Two To Remember

Southern Man notes with sorrow the passing of two fine people. One, a popular writer of fantasy and science fiction, is known to many across the world; the other, only to the many who knew and loved him.

Ann McCaffrey's fantasy books captivated the young Southern Man when he was first starting to explore those strange new worlds and even if he finds them a bit juvenile for his tastes today they (along with certain equally juvenile works of Asimov and Heinlein and many others) hold a special place in his heart. Southern Man met her once at a sci-fi convention; she was beautiful and charming and took a few moments to talk to a couple of starry-eyed teens and Southern Man has been a fan ever since. She will be missed but her work will live on.

As a young police officer HH stumbled across a certain couple from the nearby university "stargazing" in the park and sent them scurrying red-faced back to their dorms. Years later he and Southern Parents became fast friends and he (along with LF and RJ and a few others) formed the core of Southern Father's posse of friends. After retirement they were free to cause all manner of mischief, which they often did. As a locksmith no door was an obstacle to HH and he passed some of these skills (along with an impressive collection of master keys) to Southern Father. Widowed for many years, he was finally taken by age and disease. He was loved and he will be missed.