Amy Einsohn passed away at age 61 in Oakland, California after long illness. Her loving friends, husband, family, and so many of her correspondents will never forget Amy. This site will help the remembering.
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Tributes
Leave a tributeI'm a former listmate of hers from the long-standing editor's list CE-L, where her voice continues to be very missed. Just the other day, another listmate commented privately on how wise Amy was and shared with me some career advice she had received from Amy years ago. And recently another longtime member referred to her as the "beloved Amy."
My first interaction with Amy was about 5 years ago, when she wrote me privately to thank me for mentioning a post of hers on the list and essentially to welcome me as a new member to it. I was of course thrilled to hear from her, because, as I wrote her back, we had used her book as the main text in the editing program I took in Jerusalem. As many have written, she seemed genuinely pleased to hear from fellow editors that her work helped them and responded with respect and care to their questions. She had so much more left to contribute.
I have posted her photo from the Hunter College High School class of 1969 yearbook. The caption below reads " so i must be goin' now, i'm losin' time my friend, lookin' for a rainbow down this highway in the wind." I'm thinking that she found that rainbow.
"The 'Zig Zag Race' was one of Amy's favorite books that I made with her. It was very funny to make books with Amy, because she would say funny stuff about what I said and wrote. She would make bookmaking and other games even more fun. And with Amy it was very fun to play tickle Chris. Without her, it wouldn't be as fun. love, Jacobi
She kept dear friendships from Manhattan childhood, Hunter High School (1969), Ann Arbor and Berkeley, from her time as a young woman making her way. The friends and colleagues, musicians and writers too, the walkers and talkers remember her voice.
As the word of Amy’s passing went out I began receiving wonderful messages from some of her old friends. Some of them plainly knew a lot of what Amy was about and, profoundly, of what she was.
You who are reading this -- please feel free to let memory speak.
Here anyway are some of my rough notes about Amy:
Authentic —She made her own living and her own place, tasting the bitter and the sweet that came. She learned things for herself, did her own research, and made a mark in her chosen field through work, letters and posts, her book. She persevered to become that trusted authority. And Amy gathered trust not just professionally but while breathing —she disdained the falsity and hype that blows about. She knew when she didn’t know and what she presented was the real thing.
Fun, though—Who will describe Amy’s sense of humor? We know about this, yet it’s hard to nail. I learned that to locate the classroom of her copyediting class, you just followed the raucous laughter. Yes, “literally” rolling in the aisles (if there had been aisles). What exactly was so funny? Just thinking on that will cheer me somewhat. But how was it that Amy had us laughing?
New Yorker —A subset of Amy’s authenticity, this topic calls for care: New York City bestows a touch on some of its wonderful children, even when they leave town for good, as Amy did. That indelible stamp turned up a bit more in Amy’s recent years. And it’s not just about bagels or pronunciation of the word “apartment.” I know because I’m not from there. When we last visited New York, in 2003, we studied for fun and used the WPA guide to New York City that was one of Amy’s special sources. As another, Amy learned about baseball from her father, Ralph, who favored the New York Giants, which Amy followed even unto San Francisco last season. Amy’s New Yorkish traits, however, showed up more strongly in assumptions about civilization and life, in the mixed flavors of hope and realism that filled out her style.
Grandma —Yep. Amy took great joy in the grandmother role with her nearby grandson. She had not anticipated this awesome status conferred by a small child, and the experience was lovely to observe.
How smart she was —About so many things little and big, while wishing for better, going for the good. And too, a Math department didn't want women in 1970, nor did Science open its door. Amy kept faith with those she loved, with the women who inspired, and she kept on keeping on, loyal to the best of our times.. There's a lot more to say, and there's a glow.
Thanks so much for your remembrance.
—Chris Raisner
I loved Amy, she loved me,
we partnered up our two half-lives,
and made them one, a hand in glove,
whistling past eternity
against the odds, against the day –
Even with time run on its way,
the world smashed up in halves,
one single lingering smile would see
and push the lasting far goodbye away
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Gifted Girls Grow Up
At our 20 year Hunter College High School reunion (1989 in NY), Amy and I agreed we would extend that connected spirit we all felt by jointly creating a newsletter - to update all our class mates (who attended or did not) about our various lives. This was pre-facebook, linked-in and twitter days.
It was a joy to embark on this adventure with her and co-create the 'Gifted Girls Grow Up' newsletter. Working across several states - without the internet - was amazingly easy, fun and productive - becuase she was such a pro and so fun to work with. I always admired her when we were at Hunter - she was bright, positive, friendly - the kind of girl everyone liked and wanted to be friends with.
She jumped on board with my crazy ambitous idea - and made this amazing gift to our class mates happen. I am so sad I can't be with her at our next reunion in NY - but intend to look for her where ever she is now - when I get there myself.