Obituaries

* During the 1960s, modern science fiction fandom fandom reached its 30th
  birthday
  - as fandom aged, so did its fans; more and more often during the decade
    there was the awful news of another prominent fan or pro who had passed on
  - in particular, one year, 1968, was especially costly to the sf world from
    the number of prominent fans and pros who died in that year
    > it became referred to as "The Year of the Jackpot", as had 1958 a decade
      earlier, for the same reason
      -- reference was taken from the title of a Heinlein story that ended
         with the death of its main character when the world ended
    > besides the fans mentioned in the following section, 1968 also saw the
      loss of science fiction and fantasy who didn't have much contact with
      fandom, such as...
      -- Mervyn Peake, author of the Gormenghast trilogy of fantasy novels
      -- Karl Birger Blomdahl, composer of "Aniara" the first science fiction
         opera
      -- Groff Conklin, editor of many sf anthologies
      -- Vardis Fisher, author of the "Testament of Man" series of stories
      -- Cornell Woolrich, a writer of fantasy, but better known as a mystery
         writer
      -- Gerald Kersh, who also wrote both fantasy and mysteries

* E. E. "Doc" Smith
  - had undergone operation to remove lung not long before 1964 worldcon
  - died August 31, 1965, at age 75, just a few weeks short of his 50th
    wedding anniversary
  - cause of death was heart attack, the second within a few days
  - final "Skylark" novel was serialized in If magazine in 1965
    > possibly substantially re-written by Fred Pohl
  - soon after his death Boston fandom set up an annual Skylark Award in his
    memory, to be given out annually at the Boskone convention
    > award given to the person who, in the opinion of the sponsoring
      organization, NESFA, had contributed significantly, as Doc Smith had, in
      keeping the sense of wonder in science fiction alive; it was also a way
      to recognize authors whose best works were published prior to the
      establishment of the Hugo Awards

* H. Beam Piper
  - author of "Little Fuzzy" and "Paratime Police" books
    > likened himself as `Little Fuzzy's Father'
    > he had never gotten the message that his writing was well liked, and
      that he had attracted a fandom of his own
  - was found shot to death on Nov. 9, 1964
  - the earlier death of Piper's his agent (who kept most of records in his
    head) had stopped the inflow of money
    > Piper didn't know that money was owed him from his books
      -- at the end, he was reduced to shooting pigeons for food
         >> convinced he was a failure, he draped all his furniture, left a
            brief suicide note, and shot himself

* Cordwainer Smith (a.k.a. Dr. Paul Myron Anthony Linebarger)
  - died of heart attack on Aug. 6, 1966, in Washington, D.C., at age 53
  - author of memorable SF, including his famous story "Scanners Live in Vain"
    which appeared in FANTASY BOOK #6 (1950)
    > first story (non-SF or fantasy) appeared in 1928
    > majority of his stories appeared between 1959 and 1965
    > wrote a few non-SF novels under a different pseudonym
  - did not associate with fans or fandom, though there were reports that he
    had been tempted to attend the 1963 Worldcon under a false name
  - in real life worked for U.S. Government
    > had helped U.S. Army develop its psychological warfare department
      during World War Two
      -- was recognized as a world authority on the subject
      -- wrote book titled PSYCHOLOGICAL WARFARE, which had at least two
         editions
    > was an expert on Asiatic Affairs
      -- his godfather had been Sun Yat-Sen
      -- taught Asian politics to members of Diplomatic Corps
         >> was part of Department of Asian Politics at the Johns Hopkins
            University
            --- was known as "The China Man"
  - had visited Australia in 1960s, but did not contact fandom while he was
    there
    > worked with a Canberra academic named Arthur Burns, who was later
      interviewed by John Foyster about Linebarger's visit
      -- interview was later published in AUSTRALIAN SF REVIEW, then later
         still by Andy Porter

* David H. Keller, M.D.
  - died at his home in Stroudsburg, Penn. on July 13, 1966, at age 86
  - had gall bladder surgically removed about a week earlier
    > had appeared to be recovering when his heart failed
  - had written for the pulps from 1920s through 1940s
    > novels in paperback included THE HOMUNCULUS, THE DEVIL AND THE DOCTOR, 
      and THE SIGN OF THE BURNING HART
  - was also friendly and accomodating to fans
    > often contributed to fanzines
      -- was only near the end of his life, however, that he wrote about his
         feelings for fanzines and fan editors: "During the past 25 years, I
         have contributed largely to those magazines and have never regretted
         it.  The constant contact with youth has served to lessen the ravages
         of time.  Many of my best friends were fanzine editors,  While none
         ever asked me to serve as assistant editor, they all seemed to
         apreciate my efforts to make their magazines more interesting."
    > was a life member of the NFFF
      -- had given THE SIGN OF THE BURNING HART to the NFFF for publication in
         1947

