RIP: Jack Williamson, 1908 - 2006

[seawasp]

The longest-writing SF author ever, the last real survivor from the Doc Smith era, one of the greatest writers of SF, Jack Williamson has died.

There are really no words sufficient to describe the man -- old enough to have moved from his birth home to his new one in a horse-drawn covered wagon, creator of some of the greatest space opera written (The Legion of Space), and a constant presence through decades when most of his contemporaries had long left us.

One more whom I will never get a chance to meet. I salute him.

Comments

[tekalynn.livejournal.com]

Goodness. Just this afternoon we were browsing through the sf section and talking about Jack Williamson. For some reason, I thought he'd died recently, and my partner said "No, as far as I know he's still alive," and we both marvelled at his longevity.

Wow. It really feels like the end of an era.

[rugor.livejournal.com]

I think it is the end of an era--

The last Pre-Campbell SF writer is gone, and we are poorer for having lost him.

[ross-teneyck.livejournal.com]

Dang. It was Jack Williamson, wasn't it, who had published works in eight separate decades? Or did he make it to nine?

He made it to nine.

[seawasp]

First publication 1928, last in 2005.

Jack published in the 1920s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, and 2000s.

I'm wondering how many writers of *ANY* genre can match that.

This was from a local TV station here in New Mexico about Jack Williamson

[noctyrnus.livejournal.com]

Sci-fi writer Williamson dies at 98
Last Update: 11/11/2006 2:07:28 PM
By: Associated Press

PORTALES, N.M. (AP) - Author Jack Williamson is being remembered as grand master of science fiction for his dozens of novels and short stories.

He died Friday at his Portales home at the age of 98.

Williamson published steadily since writing his first story, “The Metal Man,” in 1928 at the age of 20.

In addition to teaching a course at Eastern New Mexico University, he continued to write until close to his death.

His last book, “The Stonehenge Gate,” was published recently.

A memorial service is tentatively planned for Thursday at ENMU in Portales.

Williamson’s niece, Betty Williamson, says her uncle would often say, “I have lived a wonderful life and I will die with no regrets.

Re: This was from a local TV station here in New Mexico about Jack Williamson

[noctyrnus.livejournal.com]

This is the website I got that from , and there was a picture of Jack Williamson on it --

http://kobtv.com/index.cfm?viewer=storyviewer&id=28787&cat=HOME