We note with sadness the passing of Ray Walter (R. W.) Rasband, on April 2, 2013, after a long battle with kidney disease. He was 54. R. W. was a frequent commenter and reviewer on AML-list back to at least 1996, soon after the list started. He served as the AML-list moderator around 2005-2008. His AML-list reviews can be viewed here, and his 424 Amazon reviews here.
Here is his obituary from the Wasatch Wave.
The picture is from when he served in the Canada Winnipeg Mission. Here is a more recent photo:
We here at the Association for Mormon Letters wish to express our deepest regret to the Rasband family, and pray for their comfort.
R.W. Rasband was the AML-List moderator when I first discovered the list in 2006. The posts were often engaging, witty, and enlightening–but as will happen with a group of opinionated writers and artists, sometimes also got heated. I do not envy R.W.’s responsibility for drawing lines between spirited debate and rhetorical brawl, but I am very thankful for the often-thankless work he did behind the scenes in those days to keep the conversation going.
I owe my introduction to Mormon Letters to the work he was willing to take on.
R. W. Rasband was someone whose voice I always appreciated on the list, and whose steadfast work behind the scenes was always welcome. Even though I only met him once in person, I considered him a friend.
I’m very sorry to hear this. My thoughts and prayers are with the Rasband family.
I just went back into my old motleyvision email and found a 2005 discussion between R.W., Clark Goble, Laraine Wilkins, and me about Kafka and Mormonism. And now I’m sad. That’s two too many people gone much too young.
Thank you for this very nice tribute. I know Ray enjoyed his time as AML-list moderator. I also appreciate the link to Ray’s critiques. I have never read most of them. Ray was a good brother and a good guy. I miss him.