I was just going through the In Memoriam list on the website for the upcoming Glasgow 2024 Worldcon. I was shocked by all the names of folk whose passing I completely missed in the last year. This is the consequence of not paying enough attention to the news of my own field, and for that matter to social media. I have been staying away from all that for what seemed good and proper reasons, but clearly that has come at a cost. Here are just some of those on the list, people I knew and liked, or whose work I admired even if I didn’t know them personally. Though I just learned of many of these passings quite recently, I’d like to acknowledge them now.
- John R. Douglas, editor, and one of the nicest guys you could hope to meet. Long overdue condolences to Ginjer Buchanan, also an editor, and one of the sweetest ladies you could hope to meet.
- Michael F. Flynn, writer whose work I admired
- D.G. Compton, writer whose work I admired
- Michael Bishop, writer whose work I admired
- Jim Hosek, writer, veterinarian, and tireless public servant for SFWA, as the Nebula Awards Commissioner. As a member of the rules committee, I worked with him for years. What a great guy.
- Terry Bisson, writer whose work I admired
- Tom Purdom, writer who was one of the first to give me a warm welcome to SFWA
- Howard Waldrop, writer whose work I admired
- Theodore Krulik, writer I knew from pleasant conversations at con banquets
- Christopher Priest, writer whose work I admired
- Steve Miller, writer whose work I admired and whose generosity to others was remarkable; I wish I’d gotten to know him better. Also, my wife and daughter are huge fans of the Lee & Miller oeuvre. Condolences to Sharon Lee.
- Brian M. Stableford, writer whose work I admired
- Vernor Vinge, writer whose work was so influential to so many of us, it’s hard to overstate it; also, from my one in-person time with him, a lovely gentleman.
- Deb Geisler, a Boston-area fan, extremely active with cons and NESFA Press, and probably more than anyone else in the fan community, welcoming and gracious to me. Also, like me, grew up in northern Ohio. Condolences to her husband Michael.
I am both sobered and saddened at the losses, and amazed at all these humans I am privileged to have had some connection with, whether it just was from their work, or from personal interaction.
May they all rest in peace.
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