The STAR OKC Chronicles

Preface


To begin with, thanks are due to many STAR members, past and present, but especially to these: Larry Nemecek, Zann Romero Jones, Paul Marek, Mike Hodge and Tamara Baker Hodge, and Larry Jones. They provided written and oral information and reminiscences that helped immensely. Though — standard disclaimer time, folks — this Chronicle’s final form, and any errors herein, are mine own.



This compilation was assembled in fits, spurts, and starts, beginning in 1991, until this date. “S.T.A.R. Oklahoma City” was founded in 1973, over two decades ago. Early documentation is scant. There are folks still in active interaction with STAR — Paul “Blue Devil” Marek and Larry “ThunderChief” Nemecek, for example — who joined before I did. But I, who attended my first STAR meeting in April, 1980, and joined later that year, am the STAR member with the longest continuous tenure. That fact, plus my lifelong bent for nostalgia, are perhaps good enough qualifications for this job of assembling The STAR OKC Chronicles.


Sources for most of the entries have been either notes/minutes of Club meetings, or from STAR’s newsletters, in whatever incarnation. Note that, when the Club’s official newsletter was formally titled the Galactic Gazette, I’ve abbreviated it as “GG.”


Here’s what I chose for inclusion: 1) Whenever possible, Club size and finances. 2) First appearances, when known, of influential members, or topics that later influenced STAR developments. 3) Ironic items, such as the fact that ’way back in 1981 STAR was discussing incorporation. 4) Outside (but still SF/Fantasy related) honors, awards, etc., earned by Club members, when this information was available.


In the entries, I’ve referred to the Club by the name it used for itself at the time of the entry. The Club did not settle on “STAR OKC” until I began using it exclusively as Editor of the STAR News in 1982.


Thanks for reading, and join with me now in a quest for the Future, a quest born in decades past . . .
Mark Alfred