h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Very dear MMF,

What a lovely tribute to our dear pheloxi.

I have often thought that it is necessary to have some "other" person aware
a. How much Hootoo means to it's researchers/members
b. How are our Hootoo members informed about our departure from this world.

This tragic loss has given all of us an excellent opportunity to put our combined experience together and seek a solution as to how to inform this website that one is no longer around.

With very kind regards

Christiane M. E.
AlsoRan80

I also want to add my condolences. Pheloxi was a long-time resident of this site, one of the first 'researchers' I came to meet. He posted so many cheerful and encouraging messages, to the point of being a 'feature' of this site for me and I'm sure for many others. He will be missed.

Christiane AR80, I agree there's the problem you talk about there. In my own case ... if I die, none of my friends or family will know how to get onto h2g2 and tell the folks here about it. I simply don't have 'internet-savvy' local family or friends. I think many others here are the same. People who are here who DO have at least some internet-savvy local friends ... I agree, should tell some such person about the importance of this site and community.

It's a chilling thought ... that if people who used to be active here, just 'disappear' without a word ... they may simply have become bored with the site, or they may have lost internet access ... or they may have died. But we'll never know unless someone else tells us.

Thanks, Harrie, for letting us know. Many of us will miss his friendly greetings. My condolences. I hope you and his other loved ones will have the comfort of many fond memories.

(As per the above remarks, I don't suppose anyone would know how to tell my web friends if something happened to me. I have e-mail for a few. Perhaps someone would go through my address book and tell them, but many would be missed even so. There ought to be a way to set up a mass mailing/posting for your survivors to send. I bet it could be done with a just a little thought, but you'd have to update the addresses. Sort of an internet will, I suppose.
I was so relieved to find a former H2 poster by way of her personal website. She had a history of depression, and when she stopped posting, I was worried. Fortunately, she had just decided to be elsewhere.)

There was a thread recently about this, several people were prompted to prepare an envelope with their passwords etc, so that their families could inform their internet friends. A good idea.

My mother and sister are on h2g2, so I won't need to prepare an envelope.

Both my daughters have accounts here but they haven't posted for a long time. I'll not give them my password, because I wouldn't want such a journal cropping up on my friends' PS' (no disrespect meant to Harrie) as happened here. Galaxy Babe will die with me. My daughter #1 has been informed to contact everyone in my mobile phone (some are hootooers so could spread the word).

GB

When I heard about my brother sudden death I immediately wondered how I could get in touch with his friends at Hootoo. I was aware of his intense involvement with the site & the community although I myself had not spent much time looking at it (busy job, and there is always enough to do). When I was in Peters house the next day and was able to start up his computer I could get into his Hootoo account (password saved on the machine) to post the one message to start off this thread.

I was lucky to know about Peters involvement with Hootoo and because I'm a webdesigner myself I can handle computers a bit. Only his Apple computer was unknown to me...
Harrie

We really do appreciate all the feedback on my initial posting. It certainly helps us to deal with our pain.

I have just printed out the postings in this thread and will take them to the funeral tomorrow so that others can see this side of Peter too!

Thanks again.
Harrie

Harrie I did the same thing for my dear father, my mother appreciated all the postings in my journal - she could not believe all the thoughts and prayers around the world - all the people thinking of us at such a sad time. It really does help, I know from experience, and hopefully you'll look back on the words here - this journal will not disappear.

I will be holding a vigil for Peter tomorrow while the funeral is taking place

GB

Harrie,

There are more messages here:

F25549?thread=6508608&skip=0&show=20

And here-- F84886?thread=6508854 (Not as many, but pheloxi *started* United Friends...)

Harrie out thoughts will be with you and your family today

Those unable to attend the funeral are invited to the virtual funeral here: F19585?thread=6515255 and I hope it will bring some comfort

Dear friends,
The celebration of Pheloxi´s life was very touching, filled with the music he loved, many candles lit during the ceremony and all around the world. I believe he was smiling down on us...!

First his mother Truus spoke about his life, the ups and downs, followed by his brother Harrie, who spoke about all of you and his life with this community. His sister Joke told everyone about the events around his death and she had translated Pheloxi´s story of the `Cat who wants to be a mouse`
I, Corine, spoke about my experiences of him visiting me in England and that he is now in different worlds with his father. His neighbour and friend Rudy also spoke about the interests they shared.

The speeches were divided by music that Peter loved:
Sting - The great STUPA
Noa - Ave Maria
Jean Michel Jarre - Rendezvous 4 (A tribute to..)
Laurie Anderson - Here with you (life on a string)
Taize - Dans nos obscurite
Taize - A mon respose

We carried the coffin ourselves (on a trolley) to the grave of our father as Pheloxi was allowed to share this space with him.

There a verse was read by myself:

The good shepherd leads thee
where thou art transformed
that thou mayest breathe
the air of eternal being
where thou workest as soul
for worlds to come
the grace of the spirit
unite us with thee (Adam Bittlestone)

We all sang "Ubi Caritas, et amor, deo ibi est" (Taize)

We thank you for the beautiful flowers that we have received by Lil and Christine also on behalf of all of you. We felt you near!

We will be in touch.
Harrie and Corine

Dear Corine,

thank you for reporting back. I was with you in thoughts, and with a lit candle.

Thank you Corine, I lit a candle too.

Websailor

Thanks for sharing events with us

It seemed like a very fitting celebration of his life.....

This is a small tribute http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/brunel/F74130?thread=6517656 It is the best way of leaving a small memorial and saying farewell.

Thank you breycito (Corine) for that lovely report, I also lit a candle and I hope you find the virtual funeral we held here of some comfort

You all did him proud