University Times

R. Ann Cecil, an information technology staffer at the Katz Graduate School of Business, died Jan. 11, 2011. She was 70.

Cecil, a database administrator for the business school, launched her career before computer science became a well-defined field, starting out as a keypunch operator while a student at Rutgers. She graduated in 1962 with a degree in English literature, but furthered her interest in computers by earning a master’s degree in statistics at Syracuse.

She later worked in industry in process design, eventually landing in Pittsburgh in the 1980s. Cecil worked to automate manufacturing processes for business clients in sectors including food, pharmaceuticals and heavy industry. She was part of a team that developed the initial process control for the continuous caster at U.S. Steel’s Edgar Thomson Works, said son-in-law Kevin Riley, an adviser in Pitt’s College of Business Administration.

After a stint in an IT position at UPMC, she came to the Katz school in February 2008.

She was credited as a co-author on recent telemedicine research in long-distance retinal screening to prevent blindness in people with diabetes.

Diagnosed with advanced lung cancer in 2009, she received treatment but also chose not to let the disease dictate her life, choosing to continue doing the things she loved, Riley said.

Cecil continued to work, telecommuting when she didn’t have the strength to travel to her office and continuing up until the week before she died, said her daughter, Charlie Riley, assistant director of the TRIO program in Pitt’s School of Arts and Sciences student support services. “It’s what got her up in the morning.”

Cecil was well known in science fiction fan circles and was instrumental in the founding of PARSEC, the Pittsburgh science fiction club, said Kevin Riley, who first made her acquaintance through his involvement in a student science fiction club while studying at Pitt. Together with PARSEC, the Pitt club organized a science fiction conference that in 1988 spawned Pittsburgh’s annual Confluence conference.

Cecil kept up with professional literature and daily newspapers, drawing upon her attention to detail and analytical mind to work the Sunday New York Times crossword each week — in ink, her daughter noted.

Most of her reading was in science fiction, with author Philip K. Dick among her favorites, Kevin Riley said. “She was always interested in the technology and in the puzzle of how things work out and fit together,” he said, noting she was a fan of hard science fiction, which emphasizes technical detail, as well as the new wave movement, which focuses more on psychological and behavioral aspects.

Cecil’s personal collection of science fiction books was among the largest in the area, her daughter said. She had a habit of reviewing each book inside the front cover, rating them with stars. Word of her practice got out to authors, some of whom would try to catch a glimpse of her critique when she sought their autographs.

“She would try to hand it open to a page where they wouldn’t be able to see that,” Charlie Riley said. “But they knew.” Although she was a tough critic — “She blasted nearly everything” — authors thought well of Cecil even if they took issue with her critique. “They would argue like students arguing over a grade with their teacher,” she said.

Cecil did some writing of her own, but mostly put her energy toward encouraging others’ work. She helped staff the Alpha young writers workshop at Pitt-Greensburg, a summer program for teens that focuses on writing in science fiction and other fantasy genres.

Generous with her encouragement of fledgling writers, Cecil also was generous with her personal resources. She had a reputation for rescuing people in crisis, be it by offering space on her sofa or money to help people get back on their feet, her daughter said. “She loved to help people.”

In addition to her daughter and son-in-law, Cecil is survived by grandchildren Alexandra and Sam Riley; brother John Cecil; a niece and nephew, and a grandniece and grandnephew.

At Cecil’s request, there was no viewing or funeral service. Friends and family gathered Jan. 15 for a celebration of her life. A memorial is planned at the Confluence event in July.

—Kimberly K. Barlow