The newsletternewsletter Heinlein Virginia dies at 86

February 2003

The Heinlein Society, a non-profit corporation, is an educational charity. http://www.heinleinsociety.org PO Box 1254 Venice, Calif., 90294 USA Obituary See page 2 Letters See Page 3. Fundraising See Page 4. Blood drives See page 5 Time to pay dues See Page 6. Remembering the Columbia crew See Page 7. Heinlein’s 100th birthday approaches See page 10 Chairman’s report Virginia and Robert A. Heinlein See Page 12. Obituary Heaven is where Ginny is

Virginia Heinlein passed away peacefully in her sleep in the early morning of Jan. 18, 2003. She was 86 years old. Mrs. Heinlein was the widow of famed writer, Robert A. Heinlein, author of “Stranger In a Strange Land” and 55 other books, who died in 1988. Her death followed a prolonged bout of respiratory illness, including pneumonia, as well as a broken hip sustained on Thanksgiving Day, 2002, requiring surgery and a long recovery. The couple had no children, but countless readers around the world refer to themselves as “Heinlein's Children.” Virginia Gerstenfeld Heinlein was born April 22, 1916, in , N.Y., the daughter of a dentist. She went to the Packer Collegiate Ginny Heinlein with her cat Snowy in their Florida home. Institute, a college preparatory high school, where she finished in Station in Philadelphia in 1944 death illnesses in the seventies three-and-a-half years, always on and 1945. She met Robert through constant care and love. the honor roll. She attended New Heinlein there, working as a She took over the business York University, majoring in civilian aviation engineer because aspects of his writing career, chemistry. She lettered in the Navy would not overlook his freeing him to focus on his swimming, diving, basketball, and medical discharge due to writing. Together, they made a field hockey. She also reached tuberculosis in 1934. She served special project of organizing local national competitive levels in as his assistant on several and national blood drives and figure skating, the sport that classified development projects as facilitating cooperation among all became her lifelong passion. In a chemist and aviation test the blood collecting organizations the late 1950's, she served on engineer. in the world. the U.S. Olympic Committee for After World War II, she came to Shortly after his death in 1988, Skating. In time, she came to Los Angeles to study for an she moved to Florida. She speak over seven languages, unfinished doctorate in gathered a selection of her including French, Latin, Italian, biochemistry at UCLA. She husband's letters in “Grumbles and Russian. married Robert Heinlein in Raton, from the Grave,” printed for the Graduating in 1937, she worked N.M., in October 1948. first time his travel memoir Tramp for Quality Bakers as a chemist Thereafter, the two were Royale and political handbook until 1943, when the WAVE Corps inseparable; those who knew "Take Back Your Government" was formed. She enlisted them spoke often of their intense (originally titled “How to Be a immediately and was offered a and abiding love for each other. Politician”), and oversaw the commission as a WAVE She became his closest restoration of several texts she lieutenant, serving first at the companion, aiding him in his felt had been badly edited, Bureau of Aeronautics, then at writing, and traveling the world including “,” “Puppet the Naval Air Experimental with him. Virginia shepherded Robert through two severe near- Continued on page 3 Page 2 Letters Spider Robinson remembers Ginny Today a total stranger on the other by mail, phone and e-mail. other side of the continent phoned But I’ll never forget her, and I Students pray while I was out to tell me that miss her already. I can’t decide he’d been camped out at the hos- whether I prefer to picture her and for Ginny pital for the last few weeks, and Robert ice-skating together again, wanted me to know that Ginny like they used to — or at the rail had mentioned my wife and me of another cruise ship, about to For what it’s worth, 600 Catholic several times with great fondness. “Sail Beyond the Sunset” — or re- boys prayed for the repose of the Probably as well the machine got united and crowned at the head of soul of today at it. My response was to burst into the Grand Parade, about to Cathedral High School in Los tears. resume Traveling in Elephants. Angeles, CA, where I teach. I’m She was the toughest, smartest, One of those. not Catholic, but I’ve been teach- fiercest, KINDEST woman I’ve ever Spider Robinson ing Heinlein novels there for eight known. I only met her face to years, so it was a moment many face twice in my life, never set Editor’s note: Science fiction of the boys felt meaningful. foot inside any of her homes author and long-time friend of (although my wife was luckier; Robert and Virginia Heinlein was Robert James Ginny once brought her home to asked to comment on the loss of the Carmel place, and showed her Ginny for the Heinlein Society Robert’s word processor, and the Newsletter. famous cannon); we knew each

