Amy Krouse Rosenthal, Chicago’s Beloved Memoirist, Succumbs To Cancer at 51
Amy Krouse Rosenthal, a Chicago memoirist, children’s book author, and joyful prankster died early this morning from ovarian cancer, her agent has confirmed, just 10 days after her New York Times Modern Love essay “You Might Want to Marry My Husband” went viral.
The essay was structured as a dating profile for Jason, Rosenthal’s husband of 26 years. It told the story of their life together and listed Jason’s many fine qualities: handsome, artistic, an excellent father, a thoughtful spouse, thoroughly lovable. “I am wrapping this up on Valentine’s Day,” she wrote, “and the most genuine, non-vase-oriented gift I can hope for is that the right person reads this, finds Jason, and another love story begins.”
Rosenthal, who was 51, had previously discussed her cancer diagnosis. But until last month, had never revealed that she was in the terminal stages. The Monday after the column appeared, Rosenthal’s family released a statement that she was in hospice.
“All over the house, downstairs, upstairs and in the kitchen, Jason had hung music sheets with words to different love songs for Amy, with notes on each one,” her literary agent, Amy Rennert, told the Chicago Sun-Times.
The immediate outpouring has been sadness and dismay.
“My friend Amy Krouse Rosenthal has died,” the YA author John Green wrote at the start of a Twitter stream. “She found ways to be kind to readers, to give them surprises and joy. No one wrote like Amy. No one saw the world the way she did.”
My friend Amy Krouse Rosenthal has died. She was a brilliant writer, and an even better friend. Amy’s genius was in her generosity…
— John Green (@johngreen) March 13, 2017
…she found ways to be kind to readers, to give them surprises and joy. No one wrote like Amy. No one saw the world the way she did.
— John Green (@johngreen) March 13, 2017
Others who tweeted news of her demise, and their feelings for her included:
A friend, a collaborator, a hard worker and a force of nature. So many will miss her. https://t.co/WryA9lbKy7
— Zulkey (@Zulkey) March 13, 2017
Love and goodbye to Amy Krouse Rosenthal from your beloved Chicago
— Ron Mills (@maelstream) March 13, 2017
And Bianca Jagger.
Dear #AmyKrouseRosenthal I pray you will have “more” life to live with Jason RT You May Want to Marry My Husband https://t.co/QrhBzRaR39
— Bianca Jagger (@BiancaJagger) March 4, 2017
Aimee Levitt reports regularly on Chicagoland for the Forward. Contact her at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @aimeelevitt
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning journalism this Passover.
In this age of misinformation, our work is needed like never before. We report on the news that matters most to American Jews, driven by truth, not ideology.
At a time when newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall. That means for the first time in our 126-year history, Forward journalism is free to everyone, everywhere. With an ongoing war, rising antisemitism, and a flood of disinformation that may affect the upcoming election, we believe that free and open access to Jewish journalism is imperative.
Readers like you make it all possible. Right now, we’re in the middle of our Passover Pledge Drive and we need 500 people to step up and make a gift to sustain our trustworthy, independent journalism.
Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
Our Goal: 500 gifts during our Passover Pledge Drive!