Joan Winston Passes

[TrekToday]

Joan Winston, co-writer of Star Trek Lives! and one of the founders of the first Star Trek convention, passed away in her sleep on September eleventh.

As reported by ComicM!x, Mark Milton, a relative of Winston's, posted the sad news to a Doctor Who mailing list. "I came home today to learn that Joan Winston, co-founder of the 'Star Trek' conventions, author of 'Star Trek Lives!' and 'The Making of the Trek Conventions' as well as many other books and short stories, had passed away," said Milton. "As some of you know, she's my father-in-law's first cousin and I enjoyed her greatly. She was quite a gal."

Winston was one of the members of a group named "The Committee," who assembled the first Star Trek convention, held in 1972 in New York City. The idea for the convention began with a telephone call, according to Winston in Star Trek Lives!. "I never should have answered the telephone," said Winston. "If I had known what was going to happen, I would have told Ma Bell to pull it out by the roots." The call was from a Star Trek fan, proposing that Star Trek fans should have their own convention, where they could "talk about 'Star Trek' as much as we liked, with no one to sneer."

The convention was wildly successful. A few hundred people were expected, but three thousand fans came to hear Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry and science-fiction author Isaac Asimov speak.

After retiring from her work with conventions, Winston worked as a literary agent, and was an author. She continued to speak about her experiences in the early days of Star Trek fandom, assisting William Shatner with information for his book Get a Life!. Winston was also seen on Trekkies 2 the Star Trek fandom documentary by Denise Crosby.

Services for Winston will be held Sunday September 14th, 2008 at the Plaza Funeral Home located at 630 Amsterdam Avenue in Manhattan at 9:30am.

To read more, head to the article located here.

[number6]

Wow. That's really sad news. I really enjoyed her stories, particulary her story about visiting the Star Trek set during the filming of the last episode. She epitomized everything noble about Star Trek fandom and her love of the show oozed from every word she wrote.

[KeepOnTrekking]

RIP Joanie. She always had an upbeat style to her writing that was infectious. I remember most vividly her overcoming her fear of heights as she scaled the ladder up to the projectionist's booth at the Trek convention. Scratching the paint on the wall as she climbed the ladder for the first time and by the end of the con she was shimmey-ing up and down that ladder like a monkey!! The things that the love of Trek will help a person achieve!!

[AJBryant]

Man.

Joan was good people.

We're all going to miss her.

[midgeelou]

Memorial tributes to Joanie Winston can be read and posted on the Sime~Gen website, co-owned by her co-author, Jacqueline Lichtenberg. We at Sime~Gen invite you to visit:

http://www.simegen.com/sgfandom/rimo...anWinston.html

[anti-matter]

R.I.P. Joan Winston ...a real life pathfinder. I suppose if it wasn't for her efforts with the conventions demonstrating a loyal fan base StarTrek as we know it might have just died a quiet death.

[RandyS]

AJBryant wrote:

---

Man.

Joan was good people.

We're all going to miss her.

Agreed.

[PKerr]

We lost one of our own.
The lady was the ultimate Trek fan.
Rest In Peace from one Trekkie to another.

Ms. Winston will be remembered on my Star Trek Memorial Page.
You may view it here.

http://www.excalibur-nx-1707.com/mem...%20writers.htm

[The Lady Eve]

Ms. Winston also got a nice write up in the New York Times.

Times Obit

RIP

[WillsBabe]

Bye bye, Joanie. I'll never forget your kindness and enthusiasm. And of course, all those things we gossiped about Will Riker.