DS Forums

 
 

Tragic news. Wonkeydonkey died today.


Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old 12-09-2015, 11:59
CLL Dodge
Forum Member
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: The Green Hills of Earth
Posts: 80,438
WD was born in 1956.
Just a year before me. A loss for posters of my generation as well as the board in general.
CLL Dodge is offline   Reply With Quote
Please sign in or register to remove this advertisement.
Old 12-09-2015, 13:35
zeebra
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 6,792
This is a contribution that Wonkey Donkey made to a book, and I thought her many friends on Digital Spy would like to read it. Written in her own inimitable style.

Caroline Blair – Contribution to ‘Kindred Pilgrim Souls’ Book I believe that bad things happen to good people. All we can do is identify the things we can influence, and make the best decisions we can, and come to terms with the things that we can’t. None of this is easy, and it is an ongoing and forever incomplete process.I believe that if we get lemons, we won’t always be able to make lemonade. Sometimes people get too many lemons at once and their strength gives out. We need to look out for people who are drowning under lemons and be ready to offer a hand with the lemonade making. They may not be easy to spot, or easy to help, or at all grateful. I believe that science does not have all the answers, not because there is anything wrong with it but because it doesn’t ask all the questions. When a child asks, ‘Why did Grandma die?’ they are rarely asking for a description of mitochondrial deterioration. I love scientific thought, with its impartiality, empiricism and refusal to paper over the cracks with supposition. But there are times when only non-scientific thoughts will do. Literally used words are not always the best means of reaching an understanding of life. We also reach truth via mythology, poetry, music, art, crafts, symbolism of all kinds. I believe that there is an almost bottomless reservoir of kindness and goodwill among humans; but that it is easily disrupted. We are damaged by our own painful experiences, angry, unwilling to risk further pain, idle, insecure, self-satisfied and unimaginative. It is a tribute to basic human decency that so much kindness and tolerance survives the journey. I believe that I am a combination of my personality and experiences; I find it hard to warm to any concept of ‘past lives’ or ‘future lives’ because without that personality and experiences, in what sense would I be ‘me’? But I also believe that my imagination and powers of perception are limited, and that there will be things that I can’t understand or envisage. The existence and journey of an immortal soul may be one of those things. I also believe that some form of religious or mythological thinking is as natural to human beings as sight and hearing, and that though not all religions can possibly be ‘right’, the religious impulse that takes these forms may be a valid human sense.I believe that love is the answer, as long as it is realistic, resilient, genuine and open-ended. The ‘love’ that says ‘charity begins at home’ is nothing more than mean-spiritedness in disguise, as it invariably means ‘and ends there’. We have to try and find a way of loving – valuing – the less loveable; and we will never do that if we circle the wagons against anyone a bit different from ourselves.
zeebra is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-09-2015, 13:56
p381
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 5,511
So sorry to hear this.
RIP Wonkeydonkey.
p381 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-09-2015, 14:23
John Dough
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 98,182
I've made a donation to the fund raising and hope it reaches the target because I know what good work hospices do.

I always valued WD's contributions to different topics here and am so saddened by her passing.
Her family should take some small comfort from the comments expressed here but fully appreciate how any premature loss leaves a painful void that can never be filled.

God bless her.RIP Caroline.
John Dough is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-09-2015, 14:32
yellowlabbie
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 43,100
Yes I wondered too, not quite 59, bless her! It really is so sad, as that's far too young for somebody so intelligent and full of life still! Same age as my brother when he died and it's very hard to lose somebody so close from such a horrible disease!

R,I.P Wonkeydonkey, you will be sorely missed here on DS!
It really is so very sad, as you say, far too young and so intelligent and full of life. It seems such a waste. She is missed already. I hope she knows how much she is missed.
yellowlabbie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-09-2015, 14:35
yellowlabbie
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 43,100
WD was born in 1956.
Do you know where she was born? I noticed that she lived in London.
yellowlabbie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-09-2015, 14:51
zeebra
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 6,792
Do you know where she was born? I noticed that she lived in London.
I don't know as it isn't something that's ever cropped up in conversation as far as I can recall.
zeebra is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-09-2015, 15:01
yellowlabbie
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 43,100
I don't know as it isn't something that's ever cropped up in conversation as far as I can recall.
Thanks, I just recognised one of the names from many, many years ago on the list of donations, they are from my home town of Coventry. I didn't know them, just knew the guys name from somewhere.
yellowlabbie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-09-2015, 18:08
ValW
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: near Walsall, West Midlands
Posts: 1,665
I know she spent some time working down the road from me in Wolverhampton so she probably did make other connections in the Midlands.

This is a contribution that Wonkey Donkey made to a book, and I thought her many friends on Digital Spy would like to read it. Written in her own inimitable style.

