by Steven H. Silver

Glenn Lewis Gillette (b.1946) died on Nov. 1 after a year-long battle with cancer.

Gillette published his first story, “Monster in the Waterhole,” in the June 1972 issue of Analog magazine, and followed up with two more stories over the next few years before taking a twenty-year hiatus. He began to publish again in 1996 and had many stories appear in a variety of magazines and anthologies, including Apex, M-Brane, and Bard & Sages Quarterly.

“I met Glenn on a number of occasions during my time at SFWA and always found him good and engaging company,” said John Scalzi, president of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA). “More than that, his On-line Update e-mails were the way that I felt connected to the organization–in a very real way Glenn was the face of SFWA for me. I know other members of the board have equally fond memories of him and a deep appreciation of the work he did for SFWA. With his passing I offer on behalf of the entire board our sympathy and commiseration to his loved ones, and an abiding thanks for the work he did for SFWA. He made a difference, and that’s no small thing.”

For many years, Gillette edited the SFWA E-newsletter and On-line Update, sending out information to the SFWA membership. In 2008, he coordinated the SFWA table in the dealer’s room at Denvention 3, that year’s Worldcon, ensuring that memberships and merchandise were available, as well as coordinating numerous autographings at the table. He was an active member of the Northern Colorado Writers Workshop.

Gillette graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 1968. He commanded more than 100 enlisted men in the Philippines and served as commander for two student squadrons in Alaska before entering private industry in 1973. He is survived by his wife, Jeannie, four children, and a grandson.

Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) is a professional organization representing more than 1,700 authors, artists, and allied professionals in science fiction, fantasy and related genres. SFWA assists members in legal disputes with publishers, administers benevolent funds for authors facing medical or legal expenses and offers extensive educational and business resources to its members and genre writers in general. SFWA also sponsors the annual Nebula Awards, peer recognition for the best literary and dramatic works of speculative fiction. SFWA was founded in 1965 by the American science fiction author Damon Knight. Past and present members include Isaac Asimov, Anne McCaffrey, Ray Bradbury, Ursula K. Le Guin, and Andre Norton. Learn more at: www.sfwa.org