Unto the populace of the Shire of Sea March,

It is my solemn duty to inform you that one of ours Ari Kerlew has passed today.

He was in the hospital for the last few days with blood clots. This morning, one of them broke free and entered his large heart that he was so well known for. This caused a heart attack from which he did not recover.

I would like to take a few minutes to tell anyone who did not have the pleasure of knowing this man a little about him.

Ari was a brother to me. He may have been nearly 15 years my senior but from the first time we met we immediately became fast friends. We bonded over everything from whiskey, and woodworking to Dungeons and Dragons, various board games, and video games too. We shared the opinion that nothing brings people together like a good plate of food.

In life he was a learned man always looking for more knowledge. He was a wonderful father and loving husband. When you were down, he was usually to be found at the head of the line to pick you back up with a smile on his face and a joke on his lips.

In the SCA he was known to many, maybe not always by name but definitely by sight. Constantly the embodiment of service whether it be setting up tents and pavilions, moving tables in the feast hall, cleaning dishes after feeding everyone, or attaching a lance to the battle snail’s chariot. He worked hard to master any craft that caught his attention, helped shape my definition of chivalry, and could often be found singing at the top of his lungs like no one was watching, (even though he knew quite well we all were) whether at a bardic circle or not. His charisma was infectious, and he was a presence in every room he entered.

It has been said before, but is none the less true. Ari was a bright shining light that rivaled the Sun’s brilliance, and this world is significantly darker without him.

My brother, may you rest in peace, and bask in the light of the goddess.

Heroes get remembered, but legends never die.

Ari, you were both.

Steven Howell