James Reaney

[Moira Day]

Dear David,

Thanks for letting us know. I all the more appreciate the special celebration we
had to honour him when we were at Western.  I think many of us knew it was a
chance to say good-by to someone we had come to love, value and respect deeply
as a playwright and a human being.

I'm also sure that your own close, sensitive attention to his work and sustained
efforts to open it afresh to a new generation of scholars was a very special
gift to him in his later years and that he never forgot it.

I'm so sorry, David. I realize that while we have lost a theatrical pioneer
whose work deserves to be recognized and honoured, you have lost a personal
friend and valued mentor.

Moira

Quoting David Eden <david.eden at UTORONTO.CA>:

> I am sorry to have to report to everyone that playwright and theatrical
> pioneer James Reaney died on June 11th.  I have only just found out
> today and wanted the listserv to know as soon as possible.  As far as I
> am concerned, I feel this should be national news but, alas, it may not
> be reported in all areas of the country.
>
> Here is the obituary from the London Free Press:
>
> *REANEY*
> REANEY James Crerar Reaney, peacefully at Marian Villa, Mount Hope
> Centre, London, on Wednesday, June 11, 2008, in his 82nd year. Survived
> by his wife Colleen Thibaudeau; his son James Stewart Reaney and his
> wife Susan Wallace of London and their daughter Elizabeth Wallace Reaney
> in Seoul, Korea; his daughter Susan Reaney and her husband Ian Chunn and
> their daughter Edie Elizabeth Reaney Chunn of Vancouver; his sister
> Wilma McCaig and brother Ron Cooke. Predeceased by his son John Andrew
> Reaney (1966) and his parents James N. Reaney and Elizabeth Crerar. Our
> thanks to the kind and caring staff and fellow residents of Marian
> Villa, to the many friends who visited Jamie, and to all who have been
> involved in his care. A Celebration of Jamie's life will be held at
> Robinson Memorial United Church, 1061 Richmond Street at Sherwood
> Avenue, London, on Saturday, June 14 at 2:00 p.m. A day of remembrance
> will take place this summer. Cremation will be followed by a private
> interment at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, London. In lieu of flowers, please
> consider an act of kindness to someone in need or make a contribution to
> a charity of your choice. (www.HarrisFuneralHome.ca)   _VIEW Ad as seen
> in The London Free Press_
> <http://ads.lfpress.com//classifieds/images/announcements/6c094co2.pdf>
>   Published: Jun 13, 2008
>
>
> There are also notices on the web:
>
> http://www.cbc.ca/arts/books/story/2008/06/12/james-reaney.html?ref=rss
>
>
http://stratford.siteseer.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1070970&auth=Beacon+Herald+staff+and+Sun+Media
>
>
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080612.wobitreaney0612/BNStory/Entertainment/home
>
>
>
> Yours,
>
>
> David Eden
> University of Toronto
>