John O'Neill

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July 27, 2022

Our dear friend, we just heard that you aren’t with us anymore. Thank you for all those great moments we spent together, the laughs, the teasing, the long talks with a glass of wine, the dinners and ... you playing the drums at the last minute parties... more

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Lisa Marie Kindley reacted on this.

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June 3, 2022

What follows is a beautiful dream that John had, mid-November 2022...When he was in the hospital, he asked me to write it down for him as he told it to me....he didn't want it forgotten....
"So I'm lying in bed, couldn't sleep, and gradually I... more

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June 3, 2022

This photo, and these words, are posted for John on behalf of my parents, Bob and Bev Kindley:
"Yellow daisies for John O'Neill, in memory of his spring birthday when they bloom. The honey is to remind us of his sweet and thoughtful nature.
The... more

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May 22, 2022

John shared this original photo with Lisa and me when I visited last summer and I thought it was so cool. Such style!

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Lisa Marie Kindley and ELISABETE ARIZTOY AJURIA reacted on this.

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May 22, 2022

I remember John not only as a wonderful brother-in-law, friend, spiritual advisor, artist/designer, magician, and philosopher, but also as a fellow music freak, someone who brought music to groups spontaneously (didgeridoo, pan pipes, drums) and could... moreI remember John not only as a wonderful brother-in-law, friend, spiritual advisor, artist/designer, magician, and philosopher, but also as a fellow music freak, someone who brought music to groups spontaneously (didgeridoo, pan pipes, drums) and could discern emotional nuances through melody, rhythm, and sonic saturation. In conversations, he knew how to riff, ever-responsive to other people’s thoughts, flights of fancy, moods, and humor. He seemed to know intuitively how to bring out the best in people and generate a festive, joyful energy at the table, in the neighborhood, and well beyond. I loved this about John, this playful, improvisational spirit. Conjuring up this memory heartens me because I see an opportunity to keep his legacy alive by emulating his approach to people, community, and art.

The first time I visited Lisa and John in New Mexico was, sadly, the last time I saw John, but I am glad that every day was fully of merriment and favorite routines that I had come to eagerly anticipate over the years, such as dining al fresco, enjoying Lisa’s culinary works of art and the generous pours of wine, being serenaded post-meal by John’s pan pipes (which always made me giggle a bit, even though such gentle little songs seemed to require attentive solemnity), and having cheeky little Romeo join us at the indoor dining table and perform his tricks for treats.

Music. John and I both liked trance/house music, but when it came to Pink Floyd, his all-time favorite band, I was close-minded, not wanting to enter the dark and scary state of mind the songs beckoned. But on my last visit, the topic of Pink Floyd came up again—I think John was talking about the emotional power of their live performances—and he asked me, if I had to choose, which song was my favorite. I knew instantly, as there was only one: “Learning to Fly.” I loved that song because it transported me to a more hopeful, profound state of being; it was heavy yet somehow untethered, with backing vocals that soared. So, John cranked the volume to eleven and the whole house vibrated and the three of us just listened and let the song take over. “Can’t take my eyes from the circling sky/tongue-tied and twisted, just an earthbound misfit…”

I loved that moment and I still think about how it almost moved me to tears, the way a good song played loudly often does—it shuttles you to the night skies where you can dance and feel true and be wild; but now there is even more emotional weight and meaning in light of John’s passing a few months later. I’m thankful, though, for having so many good memories that I can write about and share. This is just the first…Love, Sonja less

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Lisa Marie Kindley reacted on this.

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April 25, 2022 · via iPhone

Happy Birthday dear brother.

I am adding some special photos, from your early start digging on the beach in Yorkshire, through the years to family holidays, O'Neill siblings creating their masterpieces in the garden of the family home - watched by a... more

+3

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Lisa Marie Kindley reacted on this.

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April 25, 2022

Happy Birthday Uncle John!

I have so many great memories of Uncle John coming to visit- it really was such an exciting event for us! I especially remember him staying with us when it was my first day of school and how excited I was for him to see me in... more

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March 24, 2022

The garden bed John made here in Truchas, with all of the seedlings laid out neatly for planting....rather like a game board, such as Paradice! John was a Green Man in many ways...

