Bea Mahaffey
(August 24, 1928 – March 29, 1987)
Beatrice “Bea” Mahaffey, a science fiction fan and prozine editor, worked on most of Raymond Palmer's prozines, including Other Worlds (managing editor, 1950–1952; co-editor, 1952–53, 1955). She was also co-editor of the alternate versions of Other Worlds: Science Stories (1953–54) and Universe Science Fiction (1953–55). The first two issues of Universe SF were credited to George Bell, which was a Palmer and Mahaffey joint pseudonym.
Mahaffey also helped Palmer edit Mystic Magazine (1953-54), but quit when the magazine dropped SF in favor of occult non-fiction (like Palmer's former magazine, Fate) and changed its name to Search.
Mahaffey was a fan and a member of the Cincinnati Fantasy Group, when she met Palmer at the 1949 Cinvention; and he hired her to assist him with his new magazine, Other Worlds. Some critics think the issues of Palmer's magazines that were mainly under her editorial control were superior to those put together solely by Palmer. After Palmer's death in August 1977, Mahaffey published an essay, "I Remember Ray," in the September 1977 issue (#204) of the newszine Locus.
She was on the committee for Chicon II in 1952, one of the pros, whom fandom worried was taking over Worldcon. She also belonged to the N3F.
She was a speaker at Hydracon in 1950. When she visited the UK for Coroncon in 1953, she stopped in Northern Ireland, where Irish Fandom held BEACon in her honor. She provoked the London Circle by hanging out with the Bloody Provincials.
Her sister, Pat Lake, was also a fan.
Awards, Honors and GoHships:
- 1953 — BEACon
- 1987 — First Fandom Hall of Fame
| Person | 1928—1987 |
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