I don't believe this has been posted yet, so here it is:

IN MEMORIAM... MAGGIE BRADBURY

Ray Bradbury's wife of 57 years, Marguerite (aka "Maggie"), passed away November 24, 2003. Here are some thoughts from David Hoffman, a Gauntlet employee. David has spent many afternoons with the Bradburys over the last two years, while Ray has signed tipsheets for us.

Maggie Bradbury was a spirited, funny, highly intelligent, thoughtful woman whom I had the absolute pleasure of meeting and interacting with on several occasions. She and Ray interacted in such a funny, and familiar manner. When Maggie wasn't sharing a phenomenal story about her life, or the life of someone in her family, she was talking up Ray, or poking gentle fun at him. I once asked her what was her favorite Ray Bradbury book. She responded that she loved every single book that he's written. I asked who her favorite author was and she didn't hesitate to say, "Ray Bradbury." Sometimes when Ray would say something that Maggie found puzzling or strange she would say, "Whatever you say science fiction man!"

They shared with me the story of how they met. Maggie was working in a book story that young Ray Bradbury would visit often. He was a young writer and voracious reader. Maggie's boss told her to be on the lookout for a shoplifter who had kept victimizing them. Well, Ray for some reason would show up in a trench coat each day, raising Maggie's suspicions. Ray was not the shoplifter, but Maggie thought he was, so she'd watch him like a hawk. Ray mistook her suspicious glances as flirting, so with a huge amount of misguided confidence, he asked her to lunch. They fell in love and the rest is history.

The pure love and affection I'd see in Ray's eyes whenever he spoke of or to her is a testament to the wonderful love they shared. Maggie will be greatly missed.

Ray Bradbury would like for anyone who was thinking of sending him flowers/gifts etc. to instead make a donation to a group or organization in your area which helps animals -- Maggie was a huge cat lover and would have greatly appreciated the gesture.

Thank you for this posting. Every day I learn more and more about what a wonderful woman she was. I wish I had been lucky enough to know her. I will gladly make a donation to honor her to our local Humane Society.