Fan Kathryn Daugherty (b.1950) died on February 24 following a two-year battle with cancer. Daugherty was a long-time con-runner who chaired Conolulu, the 2000 Westercon, and worked numerous other conventions, local, regional, and global. She stepped in at the last minute to run autographing tables at Chicon 2000. She was the fan guest of honor at Baycon 2001 and Loscon 31. A memorial service will be held for her on Maui.
At Boskone 49, the weekend of February 17-19, this year’s recipients of the Skylark award was announced. The Skylark Award is presented for significant contributions through work in the field of science fiction and by exemplifying the personal qualities which made the late “Doc” Smith well-loved by those who knew him. The Gaughan Award is presented to an emerging artist and no winner was announced this year. In addition, a new Fellow of NESFA was named.
Skylark Award: Sharon Lee and Steve Miller
Gaughan Award: no winner announced
Fellow of NESFA: Bob Devney
Judy Newton, the President of the Washington Science Fiction Association, was hospitalized on February 8 after suffering an heart attack. She is scheduled to undergo bypass surgery on February 10.
Fan Todd Frazier was found dead in his apartment on the morning of February 9. From the 1990s, Frazier was an assistant editor for Ed Meskys’s fanzine Niekas and in 2007, Belknap Mill had an exhibit of Meskys and Frazier’s art collections. Frazier was a frequent attendee of Boskone and Readercon, as well as worldcons.
Fan Robert Lovell (b.1947) died on January 15. Lovell was involved in Baltimore-Washington fandom from the late 1970s until 1983 and was involved with the bid that landed the 1983 Worldcon, Constellation, for Baltimore. Lovell supported the bids by offering “Backrubs for Baltimore.”
Fan Robert E. Briney (b.1933) died in late November. Active in Chicago fandom in the 1950s and 60s, Briney was one of the founding partners of Advent:Publishing. He edited the 1953 anthology Shanadu and co-edited the 1972 reference work SF Bibliographies: An Annotated Bibliography of Bibliographical Works on Science Fiction and Fantasy Fiction. Briney also published the fanzine Contact Is Not a Verb from 1980 through 2006.
Fan James “Rusty” Hevelin (b.1922) died on December 27. Hevelin became active in fandom in the 1930s, publishing the apazine H-1661. He attended Denvention 1 before joining the army and serving in the South Pacific during World War II. Returning to fandom, Hevelin became a huckster and frequent con attendee, serving as a guest of honor at numerous cons, including Denvention 2, the 1981 Worldcon. He received the First Fandom Sam Mosckowitz Archive Award for collections and the Big Heart Award. Hevelin was a founder of Pulpcon.
Rusty Hevelin has entered end-of-life hospice care at the VA Hospital in Dayton, Ohio. His health has been in poor condition and last week reports emerged that Hevelin had lost all circulation to his legs. Hevelin is a long-time convention attendee and dealer. Hevelin became active in fandom in the 1930s and was the Fan Guest of Honor at Denvention 2 in 1981. Messages for Rusty can be left at Lorena Haldeman’s blog.
Christopher J Garcia and Steven H Silver have announced a new fanzine, Paint, Pen, and Pixel to showcase the excellent artwork done by fan artists. They are asking for fan artists to send us a piece of original, unpublished artwork to be included, along with contact information. The fanzine will be in an electronic format and either horizontal or vertical artwork is welcome. The submission deadline is February 15 with the goal of publishing the fanzine on March 1.
For more information, e-mail paintpenpixel@gmail.com
Swedish fan Amelia Andersdotter has been permitted to take her seat representing Sweden in the EU Parliament. Andersdotter was elected to Parliament in 2009 representing the Swedish Pirate Party, but owing to internal EU red tape only now been able to claim her seat.