Memorial Book for Phyllis Gotlieb

Mershein, L.L.(Lillian)	August 24, 2009 08:16 PM
My sincere sympathies to Phyllis Gotlieb's family and friends. I had the remarkable experience of being on the same programme with her at a literary reading at the University of Toronto; my main memory was her warm humour.

Carla McKague	July 22, 2009 02:48 PM
Thinking of you all. It's been a long time, but I have many fond memories of Phyllis.

Mici Gold	July 19, 2009 07:04 AM
Kelly, I'm so sad to learn that Phyllis has passed. She was an example of how a brilliant woman can follow her muse and impact the world and still be present for her family. I've lost a friend, an inspiration, a mother figure. Canadian SF/F lost its grandmother. You've lost the love of your life. I wish you comfort in family, warm memories and caring friends.

Colleen Anderson	July 17, 2009 01:37 PM
I'm so sad to hear that Phyllis has left us. She made and impact on so many writers and we were all honored to have her wit and intelligence in correspondence over the years. Phyllis made us think and told us what she thought. She was refreshingly direct and lively. My condolences to her friends and family. I'm so glad I got to meet her and chat with her some through SF Canada.

Rob Lipson	July 17, 2009 09:32 AM
My deepest condolences Kelly. Phyllis was a wonderful person. Rob

Judy Wolfe	July 17, 2009 03:01 AM
So sorry to hear of Phyllis' passing. Our best wishes to all of you. She will be missed. Love, Judy, Randall, Sam and Sharlotte

Arthur Kruger	July 16, 2009 04:42 PM
It was with great sadness that I learned of Phyllis' death. May Calvin & all the family find comfort in memories of good times shared with her. Arthur Kruger

Diane L. Walton	July 16, 2009 03:46 PM
Phyllis was a valued friend and colleague in our tiny community of Science Fiction and Fantasy writers and publishers. She will be missed by all of us. My heartfelt sympathy to Kelly and the family.

Debbie Lewin

July 16, 2009 02:22 PM

Dear Kelly, Leo, Margaret,Jane and family, Eddy and I are so sorry for your loss. Please accept our heartfelt condolences at this very difficult time. My biggest and most prominent memory of course, is all those wonderful turkey dinners I attended at your home off Bathurst street; how delicious everything was, and the jovial and fun spirit that was around that table.....lots of laughs and fun teasing. May Phyllis' memory be for a blessing. Love, Debbie, Eddie, Roxie and Jacob

Dilshad & Jimmy Kershaw	July 16, 2009 01:54 PM
Dear Marion & Leo, We are truly very saddened to hear of your dear mum's demise. Our Heartfelt Condolences to you and may Lord almighty give you and your family the strength to bear this irrecoverable loss. Dilshad & Jimmy Kershaw.

Carolyn (Rabinovitch) van Heerden	July 16, 2009 09:07 AM
My deepest and sincerest condolences go out to the Gotlieb family. Her warmth and willingness to chat was always very special to me. I will certainly miss not being able to see her in the Green Room at Ad Astra. יכול אלוהים להיות עמך.

Carol Strohsahl	July 16, 2009 08:21 AM
God knows you lead a good and faithful life. May you rest in love and peace.

Marina Haloulos	July 16, 2009 08:06 AM
Kely, I was saddened to hear of Phyllis' passing. My deepest condolences to you and your family.

Helen and Frank Tompa	July 16, 2009 07:53 AM
We are truly sorry to learn that Phyllis passed away this week. The loss is huge. We wish you all the best for recalling the many memories you hold of the wonderful times you had together.

Mira & Bob Fabian	July 16, 2009 02:25 AM
Kelly We didn't get to know Phyllis very well, but that was our loss. We know that she will be remembered for her contributions as a person and as an author. Our sympathy goes out to you and your family. Mira & Bob Fabian

Jane Petrovich	July 16, 2009 12:34 AM
Phyllis has been an inspiration to us all. I had the privilege of hearing her read from her latest work at Ad Astra. Phyllis graciously answered my questions and spoke about her writing. I treasure the memory. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

B. Ross Ashley	July 16, 2009 12:04 AM
One of the best writers in Canadian science fiction. We fen will miss her, very much. May her memory be for a blessing.