Heinlein legacies. She also out with her claws on some Heaven endowed the public library in occasions when others may from page 2 Robert Heinlein’s birthplace of consider it improper. I don’t give Butler, Missouri. a damn whether Ginny is ‘proper’ Masters” and “Stranger in a Readers have often remarked on or not; I like her. I like her Strange Land.” the strength, intelligence, and values.” At the end of one of his Throughout her life, she loved power of his female characters; later books, “Job,” the final reading, cooking, gardening, his fictional women were often sentence has been read by many music, and politics. In recent based on Virginia Heinlein. As as Robert Heinlein's own tribute years, declining eyesight and science fiction writer Spider to his beloved wife: “Heaven is physical health curtailed some of Robinson said, “several of where Margrethe is.” her favorite activities, but she Heinlein’s women bear a striking There will be no funeral. Her began and maintained an active resemblance to his wife Virginia.” ashes will be scattered at sea in presence on Internet venues Many of Heinlein’s books were the Pacific, as were her devoted to study of her husband’s dedicated to her. Virginia, or husband's. Mourners are asked works, pursuing this new hobby “Ginny” as she preferred to be to make blood donations in her with much energy. She endowed called, was his sounding board memory, and may make the Robert Anson Heinlein Chair and source of ideas; she charitable donations to The in Aerospace Engineering, originated the idea that became Heinlein Society at established on Aug. 28, 2001, at “Stranger in a Strange Land.” She www.heinleinsociety.org, or P.O. Annapolis, by a gift of over $2.6 was his first reader and trusted Box 1254, Venice, Calif., 90294- million, in honor of her late critic. Robert Heinlein once said 1254. husband, a graduate of the Naval she was “smarter, better, and Academy's Class of 1929. She more sensible than I am.” also helped to found The Heinlein In a 1961 letter, he said “She is Society, an educational charity what I feel to be a good person in dedicated to paying forward to the word's simplest and plainest generations to come the many meaning. Which includes lashing

Page 3 Fundraising Robert and Ginny left behind a legacy

I never met Virginia face to So, I never met Ginny, and I am the world into accepting a face. I always meant to go and the poorer for that, but I was broader vision of the future than see her, but it never seemed to unwilling to impose on her at the the one that presently limits us. be the right time, and now the end of her life, and must content With Ginny’s passing, we can right time will never come to myself with the knowledge that just feel bad, and continue doing pass. All I knew about Virginia she and I were friends who never whatever we were doing before was what I gleaned from her met, an increasing phenomenon. we heard that she had moved letters and her participation in And now that they are both along this mortal coil to our online conversations. She gone, Robert and Virginia, we something else, or we can take was so absolutely dedicated to who remain have a legacy, a this as the starting point, not the preserving Robert’s legacy, in responsibility, and a challenge. end, of an even better adventure. carrying out his wishes in all The legacy is Robert’s written The planets are still out there, things, it seemed as though he words, millions of them, in without our reach, but not yet had deputized her to be his hundreds of stories.The within in our grasp. The stars lay representative to his readers after responsibility, as we all know, is beyond, seductively beckoning. he passed on. She maintained to pay forward the boons we All that stops us is the lack of the standard the Robert set, received from this man, this vision, the lack of will, and preserved the legacy, and when writer of fiction, by bringing his economics. Robert supplied the she knew that her time was ideas into the real world of vision. It is up to us to provide coming, set various projects in present time. The challenge is to the will and the economics. motion to carry on after she was educate ourselves to advocate for, Alan Milner gone. to proselytize, to cajole and bully Fundraising chair

