Editing Newsletter/Winter 2009 (section)

==Star Trek Fans Mourn the Loss of Two Icons ==
<small>by [[herbalsheila]]</small>[[Image:Number One TOS.jpg|275px|right|thumb|Majel Barrett as the unflappable Number One from the TOS pilot episode, ''The Cage.'']]
Often named as the First Lady of Star Trek, Majel Barrett Roddenberry passed away from leukemia on December 18th, 2008 at age 76, in her Bel-Air California home.

Although she had other acting roles in Hollywood, Majel Barrett was most well known for playing Number One in the Star Trek pilot episode, Nurse Chapel during ST:TOS, Lawaxana Troi in ST:TNG and the voice of the computer system on the Enterprise throughout most of its incarnations. She also played the voice of the computer again in the upcoming JJ Abrams Star Trek movie due out in May 2009 prior to her death. 

Born as Majel Lee Hudec, Barrett began her acting career in the 1950's with roles on popular television shows such as ''Leave It to Beaver'', ''My Three Sons'', ''Bonanza'' and ''The Lucy Show''.

After Gene Rodenberry’s death in 1991 at the age of 70, Barrett continued his legacy by helping to bring to life one of his pet projects, the 1997-2002 series ''Earth: Final Conflict''. But after his death, she had little to do with Star Trek other than a few appearances. 
[[Image:Chapel.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Majel Barrett as Nurse Christine Chapel.]]
"Gene sold out all of his rights to Star Trek way back 15, almost 20 years ago," she told SciFiDimensions.com in 2000. "So, they ask nothing. I volunteer nothing. They invite me to a few of their shindigs. I'll bet you I haven't been on that lot in two years."

However, Barrett had welcomed the new remastering of TOS and the upcoming film release, choosing to see it as a validation of the late Gene Roddenberry’s vision. "What's nice is you know a Star Trek movie is still one that everybody wants," she had told The Hollywood Reporter in 2006.[[Image:Lawaxana Troi.jpg|100px |thumb|right|The irrepressible incomparable Ambassador Lwaxana Troi]]

Buried in Los Angeles' Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills Cemetery, Barrett was laid to rest on January 4th, 2009. The funeral service was open to fans. Attendees numbered approximately 300 and included fellow costars such as Walter Koenig (Chekov, TOS), Nichelle Nichols (Uhura, TOS), and George Takei (Sulu, TOS).  A handful of fans showed up in Star Trek uniforms to pay tribute to a fine woman and a believable actor.  

Eugene Roddenberry Jr. said on Roddenberry.com that his mother appreciated the role that Star Trek fans had in keeping his father’s legacy alive for over 40 years. “It was her love for the fans, and their love in return that kept her going for so long after my father passed away."

As Barrett was a lover of animals and their health and well being, the family had asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in her name to the CARE Organization or Precious Paws.
 
For some rare photos in the official tribute by her family and close friends, though there have been many posted on www.youtube.com by adoring fans, go to http://www.Rodenberry.com.


[[Image:Ricardo Montalban.jpg|200px|left|thumb|Ricardo Montalban had become known in Hollywood as the Latin Lover.]]