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"Stellar" Services to be held Sunday for
Star Trek’s Majel Barrett-Roddenberry

Actress Majel Barrett Roddenberry, beloved star of Sci-Fi phenomenon Star Trek, wife of Gene Roddenberry, and mother of Eugene W. "Rod" Roddenberry II,  passed away after a short battle with Leukemia, on Thursday, December 18, 2008, surrounded by family and friends in her Bel-Air, California home.

Services will be held on Sunday, January 4, 2009 at 10:00am.
Guests are requested by arrive by 9:30am.
Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills
Hall of Liberty
6300 Forest Lawn Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90068

Additional Details:

While the Roddenberry Family appreciates your kind wishes and wants to share the celebration of Majel Roddenberry’s life with all that knew and loved her, they ask that you respect this time of mourning and their privacy after the service. No photography or videography will be allowed in the Hall of Liberty.

The attire for the memorial is colorful business casual.

Donations:
In lieu of flowers or gifts, the family requests that a donation in Majel’s name be made to one of the two following organizations, who share Majel’s love for animals and dedication to animal rescue.

Precious Paws
18034 Ventura Blvd., #430
Encino, CA 91316
www.preciouspaws.org
(818) 304-5595

C.A.R.E.
P.O. Box 56631
Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
www.care4pets.org
(818) 685-9980

Passing of Star Trek’s "First Lady"
Majel Barrett-Roddenberry

Actress Majel Barrett Roddenberry, beloved star of sci-fi phenomenon Star Trek passed away after a short battle with Leukemia, on Thursday, December 18, 2008, surrounded by family and friends in her Bel-Air home.

Majel had a recurring role in the original "Star Trek" as Nurse Chapel.

Barrett first appeared in Star Trek (The Original Series) first pilot which aired in 1964. Her role as the Enterprise’s first officer (referred to simply as "Number One") did not fair well with NBC execs, who could not see a woman in leadership, and was later changed to Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock. When the series was retooled, Barrett eventually returned in a new role as the blonde Nurse Chapel.

Barrett’s adored flamboyant role as Betazoid royalty and "Lwaxana Troi" and telepathic mother of Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) on Star Trek: The Next Generation demonstrated her compassion, creativity, and comfort with bearing-it-all.  She is also the voice of the USS Enterprise computer in Star Trek: TNG, ST: Deep Space Nine, and ST: Voyager.

It was the love affair between her and her "Imzadi," the late Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry that earned her the title "The First Lady of Star Trek." Over the course of their more then quarter-century love affair, she became not only Gene’s soulmate, his partner, and his creative muse. Majel helped Gene expand the Star Trek film, even after his passing. Majel brought two more of Gene’s visions to life: Earth: Final Conflict, and Andromeda (hand-picking stars Kevin Sorbo and Lexa Doig).

Before "Trek," Barrett had roles on several television shows, including "The Lucy Show," "Bonanza," "Leave it to Beaver" and "The Untouchables." She also appeared in 1958’s "The Black Orchid," 1963’s "The Quick and the Dead," and 1966’s "A Guide for the Married Man."

Sci-Fi Celebrity Charity Auction
Benefits American Cancer Society

On December 6-7, gallery owner Gary Hasson held his 9th annual event in support of the American Cancer Society.  Known as LIGHTSPEED FINE ART’S CELEBRITY CHARITY BENEFIT, it hosted a number of actors from science fiction television and motion pictures. With an "invitation-only" attendance, 250 loyal clients of Lightspeed Fine Art gathered in Southern California to support this most deserving charity amongst food and merriment with musical entertainment.

Following the "Holographic Doctor," crewmate Tim Russ "Tuvok" and his pop rock and blues band performed a stellar concert.

Many of the above celebrities also attended the special dinner that evening, joined by Rod Roddenberry, son of late Gene Roddenberry, creator of Star Trek. Pictured here: "Rod and Berry" comic strip artist David Reddick (also of Garfield fame), Sheryl Roush (me) and Rod Roddenberry.
Rod is passionately working on his feature film about fans, "Trek Nation."

