From: Susana Hernandez Araico [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Tuesday, August 19, 2014 19:24
To: Lauer, A Robert
Subject: Fwd: Tristes noticias: Vern G. Williamsen
Muy querida Amy:
Mi retraso en comunicarme después de recibir la triste noticia sobre tu adorado papá no disminuye de ninguna
manera lo sentido del pésame que ahora te envío, asegurándote que he estado acompañándolas a tu mamá, a tu hermana y a ti
en esta pena tan dura.
Vern fue una persona muy querida y admirada, sobre todo entre todos los Comediantes de este país.
Fue uno de los primeros en reconocer a Sor Juana como dramaturga y otorgarle un lugar
importante a sus comedias en el teatro post-calderoniano. Desde años atrás que reseñé su libro , The Minor Dramatists of 17th-Century Spain , permanece un
volumen clave en mi biblioteca; de hecho aún recientemente lo he citado. Todos agradecemos infinitamente las valiosas contribuciones de Vern a los estudios
de la comedia, sobre todo su afán en aumentar el acceso a textos poco conocidos y su apoyo entusiasta por todos nosotros en torno al festival del Chamizal.
Todavía lo puedo ver sentado en el teatro para aquellas producciones de los '80. ¡Qué bien la pasamos todos, en torno a los grandes (estudiosos) como Vern!
Recuerdo su voz, su risa, sus gestos. ¡Qué nostalgia por aquellos años inolvidables!
Casualmente me encontraba en Noruega cuando recibí la triste noticia. ¿Te acuerdas de todas nuestras bromas noruegas?
Recuerdo que tu abuela te enseño a hacer los krumkaker que me trajiste una vez al Chamizal.
Espero no tengamos que esperar a que la MLA regrese a Los Angeles para volvernos a ver, Amy. Aunque no haya estado en contacto desde esa última
celebración aquí, que sepas que no te olvido y que además, en memoria de tu padre, se fortalece aun más el lazo de nuestra amistad.
Con un abrazo muy fuerte de condolencias sobre todo, Amy, para ti—Susana
P.D. No tengo tu dirección electrónica a la mano; espero esto te llegue por medio de la lista de Roberto Lauer
Susana Hernández Araico, Ph. D.
Professor Emerita of Spanish and Latin American Literatures
Department of English and Foreign Languages
California State Polytechnic University
Pomona, CA 91768
Tels.(909) 869 -3801, -3802;
FAX (909) 869-4896
http://www.csupomona.edu/~shernandezar
Research Associate
UCLA Center for Medieval and
Renaissance Studies
UCLA Center for 17th & 18th-Century
Studies
Historian & Steering Committee
Hispanics for L A Opera
www.hispanicsforlaopera.org<http://www.laopera.com/>
<http://www.laopera.com/>Board of Directors,
Latin American Cinemateca of Los Angeles
www.lacla.org<http://www.lacla.org/>
VicePresident, District 11, International Order of the Blue Gavel
http://iobg11.org<http://iobg11.org/>
Antes de imprimir piense bien si es necesario hacerlo; el medioambiente es cosa de todos.
THINK GREEN: ONLY PRINT IF TRULY NEEDED
[cid:9ED04659-52F9-4A0E-8F97-056F3A90F6FF@home]
La música "es la redención, la tierra prometida."
— Hans Werner Henze<http://operaperu.blogspot.com/search/label/Hans%20Werner%20Henze>
Begin forwarded message:
From: "Lauer, A Robert" <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>>
Date: July 30, 2014 9:55:12 PM PDT
To: "[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>" <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>>
Subject: Fwd: Tristes noticias: Vern G. Williamsen
Reply-To: "Lauer, A Robert" <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>>
Nb: this is extremely sad news.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Smartphone
-------- Original message --------
From: Amy Williamsen
Date:07/31/2014 3:54 AM (GMT+01:00)
To: Sharon Voros , "S.P. Garcia" , Mancing Howard , Charles Ganelin , "Ellen M. Anderson" , Ellen Anderson / Tim Wiebe , "Campbell, Gwyn" , Donna Campbell , "Bruce R. Burningham" , Ben Gunter , Harley Erdman , Valerie Hegstrom , [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>, [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>, Isaac Benabu , Bob Johnston , "Larson, Catherine" , Catherine Connor , "Lauer, A Robert" , "Weimer, Christopher" , Barbara Mujica , "Emilie L. BERGMANN"
Subject: Tristes noticias: Vern G. Williamsen
Dr. Vern G. Williamsen, founding member of AHCT, passed away at his daughter’s home in Oak Ridge, North Carolina, after a prolonged illness on Tuesday, July 29th surrounded by his loving family. He is survived by his wife of over 55 years, Clara, his brother Paul, his daughters Amy and Tora, and his two grandsons, Erik and Pablo. He remained sharp and lucid until his final moments; his love for the comedia and his fellow comediantes never wavered. In fact, on Sunday evening, he spent a pleasant hour animatedly conversing with a new friend who had just discovered the comedia through the introductory chapter to his Twayne book on the minor dramatists, which included what our father considered one of his most important contributions to our field: his insights into the dramatic structure of the comedia. He will also be remembered for his artful translations of Spanish classical theater and his pioneering work to make comedias available online.
In a letter he wished to share with friends and family, he summarized his life as follows:
Who would have expected that the skinny little know-it-all pest whose greatest dream was the seemingly impossible goal of becoming a teacher could possibly accomplish what my luck has brought me? I have lived a longer and more productive life than most others I have known and I wish you all the same fate. Just remember that I was able to pursue two basic interests in my life, Spanish Language and Literature and my first love, Music and, at the same time pass on those interests for generations to come. I have not died since my spirit ripples on into eternity. With love to all, Vern
In accordance with his wishes, we will schedule a celebration of his life later this year in Tucson, Arizona where he earned his M.A. from the University of Arizona, studying with the indomitable Miss Ruth Lee Kennedy. After retiring from the University of Missouri Columbia, he and his wife later retired there, spending over 22 years in the Old Pueblo. In lieu of flowers, our family requests that donations be made either to Hospice and Palliative Care of Greensboro or AHCT (www.comedias.org<http://www.comedias.org/>).
Our heartfelt thanks to all of you who have already written us, and to those of you who have kept us in your thoughts. Please share this news as you see fit.
Abrazos fuertes,
Amy
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Amy R. Williamsen, Ph.D.
Department Head and Professor of Hispanic Studies
Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures
2332 Moore Humanities and Research Building
336-334-5725<tel:336-334-5725>