Aryeh and Robin Gitterman	July 15, 2009 11:12 PM
So sorry to hear of your loss.

David Brown	July 15, 2009 10:49 PM
I meet her only a handful of times, but each time it was a pleasure and honour to talk with her. My deepest condolences.

Alison Wolfe	July 15, 2009 09:23 PM
We are terribly saddened to hear of Phyllis' passing. Please accept our deepest condolences. Love, Alison Wolfe and Kevin, Sarah and Evan Belbin

Dennis Mullin	July 15, 2009 09:22 PM
She will be missed. I first met her when she was guest at Wilfcon and enjoyed her thoughts on writing.

Alison Wolfe; Kevin, Sarah and Evan Belbin	July 15, 2009 09:18 PM
We are terribly saddened to hear of Phyllis' passing. Please accept our deepest condolences. Love, Alison, Kevin, Sarah and Evan

miriam smith	July 15, 2009 08:09 PM
I remember Phyllis from Ad Astra. She was a kind and gentle soul My sincerest condolences, she will be greatly missed.

Malka Rosenberg	July 15, 2009 07:34 PM
Fran and Harvey - I send you my deepest condolences on the passing of Phyllis. Her gift to me of the little desk has always had a major place in my living room and there it will be forever. My love and hugs, Malka

Karen Wehrstein	July 15, 2009 07:16 PM
As a member of the Toronto science fiction/fantasy writers' community, I will always remember Phyllis for her intelligence, wisdom, cheer, humour, warmth and kindness. She always had a smile on her face and an encouraging word for younger authors. She will be sorely missed. My heartfelt condolences to all of you who were closest and feel her loss the hardest.

Robert J. Sawyer

July 15, 2009 06:52 PM

Carolyn and I are in the middle of nowhere this week -- Laramie, Wyoming -- and can't make it back for the funeral of shiva. Kelly, you're very much in our thoughts. Phyllis Gotlieb was the mother of Canadian science fiction, and a great inspiration to me. She was a founding member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America -- the only Canadian in that group when it started in 1965. She was proof of concept that you could live in Toronto and still be a science-fiction writer for major American publishing houses; if I hadn't had her as a role model, I'm not sure I ever would have embarked on the career path I took. We'd been friends for 30 years -- I met her in 1979 when my high-school science-fiction club had her as guest of honour at a little convention we put on at Northview Heights Secondary School in Willowdale. She was feisty and opinionated and passionate then, and she was still all those things the last time I saw her, not that long ago. One of my greatest professional thrills was getting to publish her final novel, Birthstones, in 2007. A great light has gone out. She will be sorely missed.

Allan and Judy Borodin

July 15, 2009 04:36 PM

Dear Kelly, Leo, Marion, Margaret, Jane and Dean, It is with great sadness that we just learned that Phyllis has passed away. Your marriage and life has been a model for us as to the ability to be able to raise a family while both pursuing careers of exceptional achievement. While, of course, I know more about Kelly's achievements in computing than anything about poetry or science fiction, I do know from others how highly respected Phyllis was in her work. When we were in Zurich on sabbatical in 1976, we met another visitor who asked if we knew Phyllis since we were from Toronto. I proudly said that I co-authored a book with Kelly Gotlieb to which he replied that he would only be impressed if I wrote one with Phyllis. We know how devoted Phyllis was to her family and we can only wish you the best of memories of (as they say) a life (very) well lived.

Guy gavriel Kay	July 15, 2009 04:33 PM
My most sincere condolences to all of you. Phyllis was a fine writer and a fine person. She'll be missed by many.

Claire Eamer	July 15, 2009 02:56 PM
I only knew Phyllis online, as a member of the Canadian science fiction community, but she was a charming, intelligent, witty presence. I miss her already. My condolences to her beloved family.

