childhood's end

Majel Barrett has passed away from leukemia at the age of seventy-six. You may not recognize her name immediately, but you know who she is. Majel Barrett was her maiden and stage name, but her full name was Majel Barrett Roddenberry. She was the wife of the late Gene Roddenberry, the man who created Star Trek, and she played more roles on the television series and in the motion pictures than any other alumnus of Star Trek.

Majel's primary roles were in the original series, where she is best-known for being the torch-carrying Nurse Chapel, whose unrequited love for Mr. Spock was one of the most wistful running story lines in the series. She also provided the voice of the Enterprise computer system. She played Deanna Troi's mother in the Star Trek: The Next Generation series, and showed up in several other minor roles as well.

William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, George Takei, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols, and Grace Lee Whitney are the last remaining members of the original series.

I'm feeling really old right now. And sad.


Farewell, Mrs. Roddenberry. And of course, live long and prosper.