Locus is reporting the death of writer Ken Rand at home in West Jordan, Utah, on 21 April 2009 of “complications from a rare abdominal cancer.” Born 19 July 1946 in Spokane, Washington, he was a broadcast and print reporter and editor for more than 20 years in Utah and Wyoming. He quit that work to become a full-time writer on 3 October 1992, when, according to his web site, “he accepted his ex-wife’s invitation to move from Wyoming, where he was a grumpy, overworked newspaper editor, to West Jordan, Utah, to rejoin his family. Rand remarried his ex-wife, ending a 19-year divorce.”
His novels include: Rock ‘n’ Roll Universe (2009), A Cold Day in Hell (2009), Pax Dakota (2008), Where Angels Fear (2008), Fairy BrewHaHa at the Lucky Nickel Saloon (2008), Dadgum Martians Invade the Lucky Nickel Saloon (2006), The Golems of Laramie County (2005), and Phoenix (2004). Much of his short fiction is available on the web, from links on his web site.
Rand is survived by his wife, Lynne (married in 1969, divorced in 1974, remarried in 1993), their three children, and six grandchildren.
I am very saddened by this news, but also grateful that I got to hear of it now instead of later.
Ken and I attended school together from the 8th through the 10th grades, and his memory is among the finest of my youth. He never failed to delight me with his completely off-the-wall and unexpected humor and insight. I only wish that I could have known him during the intervening years.
From my 1962 “Spartan,” the album of Pacifica High School and our last year classmates, next to an excellent drawing done on the spot of Charley Brown’s dog Snoopy, he signed my annual with this note:
Terry—Best of Luck to a real cool people, No bones about it–you’re a dogs best friend (and a man’s too!)
Bark!
Ken
I knew him then as Ken Whitmore, which was his step-dad’s name. It wasn’t until later that I learned that his real name was Ken Rand, when I saw him one time after getting out of the service. And it was he who told me a mutual friend of ours from school and from his home town of Port Chicago, Ron Mahoney, had died in Viet Nam. Ron died April 21st, 1968. Ironically, Ken died on the same date, 41 years later. Port Chicago was with him, right to the end and beyond.
God speed, Ken. Somebody, somewhere, is delighted to see you, I know.
Terry Rhea
Correction. It was Ralph Mahoney who died in Viet Nam. Ron was a couple of years behind us in school.