Fire at Scarby... The Pickle Man Dead

[Magister]

Saw this article during my daily Internet news scouring.  Forgive me if it's all ready been posted.  Sad news for fans of Scarby and made all the worse for the unfortunate loss of Will Ross, "The Pickle Man". 

My condolences to all his friends and family out there in Texas and the Renn community.

http://www.the33tv.com/about/station/newsteam/kdaf-fire-at-scarborough-faire-kills-one-20110823,0,6860319.story

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Daniel Novick The 33 News

3:24 p.m. CDT, August 23, 2011
WAXAHACHIE, Texas—
A deadly fire at the Scarborough Faire Renaissance Festival in Waxahacie had the tight knit community in shock Tuesday, as they had lost one of their own.

As firefighters from six different fire departments battled the blaze Monday night at the Scarborough Faire Renaissance Festival, employees didn't know that in all of the flames and smoke was a co-worker.

"When I first saw it, it was pretty much a sheet of flames shooting up into the air maybe 30 feet wide," said Orvis Melvin with Scarborough Faire.

Employees woke up Tuesday to find buildings charred and the news that Will Ross, known as "the pickle man," had died.

"The renaissance community is so tightly knit that it's doubly difficult.  It truly is almost like having one of your own family members," Melvin told The 33 News.

Like many of the employees of the faire, Ross lived on the grounds.  His home went up in flames along with six other buildings.

"The man we lost last night was a really great guy with a very playful spirit," said Melvin.

Melvin said that playful spirit lifted the spirits of others there.

"You'd see him carrying on like a kid sometimes, just sort of dancing around.  He was a really good guy and everybody liked him, and he will be sorely missed," he said.

The blaze brought six fire departments rushing to Scarborough Faire around 10:30 p.m. Monday.  On Tuesday, fire marshals were still trying to determine the cause of the fire.

Melvin said they will be able to rebuild before the festival next April, and the Screams Halloween Theme Park was not affected.  But that all seems secondary to the knowledge that those who work there lost someone so close to them.

"He did not live a conventional life, but he led his life, and that's kind of cool.  Kind of sums him up," said Melvin.

[Sabrina Black]

My condolences to his family and to the Scarby family.

[jcbanner]

I heard about this at a cast rehearsal for the STL Piratefest last weekend.  From what I have heard about Will, he was a good man and well liked. Those of you who had the fortune to know him, you have our sympathies.

I'll be raising a glass in his name.

[ahfelya]

Could you please change the title of this post - really do not want to see The Pickle Man Dead. Yes, he has perished, but it is a bit too harsh of terminology for some us to have to view each time we visit this forum.

[lys1022]

Personally, I say leave it the way it is.  Death isn't something that we should whitewash with politically correct and "polite" terms.  Will is dead.  He's not "gone" or "passed away" or "perished".  He died in that fire, and we, his friends, miss him terribly. 

Besides, you don't have to see it every time you check in.  If you use the link that shows you only the posts since you've logged in last, this thread won't even be there until someone else posts in it.

There's nothing wrong with the word "dead".  It's a word that describes a state of existence.  Unfortunately, Will is now numbered among those in that state.

[ahfelya]

Thanks for the tip on the link.
Yes, the word dead is used to describe a state of existence, which to me means they cease to exist. The shirt I wore to Wills memorial service said "Everybody Dies but not Everybody Lives". As you well know, he lived life to the fullest, loved, laughed and shared a great gift. He lives on in the hearts and memories of all who knew and loved him. Therefor, to me, he shall never be dead.