Caroline Blair – Contribution to ‘Kindred Pilgrim Souls’ Book I believe that bad things happen to good people. All we can do is identify the things we can influence, and make the best decisions we can, and come to terms with the things that we can’t. None of this is easy, and it is an ongoing and forever incomplete process.I believe that if we get lemons, we won’t always be able to make lemonade. Sometimes people get too many lemons at once and their strength gives out. We need to look out for people who are drowning under lemons and be ready to offer a hand with the lemonade making. They may not be easy to spot, or easy to help, or at all grateful. I believe that science does not have all the answers, not because there is anything wrong with it but because it doesn’t ask all the questions. When a child asks, ‘Why did Grandma die?’ they are rarely asking for a description of mitochondrial deterioration. I love scientific thought, with its impartiality, empiricism and refusal to paper over the cracks with supposition. But there are times when only non-scientific thoughts will do. Literally used words are not always the best means of reaching an understanding of life. We also reach truth via mythology, poetry, music, art, crafts, symbolism of all kinds. I believe that there is an almost bottomless reservoir of kindness and goodwill among humans; but that it is easily disrupted. We are damaged by our own painful experiences, angry, unwilling to risk further pain, idle, insecure, self-satisfied and unimaginative. It is a tribute to basic human decency that so much kindness and tolerance survives the journey. I believe that I am a combination of my personality and experiences; I find it hard to warm to any concept of ‘past lives’ or ‘future lives’ because without that personality and experiences, in what sense would I be ‘me’? But I also believe that my imagination and powers of perception are limited, and that there will be things that I can’t understand or envisage. The existence and journey of an immortal soul may be one of those things. I also believe that some form of religious or mythological thinking is as natural to human beings as sight and hearing, and that though not all religions can possibly be ‘right’, the religious impulse that takes these forms may be a valid human sense.I believe that love is the answer, as long as it is realistic, resilient, genuine and open-ended. The ‘love’ that says ‘charity begins at home’ is nothing more than mean-spiritedness in disguise, as it invariably means ‘and ends there’. We have to try and find a way of loving – valuing – the less loveable; and we will never do that if we circle the wagons against anyone a bit different from ourselves.
Wow thanks for that. One thing people may not know about her was she was a member of the Unitarian Church. Not a religion I know much about but reading up on their values it becomes clear how they helped form her liberal, questioning, all-embracing philosophy. Even speaking as an atheist myself, if you want to believe in a creator the Unitarians sound like the best way to go about it. None of that "my God's better than your God" nonsense.
ValW is offline Follow this poster on Twitter   Reply With Quote
Old 12-09-2015, 18:11
yellowlabbie
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 43,100
Thanks ValW.
yellowlabbie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-09-2015, 18:31
cavalli
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 14,905
Do you know where she was born? I noticed that she lived in London.
Scotland is ringing a very quiet bell for some reason, don't quote me on it though.
cavalli is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-09-2015, 18:39
yellowlabbie
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 43,100
Scotland is ringing a very quiet bell for some reason, don't quote me on it though.
OK thank you.
yellowlabbie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-09-2015, 18:48
Tableback
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 139
Truly lost a legend on DS...I was thinking of WD when the civilian big brother started earlier this year, I missed her eloquently written posts and now this forum will not be the same without her......R.I.P Wonkeydonkey
Tableback is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-09-2015, 19:17
MargMck
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 17,638
Do you know where she was born? I noticed that she lived in London.
According to her F'Bk page:
I was born in Chester, then moved to Liverpool, then to Oxford, where I lost my northern accent in about 24 hours.
MargMck is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-09-2015, 19:21
cavalli
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 14,905
According to her F'Bk page:
I was born in Chester, then moved to Liverpool, then to Oxford, where I lost my northern accent in about 24 hours.
Goodness, I was born in Chester too, how could I not have know that
cavalli is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-09-2015, 19:22
yellowlabbie
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 43,100
According to her F'Bk page:
I was born in Chester, then moved to Liverpool, then to Oxford, where I lost my northern accent in about 24 hours.
Oh that's great, Chester, what a lovely place to be born in. Thanks for this.
yellowlabbie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-09-2015, 21:34
moleymo
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 6,715
This is a contribution that Wonkey Donkey made to a book, and I thought her many friends on Digital Spy would like to read it. Written in her own inimitable style.

