Liz Simmonds (1944-2011)

Liz Simmonds

Liz Simmonds died of cancer May 21 at the age of 67. She was a long-time member of Science Fiction South Africa and past editor of the clubzine Probe. Although her death had been reported, details about the date and cause just reached me today.

Elan Gamaker has posted a tribute to his mother here:

When I last visited her it was early April. She was weak but still full of hope, promising to visit my wife and me (we live in Amsterdam, she in Johannesburg) regardless of the results of her upcoming scan. But it wasn’t to be. Within weeks of her beginning to lose hope for the first time – a sentiment sweetened by the news that she was to become a grandmother for the first time – her condition declined dramatically and she passed away, peacefully, at home.

What was left were memories, and messages passed on to me from friends to whom she shared her pride and love for me even if she couldn’t always tell me herself. For my mother was a pragmatist and a scientist first and foremost (a science fiction enthusiast whose love of fantasy was underpinned by her wonderful job title: universe developer).

[Thanks to Lloyd Penney for the story.]