Sad news out of Enid, Oklahoma today: Helen Walker Garriott, Richard Garriott’s mother, has passed away:

Enid native and philanthropist Helen Walker Garriott died Tuesday morning, leaving behind a legacy of giving that lives on at Leonardo’s Children’s Museum and Adventure Quest.

Garriott was co-founder of the children’s museum in 1995, along with Owen K. Garriott.

…

Leonardo’s Executive Director Tracy Bittle said Garriott’s work and passion for Enid and its children has left a lasting mark on the community.

“She and her supporters … all changed the landscape of downtown Enid by creating Leonardo’s,” Bittle said. “We wouldn’t be here without Helen Walker Garriott, and looking at it now you can really see what her vision of 25 years ago could become, with a lot of hard work and determination.”

Bittle remembered Garriott as a vibrant woman with an “amazing sense of humor.”

You may all also recall that Mrs. Garriott was a talented artist; she came up with the original concept for the Ultima 3 box art. 

The Ultima Codex offers its condolences to Richard Garriott for his loss. Personally, I will keep the family in my prayers, and I invite you all to likewise spare an intention or a thought for them.&

The First Age of Update: If you’d like to donate to Leonardo’s Children’s Museum in Garriott’s honour, a donation page has been set up for this purpose.