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Date: Mon, 11 Oct 1999 10:36:04 -0700 (PDT)
From: Pat mathews@unm.edu
To: Starfly MRYCLLNS@netscape.net
Subject: Marion Zimmer Bradley
I was a friend of Marion’s. When I wrote her a letter disputing the basis of one of her stories, she invited me to write for her fanzine STARSTONE, and put my arguments in story form. She accepted my work in the most appallingly ignorant formats and gently steered me to the proper style. When DAW started publishing its Darkover fanthologies, she invited me into the first one and almost all of the subsequent ones, starting my writing career.
May this memory lighten grief.
Patricia (Pat) Mathews
Date: Mon, 27 Sep 1999 16:46:13 +0100 (BST)
From: “marty 1. adkins” adkinslawfirm@mindspring.com
Reply-to: lois-bujold@herald.co.uk
To: mathews@unm.edu
Subject: OT: MZB
Jerrie
Return-path: (SusanB14@aol.com)
From: SusanB14@aol.com
Date: Mon, 27 Sep 1999 09:33:38 EDT
Subject: Re:MZB
“May this memory lighten grief…”
Sunday evening at 10:30 PM EST, Cynthia McQuillin called me and confirmed MZB’s death on Saturday evening about 6:00 p.m. California time. All of Marion’s extended family who could do so visited her in the time between Tuesday evening and Saturday evening when she died. Marion’s last two weeks were good ones, with special meals, visits from friends and the work on both S & S and the magazine. She went out on short excursions several times during that period.
I assure you that Marion read everything that was submitted to her and chose just what would be published. I spent two marvelous weeks with her during the later part of May, and she read manuscripts everyday during my stay. According to Cindy, the magazine will continue until all the stories currently purchased can be published. This was Marion’s wish.
Marion will have a funeral sometime in October. At her request, she is to be cremated, and her ashes scattered in England, on Glastonbury Tor.
I talked to Marion about the Renunciates, and Darkover in general. She said she patterned the Renunciates training on Kung Fu, something for us to think about. She also had an abiding hate for horses, and felt that the modern equivalent was learning to drive and caring for an automobile. She had written a new Darkover, called shadow King, which I read in manuscript one night when she was ill, and needed watching.
Marion gave us all so much. Most of the younger writers made their sale to Marion, including Elizabeth Moon, Mercedes Lackey, Jennifer Roberson, Deborah Wheeler and others.
Marion’s family worked very hard to try and make life as pleasant as possible for her. They are to be commended for their loving care. Raul gave Marion several years of his life, tending her as lovingly as he would a mother, and indeed she thought of him as a son. Lisa, of course, was there, managing the literary end of things as well as family and personal matters. Cindy provided marvelous meals, and much conversation and listening. Rachel, who is the editor of the magazine, started with the attitude of, “It’s a job,” and came to love her boss. Ann Sharp, who edited the DNL also was involved in day to day running of things. Diana Paxson was a great spirit lifter. She and Marion shared so much over the years. The first SCA tourney was held in Diana’s yard. Dr. Jane was always there, and Marion loved her. Marion missed her mother and her brother Paul. She enjoyed a concert for her birthday by Moria, and a long visit with her grandchildren. Moria has two little boys. As much as we will miss her, life these last several years was restricted due to her ill health. I like to think of her at a great convention in some heavenly place, giving Walter what for and generally enjoying visiting with all her friends.
The family is notifying all the people like Misty who meant so much to Marion. Andre Norton will be called today, and we will see her this Friday. (She lives just 2 hours from here, and is my housemate’s long standing friend.)
Please pray fro Marion’s family during this difficult time. They have given so much of themselves for her, Now it’s time for us to give them a little. Without their loving care, Marion would have been gone a long time ago.
I plan on being at Darkover to see everyone.
Susan n’ha Myrtle
Susie Bound