Willie Siros (1952-2022)

Fan, conrunner, and bookseller Willie Siros, 69, died January 5, 2022.

William Siros was born August 1952 in El Paso TX. He earned a BA in political science in 1974, and briefly attended graduate school for political theory. He began attending conventions in 1974, and chaired early Texas SF conventions Solarcon I and II (1975 and 1976). He produced a fanzine, Cambion, around the same time. Siros co-founded the Fandom Association of Central Texas and the associated convention ArmadilloCon, chairing the first three events and co-chairing ArmadilloCon 15. He led the 1985 NASFiC bid for Austin TX and chaired the resulting LoneStarCon.

Siros was a para-librarian at the University of Texas Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center, where he developed their SF collection. As a bookseller, he ran Adventures in Crime and Space as a brick-and-mortar store in Austin until 2002 and later as a virtual shop.

A familiar face at conventions, Siros was a guest of honor at Norwescon XV (1992), ArmadilloCon 25 (2003), and LoneStarCon III, the 71st World Science Fiction Convention in 2013.