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Bob Curtiss, Alice O'Neill, and Bev Kindley reacted on this.

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March 24, 2022

Sorting through boxes of old photos, I found this....John the pirate! It was taken from before I met him, but I like to think of him this way, as he always had a strong adventurous side...it is part of what led us to start a new journey in New Mexico...

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Bob Curtiss, Alice O'Neill, and Bev Kindley reacted on this.

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March 24, 2022

...A sweet poem my mother wrote about John...my family loved him, although our visits together were not often enough...

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Bob Curtiss and Alice O'Neill reacted on this.

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March 10, 2022

Such a funny, cute moment, Oona.... the deer video really shows your family resemblance! :)

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Bob Curtiss reacted on this.

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March 9, 2022

Deer-y me... What a classic father-daughter moment : )

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March 7, 2022 · via iPhone

John O’Neill, one of a kind! He was the Art teacher for many years at our little Charter high school. Inspiring all who met him, a perfect gentleman and also irreverent with a mischievous grin. Here is a Halloween photo from the school, 2017. Love to... more

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Lisa Marie Kindley, Bob Curtiss, and Alice O'Neill reacted on this.

March 7, 2022

March 2, 2022

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March 2, 2022 · via iPhone

And, talking of babies….. found this today

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Lisa Marie Kindley and Alice O'Neill reacted on this.

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March 1, 2022

Like many of us, it’s quite hard to find the right words to write here to remember John! Uncle John, or Tio Juan - to my brothers, and my sister and me ;-)

Although we didn’t get the chance to forge a proper adult:adult relationship, prob due to... more

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Bernadette O'Neill, Lisa Marie Kindley, and Alice O'Neill reacted on this.
Lisa Marie Kindley Thank you, Alex! Sharing and reading everyone's memories, all different, all sparkling, is like looking through a treasure box....of John!
- March 12, 2022

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February 27, 2022

John and the story about the shark... Lisa is by his side

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Bernadette O'Neill, Lisa Marie Kindley, and Alice O'Neill reacted on this.

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February 27, 2022

John and Oona, pure love and sunshine

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Lisa Marie Kindley and Alice O'Neill reacted on this.

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February 27, 2022

John and the twinkle...

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Lisa Marie Kindley and Alice O'Neill reacted on this.

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February 27, 2022

Ahhh, I have circled this page now for days, knowing it was there, but not quite able to log in, let alone write something... Now at last I shall try. I first met John 30 years or so ago, knew right away he was a special being, so very Irish (like me),... more

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5 person reacted on this
Suzanne Warren Lovely memory JoAnne.
- February 27, 2022

February 27, 2022

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February 26, 2022

It was all about the twinkle. John was so full of love and life that it often trickled out of the corner of his eye. I don't remember when I first met him, but it probably happened at a party, and even if it wasn't meant to be a party I'm sure John... moreIt was all about the twinkle. John was so full of love and life that it often trickled out of the corner of his eye. I don't remember when I first met him, but it probably happened at a party, and even if it wasn't meant to be a party I'm sure John turned it into one. I first bonded with him as a fellow Northern European, as immigrants in foreign waters we would share many giggles about how the crazy Americans would do things all wrong, like working too much and flirting too little. John excelled in flirting, he flirted with life, with men, women, kids, dogs, cats, stray plants, and even a dead shark he somehow encountered on a dark and stormy night and therefore carried all the way home in his arms. It was one of those stories that beautifully illustrated how he seemed to be created with an abundance zest for life sprinkled with a generous dose of crazy.

Later our relationship deepened as he moved in with us while searching for Oona. It was a year of deep pain and agony. John was driven by a father's all consuming love and sheer determination, he arm wrestled with bureaucracies, pleaded with police, poured money into a private eye, then finally, finally found her. I will never ever forget the day that he carried her back home, all raw emotion and so full of joy. With Oona back in his arms, his life took on a new meaning, their relationship became one of most beautiful father-daughter relationships that I've ever witnessed.