* Tony Boucher (a.k.a. William Anthony Parker White)
  - died of lung cancer on April 29, 1968
  - was best known as editor of THE MAGAZINE OF FANTASY & SCIENCE FICTION,
    which he had been for the first nine years of its existence
    > also gained prominence as a critic and a writer, especially in the
      mystery genre
      -- had written a number of mystery novels, including ROCKET TO THE
         MORGUE (did this feature sf fans thinly-disguised as characters?)
    > his other interests had included opera, and had conducted several radio
      shows on the topic, as well as writing a column in the magazine OPERA
      NEWS
  - had adopted the name "Anthony Boucher" in 1937, when he learned that the
    Library of Congress listed 75 different authors by the name of William
    White
    > he also used the pseudonym "H. H. Holmes" for some of his fiction and
      critical writings
  - was a frequent attendee of worldcons, including the 1950 Worldcon, where
    he was Guest of Honor
    > in 1958, he had mediated the end of the WSFS worldcon crisis which had
      threatened to devastate fandom
  - a favorite of fans
    > he was not the kind of professional that isolated himself from fans; at
      conventions he was a party-goer and a poker player
  - when the World Mystery Convention was founded (when?) by Bruce Pelz
    (and others?), it was named the BoucherCon in his honor

* Frank R. Paul
  - died of a heart attack on June 29, 1963, at age 79
  - was well-liked by fans
    > was known as Mr. Science Fiction Illustration
    > Forry Ackerman had dressed up in a Frank R. Paul-inspired costume at the
      very first worldcon, in 1939
  - was a hard worker, right up to his death
    > the night he died he had been working on a painting for Hugo Gernsback

* Mark Clifton
  - sf author who won Hugo Award in 1955 for "They'd Rather Be Right", in
    collaboration with Frank Riley
  - died in November 1963 of lung cancer
  - was described by Ron Ellik as "a powerful presence at Westercons, always
    attracting large crowds of fans"

* Hannes Bok (born Wayne Woodard)
  - died on April 11, 1964. at age 50
  - science fiction artist and illustrator
    > first cover was for December 1939 issue of WEIRD TALES
    > last cover was for F&SF, November 1963 for Zelazny's "A Rose for
      Ecclesiastes"
    > won Hugo Award (what year?)
  - also a professional writer
    > he completed two unfinished works of A. Merritt
    > had some of his own short fiction published in the 1940s in STARTLING
      and UNKNOWN
  - in spite of his brilliance in fantasy illustration, he had lived a
    solitary, meager existence
  - was eulogized by Lin Carter as "a warm, whimsical, pixyish, sympathetic
    person"

* Morojo (a.k.a. Myrtle Rebecca Douglas)
  - died on Nov. 30, 1964, at age 60
  - was active fan in the 1940s
    > one-time girlfriend of Forry Ackerman
  - special fanzine: MYRTLE REBECCA DOUGLAS: AN APPRECIATION appeared in Feb.
    1965 FAPA mailing

* Ron Ellik
  - killed in automobile accident in January 1968
    > was on the way to visit Jon and Joni Stopa in Wisconsin when accident
      happened
    > had been engaged to Lois Lavender; wedding date was to have been later
      that year
  - was TAFF delegate to Europe in 1961
  - (mini bio goes here)
    > had nickname of "The Squirrel", given to him early on when he kept being
      admonished by older fans such as Rick Sneary for his constant
      "chitterchatter"
      -- Ellik took to the nickname, describing his own writing style as
         "chitterchattery", and had Bjo do cartoons of him depicted as a
         good-humored squirrel
  - was co-editor (along with Terry Carr) of FANAC, the newszine that won a
    Hugo Award in 1959
  - in 1961, started a bi-weekly newszine STARSPINKLE
    > ended publication in 1964, after reaching 50th issue

* Terry Burns
  - died on Dec. 18, 1966, in an auto accident
  - was active in the Little Mens club in the San Francisco/Oakland area
  - was returning home from Christmas party at home of Alva Rogers in Castro
    Valley
    > car was found next day in a ravine, 70 feet down a hillside from the
      road

* Frank Marr
  - died in December 1968 in an automobile accident
  - was one of the founding members of the MIT Science Fiction Society
  - had a large sf collection, which was subsequently sold

