Eva Firestone
(September 18, 1900 – November 12, 1983)
Eva Oma Firestone (née Mead) was a very early fan, a member of First Fandom – she and her schoolgirl friends created one-copy fanzines.
Eva was a member of the Science Fiction League, and became active in general fandom when she responded to a prozine letter of K. Martin Carlson which told of the National Fantasy Fan Federation (N3F), which she subsequently joined, along with the N3F Ladies' Auxiliary. According to the 1950 Fan Directory, she also belonged to Science Fiction International, the ISFCC and "Marion Zimmer's Club" (the Vampire Society?). She was a member of several Worldcons, but we don’t know whether she attended.
In the August 1951 issue of TNFF she reported on membership activities. She became editor by 1955. She also was a member of the Spectator Amateur Press Society. She published at least 16 issues of the fanzine Bronc! between 1954 and 1960. She wrote for other fanzines as well.
She described herself as “five feet, one inch tall, has blue eyes and brown hair. five feet,one inch tall, has blue eyes and brown hair. Weighs 102. Protestant. Was librarian four years, rural teacher two years. Worked Douglas Aircraft Plant, Santa Monica, Calif, during 2nd. W. War. Studied Bible six consecutive years. Active many years in Athletic sports. Plays piano. Member of the Inyan Kara D.A.R. Chapter of New Castle, Wyo.; of the National Genealogical Society; of the lodges R.N.A; and Eastern Star.”
For a time, she was (in)famous for her exalted claim "It should be a good policy to remember that there are many Christian Slans in Slandom reading Slanzines." (Around 1951 in a LoC to Max Keasler's Fanvariety, wherein she detected improper irreverency.)
She lived in Wyoming, a widow caring for her son, her brother, and her invalid mother. She had married George A. L. Firestone in September 1920; he died in a car wreck in July 1930. Eva had also buried a son and a daughter as young children, and her other son, George, also predeceased her, dying in 1968 at age 39. We haven’t found evidence of her fanac after that.
- Photo on page 13 of Harry Warner's A Wealth of Fable.
- Family genealogy by Eva.
- FindaGrave entry.
Awards, Honors and GoHships:
- 1960 — Kaymar Award
| Person | 1900—1983 |
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