I also remember when John shared that he had met someone called Lisa. He had been shopping for a dress for Oona, and true to form wanted the very best for his daughter so Laura Ashley it was. Lisa helped him find a beautiful dress with flowers and frills for Oona, while offering him a quiet meadow where he could slow down for a bit and simply be. With Lisa by his side, John created a home dedicated to love and to art.

In many ways John's third love was art. He devoted his life to it, stubbornly, unapologetically. It was not an easy road to take, it cost him both money and a few relationships, but in the midst of all the challenges he somehow carried on. And most of the time he did it with that infectious twinkle in his eye. Dear John, I will miss your twinkle, your love, and that little dose of crazy too. less

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6 person reacted on this
Suzanne Warren Beautifully written Lot. I think you met first John when I brought him and Melinda to a party at your house. Or maybe it was a party at my house? And yes, John could turn any occasion into a party at the drop of a hat! We'll not see the likes of him... more
- February 27, 2022
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Bob Curtiss Lot, I'm struggling to put a timeline to my somewhat disjointed memories of John. What year was it that he lived with you? Was your house in Palo Alto? I remember visiting John and meeting Oona when he lived in a house of friends of his, in Palo Alto.
- February 28, 2022
Suzanne Warren Bob, I think it was 1995 or 96 that John lived with Lot and Ron in their house in Palo Alto. I figured it out using Oona's age. She was four when John recovered her and I think he lived with them the year before she was found. I could be off, maybe Lot... more
- February 28, 2022
Lot Villemoes Suzanne, I think your math and your memory is spot on! So Bob, we probably met in my old backyard in Palo Alto
- February 28, 2022
Lot Villemoes Oh, and Suzanne, I believe the photo of John and the twinkle was taken at your house in Palo Alto. I seem to remember you hosted a small birthday gathering for Michael, and that John somehow turned it into a celebration of mischief and joy...
- February 28, 2022

February 26, 2022

February 25, 2022

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February 25, 2022

Suzanne Warren and Alice O'Neill reacted on this.
Bug Deakin John'O and i in Chicago at a software conference and then overlooking Kootenay Lake in 1986 - so much so many so few - Love you my dear friend!
- February 25, 2022

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February 25, 2022 · via iPhone

As you can see, from a very early age John was ahead of his time and would not be ‘messed with’… our mother is on the left and our formidable godmother on the right in the photo.

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Lisa Marie Kindley, Suzanne Warren, and Alice O'Neill reacted on this.
Suzanne Warren I love this photo!
- February 27, 2022
Bernadette O'Neill Me too x
- February 27, 2022
Lisa Marie Kindley John loved wearing cardigans....seeing this photo, shows where it all began!
- March 12, 2022

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February 25, 2022 · via iPhone

My big brother. My confidante. My friend. Fiercely protective of all those he loved from challenging one of my teachers for putting me in detention to making sure boyfriends were clear on the expected code of conduct when dating his little sister…… I... more

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Lisa Marie Kindley, Suzanne Warren, and Alice O'Neill reacted on this.

February 24, 2022

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February 24, 2022

I first met John in 1983, when we were both working on video games for a company named Roklan, near Chicago. One day while I was visiting the office, I happened to walk past an open doorway to a room in which an interesting gentleman was giving a... moreI first met John in 1983, when we were both working on video games for a company named Roklan, near Chicago. One day while I was visiting the office, I happened to walk past an open doorway to a room in which an interesting gentleman was giving a presentation of a video game he was developing, called LifeSpan. I was captivated by his voice and speaking style, and so I stopped to listen, and quickly became intrigued by the design of his game, which was radically different than any video game I had ever seen. I listened until the end of his presentation and then talked with him for a few minutes. For whatever reason, we did not exchange telephone numbers or other means of contacting one another, and did not meet again by means of our own intentions.

But we did meet again, at the second Computer Game Developers Conference in 1989. If you believe in Fate, then know this: the universe intended for us to meet again. It was certainly a cosmic coincidence. At the end of the conference I found myself sitting at a banquet table with two guys from Toronto who introduced me to this interesting looking gentleman they had met during the conference. As I looked at him I had this strange feeling that I didn't quite understand. It was like a "sixth sense" tingling, you know? Neither of us recognized the other at first, but the strange feeling continued, and I finally asked him what games had he worked on. When he mentioned that he had published a game with a company named Roklan, I suddenly remembered our earlier, brief encounter, which I related to him. We were both delighted and struck up an instant friendship.

