Posted by: "Juliana Foxcroft"

His Excellency, Baron Goetz von der Krautlache, has passed through the veil between this life and the next.

Many years ago we were at Ceilidh in Dun Ard when someone came around asking for a volunteer to drive down to the Kansas City airport to pick up a gentleman who had just arrived from Drachenwald and wished to come out to the event. By the time they got back to Leavenworth, Lance and Goetz (known mundanely as Marvin Dwayne Russell) were tight friends, and we have remained that way since.

Nay, not friends, but family. For the time we remained in Kansas City, he practically lived at our house, or we were up at his. He and Lance were almost inseparable there for a while. We travelled together many a time - to Queen's Prize, to Coronation, to the event in Calontir where our it was announced that Northshield had been granted Kingdom status, among others. He loved our kids (and they loved their Uncle Goetz!) and, when Lance and I had to drive to Florida for an interview for Lance, Goetz stepped in when the person who was supposed to be caring for the kids became abusive of them, and made sure they were safe until we could get back to Missouri. He had an interesting sense of humor and there were a lot of people who weren't quite sure how to take him, but underneath that exterior that he put up he was one of the most loving and generous souls I have ever been privileged to meet, and we are the richer for having gotten to know that side of him.

Our Goetz had been suffering recently from cancer. Last night, at 7:30 Pacific time, he departed on his journey to other lands, where he is now free of the pain, and with his beloved Maggie once again. I cannot, will not, wish him back from that happiness and peace. And I cannot say goodbye, because it's not goodbye - we will see him again some day, when it is our turn to depart the next legs of our own journeys. So until then, we will raise a beer in his honor, and wish him godspeed on his newest adventure.

Juli