Note of concern: Status of John Cowan

[Daphne Preston-Kendal]

Dear LispNYC people,

John Cowan has not been heard from by anyone online since May. Contact with him was intermittent for a few months before then.

John has had occasional serious health problems over the last few years, but has always previously managed to let me or someone else in the Scheme community know when he’s had to take a break for medical reasons. I’m also concerned for the wellbeing of his teenaged grandson, who, as of the last time I spoke to John, was in his care.

Another friend and former colleague of John’s, Mark Shoulson, has tried reaching him by telephone, and I have tried sending physical post to him (also addressed to his daughter and grandson) and also got no response. Needless to say, I and all of our mutual friends miss him and are worried about him.

I have no other contact information for John besides his email address, phone number, and postal address (which may be outdated). If anyone knows where he is, please let me know. Or, if you have contact information for him, or for his daughter or someone else close to him who may know what has happened to him, please get in touch as well. And if anyone is in touch with him, please send him my best wishes and those of Schemers and all our mutual friends.

Many thanks,


Daphne Preston-Kendal
(John’s successor as chair of the R7RS Large Scheme Working Group, and his friend for 10+ years before that)

dpk at nonceword dot org