Jan Howard Finder

{{Short description|American science fiction fan and writer; academic administrator}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Jan Howard Finder

| image = File:Jan Howard Finder (2012).jpg

| caption = Finder, MCing the costume competition at Worldcon 2012

| occupation = American science fiction writer and academic administrator

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1939|3|2|mf=yes}}

| birth_place = Chicago, Illinois, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|mf=yes|2013|2|26|1939|3|2}}

| death_place = Albany, New York, U.S.

}}

Jan Howard Finder (March 2, 1939 – February 26, 2013) was an American academic administrator, career counselor, science fiction writer, filker, hostelling tour guide, cosplayer, and fan. He was a guest of honor at the 1993 Worldcon, ConFrancisco. As a personal affectation, he often spelled his name in all lower case letters, jan howard finder. (His last name is pronounced finn-der.)[http://pern.srellim.org/charbase.htm Pern Characters web site]

Background and work

Originally from Chicago, Illinois,{{cite magazine|magazine=Locus|title=Jan Howard Finder, AKA "The Wombat" (1939–2013)|url=https://locusmag.com/2013/02/jan-howard-finder-aka-the-wombat-1939-2013/|date=February 26, 2013}} Finder became a devotee of the works of J. R. R. Tolkien in 1964, when he "spent three straight days curled up at his parents’ house" reading The Lord of the Rings. He studied academic administration at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and while there organized the "First Conference on Middle-earth", in 1969. In 1971, he held the second "Conference on Middle-earth" at Cleveland State University, where he was working as an assistant dean.{{cite news|url=http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2011/03/24/at_westford_conference_a_fellowship_of_tolkien_fans/?page=full|last=Edgers|first=Geoff|title=At Westford conference, a fellowship of Tolkien fans|newspaper=Boston Globe|date=March 24, 2011}} He ended up spending most of his life as a career counselor for various employers, including a stint at the United States Army's Fort Drum.{{cite news|url=http://www.timesunion.com/default/article/Jan-Howard-Finder-1-fan-dies-at-73-4311250.php|title='Greatest enthusiast' dies at 73: Jan Howard Finder traveled far and wide to feed various passions|newspaper=Times Union (Albany)|first=Kristen V.|last=Brown|date=February 26, 2013}}

Science fiction

Finder, nicknamed "The Wombat," was a frequent guest of honor at science fiction conventions, including "Honored Guest" at ConFrancisco (the 1993 Worldcon).{{Cite web |url=http://www.scifiinc.net/scifiinc/gallery/bio/finder,_jan_howard.htm |title=SciFi Fan Gallery page on Jan Howard Finder |access-date=2007-08-24 |archive-date=2007-08-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070806043130/http://www.scifiinc.net/scifiinc/gallery/bio/finder,_jan_howard.htm |url-status=dead }}[http://dpsinfo.com/pbt/worldcons/93progthu.html WorldCon programming cached web site] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927011203/http://dpsinfo.com/pbt/worldcons/93progthu.html |date=2007-09-27 }} He was also Fan Guest of Honor at BYOB-Con 8 (1978), Lastcon 1 (1981, Albany NY), LepreCon 8 (1982), Genericon 1 (1985), NotJustAnotherCon 4 (1988), and Arisia 12 (2001).[http://www.leprecon.org/lep29/participants.html LepreCon web site] He was a co-founder of Albacon.[http://www.readersadvice.com/cons/con118.html Readers Advice web site]

He was the chairperson of several science fiction conventions not specifically dedicated to the writings of Tolkien. He was chair of Albacon in 1996 and of the Science Fiction Research Association (SFRA) 32 in Schenectady, New York in 2001. Well known in fannish circles,[http://www.boston-baden.com/hazel/Pix/A/janhowardfinder.htm Sci Fi Fan Photo website] Finder was editor of the fanzine The Spang Blah. Until 2011 he was "scribe" (secretary) of the Latham-Albany-Schenectady-Troy Science Fiction Association.[http://www.lastsfa.org/ Latham-Albany-Schenectady-Troy Science Fiction Association website] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070419065023/http://www.lastsfa.org/ |date=2007-04-19 }}. Accessed March 25, 2011.

