Himes, Lesley (Eileen Mary Lesley Packard)

Person

Staff Only

Biographical Statement

Lesley Himes was a British journalist and the wife of author Chester Himes. Born Eileen Mary Lesley Packard, she wrote for the Herald Tribune and it was in that capacity that she first met Chester Himes in Paris in the late 1950s when she interviewed him. After Chester suffered a stroke in 1959, Lesley Himes left her job to care for him and the couple eventually married in 1978. They initially lived in Paris, but eventually moved to southern France and Spain, where they remained.

During her life with Chester Himes, Lesley served as his caretaker, informal editor, and confidante. Following his death in 1984, Lesley honored his request to "keep my books alive" and worked with literary agent Roslyn Targ to keep Chester's literary legacy alive through the continued translation and publication of his books. Lesley Himes passed away June 1, 2010.

Citation:

Author: Christopher Harter

Citation:

Lesley Himes obituary. The Guardian, 7 July 2010.

James Sallis. Chester Himes: A Life. New York: Walker and Company, 2000.

Found in 1 Collection or Record:

Lesley Himes papers

Collection

Identifier: 690

Scope and Contents The papers of Lesley Himes document her life with African American novelist and short story writer Chester Himes as expatriates living in Spain, as well as her life following his passing in 1984. The collection includes correspondence with biographers, writers, literary agents, fans of Chester Himes's work, film producers, family, and friends. Photographs of Chester and Lesley Himes, along with friends and associates, are present as loose photographs in two photograph albums. Additional...

Dates: translation missing: en.enumerations.date_label.created: 1934-2008; Other: Date acquired: 06/01/2001

Found in: Amistad Research Center