And the old order changeth, yielding place to new...
Nancy Drew Author Dies at 96
Wednesday, May 29, 2002
TOLEDO, Ohio — Mildred Wirt Benson, who brought a young sleuth named Nancy Drew to life as the original author of the popular children's mystery series, has died. She was 96.
Benson became ill at work Tuesday afternoon while working on her column about daily life and older folks for The Blade newspaper. She was taken to the Toledo Hospital, where she died, the hospital said.
Benson was a journalist for 58 years and wrote more than 130 books, including the Penny Parker mystery series. She also penned countless short stories, but is best known for creating Nancy Drew, who inspired and captivated generations of girls.
The series is still in print and has sold over 200 million books in 17 languages.
Nancy Drew buffs have said Benson's books allowed teen-age girls and young women to imagine anything could be possible at a time when females struggled for any sense of equality.
``I always knew the series would be successful,'' Benson said in a December interview with The Associated Press. ``I just never expected it to be the blockbuster that it has been. I'm glad that I had that much influence on people.''
Benson, known as Millie to friends and fans, wrote 23 of the 30 original Nancy Drew stories using the pseudonym Carolyn Keene. She was paid $125 per book and never collected royalties from the books, movies and board games.
Benson was bound by an agreement with the publisher not to publicly reveal her identity as the series author, but it became known in 1980 when she testified in a court case involving Nancy Drew's publisher.
Benson began writing in Ladora, Iowa, where she was born July 10, 1905, to Lillian and Dr. J.L. Augustine.
``I always wanted to be a writer from the time I could walk,'' she said. ``I had no other thought except that I wanted to write.''
She wrote children's stories when she was in grade school and won her first writing award at 14.
Benson was the first person to receive a master's degree in journalism at the University of Iowa in 1927, according to the school.
She was introduced to journalism through her first husband, Asa Wirt, who worked with The Associated Press. In 1944, Benson began working at the former Toledo Times and later at The Blade.
She covered city hall, federal and courthouse beats and wrote a weekly column in The Blade from 1990 until January, when she reluctantly retired.
Despite failing eyesight and diminished hearing, she continued authoring a monthly column after retirement called "Millie Benson's Notebook."
The day after she was diagnosed with lung cancer in June 1997, she was back at her desk working on her next column.
Wirt died in 1947. In 1950, she married George Benson, editor of The Toledo Times, who died in 1959.
She is survived by her daughter, Peggy Wirt, of Logansport, Ind. |
