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Polaris, Tribute to Paul Freehafer, 1944
Page 3
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Freehafer was Director of the LASFS from January 1943 through the middle of November, that year. He was Treasurer of the Pacificon Society, and it is a great source of regret to me that you fans are either not going to get to renew acquaintanceship with Paul, or meet him for the first time, at the Postwarcon. Oh, what a grand fellow he was! I don't know whether anyone else ever thought of him in the same way, but to me he was a kind of fan-Lovecraft, if you get what I mean. In the Shangri-LA split up, which grieved him deeply, caused him considerable concern, he was a neutral, mollifying influence, retaining relations with both factions, and respected by both. I daresay Paul was about as popular and universally liked a fan as you could find. - - - (I gratefully acknowledge certain personal information on the foregoing from Adrian Mosser, Paul's room mate. Do not confuse him with Singleton's room mate, and I cannot help that the date is April 1st. I would give anything if this were only a joke. Unfortunately, it is tragically far from it.) I will now turn you over to expressions from various local friends of his. Pardon me, while I go cry again. So long, Paul. So long, old friend. - - - "Few people today can be truthfully considered to approximate the ideal of the cultural gentleman, to use the term in the older sense that Lovecraft would use and indeed outstandingly exemplified. Paul Freehafer was the only fan I have ever known who fully deserved the description and was, I think, pretty close to unique in fandom in having surmounted the mental conflicts of the sensitive fantasist in a world of brutality and won through to a calm balance and dignity of personality that made him truly a man worthy of the species."--SDR. Morojo: "He was mild and well-mannered, a brilliant mentality with high ideals. His death is a sever loss to fandom. It will probably be years before we quit missing him around the club room and at our various festivities. I'm only sorry I shall never be able to express to him my gratitude for all he did for the Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society: His gift of venetian blinds for the club room, without any expectations of reimbursement; his monthly contributions of $5 toward the maintenance of the club room when other persons were only paying one and two dollars." "I would rather take a beating than to write this brief note about Paul. I have known him for several years and have considered him as one of my best friends. Forry has very well covered his fan life but I can only add my personal feelings. "I was speaking to Mel Brown only a few nights ago when I said, 'Well, Mel, as far as I can see, Paul Freehafer has only one fault.' "'What is that?' questioned Mel. "'He stopped publishing Polaris, which I believe is one of the finest mags ever published.' "Paul's ability to raise himself above local and nationwide feuds has in itself made him admirable to me. Always a helping hand. Always a good word. "I am truly at a lose for words. I can only say, 'So long, Paul--we'll really miss you.'"--Walt Daugherty. Lora Crozetti: "It is hard to find words to express the sorrow I feel at losing my friend, Paul Freehafer...I never knew him intimately, but we were friends. His kindness toward Finn, in her illness and death, his assistance in coming to visit her so that we who were caring for her could rest, is typical of the goodness that was Paul...To me, he was the finer things in life--good music, good books--gentleness--that was Paul."#
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Freehafer was Director of the LASFS from January 1943 through the middle of November, that year. He was Treasurer of the Pacificon Society, and it is a great source of regret to me that you fans are either not going to get to renew acquaintanceship with Paul, or meet him for the first time, at the Postwarcon. Oh, what a grand fellow he was! I don't know whether anyone else ever thought of him in the same way, but to me he was a kind of fan-Lovecraft, if you get what I mean. In the Shangri-LA split up, which grieved him deeply, caused him considerable concern, he was a neutral, mollifying influence, retaining relations with both factions, and respected by both. I daresay Paul was about as popular and universally liked a fan as you could find. - - - (I gratefully acknowledge certain personal information on the foregoing from Adrian Mosser, Paul's room mate. Do not confuse him with Singleton's room mate, and I cannot help that the date is April 1st. I would give anything if this were only a joke. Unfortunately, it is tragically far from it.) I will now turn you over to expressions from various local friends of his. Pardon me, while I go cry again. So long, Paul. So long, old friend. - - - "Few people today can be truthfully considered to approximate the ideal of the cultural gentleman, to use the term in the older sense that Lovecraft would use and indeed outstandingly exemplified. Paul Freehafer was the only fan I have ever known who fully deserved the description and was, I think, pretty close to unique in fandom in having surmounted the mental conflicts of the sensitive fantasist in a world of brutality and won through to a calm balance and dignity of personality that made him truly a man worthy of the species."--SDR. Morojo: "He was mild and well-mannered, a brilliant mentality with high ideals. His death is a sever loss to fandom. It will probably be years before we quit missing him around the club room and at our various festivities. I'm only sorry I shall never be able to express to him my gratitude for all he did for the Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society: His gift of venetian blinds for the club room, without any expectations of reimbursement; his monthly contributions of $5 toward the maintenance of the club room when other persons were only paying one and two dollars." "I would rather take a beating than to write this brief note about Paul. I have known him for several years and have considered him as one of my best friends. Forry has very well covered his fan life but I can only add my personal feelings. "I was speaking to Mel Brown only a few nights ago when I said, 'Well, Mel, as far as I can see, Paul Freehafer has only one fault.' "'What is that?' questioned Mel. "'He stopped publishing Polaris, which I believe is one of the finest mags ever published.' "Paul's ability to raise himself above local and nationwide feuds has in itself made him admirable to me. Always a helping hand. Always a good word. "I am truly at a lose for words. I can only say, 'So long, Paul--we'll really miss you.'"--Walt Daugherty. Lora Crozetti: "It is hard to find words to express the sorrow I feel at losing my friend, Paul Freehafer...I never knew him intimately, but we were friends. His kindness toward Finn, in her illness and death, his assistance in coming to visit her so that we who were caring for her could rest, is typical of the goodness that was Paul...To me, he was the finer things in life--good music, good books--gentleness--that was Paul."#
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