Barry Polonsky, 1964-2011

[the_archfiend]

I tend to be too cautious about coming off as mawkish when I write these things, but oneleggedman (as he was known here on LJ and in Chicago-area SF fandom) was somebody I knew, even if wasn't as well as I would've liked to after seeing him pop up on chicago-sf.org and at local SF conventions like Capricon where I got to talk to him in person for a few minutes while fumbling for payment for next year's convention. His official funeral notice is here; pieces on him can also be found on chicago-sf.org, SF Site and Facebook. if you're logged on and know where to look.

Comments

[dancingbob5.livejournal.com]

Your a good friend to do all this posting for him .he will be missed

[the-archfiend.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Regrettably, I couldn't make the funeral (no ride, and tooling around trying to find a building I've never seen in a suburb I'm rarely in would be *such* fun at nine in the morning), but as I said on FBook I made out a $25 check to the American Cancer Society on behalf of him and an aunt I lost in late August.

[justphoenix.livejournal.com]

I'm such a moron I didn't realize Barry was Jewish. I'm really stupid about that sort of thing...you have to be wearing a yarmulke in order for me to notice.

[the-archfiend.livejournal.com]

I'm the opposite - I assumed that he was Jewish as soon as I found out what his surname was. Having a Y at the end of what would be a Pollsh/Russian-sounding surname is a fairly common indicator, just as MaroVITZ or -VICH could be instead of MaroWICZ (usually; a former participant on the talk.origins newsgroup was David Sienkewicz, who was anything _but_ shy about his background.)

[dancingbob5.livejournal.com]

I did not know he was jewish to wow I am a dumb ass

[the-archfiend.livejournal.com]

Bob: actually, you're not, but I am kinda surprised that more people didn't at least _suspect_ he was considering that Our Little Subculture has traditionally been full of a lot of people who shouldn't be eating ham sandwiches if they're fully observant.

I was surprised to find out Sondra de Jong is Jewish, though. Sometimes a surname is no real indication.