Former Bantam senior editor Tom Dupree died on February 7 of cardio-respiratory arrest at his home in New York City. He was 72.
A senior editor at Bantam during much of the 1990s, Dupree began working at the publisher in 1989 writing cover copy, eventually working his way into the editorial department. There, he edited general nonfiction and memoirs. He was also a Star Wars and science fiction editor and worked on manuscripts from Louis L'Amour and Tom Robbins. After leaving in 1997, he became executive editor at HarperCollins.
Dupree was born in Virginia on November 27, 1949. In his twenties, he left behind a job as an advertising copywriter to pursue a career in New York book publishing. A pop culture enthusiast who was an avid audience member for Manhattan theater and film arts groups, he also wrote liner notes for Southern rock albums and respected music reviews for Rolling Stone, Creem, and Playboy.
He is survived by family members and Linda, his wife of three decades.