Austin Olney

MARLBOROUGH, N.H. — Austin Olney, 85, longtime book editor at Houghton Mifflin Company in Boston, died on Thursday, Feb. 28, 2008 at his home in Marlborough, N.H. He had endured the effects of Alzheimer's Disease for many years.

Described by the Boston Globe on his retirement from the company in 1988 as "something of an institution in Boston publishing," Mr. Olney spent 42 years at the Boston publishing house. Arriving for his interview in his naval uniform in 1946, he was given two manuscripts to test his editorial skills — one was "Mr. Roberts" and the other "Raintree County." Both went on to become major commercial successes. Fortunately he voted to publish both.

Starting out as an editorial trainee, Mr. Olney served in many positions in the Trade Division at Houghton Mifflin including managing editor, manager of the Children's Book Department, director of Sales and Promotion, editor-in-chief and director of the Trade Division becoming senior vice president and director of the Trade and Reference Divisions in 1986. He joined the Board of Directors from 1965 until his retirement in 1988. During his long career as an editor he worked closely with authors Isaac Asimov, Louis Auchincloss, Howard Fast, John Kenneth Galbraith, Roger Tory Peterson, John D. Spooner, J. R. R. Tolkien, and children's book authors Virginia Burton, Scott O'Dell and Margret and H. A. Rey, as well as countless others.

In a Houghton Mifflin testimonial to Mr. Olney at the time of his retirement from the company, he received a commendation for mastering the art of "publishing good books and spreading his mastery generously among writers, readers, marketing personnel and editors...his eloquence of pen and voice, his wit and reason over the years commanded the respect of all."

Mr. Olney lived for many years in Manchester-by-the-Sea with his first wife, Annette Olney, where they raised their family and he commuted by train to his Boston office.

After his retirement Mr. Olney and his second wife, Marcia Legru, whom he married in 1981, moved to Marlborough, N.H. where they bought a property with expansive views and large hayfields belonging to one of his authors, Guy Murchie. It was well suited to Mr. Olney who was a lover of the outdoors with a wide knowledge of the natural world which he imparted enthusiastically to those around him.

He was an avid amateur flutist and a lover of classical music and served as president of Monadnock Music in the early 1990s. He was known for his often dazzling verbal skills — frequently quoting from his encyclopedic memory of folktales and poetry — and his flair for the dramatic which captivated his family, friends, authors and colleagues.

Austin Olney was born in Boston in 1922. He graduated from Milton Academy in 1940 and Harvard College in 1944. He served in the U. S. Navy during World War II, completing his service as a Lieutenant in 1946.

Mr. Olney is survived by his wife, Marcia Legru; a sister, Vrylena Symes of Mixbury, Northhants, England; his first wife, Annette Gignoux Olney; and five children, Christopher Olney of Wenham, Polly Glovsky of Kittery, Maine, Elise Dudley of Manchester, Sylvie Rice of Keene, N.H. and Claudia Olney of Chimacum, Wash.; as well as nine grandchildren, Anton Glovsky, Nadia Glovsky Borycenko, Anne Olney Bevan, Nicholas Olney, Jennifer Dudley, Liza Dudley, Anita Rice, Maggie Rice, and Anda Yoshina; and two great-grandchildren, Alden and Morgan Glovsky. Austin will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.

ARRANGEMENTS: A memorial service is planned for a later date. Any contributions, in lieu of flowers, can be sent to Home Healthcare, Hospice and Community Services, 312 Marlboro St., P.O. Box 564, Keene, NH 03431 or another charity.