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A moment of silence, ladies and gentlemen, especially those of you who count yourselves in the geek department.

Stan Winston died Sunday evening at the age of 62 at his home, surrounded by family. He finally found himself on the losing end of a seven-year battle with multiple myeloma. Winston is survived by his wife, Karen; a son, daughter, brother and four grandchildren.

Which is a serious blow to us in the geek community. Where were you when you first saw Jurassic Park, and heard the roar of that tyrannosaur shake the theatre? I was right there on opening day right after school–managed to make it up for the three o’clock show as we were let out at twenty minutes before three. It’s a time I won’t easily forget, and Stan Winston’s amazing special effects were a part of that.

If you ever jumped out of your seat at the aliens in Alien, if you ever cheered for Edward Scissorhands, if you booed the Terminator endoskeletons, if you even went to see IRON MAN like two months ago, you owe a debt of gratitude to that man. It should come as little surprise, in retrospect, that the young Stan Winston enjoyed classic horror films and puppetry, fields he managed to combine so well to make his art happen.

We’re not alone in our mourning–statements are flying thick and furious from all over. James Cameron:

“He ran at full throttle, in both work and play, and was a man of kindness, wisdom and great humor. He was a kid that never grew up, whose dreams were writ large on the screens of the world. I am proud to have been his friend, and I will miss him very deeply.”

And even Das Guvahnaytah:

“The entertainment industry has lost a genius, and I lost one of my best friends with the death Sunday night of Stan Winston. Stan’s work and four Oscars speak for themselves and will live on forever. What will live forever in my heart is the way that Stan loved everyone and treated each of his friends like they were family.”

It’s a sad day for us all, and we can go take on a round of Jurassic Park trivia to celebrate the legacy of a man who brought so much to so many.

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