Celebrities appearing Sunday included:
Brent Spiner "Commander Data" Star Trek: The Next Generation;  Chris Judge  (right) and Beau Bridges from Stargate SG:1; Kandyse McClure and Aaron Douglas from Battlestar Galactica; Andrew Robinson from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine; Jeffrey Combs, Star Trek: Enterprise (a blue-skinned Andorian) and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine; Aron Eisenberg "Nog" on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine; and William Morgan Sheppard, Star Trek and Babylon 5;
and seen here surrounded by adoring fans, Eric Avari, Stargate SG:1 (the movie and the series) and The Mummy.

Pictured left: Brent Spiner auctioning off a real working script from a Star Trek movie!

Celebrities appearing both days:
Julie Caitlin Brown and Stephen Austin from Babylon 5; Andrea Thompson, from Babylon 5 and JAG; Douglas Arthurs, a G’ould from Stargate SG:1

Artists Keith Birdsong, Michael David Ward, and David Reddick were on-site all weekend sketching and meeting art collectors. Pictured: Keith Birdsong working on a new poster release. (Yes – that’s Kirk, Khan and Spock!) Order your print now through Lightspeed!

Lightspeed Fine Art offers original art featuring the stars and scenes from your favorite science fiction movies and television series. These highly collectible pieces are offered as: originals, lithographs, chromagraphs, murals and posters in numbered limited and open editions. Many of these works are hand-signed by the artist or the cast members. They also offer an extraordinary collection of environmental art featuring the creatures of the land and sea.

"Gary Hasson is a gracious supporter of the American Cancer Society, and we greatly appreciate his support and dedication in the fight against cancer," commented Corrine Castillo, Marketing Communications Specialist, for the American Cancer Society, Orange County Region.

-Sheryl Roush

Sheryl Roush presents "Star Trek and Toastmasters: Parallel Universe"

Saturday, June 7, 2008, professional speaker Sheryl Roush presented a most unique program to a full house at the western Regional Conference of Toastmasters International, at the Anaheim DoubleTree Hotel. With her 60-minute program entitled "TO BOLDLY GO," Sheryl addressed the "Parallel Universe" between the creation and philosophies of both Star Trek and Toastmasters International.

The first three minutes of the slide program–set to theme songs from Star Trek–sited historical references to John F. Kennedy’s challenge to place a man on the moon, starting with black and white images, building to color images from the space station and Hubble photographs of cosmos, into Star Trek: The Original Series, complete with black-and-white photos of Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock and the bridge crew. Slide sequences followed in color, highlighting Star Trek: The Next Generation; Star Trek: Deep Space Nine; Star Trek: Voyager; and Star Trek: Enterprise.

Both "visionaries" were spotlighted and paralleled: Dr. Ralph C. Smedley, founder of Toastmasters International, the world’s largest non-profit educational organization; and Gene Roddenberry, creator of the globally recognized science fiction, blockbuster movies, and Starfleet Academy.

Both popular in culture, philosophies, mission, vision, peace-seeking movement and enlightenment, Toastmasters has served 4 million people in 93 countries since 1924… Star Trek, countless millions "believers," with 46 million website references.

Both "movements" are dedicated to the advancement of mankind, through communication and leadership, as Ms. Roush highlighted these parallels including their top three leadership positions, officer insignias, organizational structure, and the chain of command.

Medical tricorders have been created. Worm hole theory proven. Voice-activated computers and translation technology are now actively in use. Roddenberry actively consulted with NASA, the Armed Forces, and the medical professions.

As a global movement for better listening, thinking and speaking skills, Toastmasters just chartered a new Club in Iraq in May, proving "peaceful resolution."

And just so you know how powerful the Toastmasters program is, Eugene W. Roddenberry III, "Rod" joined Club in San Diego, California. "Star Trek presents us with a possible future where we as a species have outgrown our old-world beliefs and insecurities. Having seen the beauty in our uniqueness and diversity, we will have found the commonality that binds us all. In this possible future, we will come together as a species and work for the betterment of all life. I believe knowledge is the key to this future and we must continually challenge ourselves by questioning what we know and reaching into the unknown. Toastmasters allows me to challenge myself and for that, I am grateful."