Howard DeVore

Howard DeVore (May 26, 1925 – December 31, 2005) was an American archivist, science fiction collector, dealer, expert on pulp magazines, APA and fanzine writer, convention organizer, and active volunteer in science fiction fandom.

Biography DeVore was born in Palestine, Illinois, on May 26, 1925. His family moved to Detroit, Michigan, when DeVore was six months old. They moved back to Illinois in 1930 because of the Great Depression. He lived on a series of farms, attending a one-room schoolhouse. DeVore's father made a living by "whatever means was necessary, including making moonshine and stealing coal." The family moved back to Detroit in 1934, and DeVore quit school at the age of 16 to start working. He was employed in "various construction trades, auto factories," and ended up working for the United States Postal Service for 22 years.

Starting in about 1938, DeVore accumulated an extensive collection of fannish culture and science fiction-related artifacts and publications.

During World War II, Young "Howie", as his flight jacket proclaims, was a ball turret gunner on a B-17 Flying Fortress, flying bomb runs over France with the Eighth Air Force.

In his later years, as his health was in decline, DeVore donated original and electronic copies of much of his collection to various science fiction-themed archives.

Role in fandom DeVore was an active member of the National Fantasy Fan Federation and First Fandom.

In 2004, he was inducted into the Detroit Science Fiction Hall of Fame at ConFusion. In 2005, he was given the First Fandom Hall of Fame award.

Convention Fan Guest of Honor 1971 Lunacon (New York State) 1974 ConFusion (a.k.a. A2 Relax-I-Con, the zeroth and/or 1st iteration of the con) (Michigan) 1975 Marcon (Columbus, Ohio) 1991 Windycon (Oak Brook, Illinois) 1996 Kubla Khan (Nashville) 2005 Marcon 40 (Columbus) 2006 (posthumous) Worldcon (Los Angeles)