DeathWalker

[Punk]

I'm sad to have to report this, I was just contacted by Donald Johnson and he asked me to forward this to as many people as I can, please do the same and get this out to as many MPBTers as you can;

Farewell to Deathwalker.

Joe "Deathwalker" Balshone died last month at his home of natural
causes. He was buried on 26 March 2008. I am sorry that this
information is old, but I just got the notice myself.

Joe was a hard core "Davion", with a true love about the House, the
game, and MPBT as a whole. Toward the end of MPBT, Joe went to work
with EA Virgina. He stayed in Virgina and worked on his Masters and PHD.

There is so much to say about Joe, how he loved Battletech, the group
here, the people he met through it. Joe was a very close friend and
GodFather of my daughter Grace.

Joe at last knows the answer to the greatest question we face, and I
know I am going to miss him.

So I hope all will remember Joe with kindness. Davion will not be the
same without him around.

Farewell "DeathWalker" AKA "Minister of Kindness"

Nick "Stone" Brunstein

BALSHONE Joe Balshone, 51, a native Bexley , Ohio resident, died
earlier this month in Charlottesville , Virginia , of natural causes.
Born Joseph Garth Balshone on November 18, 1956, Joe was the son of
Benjamin Balshone, a Columbus businessman, author and owner of the
former Lynn Drug Co., who died in 1991. His mother, Miriam "Mimi"
Balshone, died in 1973. Joe attended the Columbus Academy and was a
graduate of the Winchendon School , in Winchendon , MA . He attended the
University of Cincinnati and recently obtained a Master's degree from
Capella University where he was preparing to write a PhD dissertation
at the time of his death. He was also a certified gemologist having
studied at the Gem Institute of America in California . Besides his
parents, Joe was preceded in death by a brother Gary Lee Balshone, who
died in 1941. Joe is survived by sisters, Lynn B. (Frank D.) Jacobs of
Toledo , Ohio and Cathy B. (William) Becze of Sudbury MA.; nephews,
David Jacobs of Reno , Nev. and Bruce Jacobs of Dallas , TX ; nieces, M.
Joy Jacobs-Pilipski of San Diego , CA , and Mia Sylvia Becze of Sudbury ;
aunt, Ruth Rosenthal of Columbus, uncle, Bert Rosenthal, Palm Harbor ,
FL.; four cousins, Brent and Lee Rosenthal of Columbus, Mark Rosenthal
of Atlanta , GA. and Howard Rosenthal of Safety Harbor , FL.; as well as
five grand nephews, Noah, Grant and Parker Jacobs of Dallas and Yarden
and Aviv Pilipski of San Diego . Joe was truly a "gentle giant"big in
stature and equally big of heart to all of his family who will miss
him greatly. Graveside service was held at the New Agudas Achim
Cemetery. Rabbi Areyah Kaltmann officiated. Memorials preferred to the
Ronald McDonald House, 555 Childrens Drive West , Columbus , Ohio 43205 .
Arrangements by THE EPSTEIN MEMORIAL CHAPEL, 614-235-3232. "Sign the
online guestbook at www.dispatch.com/obituaries"





New Avalon,
A meeting with the Prince and his advisor Knightwing is in
progress. A Colonel nervously enters the room unbidden, Knightwing
turns and roars, "I thought I said we were not to be disturbed unless
New Avalon was under attack!" The Colonel stammers "but sir I
thought that." Knightwing roars get out! The meeting proceeds until
late night. The tired advisor leaves directly for his home. Just
before falling asleep he wonders what that fool of a Colonel
considered so important that he would risk his career over.

Darkness…..

I am awoken by my loving wife,"Dear there is a ComStar message for
you at the terminal its coded black and I have never seen that code
before!" Crap not a code black, just what I don't need to start my
day. Davion it seemed had lost another very important officer I never
suspected how important.

(OOC) When I read the message the tears come…

Later I am sitting at my desk with an Arturo Fuente double corona
and a bottle of single malt scotch drinking to his memory. I am
reflecting on just what Joe meant to me. The first time I talked with
him was online during a war with Kurita in late 1993, I was with my
unit the (DAG)" Davion Assault Guards", and we were rocking their
worlds! At a pace of every 30 to 45 min we took another world.
Suddenly he was in the drop room cheering us on! Kurita fell that
night. Ah those were the days! Vector was House Leader; Death Walker
was his House Executive Officer, and Bruiser was Knights Grand
Marshall. About a week later I got a phone call. It was Joe warning
me about credit card meltdown. In those days it was six dollars per
hour to play. Those were the first of many times we talked and met.

Joe enjoyed acting the bad cop and loved to write a good rant.
That's where he got his name the Minister of Kindness. The facts are,
though the title came from sarcasm, it was not in reality a title
undeserved. Joe was really a big teddy bear who maintained a rough,
gruff exterior to hide what a genuinely kind and caring person he
really was. He truly cared for the community and the people in it and
it showed to those of us lucky enough to be in his orbit. Joe and
Nick tirelessly promoted MPBT and attended many meetings attempting
to make it happen. When my previous wife became sick and eventually
passed away guys like Dale, Nick, and especially Joe were my pillars
of strength they kept me sane and were there for me. Joe came down
for the funeral and provided me personal support in some of my
darkest hours.

You know that's just like Joe, he finally managed to sneak out
without getting his due credit. Well I won't stand for it! Here is
what Joe Garth Balshone really was AKA< Death Walker> DW He was MPBT
plank holder, he was House Executive Officer several times, he was my
mentor, he was my XO, he was a Knight of the Realm and received
Davion's highest honor the Medal Excalibur, he was a Gunslinger, he
was Com Star, he was part of the Inner Sphere Council, he was a
member of Group W, oh geese don't forget he was the head of C.L.O.P.,
he was a advocate for the people and the community of Battletech, he
was a hell of a good guy. But most of all he was my very dear friend
and I will greatly miss him.

<Salute> Good bye old friend, May God grant you peace!

P.S. I started this message in character as Joe would have wished but
it just got too personal. In character or out we will be a long time
filling his shoes but we will never be able to replace him.

Donald Johnson
Knightwing *K*
919-828-0779
_________________
-Punk- [Primus] -Comstar
Project Leader IS3028
Lance KMSD -MPBT:3025-