David Simmons	July 15, 2009 02:43 PM
A fine author and a true lady, who will be greatly missed.

Edward Willett	July 15, 2009 02:04 PM
I never met Phyllis personally, but knew her through the SF Canada listserver and the occasional email. I wish I had had the chance to know her better. She was a mainstay of the SF community in Canada, "grandmother to us all," as someone has put it, and will be sorely missed. My deepest condolences to everyone in the family. Edward Willett President SF Canada

Paula Johanson	July 15, 2009 01:43 PM
Thank you for thinking to share your news with her writing friends and colleagues in SF Canada. She was a wonderful friend to so many of us. We will miss her very much.

Joyce Scrivner	July 15, 2009 01:39 PM
I've long enjoyed her work, I am sorry to hear of her passing. Peace be with you and yours.

Alexander von Thorn	July 15, 2009 01:26 PM
Phyllis Gotlieb influenced generations of writers, and her kindness and sense of humor were felt and appreciated by many in the science fiction community. I remember her from Ad Astra conventions and other events. We will miss her.

Julie Czerneda	July 15, 2009 01:22 PM
Our sincere condolences.

Mary-Ellen McAlonen	July 15, 2009 12:44 PM
My sincerest condolences to Phyllis's family and friends. I knew Phyllis through Ad Astra - she was a strong supporter of the convention and we all looked forward to seeing her and talking to her every year. Those of us who helped run Ad Astra as well as all our attendees will miss her greatly at future cons, as well as on our library shelves.

Kim G. Kofmel	July 15, 2009 12:35 PM
Phyllis will be sorely missed. She was a major light in Canadian science fiction. I still consider _Sunburst_ of the most personally important books I ever read. My condolences to the family.

Ruth Stuart	July 15, 2009 12:32 PM
My sympathies to her family. Phyllis always had such a presence. She will be missed.

Sheryl Clifford	July 15, 2009 12:06 PM
I was saddened to hear of Cousin Phyllis' passing. I remember Cousin Phyllis as my mom, Phyllis Snider's closest and most favorite childhood buddy and cousin! Happy memories of Cousin Phyllis will be kept close to heart. My deepest sympathies to the family at this most difficult time. With love, Sheryl Clifford and Family

Jeff Beeler	July 15, 2009 11:56 AM
So sorry to hear this. Canada has lost a great literary figure.

Sandra Kasturi

July 15, 2009 11:43 AM

Dear Kelly and family-- I am just so sorry for your loss. Phyllis was a great lady, and a wonderful writer--so funny and wry and charming in person and in the written word. She was always a great inspiration to me in both poetry and fiction, and as the amazing human being she was. She showed me many kindnesses and always had an encouraging word. I wish I had known her longer and better, and I will miss her tremendously. May you receive every blessing at this sad and difficult time.

Cory Doctorow

July 15, 2009 11:33 AM

I first met Phyllis at Ad Astra, the Toronto area science fiction convention. She and I were co-panelists on the very first panel I ever sat on. I was 17 and I'd just sold my first story. Phyllis was well into her senior years. She was delightful. I don't remember what the subject of the panel was, but I remember the warmth and wit with which Phyllis engaged with little pipsqueak me, the welcome she made me feel as a freshman writer. I have never, ever forgotten that -- the author ofO Master Caliban!> deigning to notice me, much less treat me as a colleague. Phyllis and Kelly were palpably, achingly in love (Kelly once had my father in his university physics class, a class he never forgot). We had dinner together in 2007 at Ad Astra, and the two of them were the epitome of sweet old married coupledom, finishing each others' sentences, helping each other in a million tiny and affectionate ways. I can only hope that when I'm 80, I'll be as sharp, productive and good-spirited as Phyllis was when I last saw her. Science fiction has lost one of its greats today, and Canada, too. My sincerest condolences to her family. You are missed, Phyllis.

Georgea Wolfe	July 15, 2009 08:06 AM
We are so sorry. Please accept our heartfelt condolences. Georgea, Peter and Samantha.

[  Click here for printer friendly version  ]

[  Return to the Home Page  ]