* Roger Phillips Graham
  - died March 2, 1966 of heart complications, at age 56
    > had been under doctor's care for six years
    > was scheduled to have heart surgery to replace defective valve
    > after being hospitalized for a pre-operative period in late February of
      1966, he entered a coma and put into intensive care.
    > never recovered
  - Graham was another example of someone who was an author and a fan at the
    same time
    > (info on stories written, magazines edited)
    > during the 1940a and 1950s, had also written "The Club House", a
      continuing column for AMAZING that covered fan activities
      -- Ray Palmer credited Graham's column for bringing many new people into
         fandom
         >> included Robert Silverberg, who learned of fandom when reading
            Graham's column in a 1948 AMAZING

* Will J. Jenkins
  - died on October 3, 1964, of a heart attack
  - was a member of Philadelphia fandom, past president of PSFS
  - was an active con-goer during the 1950s, attending the 1957 Loncon and the
    1958 Solacon as well as eastern U.S. regionals and worldcons
  - was sometimes confused with the other Will Jenkins, who wrote science
    fiction under the pen name of Murray Leinster
  - was known as "the wittiest unpublished fan", though he occasionally had
    poems and humorous articles published in CRY and other fanzines

* Don Ford
  - died in April 2, 1965 of cancer, at age 44
    > discovery of cancer and subsequent operation by Doc Barrett too late
  - was founding member of First Fandom
  - was a founder of Midwestcon
  - long time member of Cincinnati Fantasy Group
  - had been attending conventions since 1948 Torcon
  - was associate chairman (with Howard DeVore) of 1966 Worldcon bid that was
    chaired by Ben Jason
  - best known as convention fan, but also published fanzines
    > was member of British apa OMPA since 1955
  - was TAFF delegate to Europe in 1960
    > his trip report (name?) was published by Lynn Hickman (where?)

* Lee Jacobs
  - died in 1968
  - had been a celebrated fan fiction writer in the 1950s
    > among his credits were "The Ballard Chronicles", the humorous fictional
      adventures of Dakota fan Wrai Ballard that appeared in the apa SAPS
    > also scripted "Redd Boggs - Superfan" that was recorded on tape by New
      Jersey fan Dave Ish; and "The Musquite Kid Rides Again" which once again
      featured the fictional accounts of SAPS members and became a 16-mm film
      production by L.A. fan-run Unicorn Productions
  - a typographical error in the title of his submission to a 1950s SAPS
    mailing helped create a new fannish term
    > "The Influence of Science Fiction on Modern American Filk Music" brought
      into general fannish use the term `filk'
  - tribute zine by Lon Atkins appeared in SFPA, where he had been a member

* Max Keasler
  - died on August 12, 1968 at age 36, of cancer of the jaw
  - he was not active in the 1960s, but had been one of the leading fans in
    the golden age of the early 1950s
    > he was a St. Louis-area fan; Ray Nelson had interested him in fandom,
      and he had published a fanzine, FANVARIETY, while he was still in high
      school
      -- later, another fanzine, OPUS, became a focus of fan anger with the
         U.S. Post Office, which was refusing to mail some fanzines because
         of content and other obscure regulations
         >> the fourth issue, which had apparently had violated some arcane
            regulation involving staples got mailed when he went to other post
            offices in the St. Louis area. "It's the first time I ever
            border-ran a fanzine," he said later.
      -- his fanzine publishing brought him into contact with many prominent
         fans of that era, including Walt Willis and Lee Hoffman
    > he, along with Lee Hoffman, Walt Willis, and others, were part of what
      became known as Sixth Fandom, a very fannish, fanzine-oriented group of
      fans that dominated early 1950s fandom
    > in 1951, on the way to the New Orleans Worldcon, he met up with Rich
      Elsberry from Minnesota, and Roger Sims and Ed Kuss from Detroit; they
      went on to create a fannish legend when they `hosted' the Room 770 party
      there
    > left fandom abruptly when he enlisted in the Navy; he credited his fanac
      with getting him a good Navy job
      -- as Lee Hoffman later remembered him, "Max was the personification of
         Sixth Fandom in America: young, witty, enthusiastic.  He openly
         avowed that he never read science fiction.  He blazed across the fan
         skies, speaking in interlineations, publishing monthly, filling the
         world with Ray Nelson drawings.  Then he disappeared."

* Charles Lee Riddle
  - died on October 18, 1968, at age 45
  - became active in fandom in 1948 when he joined the NFFF, but had been a
    member of a non-SF apa, the American Amateur Press Association, eight
    years earlier
  - succeeded in producing a high-quality fanzine, PEON, in spite of the
    handicap of being on active duty in the U.S. Navy
    > fanzine was discontinued only when Riddle went on an extended period of
      shipboard duty, in 1956
    > he rejoined the NFFF in 1962 after leaving the Navy, but never resumed
      large-scale fan publishing
  - his son, Ira Lee Riddle, was also an active fan

* Dale Hart
  - (details)

