It is with great sadness that I write to inform you that Edward (Ed) Janzen (1932-2023), founder and managing editor of Canadian Stories Magazine and Story Quilt, passed away in the hospital on Tuesday, June 27, 2023, at the age of 91. Cremation will take place later this week, I believe, during a private ceremony.
Ed started the literary folk magazine CANADIAN STORIES after retirement from his teaching chemistry at the University of Georgia (1964-1975) and the University of Guelph (1975-1997).
And in 2014 he started an online “sister magazine” called Story Quilt.
Ed leaves behind his wife Susan, children Charles and Beth, and grandson Curtis.
We hope you enjoyed travelling with Ed on a special journey telling stories. He will be missed.
(A lot of information in this message was borrowed from Ed’s books, so I know he’d approve!)
Two more things:
1. As his long-time friend and magazine contributor James Deahl said:
“It would be nice to see something to honor Ed take place. He deserves it.”
As of now, I have no idea what’s going to happen, but Story Quilt and Canadian Stories are all about writers – perhaps you want to write a tribute to Ed, and we will find a way to use these to honour and remember Ed. So please email your tributes to ad***@ca*************.net, as I have no idea how long the Fergus’ mailbox has been rented for, and if there will be a way to renew it.
2. Another type of tribute: underneath this message, you are welcome to add your sympathy and condolence messages to the Comments section (scroll down until you see “Leave a reply to Edward (Ed) Janzen (1932-2023)”). As always, comments are moderated and manually approved (by me) before publication.
P.S. It is still unclear what will happen with the Gentle Edge Publishing Company Limited, Canadian Stories Magazine, and Story Quilt moving forward. So please be patient… I will let you know when I know more.
Please contact me at ad***@ca*************.net if you have any questions, or if you would like to help out.
Sincerely,
– Nardo Kuitert
Webmaster for canadianstories.net and story-quilt.com
519-787-7612
Wendy Welk1 year ago
I am so sorry to hear about Ed’s passing. He was a kind and generous person who always encouraged me to keep on writing. Through his dedication to Canadian Stories and The Story Quilt, he has served Canadian culture and has added to the country a valuable opportunity for writers to challenge their talents and dreams. He saw “the big picture”. Thinking of his family at this very sad time.
Yee-Lai Eunice WANG (Hong Kong)1 year ago
I’m forever grateful for having Dr Janzen as my graduate school supervisor in the University of Guelph 35 years ago. He was very kind to invite us to his new house when we took a family trip revisiting Canada from Hong Kong. He is such a wonderful man, my thoughts and prayers are with the Janzen family.
Fay Herridge1 year ago
Fay Herridge, Newfoundland & Labrador
I like to think of Ed Janzen as the man I “almost knew.” I did not know him personally, but I had great respect for him as a writer and his dedication for preserving so many tales of Canadian folk history through the Canadian Stories and Story Quilt. I have been privileged to have my work published in both sources. However, my greatest honour was when Ed asked me to write a story for “Cross Country, 35 Short Stories About An Old Car.” I was not sure I could do it but over the course of many emails, Ed convinced me. He will be greatly missed and my heart goes out to his family.
Louise O’Connor1 year ago
From: Louise O’Connor
As a regular reader of Canadian Stories, I would like to offer my deepest condolences to Ed’s family and to all those who knew him.
I’ve never met Ed in person, but was able to know him from his articles in Canadian Stories, the exceptional magazine that he founded and in which he brought together Canadian writers from coast to coast. A truly unique perspective.
Canadian Stories helped me to better know my country of Canada and for that, I’m very grateful to Ed and to all the contributors. Thank you.
Ed will be missed and fondly remembered.
Louise O’Connor, Ottawa, Ontario
Rosemary Rigsby12 months ago
So sad to hear about Ed, and I’m sorry for Susan. I enjoyed our brief points of contact and our admiration for our mutual friend, Loreena Lee, also gone.
Nesta Primeau11 months ago
NESTA PRIMEAU
Ed Janzen’s magazine, CANADIAN STORIES has fostered creativity in hundreds of Canadians — those just getting started as well as those who write for a living. Since the early 2000s, I created regular submissions for the magazine. Because of that my body of work is larger than it would have been. My stories about family members and friends would not exist except for Ed’s efforts.
Thank you, Nardo, for sending a letter by surface mail to ensure that I was informed of Ed’s passing.
The Story Quilt Team11 months ago
Thank you for your tribute, Nesta. Ed Janzen will certainly be missed by many.
– Nardo
paula brine-hogan10 months ago
I have only just now (2 Oct) found out about the death of Ed Janzen having been preoccupied these last months with some personal matters. I am so very sad. Ed used to send me little encouraging notes about my writing, and it was in Canadian Stories Magazine that I saw my first poem and articles published. His kind words meant so much to me. My condolences go out to all his family and also to the people who worked with him. He will be terribly missed by so many.
paula brine-hogan
Del Lobo8 months ago
I send my condolences to all of Ed’s family – many blessings. Ed Janzen published my first story and I remain grateful. We corresponded a bit by email with me telling Ed that I had lived in Guelph and worked at the University for many years – finally settling in B.C. Like he encouraged other writers, Ed definitely gave me the confidence to continue writing and submitting to other publications. Thank you Ed Janzen – may your soul Rest In Peace.
Del Lobo