Raymond J. Smith
Encyclopedia
Raymond Joseph Smith was for more than thirty years the editor of Ontario Review, a literary magazine
, and the Ontario Review Press, a literary book publisher
, and for more than 45 years the husband of writer Joyce Carol Oates
.
Smith was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on March 12, 1930. He went to the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee where he earned a bachelor's degree in English. He then transferred and received his PhD
in English from the University of Wisconsin–Madison
in 1960, and met his future wife. He taught English literature
at the University of Windsor
, Windsor, Ontario and New York University
until 1980, when he left teaching for publishing. He is also the author of Charles Churchill, a critical study on the 18th-century British satirist
, and editor of numerous anthologies of works which appeared in Ontario Review.
He died February 18, 2008 in Princeton, New Jersey, from "complications of pneumonia", according to the funeral home which handled his burial.
The website Celestial Timepiece remembers him as "husband, scholar, editor, publisher, friend."
, where he was diagnosed with a virulent form of Pneumonia
. He was still in the hospital recovering from the pneumonia when, a week later, he was stricken by a secondary infection. Oates was called to his bedside in the middle of the night, but he died before she arrived.
In A Widow's Story Oates writes that Smith came from an intensely devout Catholic Irish American family and, as a young man, he entered a seminary. But Smith would later become "furious at the church". She confides that Smith left behind an unfinished novel, which he had started before they met and continued intermittently through the years.
Oates was 22 when, after a three-month courtship, she married the 31-year old Smith in 1961. The couple had no children, and neither wrote about that aspect of their marriage.
Literary magazine
A literary magazine is a periodical devoted to literature in a broad sense. Literary magazines usually publish short stories, poetry and essays along with literary criticism, book reviews, biographical profiles of authors, interviews and letters...
, and the Ontario Review Press, a literary book publisher
Publishing
Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature or information—the activity of making information available to the general public...
, and for more than 45 years the husband of writer Joyce Carol Oates
Joyce Carol Oates
Joyce Carol Oates is an American author. Oates published her first book in 1963 and has since published over fifty novels, as well as many volumes of short stories, poetry, and nonfiction...
.
Smith was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on March 12, 1930. He went to the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee where he earned a bachelor's degree in English. He then transferred and received his PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in English from the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
in 1960, and met his future wife. He taught English literature
English literature
English literature is the literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England; for example, Robert Burns was Scottish, James Joyce was Irish, Joseph Conrad was Polish, Dylan Thomas was Welsh, Edgar Allan Poe was American, J....
at the University of Windsor
University of Windsor
The University of Windsor is a public comprehensive and research university in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's southernmost university. It has a student population of approximately 15,000 full-time and part-time undergraduate students and over 1000 graduate students...
, Windsor, Ontario and New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
until 1980, when he left teaching for publishing. He is also the author of Charles Churchill, a critical study on the 18th-century British satirist
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
, and editor of numerous anthologies of works which appeared in Ontario Review.
He died February 18, 2008 in Princeton, New Jersey, from "complications of pneumonia", according to the funeral home which handled his burial.
The website Celestial Timepiece remembers him as "husband, scholar, editor, publisher, friend."
A Widow's Memoir
Smith's wife, Joyce Carol Oates, published a memoir in February 2011 recounting their 47-year marriage and her struggle to cope with his sudden death. According to Oates, he became ill at home in mid-February 2008 and was admitted to the Princeton Medical CenterUniversity Medical Center at Princeton
University Medical Center at Princeton is located at the borders of Princeton Borough and Princeton Township, New Jersey. It is located on Witherspoon Street. However, it is scheduled to move to a new location in Plainsboro, NJ in 2011. University Medical Center at Princeton is part of the...
, where he was diagnosed with a virulent form of Pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
. He was still in the hospital recovering from the pneumonia when, a week later, he was stricken by a secondary infection. Oates was called to his bedside in the middle of the night, but he died before she arrived.
In A Widow's Story Oates writes that Smith came from an intensely devout Catholic Irish American family and, as a young man, he entered a seminary. But Smith would later become "furious at the church". She confides that Smith left behind an unfinished novel, which he had started before they met and continued intermittently through the years.
Oates was 22 when, after a three-month courtship, she married the 31-year old Smith in 1961. The couple had no children, and neither wrote about that aspect of their marriage.