I am so sorry to hear this and my thoughts and prayers are with Jane and Adam and their families. Her collection, The Radiation Sonnets were not only lovely and moving in their own right but a great source of strength to my family and I during a difficult time.

Posted March 28, 2006 7:38 AM by amysue

That is a wonderful eulogy, in a very few words. He was, clearly, a man who was deserving of the highest praise.

Posted March 28, 2006 7:45 AM by Fragano Ledgister

I wish it were happier times that brought you here to Western Mass. I never met Mr. Stemple, but I learned a long time ago never to miss an opportunity to hear Jane when she was storytelling, and I am not at all surprised to learn that her husband, likewise, was a remarkable and fascinating human being. I am very sad to hear this news, and I am sending all my good thoughts and best wishes for comfort over the river to you all.

Posted March 28, 2006 9:21 AM by Suzanne

He was a good one. I'm glad we had him. He will be missed.

Posted March 28, 2006 9:56 AM by elise

I never met him, but I met Jane a few times doing writers cons when I was in college. Love to them both.

Posted March 28, 2006 10:23 AM by Soli

The condolences of a stranger may not mean very much, but I'd like to offer them anyway. It sounds like the world lost a fine person. My condolences to his friends and family.

Posted March 28, 2006 11:09 AM by Harry Connolly

The world has lost a goodly man. You know I wish I could be there in person; I am surely with you all in spirit today.

Condolences also to Heidi and Jason, Adam's sister and brother; and to all of David's grandchildren. They will surely miss him as they grow up.

Posted March 28, 2006 11:19 AM by Beth Meacham

send my love to all.

tnh, i sent you a package at work; heads up!

Posted March 28, 2006 11:24 AM by sdn

I did not know David, but I met Jane a few times at conventions. My profound sympathy to her and to Adam, and to you both on the loss of a dear friend.

Posted March 28, 2006 12:01 PM by Lizzy L

Oh, I am so sorry. Please let us know if there is any kind of memorial or charity in his name.

Posted March 28, 2006 12:24 PM by mythago

And Jane Yolen is way ahead of me:

"He wanted any memorial gifts to go either to Mass. Audubon or to the Library of Natural Sounds at Cornell University."

Posted March 28, 2006 12:26 PM by mythago

My condolences to all his family and friends: my heart to your heart.

Posted March 28, 2006 12:42 PM by Xopher

My deepest condolences to his family.

Posted March 28, 2006 12:59 PM by James Goodman

[what Harry said]

For what they may be worth, I offer my condolences also.

Posted March 28, 2006 1:23 PM by Bill Hooker

Someone needs to do something about this death thing. It's horrible.

Posted March 28, 2006 1:23 PM by Daniel Klein

I'm very sorry to hear this; my condolences to Jane and her family.

Posted March 28, 2006 2:17 PM by mayakda

I only met David a couple of times (he often didn't join Jane at cons), but he always struck me as being a very decent, very interesting guy, and I was always sorry I never got to know him any better.

Posted March 28, 2006 4:02 PM by Laurie Mann

I met David only a few times - but he made quite an impression on me, and I've retold that story of my introductory lession to retsina many times. I haven't been able to come across any book about birds without thinking of him either - pretty impressive for such limited exposure.

I can only echo what was said above: my condolences to Jane and the entire family.

Posted March 28, 2006 6:24 PM by Allen Baum

The memorial service was as lovely and good as such a thing can be and then some. It was filled with birdsong, laughter, tears, live music, photos, flowers, love, grief, support, and the sheer exuberance of Wee David Stemple, Adam and Betsy's young son. Most of all, it was filled with David stories, told by family and friends, layer upon layer as we celebrated his accomplishments, his love of Jane, of family, of owls and birds and birdsong, his love of language, of teaching and learning. Always learning, ever learning.

As mentioned above, David wanted any memorials to go to Mass. Audubon and the Library of Natural Sounds at Cornell University. (The latter has changed its name to Macaulay Library in conjunction with their expansion into video recordings.)

It was a beautiful day. A beautiful, hard day. One clearly spent with love all around.

Posted March 28, 2006 7:09 PM by Geri Sullivan

David Stemple was also an outstanding teacher, one of the best I had in my college career. I'm very sorry to hear of his death, and would like to offer my condolences to his friends and family.