Caroline Blair – Contribution to ‘Kindred Pilgrim Souls’ Book I believe that bad things happen to good people. All we can do is identify the things we can influence, and make the best decisions we can, and come to terms with the things that we can’t. None of this is easy, and it is an ongoing and forever incomplete process.I believe that if we get lemons, we won’t always be able to make lemonade. Sometimes people get too many lemons at once and their strength gives out. We need to look out for people who are drowning under lemons and be ready to offer a hand with the lemonade making. They may not be easy to spot, or easy to help, or at all grateful. I believe that science does not have all the answers, not because there is anything wrong with it but because it doesn’t ask all the questions. When a child asks, ‘Why did Grandma die?’ they are rarely asking for a description of mitochondrial deterioration. I love scientific thought, with its impartiality, empiricism and refusal to paper over the cracks with supposition. But there are times when only non-scientific thoughts will do. Literally used words are not always the best means of reaching an understanding of life. We also reach truth via mythology, poetry, music, art, crafts, symbolism of all kinds. I believe that there is an almost bottomless reservoir of kindness and goodwill among humans; but that it is easily disrupted. We are damaged by our own painful experiences, angry, unwilling to risk further pain, idle, insecure, self-satisfied and unimaginative. It is a tribute to basic human decency that so much kindness and tolerance survives the journey. I believe that I am a combination of my personality and experiences; I find it hard to warm to any concept of ‘past lives’ or ‘future lives’ because without that personality and experiences, in what sense would I be ‘me’? But I also believe that my imagination and powers of perception are limited, and that there will be things that I can’t understand or envisage. The existence and journey of an immortal soul may be one of those things. I also believe that some form of religious or mythological thinking is as natural to human beings as sight and hearing, and that though not all religions can possibly be ‘right’, the religious impulse that takes these forms may be a valid human sense.I believe that love is the answer, as long as it is realistic, resilient, genuine and open-ended. The ‘love’ that says ‘charity begins at home’ is nothing more than mean-spiritedness in disguise, as it invariably means ‘and ends there’. We have to try and find a way of loving – valuing – the less loveable; and we will never do that if we circle the wagons against anyone a bit different from ourselves.
Thanks for sharing this
moleymo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-09-2015, 21:39
jeanoj
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: London
Posts: 19,833
I have just got back from my holiday to find out this awful news.
I got to know Caroline from her many interesting posts on here and really loved her fair and honest assessments on various housemates. She was a huge supporter of Luke Anderson as was I and she asked me to vote for him in the final as she was going to be away so unable to do so herself. She sent me the money and I was proud to add her votes to mine and I cannot tell you how delighted she was to return from holiday to discover Luke had won. I know Caroline did meet Luke and found him to be everything she thought he was and I was pleased as so often people don't meet your expectations when you meet them in real life. Personally, I will miss WD's posting on here - a truly remarkable woman who will be sorely missed both here and in the other forums she posted in. Condolences to her family and friends - such a sad loss. RIP Caroline xx
jeanoj is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-09-2015, 23:18
Janette800
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Wales...Land of the Dragon
Posts: 11,430
Oh no ...such sad news she was a good poster and she will be dearly missed....I was wondering were she was how terrible sad......rest in peace lovely lady
Janette800 is offline Follow this poster on Twitter   Reply With Quote
Old 12-09-2015, 23:33
Noisy Oyster
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 1,758
Not having wonkey's ability to multiquote (blush):

To the poster who mentioned Scotland, Caroline definitely had family from Northumberland and certainly visited Durham several times (maybe Scotland too, I'm not sure), so you didn't imagine the connection to the northern part of the country. The quote from the book was beautifully expressed and a very fitting tribute and I have, of course, made a donation to the fund raising for the hospice. God bless, wd.
Noisy Oyster is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13-09-2015, 10:07
Littlegreen42
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Under The Ivy
Posts: 16,586
I haven't been visiting this board that much this series, but I had to comment as I recall reading many brilliant posts from Wonkey. Such a loss. RIP Wonkeydonkey / Caroline.
Littlegreen42 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13-09-2015, 12:14
Janet_Hadfield
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,877
W D will be sorely missed on here, some years we agreed on housemates and others disagreed, but she was always polite and a good adversary. My thoughts are with her family and friends.
Janet_Hadfield is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13-09-2015, 13:53
minkski
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: ♥
Posts: 5,795
I haven't been able to get her out of my mind since I heard the sad news: she was so warm and funny- even during her illness she had very amusing insights to the ridiculousness of hospitals and illnesses. I cannot express how much sadder a place this world is without her in it
minkski is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13-09-2015, 14:42
ValW
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: near Walsall, West Midlands
Posts: 1,665
My goodness, £854 raised already! The hospice is going to be blown away by everyone's generosity. Thank you so much.

This update was left on there yesterday:

Thanks so much everyone - so much generosity in only a couple of days! To hear Caroline herself discussing hope in difficult times, you can listen to: http://www.kensington-unitarians.org...n_01.02.15.mp3
I haven't listened to the podcast myself yet but it only seemed fair to bring it to everyone's attention.
ValW is offline Follow this poster on Twitter   Reply With Quote
Old 13-09-2015, 15:34
Barracute
Forum Member
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Nikki Grahame ♥ Fan Club
Posts: 60,862
My goodness, £854 raised already! The hospice is going to be blown away by everyone's generosity. Thank you so much.

This update was left on there yesterday:



I haven't listened to the podcast myself yet but it only seemed fair to bring it to everyone's attention.
Thankyou very much for posting that, it is a nice touch to hear her speak herself and such hopeful words.
Barracute is offline   Reply With Quote
 
Reply



Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

 
Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 08:19.