Biography
Most of the biography info is taken from "It's Down the Slippery Cellar Stairs" and "Cranky old man from Tulsa". The snippet about the New Guinea Campaign Star I gleaned from the University of Iowa Lafferty page. (Added a correction by Mr. Lee Russell. It apears that this medal is a "been there done that" kind of medal.) |
LifeAmerican Science Fiction author. Born 11. July 1914 (says one source) or 7. November 1914 in Neola/Iowa. The latter is the probably true date. Father Hugh David Lafferty (a broker for oil leases and royalties), mother Julia Mary Burke (a schoolteacher) R.A. Lafferty named Raphael, because he was supposed to be born on St, Raphaels day, but arrived 14 days late. (Now when is St. Raphaels day ? It's the 24th October. St. Raphael is the patron saint of physicians) Moved to Perry/Oklahoma at the age of 4, later to Tulsa/Oklahoma. Attends University of Tulsa in 1933, but leaves after one year. Begins work for Clark Electrical Supply Co. in Tulsa. Supposedly worked for a newspaper also. In 1942 he enlists to the U.S. Army where he serves until 1946. Final rank: Staff Sergeant. He received a Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with Star (New Guinea).. Started writing and publishing short stories in the very late fifties. (age 45+) Sells his first piece to the New Mexico Quaterly Review titled The Wagons in 1959. First (?) short story Day of the Glacier. First novel Past Master. published in 1968 (Ace) Wrote over 200 short stories and over a dozen novels. Stopped writing around 1980, because of health problems (stroke) Suffered a bad stroke in 1994, and was said to be severely incapacitated. Passed away on the 19th of March 2002 in a nursing home in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.
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Awards
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ObituariesA number of nice obituaries have been written following Lafferty's death in 2002.
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PersonalityIrish descendant To contact Lafferty's agent:
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