We lived two thousand miles apart, I in Vermont, but we managed to stay in touch by telephone, and I remember visiting John in four different places that he lived. The first one had a swimming pool and John had a white cockatoo. During the earthquake of October 1989 I was watching the world series at the moment that the earthquake struck, and immediately thought to call John. Luckily I was able to get through to him before all the telephone circuits became jammed. He described to me the scene -- huge waves sloshing out of the swimming pool, and the cockatoo had flown out the door during the confusion, never to be seen again.

The second place was in Mill Valley, the third in Palo Alto, during which visit I met Oona. Finally the fourth visit was in a house somewhere near San Francisco. I don't remember where, exactly, but I recall that there was a bit of lightly forested space around the house. I also remember a fantastic evening of drumming and laughter!

Finally, John visited me in Vermont. We spent a few days working together on a project whose name whose name I don't recall. It was John's design for an interactive venue at which people would enjoy an evening's entertainment. One or two couples would sit on comfortable sofas in a small room that contained a large high resolution display upon which would appear fantastic imagery as only John could imagine. They would interact with couples in other rooms, but their interactions would not be direct, they would be sort of metaphorical, interpreted through the imagery and sounds. The whole thing was all about community and sharing, completely absent was conflict and strife. As with everything about John. During those few days I shared with John a part of his creative process as he actively developed the design, constantly sketching as he visualized his thoughts. He graciously wanted me to keep several large pages of his drawings which I still have more than 30 years later.

At one point during that visit we somehow got to talking about Star Wars and George Lucas. I asked John if he had ever seen the first film that Lucas had made, called THX 1138. When he told me that he had not, I insisted that he must see it, and so we rented the video and watched it in my living room. At the end of the film John quietly commented, "Whatever happened to you, George Lucas?", to which I replied, "Apparently he went over to the dark side". We both laughed.

As I reminisce about our friendship, I realize that although I actually spent relatively little time in John's presence, the impact he had upon me was profound. I had drifted away from the video game industry because I was uncomfortable working on games that contained violence. John was a person who taught me that games did not have to involve conflict in order to be enjoyable. He was eminently kind, endlessly creative, and I shall cherish his memory.

My preference for living on the east coast prevented the opportunity for me to spend more time with John. That is something I profoundly regret. less

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Lisa Marie Kindley, Suzanne Warren, and Alice O'Neill reacted on this.
Bug Deakin Bob Curtiss - what a bloody luvly story - Crikey mate - dont think i got to meet you - this be the Bug person - i did show up in Chicago at a software convention early on with John'O - then i took him to Peoria Il and told him i needed him to hold up his... more
- February 25, 2022
Suzanne Warren Bob, the project's name was Lighthouse! And in so many ways it was emblematic of John's life, attempting always to bring light in through his art.
- February 27, 2022
Bob Curtiss Suzanne, yes, that was it -- Lighthouse. Thank you.
- February 28, 2022
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Bob Curtiss Bug, I don't believe we ever met. I could be mistaken, but I think I would remember someone being introduced with the name 'Bug'.
- March 12, 2022

February 23, 2022

Suzanne Warren reacted on this.
Maggie Robertson I knew John when we were at Corsham in the sixties, and we were immediate friends because we were both from North of England! My earliest memory of him was when he was on his bike, cycling furiously, on Beechfield Lane then had to slam his brakes on hard... more
- February 23, 2022
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February 21, 2022 · via iPhone

Mark and I were lucky to live next door to John and Lisa for a little while. John was a fast friend as I think he was to most. He had so much life and joy in him, we still can’t believe he’s no longer with us. We still feel Johns spirit with us and... more

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Lisa Marie Kindley and Alice O'Neill reacted on this.

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February 20, 2022

John's wonderful and dangerous art:

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February 19, 2022

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February 18, 2022

Early days, back in Palo Alto...

