George J. Laskowski, Jr, 1948-1999

George J. Laskowski, Jr, better known to science fiction fandom as Lan Laskowski died on Monday July 19, 1999 following a long illness. Mass will be held Friday at 10 AM at St. Thomas More Church in Troy Michigan.

Laskowski, who attended conventions wearing a coonskin cap, was the editor of Lan’s Lantern, which won the Hugo Award for best fanzine in 1986 and 1991

posted Jul-21-1999

Rememberences

James Gunn--
I will always remember George for his vigor and enthusiasm for science fiction and everything it involved. In the early years of the Intensive English Institute on the Teaching of Science Fiction, George was an outstanding member of one of the outstanding classes. We had been in touch before in connection with his Hugo-winning fanzine, LAN'S LANTERN, and he often solicited comments from me afterwards, usually for memorial issues. Now it's time to have a memorial for George, one of SF fandom's pillars of strength and wisdom. He will leave a hole in our universe.

Mike Resnick--
George Laskowski was as decent a man as I've ever met. We first ran into each other at an Octovon in Sandusky, Ohio about 1981, and have been running into each other (gently) ever since. George edited this massive fanzine, Lan's Lantern, that had a little something for everyone, and won a pair of Hugos for it. Perhaps the moment that showed his class better than any other was when Spider Robinson mistakenly read off the name of Lan's Lantern for Best Fanzine at the Magicon Hugo ceremony. By the time George got to the stage the error had been discovered, and it was Mimosa that had won. George could have pitched a fit. Instead, he stayed on stage and led the applause for Rich and Nikki Lynch.

He fought off one of the deadlier varieties of cancer for a couple of years, longer than anyone ever expected him to last, and I never heard a bitter word escape his lips. He was a Class Act from beginning to (very premature) end, and I'll miss him. We all will.

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