Robert A. Heinlein speaks at Crown College, University of California at Santa Cruz in the Spring 1969. -- photo courtesy of Michael Broschat Page 4 Blood drives Robert and Ginny left behind a legacy

When you joined the Heinlein waned and we are once again Heinlein Society because we Society each of you listed Society suffering a critical shortage. It's believe it is our duty to Pay It activities that were of interest to all too easy to become wrapped Forward. This is an ideal way to you personally. Many of you up in our daily lives and forget do just that, and to honor the included blood drives. Those who that help is still needed. legacy of a man who inspired us did have heard from me already We came together to form the all. and I thank you for your time. I want to speak now to all the membership, and to anyone else who may be reading this. We have set a quite a goal for ourselves, and we will need a great deal of help to achieve it. By Robert's centennial we intend to be holding blood drives in cities all across the U.S., possibly around the world. This year we are striving to run at least 10 to 12, mostly at conventions, and to begin expanding into workplaces and the community at large. To do this we need PEOPLE. Not only people who donate blood, but also those who are willing to organize and work the blood drives. Some of you may not be able to donate blood, but you probably know someone who can. Some of you may choose not to donate. That is a personal decision and I do not fault you for it, but I will respectfully ask you to take a hard look at your reasons. Some of you do not have the time to become involved in running blood drives, but you might be able to suggest to someone who does that they contact us. The ultimate goal of all this is not just to sponsor a worldwide Top photo: Grace Scott, David Jennings, blood drive, but to help remind (hidden), Jeri Rivera, Robert James, Bill Patterson, David society at large of their civic duty. People can generally be counted Silver and Sachiko Yamada dine after the final panel at on to help out in times of LosCon in Burbank, Calif., in late November 2002. Bottom disaster. After the World Trade photo: Brad Linaweaver (in foreground) helped lead a Center tragedy the U.S. LosCon Heinlein panel discussion to a standing-room-only experienced a huge glut in the audience. blood supply for the first time in decades, but enthusiasm soon -- Photos by Peter Scott Page 5 Secretary-treasurer’s report Paying dues just became more urgent

Paying your dues suddenly All that stopped Saturday there’s the postal mail box, P.O. became more urgent than ever morning. Ain’t gonna be no Box 1254, Venice, CA 90294- last Saturday morning. more Heinlein Society. Unless 1254. I would really like to see It didn’t take any of us more you pay your dues. We’ve been it become necessary for me to than a second or two to con- light on pressure to pay dues up visit it more frequently than I clude that when Virginia kept to now. If you forgot, or didn’t do. This year we’re going to asking some Heinlein aficionados make the effort, you still you got incur additional expense and go over the years to create and the mailings and the newsletter. to the effort of the reminders build a Heinlein society to honor You had the opportunity to you’ll be receiving in the postal Robert, his works and his princi- attend events, volunteer your mail and by e-mail. Remember pals, that she intended as long services for the Society, observe when Maureen tried to help her as she lived to support any soci- from the inside. You didn’t get father collect accounts? Try to ety that acted in accord with his your membership card and did- make the effort a little more values. n’t get the CD-ROM of the 1941 effective than hers was, please. And she did. She provided the speech at DenCon III; but we There was a reason you regis- inspiration, the leadership, the kept you on the rolls. tered to join and support The guidance as to her views of his All that stops after this issue of Heinlein Society. If you want to values and, knowing what any this Newsletter. Unless you pay Pay It Forward, if you want to business knows, she provided a your dues. This isn’t a fan club. see it come true, then pay your little seed money, when needed. It’s a charitable corporation. It dues. Every year since this Over the past three years, that has to run like a business. It Society was founded, the first money has always been there — cannot run otherwise; and it check I received was signed or its potential. It wasn’t used to won’t run at all. Unless you pay Virginia Heinlein. That’s the way finance trips to conventions. your dues. it should have been. Why wasn’t That came out of our officers’ Dues are payable on Jan. 1, yours the second? I won’t be own bank accounts. No one each year. They are modest in receiving any checks from draws a salary, wages, and no amount. You cannot dine com- Virginia Heinlein anymore. one who is a society member fortably in an average chop Please, let’s see if I can expect benefits one dime from providing house on $35, unless you’ve dis- to receive yours, timely and reg- goods or services to this Society. covered a time warp to maybe ularly. Her donated money went to pay the year 1970. We’ve tried to “The Lieutenant expects your for publicity, pay for advertising, keep them modest. We’ve tried name to shine!” pay for printing and mailing to make it easier this year. David M. Silver newsletters distributed, paid for We’ve installed PayPal as well as Secretary-Treasurer all the humdrum needs to PayByCheck on the website. If The Heinlein Society recruit, to encourage conven- you have a checking account or tions to hold a credit card, that should be all blood drives, all that stuff. you should need. And, if it isn’t,

