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R.I.P. Welch Everman

edited September 2004 in General news
This is very shocking and sad news. Welch was a guest speaker at two SKEMERs cons because of the course he taught on Stephen King at the University of Maine so I had the opportunity to meet this extraordinay man more than once.

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ORONO - Welch D. Everman, 57, died Friday, Sept. 17, 2004, of lung cancer at his home. He was a devoted husband, the proud father of two sons, a beloved brother, author, musician, teacher, respected colleague and friend. Welch was born on Sept. 24, 1946, in Allentown, Pa. He was the son of Welch C. Everman and Ruth E. Sacher who had retired to Sun City West, Ariz. He grew up in Bethlehem, Pa., and graduated from Liberty High School in 1964. He was a friend to many, and re-mained in touch with the people he grew up with through-out his adult life. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from

North-western University in 1968 with departmental honors in Philosophy. He was a conscientious objector during the Vietnam War and remained committed to the cause of peace and social justice throughout his life.



For many years, Welch supported himself as a free-lance writer. He worked at writing as both a craft and an art, and was awarded a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship for Fiction in 1978. Welch was the author of a novel, Orion, a collection of short stories, The Harry and Sylvia Stories, two books of literary criticism, Who Says This? and Jerzy Kosinski: The Literature of Violation, two books on old movies, Cult Horror Films and Cult Science Fiction Films and more than 200 short stories, reviews, and Essays and articles on literature, film, music and the visual arts. He was a prolific

writer, working daily at his craft for more than 40 years. In addition to his published works, he leaves hundreds of unpublished poems, essays, stories, novels, and book length manuscripts on topics as diverse as the literature of the Holocaust or Jack Kerouac to vampires and drive-in movies. In 1979, he was selected as an artist in residence with the Wisconsin Arts Board. He also worked as a writer and editor and taught at the University of Wisconsin, Edgewood College and Madison Area Technical College. He earned a master of arts in Creative Writing in 1985, and a Ph.D. in English in 1988, as a Woodburn Fellow at the State University of New York at Buffalo. He was awarded the Butler Prize for Critical Writing in 1985.



In 1987, Welch moved to Orono to teach in the English department at the University of Maine where he was promoted to the ranks of associate and full professor. Over the last 17 years, he taught courses in creative writing, contemporary American and European fiction, critical theory, the literature of Stephen King, and pop culture. Welch was passionate about teaching and he loved his students. He was a pioneer in the distance education program and offered many courses via interactive television and online throughout the state. Welch was awarded the Friends of Distance Education Achievement Award in 2002. He also served as associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences from 1995 to 1999.



Jazz was as important to Welch as writing. He enjoyed many happy hours listening to music, writing reviews and interview articles and playing his trumpet with various bands, including Neo Bop from the University of Maine. Welch married Elizabeth A. Bard in 1979. They recently celebrated their 25 wedding anniversary. He loved being a dad to his two sons, Charlie and John Everman and they thought he was the coolest Pop in town. Welch will be sadly missed by his wife and sons; his sister, Nicole Bianco and her partner, Richard Spadoni of Lindenhurst, Ill.; his mother-in-law, Betty Bard of Monona, Wis.; his sister-in-law, Kate Bard and her husband, Pat Laritson and nephews, Henry and Matthew Laritson of ******on, Wis. He was predeceased by his parents, Welch C. and Ruth Everman; father-in-law, John C. Bard; and brother-in-law, Jack Bard. The family wishes to thank Cancer Care of Maine, New Hope Hospice, and especially, Dr. Thomas Open-shaw for their care, and friendship to Welch and to the family. Also, the family is grateful for support of many friends from both close by and far away, and will always treasure the generosity of the community at St. Ann's on Indian Island. A Memorial Mass will be celebrated 12 p.m. Friday, Sept. 24, 2004, at St. Ann's Catholic Church, Indian Island with Father Paul R. Kerns presiding. Friends may call from 11 a.m. until the time of service and are also invited to join the family for refreshments after the mass. Memorials may be sent to the Parish Hall Building Fund at St. Ann's, PO Box 560, Old Town, ME 04468.

Comments

  • Hey Jonathan, unfortunately I missed the two cons when Welch spoke, but I did hear about it from several SKEMER friends - everything I heard was very positive. Its a shame he had to head to the clearing at the end of the path at such a young age! :'(
  • Thank you for your kind words about my brother. There were many friends at his funeral which was held Friday, September 24th; on what would have been his 58th birthday. Yes, he will be sorely missed by many.
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