Don Kaye - Death and Legacy

Death and Legacy

Although only 36 years old at the start of 1975, Kaye needed heart surgery, a fact that he did not disclose to his partners. Gygax and Blume were therefore unprepared when Kaye suffered a heart attack before the scheduled date for surgery and died on January 31, 1975.

Kaye had not made any specific provision in his will regarding his one-third share of the company, so his share of TSR passed to his wife, who was not interested in having any part of TSR. Gygax stated "After Don died dumped all the Tactical Studies Rules materials off on my front porch. It would have been impossible to manage a business with her involved as a partner." Neither Gygax nor Blume had the money to formally buy the share owned by Kaye's wife, but Blume persuaded Gygax to allow his father, Melvin Blume, to buy it. The company was re-formed as TSR Hobbies, Inc, with the Blume family owning controlling interest. Ten years later, disputed ownership of these shares resulted in a power struggle that saw Gygax ousted from TSR.

In 1975, Gygax and Blume published Boot Hill in memory of Kaye. Gygax also highlighted Kaye's character Murlynd in the March 1983 issue of Dragon magazine. The following year, Gygax paid further tribute to Kaye when he borrowed Murlynd's name for two spells in Unearthed Arcana, Murlynd's ogre and Murlynd's void, as well as for Murlynd's spoon, a magical spoon that created a bad-tasting but nutritious gruel when placed in an empty bowl.