Robert Bledsaw, Founder of Judges Guild, Has Died

[James Mishler]

It is with great sadness that I must pass on the news that Robert Bledsaw, founder of Judges Guild, creator of the Wilderlands of High Fantasy, died this morning in Decatur, Illinois.

Bob was at his son's home, surrounded by family and loved ones, and passed on to the Great Adventure peacefully.

Bob was a good man, a creator of worlds, and a great friend.

I will have more details on services and memorials in the morning.

[Harley Stroh]

Thanks for the updates, James. Please keep us in the loop. It is a huge loss to the community, but it pales before the loss felt by you and others that knew him as a friend.

What a year.

//H

[Cardinal]

Condolences to family and friends. Bob gave us a wonderful place for our dreams!

[IvarBoneCrusher]

Bob Bledsaw

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Bob was a really, really great guy. I mean aside from the fact that he was one of the very small circle of people who really made this hobby and the game of D&D what it is and what so many people love (again, check out Gary Gygax's opening comments in the Players Handbook and Dungeon Masters Guide from 1st edition if you want to know who the main contributors were to the early days of the movement). But, aside from all of that, and the worlds and characters that he helped to create which have delighted so many for so long and will continue to do so for years, Bob was just a really nice person. He was always positive as opposed to negative, always inclusive as opposed to exclusive, always encouraging, always humble, always a leader in a "hey, let's go, we can do it!" kind of way. He was always trying to find a way to make something good happen, as opposed to finding every excuse in the book for why we shouldn't do something. He was a silver-lining kind of guy. And, yes, he was a gamer.

Aside from the whole RPG business, people like Bob make the world a better place. I am deeply saddened at his passing, and I also extend my condolences to his family and close friends. I will miss his encouragement and guidance, and I will miss having the comfortable knowledge that, even after all of these years, he was still down there in Decatur, cranking out good ideas and starting up projects. He has inspired a great many people, including myself. And I liked the fact that he always ended his e-mails with: "Your friend, Bob".

God Bless, Bob. Rest in peace, my friend.

Your Friend, Steve

Steve Stottrup
Chicago

[goodmangames]

I think we can all say that this is a rough year for gaming. I wish I'd gotten to know Bob better. I send my best to his family.

[Bob Bledsaw II]

Dear Friends and Fellow Gamers,

For my father, myself, and my family, I wish to thank everyone for their kind words and memorials sent at the passing of my father. He was very happy to know the people here at Goodman Games, and had great respect for the company, especially it's friendly and professional business conduct.

My father felt glad to be doing business here, and I hope to do business with Goodman Games for the Guild and the industry in the future, just as he did. Again, I thank you most sincerely.

Respectfully,
Bob Bledsaw II

Judges Guild
P. O. Box 75
Harristown, Illinois 62537

[kgeilman]

Dear Friends and Fellow Gamers,

For my father, myself, and my family, I wish to thank everyone for their kind words and memorials sent at the passing of my father. He was very happy to know the people here at Goodman Games, and had great respect for the company, especially it's friendly and professional business conduct.

My father felt glad to be doing business here, and I hope to do business with Goodman Games for the Guild and the industry in the future, just as he did. Again, I thank you most sincerely.

Respectfully,
Bob Bledsaw II

We appreciate the sentiments and wish you and your family well. Would like to request you send me a phone number to contact you at your earliest convienence as email and postings are a very bad medium of communication as your father had always said, he preferred the phone over email. Your father was a dear friend, and though I have not ever met you, I feel I know part of you as I was very comfortable with your father and considered him a dear friend. I enjoyed our visit in 2003 to his house in Decatur, IL. and enjoyed helping him with the website creation and other projects since. Including helping with the creation of the Box Set and Players guide, as well as our project with Mr. Goodman and look forward to working with you and having all of the JG products see the light of day.

Kara Geilman
Cohort of Bob Sr.
kgeilman@eostros.com


Judges Guild
P. O. Box 75
Harristown, Illinois 62537