Even greater than the excitement over the imminent start of Series Six of Doctor Who this Saturday, is the collective sadness spreading across the Whoverse: Elisabeth Sladen, who brilliantly portrayed the much loved Doctor’s companion Sarah Jane Smith, passed away on the 19th of April, far too young at only 63 years.

The universe has to move forward. Pain and loss, they define us as much as happiness or love. Whether it’s a world, or a relationship…everything has its time.  And everything ends.

— Sarah Jane Smith, “School Reunion”, Doctor Who

The sheer volume of crafts on this site dedicated to Doctor Who is testament to the love of this show. For longer than any single incarnation of the Doctor, Ms. Sladen rounded out time and space by portraying Sarah Jane Smith over a span of 35 years in Doctor Who, the piloted K9 and Company, and The Sarah Jane Adventures. By doing so she won followers across several generations. The Doctor wouldn’t be as interesting without his foils; Sarah Jane’s time as his companion being some of the best years of Doctor Who is a very widely held opinion.

Stacey, the artist of the K9 piece above, captioned the work by saying: “Just a relatively quick sketch I did of an image that caught in my mind after I heard about Elisabeth Sladen’s death. Of all the images that brought me to tears, it was of the faithful ‘tin dog’ waiting for his mistress.” Well, the simple piece has already brought tears to at least one message board full of fans, and I suspect there will be more weepy eyes from this fitting tribute. For those who would like to keep a Sarah Jane memento near one’s heart or on the wrist (perhaps added to a charm bracelet), this altered photograph resin-set charm by Fairygold can be found at her Esty Shop, Funckey Altered Art. In addition to the usual crafty links below are a few links for exploring Ms. Sladen’s life as well as Sarah Jane. If your own geekery hasn’t already acquainted you with either of these ladies, the additional information is certainly worth exploring. Who knows…you may find yourself  a Whovian after all. Perhaps the best tribute to be paid is growing the appreciation for the legacy an artist leaves behind.

• Lis Sladen speaks on Sarah Jane Smith
• Tom Baker (Fourth Doctor) remembers Lis Sladen
• Upcoming tribute program for Elisabeth Sladen to air 4/23
• Remembrances at The Guardian
• Video: David Tennant (Tenth Doctor) remembers Elisabeth Sladen
• Original posting of “Good-bye, Sarah Jane…” at LiveJournal
• Sarah Jane Smith Pendant by Fairygold
• Fairygold‘s Etsy Shop: Funckey Altered Art

A very heartfelt thank you to all the extremely dedicated Doctor Who fans in the well established fan communities over at Livejournal–reading the tributes to Ms. Sladen gave this Whovian an even deeper appreciation for both the actress and the character.