Joan Winston: RIP

I just learned sadly, that Joan Winston had passed away on Sept 11th. Joan, or "Joanie" was basically the "mother" of the New York Star Trek conventions-the first one in January 1972, which started off a phenomena that continues to this day. She was actively involved in SF fandom as well, knowing many authors and artists. She published several books but the first and best one was THE MAKING OF THE TREK CONVENTIONS(1979, Playboy Paperbacks) and it was a book I have read about 20 times. It's utterly hilarious in some places and heartfelt in others. My memory of Joan was that when I was rather young, she encouraged me to do more Trek drawings, and cartoons and send them around to fanzines and fan presses. Alot of fun, and I was paid in enjoyment and, notoriety that benefited me later in professional working. Joan and her committee created the original Star Trek conventions from 1972 to 1976 before "retiring" and letting others take over. She did them in the days when Trek stars came for plane fare and hotel room alone. Later, as the Studio got involved, lawyers got involved and it became large and for some, troublesome to pull off. But for me, I thank Joan for her kind words when I was trying to figure out what to make of what I was doing. Joan worked for CBS and ABC and other entertainment giants in NYC as I recall in various fashions. Her connections there enabled her to get some of the major Trek stars to the conventions.

She was 77 when she died, and this utterly stunned me because I saw her again but four years ago in 2004, at a Lunacon, and she looked still rather young. She apparently was a victim of that dreaded nemesis: dementia. She exhibited early,fleeting symptoms in 2005. Her last convention appearance would be in 2006 and apparently her health prompted her to stay in an Assisted Living facility in New York City, when she passed away in her sleep. When people and pieces of your past begin to pass on and fade like this, it's a rather dark feeling that you attempt to fight off because it surrounds and paralyzes you. And you do that by recalling all the GOOD memories...especially now in these confusing, and even terrifying times...

Joan, you will be missed...

Alot about Joan can be found here, at this link with alot of pictures and such:

http://www.simegen.com/sgfandom/rimonslibrary/cz/cz24/JoanWinston.html