Spider Robinson writes:
I just received word that Jay Kay Klein, THE photographer of science fiction
and fantasy, passed away on Sunday morning, May 13, in a Catholic hospice (a
"Francis House") in Syracuse, NY, at age 80, of esophageal cancer.This sad news came to me today by phone from Craig Peterson, a local plumber
and a great-souled man, whom Jay Kay originally hired to fix a bathroom
faucet in his longtime home in Bridgeport, NY….and who then, miraculously,
took it upon himself to become Jay Kay's final friend, exactly what he
needed, helping him with his constrained living situation (Jay Kay's late
wife had been a serious hoarder), plowing his driveway, and (all gods be
thanked) helping him get his immense and precious collection of over 65,000
negatives of virtually everyone in our field over a 40-year+ period safely
to the University of California's Riverside Libraries Eaton Collection of SF
& Fantasy. Jeanne would have called Craig a true bodhisattva.Craig's been going through Jay Kay's address book all day, calling people
like Fred Pohl, Bob Madle, and me. He tells me an exhibition and
celebration of Jay Kay's photos will be mounted at Chicon 7, the 70th World
Science Fiction Convention (Aug 30-Sep 3), by Melissa Conway, the Head
Librarian at Riverside Libraries, who now has charge of the collection.
He just forwarded me by email a copy of the obit notice he wrote up for Jay
Kay. I attach it, and the photo he included of Jay with one of his own
iconic photos of Isaac. (I'm not sure who took it. Craig, I think.) He
also sent particulars for Melissa Conway, which I'll paste below.I met Jay Kay at one of Ben Bova's legendary parties. I am attaching a
photo he took of me–not that there'll be any shortage of his photos in
BOING-BOING's archives! It was taken only minutes after I was introduced by
Jim Baen to Robert A. Heinlein, before the 1975 Nebula Banquet at which
Robert was given the first-ever Grandmaster Award. (And just as I'm about
to mail this, Craig sent along another shot I can't resist including, of Jay
Kay with what appears to be a rare photo of a beardless Samuel R. Delany.)Craig mentioned that at one point while he was helping Jay Kay shovel
through his wife's incredible store of hoarded stuff, they found a small
fortune in GM stock. Jay had had no idea it existed, and continued to live
like a man of limited means. God knows what his treasure trove of photos is
worth, even just in dollars.Science fiction owes Craig Peterson an incalculable debt. It's only thanks
to his hard work those 65,000 negatives reached the right hands in time. I
exchanged long snailmail letters with Jay Kay twice in the past couple of
years, and knew he was in extremely poor health. He wrote by hand, because,
he said, it hurt his fingers too much to type, and sadly his handwriting was
incredibly bad. But I could tell he badly needed a friend, and made a
couple of unsuccessful attempts to scare up a volunteer who lived near
enough to help. I can't express how happy I am to know that Fate sent Craig
Peterson to fix Jay Kay's bathtub faucet. I understand Jay Kay left Craig
his awesome collection of vintage guitars, and I am very glad. He says they
were the topic of the first conversation he and Jay Kay ever had, that day
he came to fix the faucet.Let's hoist a glass in memory of Jay Kay Klein, my friends. I never left
his company without a smile on my face. Somebody call Gordy, and Randall,
and Ted, and Isaac, and we'll all pass the guitar round in his honour.
Science fiction's most acute and astute eye has closed for the last time.
But what it saw, we have forever, thanks to photography and the kindness of
Craig Peterson.Jay Kay was one of the gods, when I first entered the field, and he was so
kind to Jeanne and me. She was just crazy about him, and also about his
photos. So am I.–Spider
CRAIG PETERSON'S OBIT FOR JAY KAY:
Jay Kay Klein, 80, of Bridgeport NY passed away peacefully at Francis House
in Syracuse NY Sunday morning. Jay was a 1953 graduate of Syracuse
University and retired from the General Electric Corporation and Carrier
Corporation. Mr. Klein was well known in the World of Science Fiction
Fandom, both for his eidetic ('photographic') memory, as well as for his
brilliant work as a photographer. In attending many science fiction
conventions throughout the years, Mr. Klein took photographs of several
thousands conference attendees, including many famous science fiction
authors. He numbered science fiction (or 'SF' writers Isaac Asimov, Fred
Pohl and Forrest J Ackerman among his close friends. Recently, 65,000
negatives of photographs spanning the last 40 years of Science Fiction
conventions and other items having historical significance were shipped to
The University of California, Riverside Libraries Eaton Collection of
Science Fiction and Fantasy, the world's largest 'SF' collection. An
exhibition of a selection of Mr. Klein's photographs will be on display at
Chicon 7–the 70th Science Fiction Convention, Chicago, Illinois, August
30-September 3, 2012. Mr. Klein was predeceased by his wife of 57 years,
Doris (Do you have her maiden name?) Klein on October 5th 2011. Jay has is
survived by his cousin, Rita Globerman, of New Salem, New York. No calling
hours / burial private in Bridgeport cemetery. A celebration of Mr. Klein's
life is being planned for his friends at the Chicon 7 convention.Written by Craig Peterson, May 14, 2012/edits and additions Melissa Conway
Melissa Conway, Ph.D.
Head, Special Collections & Archives
P.O. Box 5900
UCR Libraries
University of California
Riverside, CA 92517-5900
951-827-3233
951-827-4673 FAX
Alternate mailing address:
Special Collections & Archives
UCR Libraries
3401 Watkins Dr.
University of California
Riverside, CA 92521
