The staff of Prairie Schooner and the members of the English Department
of the University of Nebraska — Lincoln in mourning the death of
Susan Atefat-Peckham
and her son, Cyrus Peckham. Susan and Cyrus, who were killed in a car crash on February
7th near Amman, Jordan. Also injured in the crash were Susan's husband,
Joel, their
other son, Darius, and Susan's mother.
Winner of the National Poetry Prize, a Fulbright Scholar, and the author of That Kind of Sleep, Susan was a writer of exceptional promise and achievement. Her work published in Prairie Schooner includes a review in the winter of 1998, six poems in the spring of 2001, and an essay in the spring of 2002. That essay, "What's That You're From?" received an honorable mention in Pushcart XXVIII: Best of the Small Presses, 2004 Edition. We knew Susie, not only as a writer, but also as a dear friend and colleague. She and Joel each received a PhD from our department. Susie completed her dissertation under the direction of Prairie Schooner's editor, Hilda Raz, and worked on the magazine's staff. Susie was admired by all for her fine work and was well-loved by all for her kindness and cheer. We have many fond memories of Joel, Susie, and Cyrus, who was born during their time in Nebraska. We extend our condolences to Joel and Darius, as well as to the Atefat and Peckham families, and we pray for the full recovery of Joel, Darius, and Susan's mother. We are proud to have been part of Susie's life, and count ourselves lucky that she was part of ours.
For an update on the conditions of Joel and Darius, go to http://www.peckhamupdate.com/. To read David Fideler's tribute to Susan, go to http://www.sufistudies.net/articles/friend-from-another-realm.html. An endowment will be established at the University of Nebraska in memory of Susan and Cyrus. Donations to the endowment may be sent to the address below. Please make checks payable to the University of Nebraska Foundation. Atefat-Peckham Memorial Fund |
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