NINA CASSIAN

CASSIAN--Nina, of New York City, died at age 89 on April 14, 2014. A central figure in Romanian arts and literature, Nina was a poet, translator, critic, children's book author, visual artist, and composer. She published more than 50 books in Romania; several collections of her poems, translated from Romanian or written originally in English, have appeared here including "Life Sentence" and her last "Continuum." A refugee from the Ceausescu regime, Nina took up residence in New York in the 1980s and later became an American citizen. Her poems have been published in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, and many other magazines. A compelling reader of her own work, she appeared at numerous poetry venues across Europe and the United States. She continued to be celebrated in her homeland, where her multi-volume autobiography was published in the early 2000s. Nina's brilliant mind, razor wit, and great personal charm will be missed by all who knew her. She is survived by her husband, Maurice Edwards. A funeral service will be held at Riverside Memorial Chapel, 180 West 76th St., on Tuesday, April 22 at 4pm.