While doing some research for a synopsis I planned to write for an outline Joan Winston submitted to Trek back in 1969, I discovered that she currently resides in an assisted living/care facility. Haven't been able to discover the exact reason, but she is approaching 77 years of age. So, fans of her books Star Trek Lives! and The Making of the Star Trek Conventions give a thought to her well-being and to her health. Here's a quandary -- I have a snail mail adress for the facility, and have an email here telling how much she would appreciate cards (her birthday, I'm told, is June 19th), but I'm not sure if I should put it up here online for two reasons: 1. It may be against board policy. 2. It may garner her junk mail from scammers and lowlifes. So, I suppose, I could give the address to those who email me asking for it, or if T'Bonz or another mod thinks it is okay to post the address, I could do that. So, all best to Joan. I very much enjoyed her behind-the-scenes looks at Trek, and do recall the photos of her and the sweaters she wore which turned even Shatner's head. Sir Rhosis
^^^Pics and her stories of visiting the set are in the books I mentioned. They're both still fairly available at used book stores. I just saw a copy of "Lives!" as I was browsing my local Half-Price store the other day. As one reviewer said, she really did have a style reminiscent of Erma Bombeck (I forget the exact quote). Sir Rhosis
I second that emotion. She was not only one of the first to be actively involved in Star Trek fandom, her writing reached a lot of people who hadn't been able to connect with fandom back in those days when virtually no one had a computer, much less Internet access. The sections of Star Trek Lives by her co-authors can be a slog, but her chapters and the Making of the Trek Conventions really provide an entertaining look at 1970s fandom.
^^^Indeed, I was one of those 1970s fans from Back of the Beyond, Kentucky, with no connections to, or very much knowledge of, the wide world of fandom, who found her books on a rare pilgrimage to the "metropolis" of Lexington. Sir Rhosis
Joan was a good friend to me back in the 90s. She was kind and generous and I always enjoyed reading her letters. I regret losing contact with her and I've wanted to get in touch again. Personally I've been involved in Trek fandom for 25 years and as time marches on, more and more stalwarts and pioneers are feeling the weight of time. Best wishes, Joanie.
^^^For whatever reason, I'm having an atrocious server lag when trying to log into my private messages, and it keeps timing out on me. If you don't mind, hop over to the reviews I do of TOS scripts (first link in my sig) and email me at the address that is hyperlinked to my real name (initials DE). Sorry about this. Gotta go, will check back online later. Sir Rhosis
She was a guest at the first con I attended, in Washington DC back in 1981. I was lucky enough to sit beside her at a local screening of The Empire Strikes Back. She was great, cheering and laughing along with all of us. Positive thoughts and best wishes, Joanie!!!
Star Trek Lives! (along with Marshak & Culbreath's Star Trek: The New Voyages anthologies) introduced 12-year-old me to Trek fandom and fanfiction, a good thirty years ago. All hopes for Ms. Winston.
Sadly, Joanie passed on Thursday, 9-11-2008. http://trekmovie.com/2008/09/12/convention-pioneer-joan-winston-has-passed-away/ Sir Rhosis
Very sad. I met her briefly at my first Shore Leave. I was at the signing table, and this woman came up and started talking to me, and it soon became clear that she was speaking of people like Shatner and Nimoy with great familiarity, and I was wondering who she was, because her nametag was flipped around. Eventually I asked, and I was amazed to find I'd been listening to Joan Winston. It's a shame it was only the one time -- and that I couldn't hear her very well over the crowd noise anyway.
Unfortunately the next issue of Star Trek Magazine has just gone to approval, so I won't be able to include a tribute to Joan, but anyone who has memories that they'd like included in a feature, please email me at paul.simpson@titanemail.com in the next two-three weeks. Paul
Well, this is nice. The New York Times has published an article about Joan Winston and her passing: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/nyregion/21winston.html?ref=television It really shows how far Trek fandom has come that this would get coverage of this level in the NYT. And a lot of that is due to Joan Winston and what she started.
I wasn't around for any of the early Trek fandom stuff, but I have read and enjoyed Star Trek Lives numerous times over the years. I'm very sorry to hear of her passing.