it dawned on me while looking down upon his earthly remains that I had almost never seen him without a smile on his face. He looked like a regal Civil War general laying at peace in his coffin. I imagine Dave is sure to look up Gary Gygax, Keith Parkinson, Dennis Mize, Chuck Crane and my daughter Lillian up in heaven to get some "old school gaming" going. Rest in peace my friend. We will raise a glass in your honor at Gen Con Indy this year. You have touched millions of lives and you will be missed by all of us Dave...
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