* Julius Unger
  - died Jan. 15, 1963 of heart failure
    > had suffered an earlier heart attack
  - was best known for fan activities in the 1940s (see ALL OUR YESTERDAYS)
  - had recently revived a WWII fan magazine, FANTASY FICTION FIELD, with
    Harvey Inman
    > one issue had been published at the time of his death

* Arthur Rose "Doc" Weir
  - British fan
  - died on March 4, 1961
  - had large SF collection
  - annual award named after him, Doc Weir Award, presented at each Eastercon
    > a recognition award for service to British fandom
    > first recipient was Peter Mabey, in 1963, for his work with the BSFA
      lending library
    > subsequent winners in the 1960s included Archie Mercer, Terry Jeeves,
      Ken Slater, Doreen Parker, Mary Reed, and Beryl Mercer

* Ray Van Houten
  - died on November 30, 1963 of a brain tumor
  - was co-editor of FANTASY TIMES, which won Hugo Award in 1950s

* Eric Jones
  - British fan whose fan-related activities went back before World War Two
  - died in Jan. 8, 1967 of a brain tumor
    > had been in and out of hospital since July 1966
  - an all-around fan; had been interested in fanzines, clubs, conventions,
    filming and taping
  - member of Cheltenham Circle (founder?)
  - chairman of 1961 British Eastercon (LXIcon)
  - edited or co-edited several fanzines, including SIDEREAL and TRIODE
  - one of founders of Order of St. Fantony, back in 1957
    > was Grand Master of the organization at time of his death
  - ran unsuccessfully for TAFF in 1966
  - contributor to fanzines, including THE DAMNED PATROL, a fanzine that was
    organized by Joe Gibson for SF fans who were also interested in aviation

* Bob Richardson
  - British fan, active in the Cheltenham Circle
  - died on April 1, 1963 at age 42
  - best know for activities in the Order of St. Fantony, of which he was one
    of founders and where he was Knight Armorer

* Vol Molesworth
  - one of leading Australian fans of 1950s

* Les Croutch
  - died from heart attack suffered while shoveling snow from driveway on
    January 2, 1969
  - one of leading Canadian fans of the 1960s
    > lived in Ontario
  - member of FAPA in early 1960s
  - wrote and sold some fiction (need details)

* Ken McIntyre
  - British fan
  - died of pancreatitis in August 1968
  - fan artist who contributed to fanzines
  - fan art award named after him

* Bob Farnham
  - died on Dec. 30, 1965 of cancer
  - was long-time member of NFFF
    > not too well known outside of the NFFF
  - had attended several Worldcons, including Chicon II in 1952
  - had a few stories published in Ray Palmer's prozines
  - not long afterwards, Billy Pettit announded he was collecting material for
    a memorial fanzine

* Burton Crane
  - died in early February, 1963, in New York City
  - was member of FAPA from 1946-1952
  - was also a member of the National APA, on and off, from 1912
    > had joined when he was 11 years old
  - was also author of several books on business and the stock market

* Ed Wyman
  - died in March of 1966, of pneumonia developing from influenza, at age 63
  - Seattle area fan
    > attended mostly west coast conventions
  - besides fan actives, was also an avid spelunker and photographer

* Royal Drummond
  - died of a heart attack on April 22, 1964, at age 45
  - had been active in The Nameless Ones of Seattle fandom in the 1950s
  - had also been a member of SAPS and FAPA in the 1950s

* Dave Foley
  - New York City fan, part of the Nunnery in the 1950s
    > also a member of the Fanarchists and the New York S-F Circle
    > wrote humorous and satirical material for the 1950s fanzine INSIDE
  - died of leukemia on October 23, 1963 at age 31
  - was a co-founder of the Fantasy Film Club
  - was also a professional novelist
    > wrote an sf novel, "The Day the Earth Froze" for Monarch Books, under
      the pseudonym of "Gerald Hatch"

* Dr. Thomas Gardner
  - died on November 11, 1963 at age 55, an apparent suicide
    > two months earlier, had sold his entire sf collection to Gerry de la Ree
  - was member of First Fandom ((note: need confirmation on this))
  - wrote for James Taurasi's fanzine FANTASY TIMES
  - was a research chemist, also studied gerontology and rocketry

* Lewis Grant
  - died on July 12, 1968, just before he was to have left to travel to
    Wisconsin for Jon and Joni Stopa's annual Wilcon summer get-together
  - cause of death was a heart attack
    > died in an ambulance on the way to the hospital
    > the night before, he had received medical attention for a serious 
      bronchial attack
  - was a Chicago area fan, known as a convention-goer and a punster
    > was a member of the American Rocket Society and MENSA
  - had been one of the first so-called "blue babies" to have corrective
    surgery
    > it became known later that he had donated his body to science
    > he was just 36 years old