By John Hertz: (reprinted from Vanamonde 1638) She was still Patricia Oswalt at graduation from Linfield College in 1959. Two decades earlier (L’38) had come Joe Medicine Crow (1913-2016), last surviving Plains Indian war chief, World War II veteran, who received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009.

Pat in the early1960s found herself in Chicago, rooming with local fan Ann Dinkleman; Ann introduced Pat to the Univ. Chicago SF Club; Pat was recruited to work in Registration at Chicon Ill the 20th World Science Fiction Convention.

Pat and Ann went together to Midwestcon XIV and Discon I the 21st Worldcon; at M14, Earl Kemp — oh, how I wish I’d given him occasion to ball one of his hands into a fist, which would have been the duke of Earl — introduced Pat to Roger Sims (1930-2022); Pat and Roger were married a year later, on 8-16-64, a date refulgent with powers of two. They were together until death did them part.

Active for years in Detroit (Roger had co-chaired Detcon, the 17th Worldcon), they moved to Cincinnati (Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus [519-430 b.c.e.] called from his farm to accept dictatorial power in a war emergency, won the war and returned to his farm) and thus the Cincinnati Fantasy Group; Pat was CFG secretary-treasurer and hosted its parties at cons, including Worldcons; she edited Roger’s fanwriting e.g. in the great fanzine Mimosa.

Pat & Roger co-chaired Ditto X (fanziners’ con, named for a brand of copying machine once widely used) & XVII, and FanHistoricon IX. They were the 1995 DUFF delegates (Down Under Fan Fund, sends fans in alternate years from North America to Australia – New Zealand and vice versa), nominated by (what a shining list!) Stephen Boucher, Bill Bowers, Robin Johnson, Dick & Nicki Lynch, Bruce Pelz. Pat & Roger attended Thylacon I the 34th Australia natcon (national convention), having previously attended Aussiecon I the 33rd Worldcon.

They went on a month-long safari to Kenya with Carol & Mike Resnick (MR active as both fan& pro). Some of CFG moved to Florida; there was an attempt to make CFG stand for Cincinnati-Florida Group, but that trick never worked. Pat became vice-president of the Orlando Area Science Fiction Society.

She was given the Big Heart, our highest service award, in 2002. Like other Big Heart recipients, she long continued active and helpful. Died June 9, 2024. Requiescat in pace.