The Wombat was a frequent masquerade judge,[http://www.interaction.worldcon.org.uk/staflist.htm WorldCon 2005 official web page program listing] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070814193210/http://www.interaction.worldcon.org.uk/staflist.htm |date=2007-08-14 }} costumer{{Cite web |url=http://www.costume-con.org/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.ShowItem&g2_itemId=7256 |title=Costume Con Gallery web page on one of his creations |access-date=2007-08-24 |archive-date=2007-09-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929015458/http://www.costume-con.org/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.ShowItem&g2_itemId=7256 |url-status=dead }} charity auctioneer, and participant in panel discussions, from Arisia and Albacon in the Northeast United States to Worldcons [http://www.torcon3.info/programming/news/saturday.html Worldcon 2003 program] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722002257/http://www.torcon3.info/programming/news/saturday.html |date=2011-07-22 }}[http://www.boston-baden.com/hazel/Pix/p.cgi?2005+3301-02+ia0793.jpg+3301 WorldCon 2005 Photo gallery] and Lunacon 2007.[http://www.lunacon.net/lists_programs_byparticipant.asp?p=138 LunaCon web site] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080522041341/http://www.lunacon.net/lists_programs_byparticipant.asp?p=138 |date=2008-05-22 }} He also mentored other prospective con chairs.[http://www.archonstl.org/30/pocket_program.html Archon web site] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928044518/http://www.archonstl.org/30/pocket_program.html |date=2007-09-28 }}

Finder wrote in the short story genre, and his short fiction writing has been published in several anthologies, including "The Grapes of Rath" (1980) in Microcosmic Tales (1981).[http://www.iblist.com/author3099.htm IBList web site][http://www.diversebooks.com/cgi-bin/pw.cgi?4eb4e7 Diverse Books web site] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927001729/http://www.diversebooks.com/cgi-bin/pw.cgi?4eb4e7 |date=September 27, 2007 }}{{Cite web |url=http://www.philsp.com/homeville/isfac/s99.htm#A1477 |title=Index to Science Fiction Anthologies and Collections listing for Finder as author |access-date=2011-03-25 |archive-date=2011-05-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110505224159/http://www.philsp.com/homeville/ISFAC/s99.htm#A1477 |url-status=dead }}

He edited the 1982 anthology Alien Encounters (1982) Taplinger {{ISBN|0-8008-0168-7}},{{Cite web |url=http://www.philsp.com/homeville/isfac/t127.htm#A2701 |title=Index to Science Fiction Anthologies and Collections listing for Finder as editor |access-date=2011-03-25 |archive-date=2011-04-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110423111105/http://www.philsp.com/homeville/isfac/t127.htm#A2701 |url-status=dead }} which included short stories by Lynn Abbey, Ben Bova, Lee Killough, David Langford, and Ian Watson, among others. Finder was tuckerized when Anne McCaffrey named a character for him.[http://pern.srellim.org/charbase.htm Pern Character web site]

Tour guide

Finder was well known for his organized hostelling tours of science-fiction and -fantasy related sites, such as to "Middle-earth"—meaning New Zealand, where The Lord of the Rings was filmed.[http://www.lastsfa.org/sfdg/sfdg_newsletter_20050305.html Lastfa web site discussion]

Film

Finder played a bit part in the 2006 film UnCivil Liberties, and was a production assistant for the 2006 motion picture The Break-Up.[https://us.imdb.com/name/nm2562836 IMDb listing for Jan Howard Finder]{{Dead link|date=September 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

Recent events

For 2011, Finder organized the "3rd Conference on Middle-earth" (deliberately hearkening back to those of 1969 and 1971 which he had led), in Westford, Massachusetts. "I just finally said, 'I want to do it, and I don't give a damn if I lose money—I'll pay for it...{{'"}} "This is something I've wanted to do for 40 years." Finder retired from academia and battled prostate cancer, spending parts of March and August 2011 in the hospital.

Death

Finder died at Albany Medical Center Hospital on February 26, 2013, five days before his 74th birthday, from renal and liver failure. He was undergoing a course of chemotherapy at the time.

References

External links

[http://www.lastsfa.org/finder/wombats_wanderings.html The Wombat: There & back Again, a Wombat's Holiday by jan howard finder]
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/mark_shallcross/8013456629/ Image on Flickr]
{{IMDb name |2562836|Jan Howard Finder}}
{{isfdb name|id=Jan_Howard_Finder|name=Jan Howard Finder}}
[http://sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/finder_jan_howard Jan Howard Finder] in The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction

Category:1939 births

Category:2013 deaths

Category:20th-century American male writers

Category:20th-century American novelists

Category:20th-century American short story writers

Category:American male novelists

Category:American male short story writers

Category:American science fiction writers

Category:Career counselors

Category:Cleveland State University people

Category:Deaths from kidney failure in New York (state)

Category:Deaths from liver failure