Rusty Hevelin

James LeRoy "Rusty" Hevelin (February 16, 1922 – December 27, 2011) was a science fiction fan, fanzine publisher, collector and huckster.[2]

Rusty Hevelin
Rusty Hevelin at the 2008 Worldcon, Denvention 3 (Photo by William S. Higgins)
Born
James LeRoy Hevelin

(1922-02-16)February 16, 1922
Imperial County, California[1]
DiedDecember 27, 2011(2011-12-27) (aged 89)
Dayton, Ohio
Nationality United States
Children4

Career

Hevelin was an active member of the science fiction community from the early 1940s, publishing his own fanzines such as H-1661,[3] as well as contributing to many others. He had been Fan Guest of Honor and Toastmaster at so many science fiction conventions that everyone (including Hevelin) lost count. He was the Fan Guest of Honor at the 1981 Worldcon, Denvention Two (he had attended Denvention One in 1941).[4] He was particularly likely to participate in panel discussions on the history of fandom and fanzines, and in panels of the form, "So: This Is Your First Convention? Here's What To Expect."[2] Hevelin was the 1986 recipient of the Big Heart Award for service to the science fiction community.[5] He was well known as a collector of science fiction materials, and was the recipient of First Fandom's 2003 Sam Moskowitz Archive Award for excellence in science fiction collecting.[6][7]

Legacy

Hevelin was one of the founders of PulpCon, an annual convention dedicated to pulp magazines.[8] In 2012, PulpFest announced they would be renaming the Munsey Award, which has been given annually to a person who has given of himself or herself for the betterment of the pulp community. The new name for the award was to be the Rusty Hevelin Service Award.[9] The Munsey Award survives, but the Rusty Hevelin Service Award has been introduced as a new award.

His collection of pulps, fanzines, and science fiction books became part of the University of Iowa Library Special Collections and University Archives in April 2012.[10] The library is digitizing the Hevelin Collection's approximately 10,000 fanzines, for the benefit of scholars and fans alike;[11] and the Collection has its own frequently-updated Tumblr page.[12]

The 2012 Liaden universe novel Dragon Ship by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller is dedicated to Hevelin (and to Anne McCaffrey). One of the supporting characters in the novel is a telepathic non-human creature named Hevelin, described as graying (younger members of the species have rusty-colored hair), old and knowledgeable.[13]

Personal life

Hevelin was a veteran of World War II who served as a Marine in the South Pacific.[6] After the war he attended Antioch College, where he knew Rod Serling and dated Coretta Scott (well before she met Martin Luther King Jr.). He had four grown sons, John, Scott, Bruce, and Will.[14]

References
  1. "The Birth of James Hevelin". California Birth Index. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
  2. "Rusty Hevelin (1922–2011)". Locus. Locus Publications. December 28, 2011. Retrieved December 28, 2011.
  3. "Icon 35 Toastmaster: Rusty Hevelin". 2010. Archived from the original on April 26, 2012. Retrieved December 28, 2011.
  4. Hevelin, Rusty (2008). "Denvention 1 Report by Rustebar". 66th World Science Fiction Convention (Denvention 3). Retrieved December 28, 2011.
  5. Hertz, John (February 16, 2008). "About the Big Heart Award". Science Fiction Awards Watch. Retrieved December 28, 2011.
  6. "Rest in Peace Rusty Hevelin". PulpFest. December 27, 2011. Archived from the original on April 26, 2012. Retrieved December 28, 2011.
  7. "Sam Moskowitz Archive Award". First Fandom. Retrieved December 28, 2011.
  8. Glyer, Mike (February 13, 2009). "2009 Pulp Fan Conventions". File 770. Retrieved December 28, 2011.
  9. "Awards". PulpFest. Archived from the original on April 7, 2014. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
  10. Prickman, Greg (April 11, 2012). "Hevelin Collection" (Press release). The University of Iowa Libraries: Special Collections & University Archives. Retrieved April 11, 2012.
  11. Bontrager, Kristi. "Science fiction fanzines to be digitized as part of major UI initiative; James L. 'Rusty' Hevelin Collection contains about 10,000 fanzines" IowaNow 2014.10.17
  12. Hevelin Collection Tumblr page
  13. Lee, Sharon and Steve Miller. Dragon Ship Riverdale, New York:Baen Books, 2012; pp. 175 et seq.
  14. Haldeman, Gay (May 1–3, 2009). "Guest of Honor – Toastmaster Emeritus – Rusty Hevelin". DemiCon 20.
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