Eugene Victor Povirk

1948 - 2022

Eugene Victor Povirk

Conway, MA — Eugene Victor Povirk, 73, of Conway, MA, died unexpectedly on March 4 at Cooley Dickinson Hospital surrounded by his family and dear friends. He died having lived a life of good work and love.

Eugene was born in Boston on October 10, 1948, to Victor and Minnie (Rishen) Povirk. Born into an extended family of labor and social justice activists going back to his immigrant grandparents, he was the namesake of the great socialist and labor activist Eugene Victor Debs. He was educated in Boston public schools. Encouraged by his high school guidance counselor to apply to Harvard, he graduated from Harvard ('70) with an A.B. in Social Relations.

Eugene took time off from Harvard twice. During this time, he lived and worked in community with friends on Fort Hill in Roxbury. With the Vietnam War raging when he dropped out of college, Eugene became eligible for the draft and became involved with the Boston Draft Resistance Group. Even at a young age, he stood on principle. He did not believe that all wars were unjust, but he did believe that the Vietnam war was unjust. Willing to go to prison rather than fight in a war he deemed unjust, he refused induction and was indicted. His case was ultimately dismissed due to a technicality. He was always sympathetic to those who did serve.

Eugene worked as a house painter and in construction as part of a workers' collective. He finally returned to Harvard, a more mature student, and completed the work for the degree in 1976. While working in the collective, he became interested in the history of work. He received an M.A. in history from UMass/Boston in 1979 and was fortunate to have as his professors and advisors many young labor historians who taught there at the time.

In 1978, he met his love and soulmate, Marlene Znoy. They were married in 1980 and their daughter Johanna Povirk-Znoy, the joy of their lives, was born in 1984. Eugene was devoted to his family. He was unfailingly supportive of them and proud of how they lived their lives and of their accomplishments. Johanna's love of art and literature more than likely derived from the books and comics and stories Eugene plied her with as she was growing up. Through 44 years, he shared a life of ideas and adventures, joys and sorrows with Marlene, and always, always made her laugh.

Since his teen years, Eugene made regular visits to bookstores, new and used. On the advice of a friend who owned a used bookstore, he started his own used book business specializing in labor and social reform. By 1980, he was issuing catalogs of books and ephemera as Southpaw Books. In 1988, the family moved from Fort Hill to Conway, MA. In 1990, he started the Whately Antiquarian Book Center with Tom Labelle and went on to operate it with Barbara Smith beginning in 1992 until its closure in 2017. It was the hub of the antiquarian book trade in the valley for several decades, still missed by many. Eugene exhibited at many book fairs and was well-known throughout the antiquarian book world.

The word that comes up most often when family, friends, and colleagues describe Eugene is generosity. He had a generosity of spirit that led him to share ideas, stories, music, humor, and food. If you or your child expressed interest in a particular subject, you could expect a book or music to come your way. Family and friends remember his cooking. He loved taking great care in planning, making, and sharing a meal. Always opinionated and candid, he enjoyed a good exchange of ideas, often punctuated by his wry humor. He brought this spirit of generosity to the book community, sharing his knowledge, connecting both book dealers and customers with materials, mentoring younger booksellers and encouraging them along their way. He was a wonderful storyteller. As one friend noted, it was your job to watch the clock.

In 2012 Eugene was diagnosed with osteosarcoma. He was unfailingly and uniquely hopeful and optimistic but also realistic. Friends marveled at his even temperament throughout numerous medical challenges. In the end, his cancer was under control but an infection took him quickly.

His parents and his twin sister Florrie predeceased him. Besides his beloved Marlene and Johanna, he leaves behind his cousins Joan Garfield, Anne Roland (Morris Bennett), Jane Roland (Garry Ward), Carl (Pat) Sherman, Paul (Marsha) Sherman, Cindy Rosenthal (Art Read), Diane (Bruce) Bachen, Suzanne van Summern, Michele van Summern (Mark McCracken), and Maggie Smith; his in-laws JoAnn Znoy and Dory and Tom Hughes; his nephew Tommy (Amy) Hughes. Eugene was loved by his childhood friends who, sixty-five years later, were still sharing ideas, books, music, and love of life: Ed Braverman (Jude Goldman), Paul Rajcok (Judy Housman), and Gerry Fisher (Anna Rae Fishman). He also leaves many other friends from his adventurous youth, from western Mass, and from his cherished book community.

Marlene and Johanna would like to thank our extended family, dear friends, and the book community for their love and support for Euge over the years and for us during this difficult time. We would also like to thank Eugene's care team at Mass General, especially Dr. Kevin Raskin, Dr. Greg Cote, and NP Anne Fiore for their care and kindness these last ten years.

A celebration of Eugene's life will be held on June 18 at 2 p.m. at the Unitarian Society of Northampton and Florence, 220 Main St., Northampton.

In lieu of flowers, gifts in memory of Eugene Povirk can be made to the Robert S. Cox Special Collections Fund at UMass/Amherst (online at https://minutefund.umass.edu/project/21503) or to Mass General Hospital in support of Osteosarcoma Care and Research (online at https://giving.massgeneral.org/donate/), or checks, payable to Mass General Hospital, can be mailed to the Mass General Development Office, Attn: Keith Erickson, 125 Nashua Street, Suite 540, Boston, MA 02114. Please include "In honor of Eugene Povirk" on the memo line.