What's the protocol  for transferring a forum from a host that has passed away and left no instructions? Can forum members request to take over to keep the forum up and running?

I think it's best to contact staff directly with the forum (webtag or address). service@delphiforums.com  Make sure to put something like Forum Host Question in the subject line. Or send Gunter or Walthowe a PM with the info.

Just to add a bit to what Kidmagnet said: - Some forums are highly active with new members every day and require an active Host. It's hard to know what the forum creator might have wanted once they'd passed on without a "living will", so to speak, to Delphi Forums. For those that aren't aware of this "living will"...a forum owner can email Delphi Forums at services@delphiforums.com and leave the forum to whomever they want.

Forums can change, members and forum staff can come and go. What's best for the forum as of today...should be considered.

If the forum owner passes on with no written instructions as to what should be done with the forum...the current forum staff (if any) or someone from the forum can start a conversation about electing a new forum owner. Along with this conversation, or a link to it...one can poll Delphi Forums to have the forum transferred over to them. This is existential to an owner that hasn't been logged in for awhile...but is still alive. Attempts should be made to email the owner, first.
 

It won't be me requesting to host the forum, but likely their assistants who will, but didn't quite know who to contact and what to do. 

It took a while to confirm that she had passed.

So should I start a new post here? the Delphi Support forum? 

The leaderless forum I'm referring to is:

http://forums.delphiforums.com/animalspirits/start

The discussion of what to do about the forum itself came up in their weblink thread:

http://forums.delphiforums.com/animalspirits/messages?msg=22757.2

In the absence of other instructions,  we can transfer to a new Host the forum members agree on, that should be made clear in the discussion.

:)

Thank you for looking out for them.

Like this

https://forums.delphiforums.com/bettieo/messages/?msg=3677.1

The current thread is confusing with some people talking about the website and others about the forum. It's not just the other assistants that can speak up either but any active forum members.

Thanx for your help Kid!! :)

The Zookeeper (B0UNTYMAN) said:

For those that aren't aware of this "living will"...a forum owner can email Delphi Forums at services@delphiforums.com and leave the forum to whomever they want.

I missed your post this afternoon - this is an excellent point that hopefully more hosts will take advantage of.

It would probably be a little more prolific were it added into the short amount of boxes given to create new forums. Since it's not mentioned...one cannot choose whether they would like it as a tool, or not.

Reminds me of the first time I went skiing at Lake Tahoe. Rented the skis, a lift pass to the top of the hill and off I went. By the time I got down to the lodge I was going a lot faster than I thought I should have. I hit the side of the lodge like a bullet. Broke both skis, one arm and swallowed two teeth.

The medics, sitting outside the bar on the second story, said they noticed me just as I cleared the trees. "Look...At...That...guy!" One of the medics said that if I hadn't hit the building...I probably would have taken out a car in the parking lot!"

"Why didn't you traverse the hill and then snowplow on the way down?"

"What's a traverse?"