Visit the Web site: The http://www.heinleinsociety.org Heinlein Join today! Sign up your friends tomorrow! Society In memoriam: Columbia and crew of STS-107

The monument where the proud Luna once stood is pictured in every schoolroom. Many trips followed, some tragic, some not, before space transportation reached it’s present safe operation. The spaceways are paved with the bodies and glorious hopes of pioneers. With accomplishment of their dream some of the romance has gone out of space.” -- Farquharson, History of Transportation, III: 414

This and other excepts from a fictional history book were a part of “Destination Moon,” Heinlein’s short story based on the movie of the same name. The seven-member crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia could have been the heroes of any Heinlein story. They were brave, smart and fearless. When Columbia broke up on reentry on February 1, 2003, critics of space travel used this tragedy to argue against manned space flight. Unnamed rockets can do the job, they say. But the crew of STS-107 knew that the benefits of space travel outweighs the risks. Several on-line memorials to the crew of Columbia borrowed these lines from “The Green Hills of Earth.”

We pray for one last landing On the globe that gave us birth; Let us rest our eyes on the friendly skies And the cool, green hills of Earth.

-- Robert A. Heinlein

Photo and artwork courtesy of NASA

Page 7 Top and middle: LosCon Heinlein Society panel discussion participants included, from left to right, Daffyd ab Hugh, Robert “Doc” James, Bill Patterson, David Jennings, Brad Linaweaver.

Bottom left: Bill Patterson, chair of The Heinlein Society and editor of The Heinlein Journal.

Bottom right: Bill Patterson and David Silver man The Heinlein Society table at the convention. -- Photos by Peter Scott I originally planned to begin using original artwork on the cover of The Heinlein Society Newsletter. Michael Woodhead submitted this line drawing of Johann/Eunice and I planned to use it. Because of events, the photo of Robert and Ginny skating was used instead. -- Bill Dennis

Page 9 As a memorial to Ginny Heinlein, sign up a new member

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Please check any or all of the following area which interest you: __ Academic __ Literary __ Blood Drives __ Fund-Raising __ Non-English Out-Reach __ Education __ Libraries __ Membership __ Centennial

Mail to: The Heinlein Society c/o Secretary-Treasurer PO Box 1254 Venice, California 90294 USA Centennial committee RAH’s 100th birthday approaches The Project will point to our web server. We’ll influence.” Please let us know any is looking for a few good people shortly be holding regular special responsibilities you have ... make that a lot of good committee meetings on line and that might be useful, as well as people. We’re accumulating populating the content of that any important or influential fantastic ideas (Heinlein on a US web server, which will serve as people whose ear you have. stamp — terrific suggestion, the rallying point for all our For now, you can reach me at thanks!), and we need people to efforts. [email protected]. Thank you. carry them out (if you play golf We need organizers — people Heinlein 2007 - Pay it forward with the Postmaster General, who can take on a task, recruit a for the next hundred years. now’s the time to speak up). hierarchy of helpers and delegate We’ve acquired the domains work to them, then feed the Peter Scott heinlein100.com, heinlein100.net, results back up to the committee. Centennial committee chair and heinlein100.org, all of which We need to build “spheres of

