Beverly Jane Loo

Beverly Jane Loo

Beverly Jane Loo, who served as Executive Director of McGraw-Hill's General Books Division and went on to establish several innovative publishing programs at the University of Virginia, George Washington University, and the Library of Congress, died unexpectedly on Friday, March 26, 2010, in Charlottesville, Virginia.

She was the daughter of Bessie Loo, the proprietor of a successful Asian American casting agency in Hollywood for over 40 years, and Richard Loo, actor in over 60 movies. He is most well-known for his roles in World War II films during the 1930s and 1940's, such as "The Purple Heart" (1944) and "God is my CoPilot" (1945). As a child, Beverly, appeared along with her parents in the 1937 movie "The Good Earth." Her twin sister, Angeles Marie Loo, also worked in the film industry. Beverly earned a bachelor's degree in English from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1953.

Her successful career in publishing spanned over 40 years. At McGraw Hill and the Hamlyn Publishing Group, she helped publish major works by Vladimir Nabokov and Nobel-prize winner Heinrich Boll. While Beverly rarely spoke about it, as Clifford Irving's editor, she played the pivotal role in McGraw-Hill's acquisition of Clifford Irving's biography of Howard Hughes.

W. Ralph Eubanks, the Director of Publishing at the Library of Congress states "Beverly was a star in publishing during her time." He notes that Stacy Schiff wrote the following about Beverly in her biography of Vera Nabokov: "In the spring of 1970, after a trip to London, McGraw-Hill's executive editor and director of subsidiary rights, Beverly Jane Loo, stopped in at the Montreux Palace. A poised and tough negotiator, Loo was not known in the industry as a shrinking violet. All the same she changed her clothes four times before the initial meeting, settling finally on a classic glen plaid suit, in which she paced nervously by the lake. In the lounge a half hour before the appointed time she found Vladimir, who greeted her warmly; he may have been told she was Chinese, as he recognized her almost immediately. Explained Nabokov to the woman with whom his wife had been corresponding and speaking regularly: 'Oh, Miss Loo, it's so good to meet you at last. I'm sorry, Vera isn't here, but she's very nervous about meeting you. She thinks of you as la Formidable.' When Vera came down she ordered a whisky neat. Loo was stunned, and said as much. 'I thought all Americans drank whiskey,' Vera explained quietly. The two formidables became fast friends, joking later about their mutual apprehension."

According to Arnie Grossblatt, Director of the Publishing Program at the College of Professional Studies at The George Washington University perhaps her most lasting contribution to publishing is the work she undertook as her "second" career, starting publishing programs to raise the level of professionalism in the industry. She created the innovative Publishing and Communications Institute at the University of Virginia, as well as the Summer Publishing Institute. In the early 1990's she realized the transformation that would occur in the field of electronic publishing and worked diligently to inform others before it occurred.

It has been said that Beverly could get anyone to do anything. With her tenacity and determination, she singlehandedly brought key note speakers to her University of Virginia and Library of Congress publishing conferences such as Tim Berners-Lee, credited with inventing the World Wide Web, Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon.com, and Jason Epstein, inventor of the trade paperback and "Espresso" print on demand book machine. In 1995, she founded the Electronic Publishing Institute with the Library of Congress and the University of Virginia.

At George Washington University, she created one of the country's first publishing programs to offer a Master's degree. In addition to developing curriculum, Beverly attracted a faculty of nationally-ranked professionals and developed cooperative programs with the World Bank, overseeing publishing seminars in Africa, Europe, and South America. Hundreds of students have graduated from programs founded by Beverly and have gone on to careers in publishing, equipped with knowledge of latest developments in publishing and grounded in the enduring fundamentals of the business. These students are Beverly's legacy.

Beverly, strong-willed with a zest for life, would not allow any health concerns to get in her way. She courageously conquered many serious health setbacks over the years, including successfully overcoming seven bouts with cancer.

She was an animal lover, who was said to take her dog to work with her at McGraw-Hill, and a horse woman who was an avid jumper and who later in life (after a fall while jumping) took pleasure in learning the art of dressage. She loved, and was deeply devoted, to her friendly appaloosa companion "Dapper Dan" and relished her time with him and her other friends at Wolf Trap Farm in Esmont, Virginia. When Beverly and Dapper Dan's ages together totaled 100 years, they qualified for membership in the Dressage Foundation's Century Club. They successfully completed their Centurion Class qualifying ride at a dressage show at Wolf Trap Farm in 2007.

Beverly is survived by her friends, colleagues, fellow animal lovers, neighbors at Lewis and Clark Square Condominiums in Charlottesville, Virginia; her brother-in-law, Weaver Lee of Temecula, California; her nephew, Mark Lee of Seattle, Washington, and his sons, Christopher and Jonathan.

In accordance with her wishes, Beverly's remains were scattered at Wolf Trap Farm, in Esmont, Virginia, where her beloved Dapper Dan still lives to this day. To honor Beverly, contributions can be made to the United States Equine Rescue League, P.O. Box 28378, Richmond VA, 23228.


This obituary was originally published in the Daily Progress.