dalesql: (Dale badge)
dalesql ([personal profile] dalesql) wrote2013-07-18 10:48 pm

Marty Gear

I suspect most of the folks who read this have no idea who Marty Gear is... Was dammit. Apparently he was found in his home this morning by his son. Science fiction fan, master costumer, one of the founders of CostumeCon, and my friend. I can't type anymore, I have to stop and cry for a while, every few words. Goodbye Marty. Thanks for everything.

Edited:
I first met Marty back in the 80s, when I got involved in running costume masqurades at sf cons. I knew who he was before that. He and his wife Bobbi were both master costumers and were regular winners of costume contests. He was one of those kind, generous and genuinely good people we all wish we could be. He and Bobbi decided to retire from costume cometition around then. Because they thought that they were winning too many prizes, and wanted to give newer folks a better chance. so Bobbi turned her energy more into quilting, still teaching school full time, and came to be a major player in the maryland quilting community. Marty got into MCing masqurades and was one of the co-founders of CostumeCon and the International Costumers Guild.

Marty was also the guy who hired me for my first job after getting out of the navy. I laughed and groaned along with many when he started telling his endless stock of bad vampire jokes. Watched in awe as he walked into a screaming five sided argument involving teamsters, decorators, hotel managers, show managers, and exhibitors... and with olny a few minutes of conversation, having everyone walking away thinking that they had won.

I'm going to miss him a lot. But I know that he and Bobbi are back together in gods green room, having a long hug and preparing to go on for the next gig.

[identity profile] rifkafox.livejournal.com 2013-07-19 04:23 am (UTC)(link)
I'm sorry for your loss.
ext_73228: Headshot of Geri Sullivan, cropped from Ultraman Hugo pix (Indian Pipe)

[identity profile] gerisullivan.livejournal.com 2013-07-19 06:34 am (UTC)(link)
Sympathy, Dale. May the coming days treat you gently, and may his memory be the blessing his friendship was.

[identity profile] jbadger.livejournal.com 2013-07-19 11:45 am (UTC)(link)
Sorry to hear this, he will be missed.

[identity profile] donnad.livejournal.com 2013-07-19 11:49 am (UTC)(link)
Yeah... no words... *hug*

[identity profile] petercat.livejournal.com 2013-07-19 07:09 pm (UTC)(link)
So sad to hear about this. I haven't been to a Balticon in ages, but I remember him well, and also remember him emceeing various main stage events at the Worldcons I've attended.

[identity profile] hnybny.livejournal.com 2013-07-19 11:55 pm (UTC)(link)
Marty was a howl. When I was getting ready to do a Naughty Nurse sketch at Arisia one year he "flirted" with me offstage and gave me a hug and a "bite" onstage. I'm not sure if that was ever caught on film, but I'll always remember him as cheeky and fun.