often! The annual dues provide Heinlein ever found couldn’t give Message the lifeblood that makes every- blood themselves — but they from page 12 thing else possible, and our col- could round up others and see with the general public — and lections have historically been that they made it to the collection they will become the leading edge less than 50 percent — not com- point, and they could help people of our efforts to find the money patible with a group of people fill out the forms, and they could to carry all the other projects for- committed to paying it forward! help in other ways— you get the ward, as well. * Start making a list and gath- picture). Now, who do you know Your annual dues are calculated ering information: Who in your who has money? Maybe you know to pay the operating expenses of city handles the blood collection? someone who give for a special the Society and perhaps provide What blood bank system are your purpose. Maybe you don’t know small amounts of seed capital for local people associated with? anyone directly who has lots of small, pilot projects. All the When do they hold their major money — but maybe you know money needed to carry the sever- seasonal blood drives? Find out somebody who knows somebody. al projects we have laid out for- what charitable and social organi- Charitable donations are tax ward must be raised from charita- zations are already helping out deductible, and come in all sizes. ble donations. Large grants from with blood drives — and which And every bit helps. public sources will help some — are not. What colleges and uni- * Do it now. Consider it a New and we will look at those sources, versities are in your area? Year’s resolution, if that helps. too. But “pay it forward” is a Collecting this information is Only you can make the difference very individual thing, a matter of something you need to be doing, that so desperately needs to be each person, not limited to because you are the Heinlein made. Heinlein’s many readers. The col- Society where you are. Find out Paying It Forward starts and lection of blood donations is, of what your local resources are and ends with what you do now. This necessity, a very individual matter e-mail the information to Mike is the best way we have found to — and anyone who comes to Sheffield at blood@heinleinsoci- mobilize as a group effort donate blood is already demon- ety.org resources we might not be able to strating our kind – Heinlein’s kind * Start another list, and put on mobilize individually. — of social responsibility. It only it every person you know, howev- That’s why the Heinlein Society makes sense that these are the er casually. Who do you know exists. people we should start with. that should be donating blood? This gives each of us some Who do you know who can’t Bill Patterson action points: donate — for whatever reason — Chair, The Heinlein Society * If you have not paid your but could help out with a blood dues, please do so — early and drive (some of the best recruiters Message from the chair

“In the absence of The Senior –” duty he wrote about; we would City to help out after Most of the work of the Heinlein perpetuate his interest in blood the destruction of the World Trade Society’s Board of Directors is dull drives; we would sponsor a Space Center less than two weeks later routine, but at the end of 2002, Studies conference in his name to — an immediate and practical the Board made a policy decision keep his influence alive in the demonstration of why we need to that will (we hope) affect every field as the engineers and scien- do this. Since then, Mike Sheffield member. tists he brought into it begin to has continued to direct our A few years ago, when we bent retire; and we would work toward efforts, assisting conventions that our thoughts to what we could do new media for his works, into the already sponsor blood drives and together that we might not be digital age and, where practical, organizing drives where they did- able to do individually, to “pay into film. n’t already exist — three in 2002, forward” Heinlein’s legacy, we The most practical place for us more planned for this year. came up with a program that to start, it seemed to us, was But Heinlein did not confine his worked with both literary and with blood drives at science fic- efforts to science fiction conven- social aspects of Heinlein’s legacy, tion conventions, where Heinlein tions, and neither should we. based on what you told us was had been personally known dur- Beginning in 2003, the Heinlein personally important to you, indi- ing his lifetime. Dr. Barry Berman Society will carry Heinlein vidually. We would work with organized the first major blood Memorial Blood Drives into the libraries, to keep his books on the drive in conjunction with the local communities. These blood shelves; we would sponsor a World Science Fiction Convention drives will be the first and most national high-school essay con- in Philadelphia at the end of enduring contact the Society has test, to keep fresh the ideals of August in 2001, and the 67 pints personal responsibility and public of blood we collected were sent to Continued on page 11

THE HEINLEIN SOCIETY PO BOX 1254 VENICE, CA 90294-1254 USA