"In Memory of Bones"
Submitted By: Dean K.
Date: 07/25/1999

Like many of the others who are leaving messages on this site, I never had the privilege of meeting De Kelley. I was extremely saddened by his passing. He was a great actor, whose work will always be cherished. However, his greatest legacy is that he was a decent human being. If any of us can touch just one life here on Earth; then our life had meaning. DeForest Kelley touched millions.

God bless you Bones.

"The Gift of Humanity"
Submitted By: David
Date: 07/25/1999

I never met DeForest Kelley, and I just missed the airing of the original series while growing up, but I did watch Sunday evening
reruns all through the 70's. Poignantly, I still remember more of those episodes than of the church sermons immediately following (for which I always made my parents late)!

I've grown jaded from the various celebrity tidbits reported as "news" for several years now, but this one stopped me in my tracks. Upon hearing the news, I had to pause and wonder "now who will keep things 'human'?"

We've all enjoyed the lighter moments of Star Trek and the inside jokes ("I'm a doctor, not a ----"), and much has been said of how "Bones" was the voice of humanity in a future where "Humanity" was often threatened, and how, as the conscience of Captain Kirk, he balanced Spock's logic, but I believe that it goes even deeper than that.

The whole crew is larger than mere pop culture, they each and all embodied qualities that now more than ever are in short supply. Bones, even though he was so irascible, showed us that all-important permission to fail, or "unconditional love." He was SO human, with all the faults of a humanity born of passions and prejudices that couldn't be ignored, BUT you knew that whether you chose to heed or ignore his counsel, you could always count on his acceptance of you as a friend. If I had only one friend such as Leonard "Bones" McCoy, I would be a rich man!

Yes, we will miss Bones greatly - but I will hear him whenever I read any of the adventures of the original crew - but we will even more miss the reminder of our own frailties and that in the end, it's not our failures that are important, it's our relationships with those around us.

As for DeForest Kelley, I have to call him the "real McCoy," since you can't demonstrate what you don't already know, and we are all now so much the poorer for his passing. My condolences to his wife, Carolyn, and to his family and friends.

May we all never forget.

"Very Shocked"
Submitted By: Tom
Date: 07/29/1999

I am an absolutely huge Star Trek fan who has watched Star Trek in syndication since the 1970's. I was born in 1967, so I
couldn't possibly see and remember the show in anything but syndication. I am very shocked and upset right now as I have just found out about De's death. I watch a lot of TV and I'm on the Internet every day, so I don't know how that got past me. Somebody in work brought it up to me, and I said, "What????" I just confirmed it a few minutes ago by checking online.

Please include one of my best and fondest memories of De in this site, it would mean the world to me. It is a very big moment in Star Trek, and it took place in the very under-appreciated Star Trek III: The Search for Spock. De is with Spock on the Klingon ship, on course for Vulcan. Spock is alive, but unconscious. His Katra is in McCoy and, at this point, the crew does not know if Spock can be revived and McCoy says, "I'm about to tell you something that I never thought I would admit to, but it seems that....I've missed you, and I don't know if I can stand to lose you again." It was a very special moment to me, and I'll always love DeForest Kelley and remember him for his legendary work in Star Trek, and for that very special moment in Star Trek III. He was very sad and a little choked up when he spoke those lines, and you could just tell that it came from the heart.

I'm very upset right now. DeForest Kelley, along with William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy, was among my top 10 actors of all time. I'm very upset that I didn't know about this right when it happened. Thank you for reading this.

"Memories"
Submitted By: Allen Ward
Date: 08/09/1999

1975. I was 10. I as Captain Kirk, best friend Mark as Spock, my dear cousin as Dr. McCoy, my younger brother as Scotty. We "went were no man has gone before", with homemade costumes, plastic models of phasers, communicators, tricorders, and of course Dr. McCoy's medical kit.

1999. I am 34. Time goes by. Things change. Memories don't. Dr. McCoy (De), you will be missed. Thanks for the memories and thank you for sharing your life with us.

"How Everyone Remembers Him Best"
Submitted By: Jim Ownby
Date: 08/10/1999

I knew that this day would come. No one lives forever, but I knew that I would feel that much more mortal when we lost one of the crew of the Enterprise. But shock still sets in as I ponder the reality that we bid farewell to the "Country Doctor." He, like the rest of that crew, was both friend and family, and there's a hole left in us with his absence. But I will remember him best from all the times he spoke outside his role, as a genuine soul and all-around good human being. But in his role, he is immortalized. And there, I shall take great joy in seeing him again and again, save a tear, for that is all there is.

"As Long As We Remember Him... "
Submitted By: Glen Miller
Date: 08/13/1999

When I heard about Kelley's passing, I was shocked. On June 11th, 1999, Star Trek lost a figurehead. DeForest Kelley will be sorely missed. The Star Trek franchise will not be the same without the good doctor to argue with and insult Spock, to lecture Kirk about "flying a godd-mn computer console, when you want to be out there hopping galaxies." The first six movies and the books will never be the same without Bones McCoy.

"Legacy"
Submitted By: artifact
Date: 08/15/1999

Although I wasn't around when the original series was on, I grew up greatly enjoying the old show in syndication and the movies that followed. Bones will certainly remain one of my favorite characters to come out of the Star Trek universe, and DeForest Kelley has certainly left a legacy behind that will endure for years to come.

"A Great Actor"
Submitted By: John Conner
Date: 08/16/1999

DeForest Kelley was a great actor that will be missed. We knew him as the transporter fearing Dr. McCoy on Star Trek and he could always steal a scene. I also remember him in a western movie I saw once. I can't remember the name of the film but Kelley played an outlaw wearing all black. He pretty much just beat people up and caused trouble. He played the role well and it was nice to see him in something else. He will be missed.

"That 'Ole Country Doctor'"
Submitted By: Oze Mccallum
Date: 08/20/1999

I was deeply saddened when I learned of Mr. Kelley's death. I remember sitting on the floor in front of the TV watching the series when it first aired. As I grew up, the characters on Star Trek became close friends. When I found out he was from Atlanta like me, it was really special. It's almost like losing a member of your family. I'll miss you, Bones. I know you're still out there, helping and being the "Southern Gentleman" you always were.

"In Memory Of DeForest Kelley"
Submitted By: Vikas Haridas
Date: 09/04/1999

I grew up with the original Star Trek series, and so I came to know about the crew very well. Among all of them, Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy was the most gentle, humorous, kind and fun loving. I never used to miss any of the series nor the movies for one single reason: that I would be able to join Dr. McCoy and the rest of the crew "to boldly go where no man has go before." Mr. Kelley, you have captured our hearts with a loving touch. When I came to know about his sad death, I felt as if I had lost the most noblest part of my self. Even today, I saw the movie "Star Trek V: The Final Frontier" but from now on it will be hard to watch the old series and the movies. But "he's really not dead as long as we remember him." DeForest, I will miss you a lot. I really will. I can't type any more or I will break into tears. My condolences to his wife.