Rudy Wiebe called us with terrible news this morning: Robert Kroetsch was killed in a car accident on his way home from a literary festival.
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Robert has had an amazing year, replete with readings and awards, including the Lieutenant Governor’s Alberta Distinguished Artist award and the WGA Golden Pen Award (just two weeks ago).
He told Cathie that he was looking forward to his next event, a reading in Canmore for their Artspeak Festival. Knowing Robert, we’re sure he had a wonderful time.
On his return, coming through Drumheller and up Highway 21, another car T-boned the car Robert was in, on his side. Robert was killed and the other three occupants are in the hospital.
Cathie wasn’t able to make the Alberta Book Awards in Calgary two weeks ago to hear Robert accept the award in front of “his crowd,” including Rudy Wiebe, Aritha van Herk, Myrna Kostash, Geo Takach, and Merna Summers. Peter took a photo of him as they were reading comments before awarding him the Golden Pen Award.
However, the day after the Alberta Book Awards, Robert sent her an email. As usual, it was precisely worded and wonderfully kind:
We missed you fiercely.
And that’s how we will miss him.
