Fandom Lost a Bright Shining Star-Bud Webster

(Ravencon 2015-Bud and Mary.)

This past Valentine’s weekend, Science Fiction/Fantasy Fandom lost a great person. Bud Webster. Bud was a published writer, who wrote science fiction and fantasy tales, wrote nonfiction, and sold used books at his table at some conventions in the Mid-Atlantic region—many books you might recognize from your past and had to buy to read it again--when he passed away. A fixture in Fandom, you would never have met a more caring, smarter and sweeter human being than Bud.

I first met Bud in 1985, after we moved to Chesterfield, Virginia from San Diego, California. I had used the Fandom Directory to look for a local group for my husband and me ti join, a club for science fiction, fantasy and horror. Richmond had appeared to be not as Fandom oriented as San Diego had been. Or so I thought. But we joined Richmond Science Fiction Club and met like-minded people, many still friends.  Bud Webster was one of them. Years later, after the club disbanded, Bill and I would run into Bud at conventions. It was always great to talk to him and Mary at his table, and even buy a treasured book or two I read in my past from his table.

It was hard the first time he had to go to hospital, but he seemed to have gotten better and I was happy for him and for his lovely Mary (who went through her own cancer, surviving it). So when he was struck down again, with cancer, it was a shock. He succumbed to the evil thing. Fandom lost a bright, shining star. And Mary, the love of his life, lost her dear one. 

One more thing I am going to mention, out-of-pocket medical expenses that Bud and Mary incurred from medical bills are staggering. If you can, please help Bud’s widow, Mary. Thanks to the wonderful people from Marscon, donations for these medical expenses are being accepted at this fund page.

100% of every donation will go to Bud’s out-of-pocket medical and final expenses. The MarsCon Executive Committee has agreed to cover all of the fees that are levied by Square on each transaction.

Bud, we miss you, but you will never really be gone, as you have entrenched yourself in Fandom’s hearts. Whether two hearts or one, they beat for you.