Posted March 28, 2006 11:39 PM by Tim Walters

Thank you all. Heidi, Jason and I went out this morning at 6 am to David's gravesite to listen and look for birds in his honor.

There was a robin singing his heart out in the tree over David's grave. A cardinal glowed on a tree a football field away. Crows harassed the local redwing hawk. And the drill of woodpeckers filled the air. It was a David moment and I was moved beyond speaking.

Jane

Posted March 29, 2006 8:18 AM by jane

I'm terribly sorry to hear.

Posted March 29, 2006 8:21 AM by Sandy B.

...yet another good and wonderful person I will never get to meet. There were already far too many of those. Daniel Klein is right.

My thoughts and prayers to Jane and Adam and the rest of the family.

Posted March 29, 2006 12:22 PM by Nicole J. LeBoeuf-Little

One of the speakers at the memorial service referred to David as the Owl King, which seems right.

David's home page. There are recent pictures.

Jane Yolen's bio, with less-recent pictures of David.

If you've ever read Jane's book Owl Moon, that's David going owling.

UMass Amherst's obituary.

Two books at Amazon.

Posted March 29, 2006 3:46 PM by Teresa Nielsen Hayden

Around 140 people were at the memorial service. SF folks (pro and fan) included John Crowley, Holly Black, Tony Lewis, Bruce Coville, Allan Steele, Esther Friesner, Jeffrey A. Carver, Allan Steele, Debra Doyle, James D. Macdonald, Gregory Feeley, Geri Sullivan, Priscilla Olson, and ourselves. David's life touched a lot of people.

It was great to see various members of the extended Yolen/Stemple clan that we haven't seen in a while, including Adam's wife, the redoubtable Betsy Pucci, who took one look at Teresa and me, gestured to us and to herself, and said, "Ah, we're all beefing up for the Apocalypse, I see." An immediate demonstration of cataplexy followed.

Posted March 29, 2006 4:17 PM by Patrick Nielsen Hayden

I thought Betsy was addressing me and Geri. Whatever her intention, she very nearly brought me to the floor.

The only time I've done a flat-out cataplectic fall at a funeral was at the cemetery when we were burying Granny. My brother Victor told me about my sister-in-law Bev's first meeting with my family -- in part because I hadn't heard the story, but also because some of the younger family members had never gotten to see Aunt Teresa's party trick. It was thoughtful of him. I was just glad he'd picked a spot where I'd land on grass, not mud or windfall olives.

Posted March 29, 2006 5:02 PM by Teresa Nielsen Hayden

There are too many people I never had a chance to meet, but who echo so strongly through their friends and family members that I get a sense, however attenuated and secondhand, of what I missed.

David Stemple is one such.

Thank you, Patrick, Teresa, Jane, Geri, and everyone else who has shared their knowledge and love of David here.

My condolences to all of you.

Posted March 30, 2006 12:35 AM by Christopher Davis

I never met the man, but I read one of Jane Yolen and Adam Stemple's books to my daughter this month, so I just emailed my wife (I enjoy and admire Jane Yolen's work--my wife is a fan) links to our local library's editions of Owl Moon.

Posted March 30, 2006 10:08 AM by adamsj

I don't know any of the family well, but there is one good thought - I know he got to meet at least one grandchild in this world . . . (Adam's not-so-little-anymore one . . . ) It's an amazing family.

Posted March 30, 2006 4:24 PM by MplsMichelle

Got to meet all six of his grandkids, including Adam's youngest who was named David after him. And Jason's twins who were the last born.

And loved them all tremendously. Goofy about them actually.

Jane

Posted March 30, 2006 7:31 PM by jane

Auch ein Klagelied zu sein im Mund der Geliebten, ist herrlich.
Schiller - Naenie

Posted April 1, 2006 7:56 AM by Mark D.

My deepest sympathies to Dave's family.
I had the honor of working with Dave when I was a graduate student at UMASS Amherst.
I will always remember his wit and his absolute passion as a teacher and be thankful for having had the opportunity to work and learn with him.

Posted May 30, 2006 8:30 AM by Nalini