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Bob Curtiss Lisa, it's possible that we met during this time. I remember meeting Oona when she was about the age in the photo, and I'm sure it was in Palo Alto. My memory of that visit is that John and Oona were living in a house they shared with two other adults... more
- February 24, 2022
Lisa Marie Kindley The time of your visit would have been just before I met John, then....so I don't think I ever met you, but I remember John telling me his good memories about your friendship!
- February 24, 2022
Bob Curtiss Lisa, I finally was able to determine that the very last time I visited with John was in April of 1996. On that visit I attended the Computer Game Developers Conference with my friend Bill Hopkins, the Canadian guy who had first introduced me to John in... more
- March 28, 2022
Lisa Marie Kindley That is a great memory....I know John always loved starting the music play at parties....whether drums, flutes, didgeridoo, marimbas....
- March 29, 2022
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February 17, 2022

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February 17, 2022

I was lucky enough to have John as a teacher for a whole year at Bitney. The class was at the end of the day, so the classes were smaller, and I got a lot of time to talk with him one on one about all sorts of stuff. His enthusiasm for art and creativity... more

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Lisa Marie Kindley, Scott Vincent Young, and Alice O'Neill reacted on this.
Lisa Marie Kindley Thank you, Henry...I remember John telling me about you, that you were one of his hardest-working students, and he really respected you for it....he would have been happy to know how he inspired you!
- February 24, 2022
- · 1 likes this

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February 17, 2022

This is from November, 2018 the last time I was with John. How time moves on for us all. You always inspired me and still do. I am so glad for the time we spent together and the opening of many worlds.

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Lisa Marie Kindley, Scott Vincent Young, and Alice O'Neill reacted on this.

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February 17, 2022

This was taken when Oona was about a year old, in Occidental as I recall. It was a happy time for all in that beautiful place

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Lisa Marie Kindley, Scott Vincent Young, and Alice O'Neill reacted on this.

February 17, 2022

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February 17, 2022

This was truly the moment i saw the Americanization of John O! and I shall never forget taking him to his first baseball game and having to reverse his view of the game from a cricket standpoint - awww John'O - thank you for all the tears of laughter i... more

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Lisa Marie Kindley, Scott Vincent Young, and Alice O'Neill reacted on this.

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February 16, 2022

Lisa, I was really saddened to hear today of John's death. Such a crazy, funny person. I just loved him. He just didn't seem like a guy who was going to die any time soon, and it's very hard for me to process a world without him.

I hope you are doing... more

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Lisa Marie Kindley reacted on this.
Lisa Marie Kindley Thank you, Scott...
- February 17, 2022

February 16, 2022

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February 16, 2022

Dear John,
I never got to say goodbye.

To the one who met me at the airport when I moved here, gave me a place to stay, insisted I first drove - on the wrong side!
40 years of abiding love, friendship, partying, drumming, conversations about life and... more

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Suzanne Warren, Lisa Marie Kindley, and Alice O'Neill reacted on this.
Josie Levine John, with his greatest creation!
- February 16, 2022
- · 1 likes this
Bug Deakin Josie - we need to make sure we do the things we have not done for a while - need a hug honey - xo bug
- February 25, 2022

February 16, 2022

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February 16, 2022

A flashback and an insight into John's artistic vision

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John O'Neill is one of the first artists working with computer games. In 1983 he designed Lifespan, a game for Atari 8-bit which takes the player through scenes representative of human life from childhood to death. The Dolphin's Rune or The Dolphin's Pear...

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Suzanne Warren reacted on this.
Scott Vincent Young I am so glad you posted that, Lisa. It was fascinating to see how that game evolved. Makes me miss him more.
- February 16, 2022
- · 1 likes this

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February 15, 2022 · via iPhone

This is one of my favorites.

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Scott Vincent Young and Alice O'Neill reacted on this.

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February 15, 2022

John was always so supportive of my painting...we travelled to so many art fairs together...this photo was in my tent, at a show somewhere in California. He was my biggest fan...and my harshest critic! His influence helped me grow so much artistically.... more

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February 15, 2022 · via iPhone

My dear old friend, how I miss you so! So many memories. When John and Lisa were packing to move from Nevada City, he came across this old photo and gave it to me. It’s so precious to me now.