David Stewart, 3rd February 1960 - 12th October 2006. RIP

According to this entry on slovobooks, David Stewart died this morning. He had been ill for quite a while - I think his illness was diagnosed over a year ago - but those who knew him had been hoping for a recovery, or at least a stabilisation that would allow him to return to SF fandom. And it is SF fandom that will really miss him - he was a familiar figure in Irish and British fandom. I didn't know him well, but for me he was one of those reliable people who was to be found at conventions, with that Irish charm softening his bulk. He was neither a short, nor a small, man, but he was always friendly and never intimidating, despite his deep knowledge and ability.

I was thinking of him a few days ago. We're about to go off to Octocon, the Irish national convention, which was one of the places we used to see him. The last time we saw him was also at an Irish con - P-Con back in March - and even then he was looking very thin, and rather subdued.

For me, his death has one extra piece of poignancy - he was born the very same day as me, just in a different city in a different country. For this, I called him my un-twin, and he took it with good grace.

To David Stewart - we'll be raising a glass tomorrow night, in a bar you knew.

David Stewart, 3rd February 1960 - 12th October 2006. RIP

According to this entry on slovobooks, David Stewart died this morning. He had been ill for quite a while - I think his illness was diagnosed over a year ago - but those who knew him had been hoping for a recovery, or at least a stabilisation that would allow him to return to SF fandom. And it is SF fandom that will really miss him - he was a familiar figure in Irish and British fandom. I didn't know him well, but for me he was one of those reliable people who was to be found at conventions, with that Irish charm softening his bulk. He was neither a short, nor a small, man, but he was always friendly and never intimidating, despite his deep knowledge and ability.

I was thinking of him a few days ago. We're about to go off to Octocon, the Irish national convention, which was one of the places we used to see him. The last time we saw him was also at an Irish con - P-Con back in March - and even then he was looking very thin, and rather subdued.

For me, his death has one extra piece of poignancy - he was born the very same day as me, just in a different city in a different country. For this, I called him my un-twin, and he took it with good grace.

To David Stewart - we'll be raising a glass tomorrow night, in a bar you knew.