Across the World Wide Web, within special interest newsgroups, and splattered across several Star Trek conventions, this statement was listed for all to read. Mark Lenard, who played Sarek, Spock’s father, died on Friday November 22nd, 1996.

Mark Lenard, born 1924, had been in poor health since early in the summer of 1996, when he was forced to cancel a scheduled appearance at a Star Trek convention. Mark was seventy-two years of age when he died due to complications following surgery for cancer. Though I don’t have clear details, one person was reported to state that Walter Koenig announced Mark’s death during his appearance at a convention this weekend. They stated that Mark had needed to have feeding tubes placed in his stomach, which required surgery. Shortly after that he developed an infection. Pneumonia soon followed, which led to his death.

Mark Lenard, best known for his role as Spock’s father, was a fine actor who added grace to the Vulcan he portrayed. He was also one of the few actors ever to portray three different aliens on Star Trek: a Romulan, a Klingon, and a Vulcan. He his role of Sarek was introduced in the episode Journey to Babel (1966). He also portrayed Sarek in two episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation: Sarek (1987), and Reunification (1987), and three full motion pictures, Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979), as the Klingon Captain, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984), as Sarek, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986), as Sarek, and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991), as Sarek. Star Trek: Sarek (1994), narrated by Mark, is currently avalible on Audiobook (Simon and Schuster). His role as the Romulan Commander in Balance of Terror (1966) has stood out in the minds of all diehard Star Trek fans. His narration of Simon and Schuster’s Star Trek Omnipedia CD-Rom (1995) will be a legacy to this man’s great talents.

Other roles included Urko in Planet of the Apes (1974), in three episodes of Mission Impossible: Colonel Bakram, The Rebel (1970), Aristo Skora, Nitro (1969), and Felipe Mora, Wheels (1966), The Secret Empire (1979) as Emperor Thorval, Getting Married (1978) as Mr. Bloom, Annie Hall (1977) as a Navy Officer, Here Comes the Brides (1968) as Aaron Stempel, Hang ‘em High (1967), The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965) as Bathazar, Another world (1964), and Search for Tomorrow (1951).

Other fandoms have been touched by America’s number one killer -- cancer. On October 23rd, 1994, Kung Fu: The Legend Continues lost actor Robert Lansing to Lung Cancer. The fandom felt his loss shouldn’t go in vain and have annually held year round fund raisers, raising money for both the American and Canadian Cancer Society and donating those funds in Robert’s name. In the two years since his death they have donated over four thousand dollars. I too believe that Mark Lenard’s death shouldn’t be in vain, and would like to open a fund for raising moneys for the American Cancer Society. Moneys raised during the course of each year will be sent to the Cancer Society in Mark’s name. If you wish to donate money to the American Cancer Society you can either directly send it to the society in Mark’s name, or send a check (please clearly state that the check is for Mark’s Cancer Society fund) to the Calypso’s address and we will hold it to the end of each quarter and donate it in his name through the club. Hopefully, with this money, we won’t need to lose someone close to us to this killer.