IN MEMORIAM

John Henahan

JOHN HENAHAN

John F. Henahan died in November after a brief illness. A member of NASW since 1961, he was a visionary writer and editor.

A veteran newsman, John's outlook could perhaps best be described as always skeptical ("Get the numbers!") but never cynical. He will be especially remembered for his support of novice writers. He helped many young writers to learn the ins and outs of the freelance and publishing worlds.

John established himself as a science writer and editor of the first order. In the 1960s, he worked in radio, writing, and presenting the popular syndicated program, "Men and Molecules," in New York City. He later authored a book by the same name, which was published in 18 languages. He worked closely with many of the great scientists of his time, including Jonas Salk and Jacob Bronowski. He edited Bronowski's well-known Ascent of Man and authored the college text based on that work.

His creative writings appeared in many leading magazines, including the Atlantic Monthly, the Saturday Review, and Kilkenny Magazine. He held editorial positions with several professional magazines, including Chemical and Engineering News, Psychology Today, and Ophthalmology Times.

At an age when many would be considering retirement, he became the founding editor of Euro Times, the newspaper of the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons.

During the past six years, he oversaw the evolution of Euro Times into a well-regarded monthly publication for the global ophthalmology community.

John was a world traveler, musician, and bon vivant, who relished traveling to the towns and cities of the world from his home in Dublin. In pursuit of "the story," he traveled as far north as Scandinavia, as far south as Africa, east to Poland and Russia, and across Asia and the Americas. While Ireland was his favorite, he was also especially fond of France and Italy, an indication of his well-developed appreciation for fine cuisine.

Born a U.S. citizen in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. in 1928, John became a naturalized citizen of the Republic of Ireland in 1985. His father Edward, a gifted musician, was blinded in a childhood accident, which gave John a particular empathy for those with impaired vision. John was a graduate of the University of Scranton. He is survived by his wife Margaret, and sons Sean, James, Robert, and daughter Shivaun O'Donnell, as well as seven grandchildren.

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(Contributed by Sean Henahan)

Dorothy "DJ" Davis

DOROTHY "DJ" DAVIS

Dorothy "DJ" Davis, a member of NASW since 1969, died on December 3 in Goshen, N.Y. A one-time war correspondent, later a science writer, mentor, and world traveler, she was 78 years old.

Raised in Chicago, Dorothy Jeanne Crane attended DePauw University and Stevens College. In 1944, she joined the U.S. Marine Corps, serving as a photojournalist in California and Hawaii. There she met another correspondent, Sgt. Bob Davis. As the first Marines to marry overseas, they needed orders from the top of the Pacific command to get simultaneous leave for their honeymoon.

After the war, DJ was a writer and editor at the Dallas Times Herald and Holland's magazine, then a PR freelancer. In 1960, she joined the National Foundation-March of Dimes, where she worked until her retirement as director of public information in 1985.

During those years, the organization evolved from its original focus on polio vaccines to support for research and public information in medical genetics, molecular biology, perinatology, and pediatrics. The role of women, who had been associated primarily with fund-raising activities in local chapters, changed, too. One colleague recalls: "There were a number of glass ceilings that DJ ignored-she just did it." Others remember her determined support for genetic counseling programs when they were targeted by anti-abortion activists.

Her skill in balancing the foundation's goals with journalists' need for the straight (and often complex) story was a model for health-information professionals. She always recalled the war correspondent's wry motto-"first to go, last to know"-and went the extra mile to help writers find the facts and sources they needed.

DJ was a mentor to many science writers, both directly and through the events she helped to organize. Among the most memorable were the summer "short courses" at Jackson Labs near Bar Harbor, Maine. There, clinical and research leaders such as Drs. Virginia Apgar and Victor McKusick presented the latest results and mingled informally with journalists. Many participants took home jam prepared at DJ's beloved second home in the Maine woods.

She loved to travel, and after a conference in Vienna or Tokyo would often link up with her husband, who worked in airline PR and travel trade journalism. They visited every continent but Antarctica. After retirement they were "snowbirds" for a decade, dividing their time between Maine and the Southeast.

She is survived by her husband, two sons (both writers), and three grandchildren. At her wish there was no memorial service; contributions may be made in her name to the March of Dimes Foundation (1275 Mamaroneck Ave., White Plains, NY 10605, Attn: Memorials). She hoped that those who valued her as a friend and colleague will enjoy a lobster dinner, raise a toast of cerveza Corona, and remember a happy and productive life.

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(Contributed by Monte Davis)