Verna Smith Trestrail
(August 25, 1920 – March 13, 1994)
Verna Smith Trestrail (née Verna Jean Smith) was a con fan. The daughter of SF writer E. E. "Doc" Smith, she was his literary executor from his death until her own in 1994. “When I wrote the three Lensmen novels for Bantam Books about Kimball Kinnison’s three alien superbeings — Worsel, Tregonsee, and Nadreck —she was sure to catch the slightest slip I might have made in tone or substance,” David A. Kyle wrote in the Rivercon XIX program book. “I felt that, through her, Doc was at my shoulder guiding me.” Verna’s son, Kim Trestrail, is now the executor.
She accompanied Doc to fannish appearances as early as 1940, and attended Michicon 1. Verna became a frequent congoer in the 1970s.
Robert A. Heinlein in part dedicated his 1982 novel Friday to Verna.
Born in Michigan, Verna married Albert Trestrail in 1937. They had four children. She later earned a master’s degree and taught high school English in Indiana for 20 years. She died suddenly in 1994, a few months before she was due to be fan goh at Rivercon.
- 1940 photo in the LASFS Album.
- Obituary in Rivercon XIX program book by Dave Kyle, p. 9.
Awards, Honors and GoHships:
- 1979 — Moscon '79
- 1984 — Omnicon V
- 1991 — Westercon 44
- 1994 — Rivercon XIX (she died before the con)
| Person | 1920—1994 |
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