R.I.P. Wilum Pugmire

[Billy A. Anderson]

I had been in contact with wilum Pugmire when he switched over to Bacebook when I joined Facebook in 2009. But, after deleteing my Facebook account, I was unable to re-connecet with Wilum and had over the past 10 years of so, learned that his health had taken a turn
for the worse, and he might not have long to left in the physical vehicle.

So far, this is the first thing I have been able to find out about his passing of yesterday:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._H._Pugmire

I'm sure that much more details will become known in the days that follow.

[Dr. Kobb]

Sorry to hear of his passing.  I know you were a fan.  I don't recall ever reading any of his works, but it seems like his name came up in all the right places.  If he had an illness for years, maybe finally going was a sort of blessing?

[Deeky]

Details on his final days are recounted here.

[Billy A. Anderson]

harrisonfamilymortuary.com/book-of-memories/4226189/Szurek-David/


Dave Szurek, long time Monster Kid, and contributor to countless fanzines, and prozines, Departed the Physical Vehicle on May 21st of this year.

He stayed very active publishing his own fanzines very late into his life, and was sending me reviews of films on Comet TV, which I posted to CHFB, as recently as December of last year.

His wife was named Sharron, and they had moved into an assisted living facility in 2017, and, Parker Anderson, and other Classic SFHorror fans including myself stayed in contact with him by post office mail.

[Marxo Grouch]

I'm sorry to hear this. My exposure to Dave was limited, and not entirely simpatico, but I certainly wished him well.

[Killer Goldfish]

Happy trails, Dave. Happy trails.

[Dr. Kobb]

Damn.  Rest in Peace to one of the original monster kids.   

[Billy A. Anderson]

Thanks for the posts, everyone.

I think it was only in the past day or two that Parker learned of Dave's demise when a post office letter he had sent to dave was returned to him.

And, this put Parker into a very awkward situation, since obviously being very upset, he was scheduled to participate in a Zoom Event to promote his latest book, Arizona Gold Gangster.

Since Comet TV had greatly reduced their showing of feature films, i had curtailed my weekly mailings of the Comet TV schedule, but did send Dave one schedule since May 21, and one letter without a Comet Schedule, so there should be two pieces of mail to Dave that should be returned to me.

I think that a over a year ago, Sharron might have been moved to a different room in their assisted living facility, and I have no idea what her physical and mental condition might be, if she is still living.

I have thought of sending her a sympathy card, with no room number on it, and seeing what happens.

Neither Parker and I, or any of our other mutual friends, know if Dave and / or Sharron have any surviving family or not.

I do know that in some of Dave's fanzines, that he did publish some photos of his family and friends, although that was very long ago.

[Billy A. Anderson]

Update: Sharron is apparently still living, but I don't know for certain if she is at Brookdale, the place that she and Dave moved to in 2017.

I think I'll go on ahead and send her a sympathy card at that location with no room number..

Just yesterday, one of my final two letters to Dave arrived in my postoffice box return to sender. Not sure where I put it for a direct quote.

Parker and I are busy informing what surviving friends of Dave we know of, of his passing, but as far as any surviving family of Dave we don't really know of anyone.

[Billy A. Anderson]

So far, 3 persons have posted to Dave's Memory Wall: James Dawson, Greg Goodsell, and Parker Anderson.

Billy Anderson has not yet posted because he is having a hard time trying to decide what to say.

harrisonfamilymortuary.com/book-of-memories/4226189/Szurek-David/

And, not having a high IQ, it has taken him a long time to even figure out how to view the memory wall.

I'm not sure if things are the same for desktop and the different cell phone, and smart phone, and android phones, but
on my laptop, which I use the most, I must first put the cursor over "memory wall," and click to highlight it in blue.

but, if I use the up, down, and left, right arrows at the right keys on the lower right of my desktop computer keyboard, it just moves the blue highlighting to other parts of the web page.

I have to move the cursor to the right side, out of the field of the main text, and then I can use the scroll keys to scroll down to read the 3 entries.

[Dr. Kobb]

This probably isn't the place, but have you ever heard anything about Mr. Wilkerson?  It's been a good year or more now, I have to assume the worst. 

[Billy A. Anderson]

Thanks for asking about WBW, Dr. Kobb. I do not think I have gotten a post office letter from him since 2016.

I would think that if he were deceased, as with Dave, our post office letters would have been returned.

Jerrica/Joni, Star Sapphire Leiberman/Lee, said she sent Bill a post office letter with two post cards: One saying "I am still living," and the other, I suppose for Bill's wife, assuming she is still living, saying "Bill is deceased."

Her post office letter was not returned, and neither of the post cards were mailed to her.

I have temporarily suspended my net searches, but I do think I, and others, should possibly renew the efforts.

I know Bill's wife is named joyce, his son, Bradley, and, his sister, Peggy Brewer, and her husband, Jimmy.

Those were the survivors, including Bill himself, of Bill's father, Joe Cephus Wilkerson, Bill's father being buried in Gibson Cemetery (in West Columbia South Carolina,or some other place? Bill having told me that his family moved to South Carolina from Georgia). Shives Funeral Home in charge, from the Death Notices in The Columbia, SC State newspaper of Thursday, January 30, 2003, Page B5.

I do know that Bill suffered from hypertension, the same fatal disease I am being treated for, and he had been in the hospital, but in his last communications, I don't recall any references to his health, but will re-read all of the correspondance I have had with Bill.

That would be a starting place to find out if Bill is still living or not.