I know several people who are really hurt by his passing, as he had always been something of an inspiration to some of my artistic friends.
The first time I came across Bernie Wrightson's art was when I was about 12 years old and my sister had gotten a hold of Stephen King's Cycle of the Werewolf from the library. The images in that book left me feeling a little disturbed for more than a few nights.
But then about three years later, I was about to go into hospital and I had just managed to track down a copy of the book. Funnily enough, the anaestheticially fuelled imaginings of the book left me with a more positive view of that story. I still have a copy of it somewhere.
Its a shame, but his work will always stand as a legacy to him.