Death Claims Noted Author
"Tarzan" Novelist Victim of Illness
From ERB Passages: ERBzine 1195
Van Nuys News  Monday, March 20, 1950 Van Nuys, California

Author Edgar Rice Burroughs, 74, creator of the noted fictional figure Tarzan, which has brought him millions in publication and film rights, died yesterday morning at 8:55 a.m. in his Encino home at 5565 Zelzah Ave. 

Dr. Herman Seal, the personal physician who was present on a regular morning call at the time of Mr. Burroughs' passing, attributed his death to a heart condition and arteriosclerosis. He had been ill about three months, and for the last six weeks confined to bed and a wheel chair. 

Children At Side
Also at the bedside were his three children, Mrs. Joan Pierce and Hulbert Burroughs of Sherman Oaks, and John Coleman Burroughs of Tarzana, the Ventura Blvd community named after the family's former estate built in 1918 on a hill overlooking the Valley situated just south of the town which built up along the highway. Also named after the famous figure created by Burroughs is the town of Tarzan, Texas. 

"Tarzan of the Apes," was written and published in 1912, starting the road to success for the soon-to-be-famous author. Almost 40,000,000 Tarzan books have been sold, in addition to motion picture rights, cartoon strips, games, radio serials, a candy bar and toys, all adding to Mr. Burroughs' royalties.

He was living in Honolulu daring the Japanese attack on Dec. 7, 1941, and thereafter joined the Red Cross and subsequently followed action in the Pacific theater  as an accredited war correspondent. 

Hold Private Services
Headquarters of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. is located in Tarzana, under management of C. Ralph Rothmund in charge of the author's financial empire. 

Pierce Bros. Valley Mortuary is in charge of private funeral arrangements now being made, with cremation to follow. It was Mr. Burroughs' last wish that friends give to the Crippled Children's Fund rather than send flowers to his services.
See also The New York Times Obituary

I took a peek at your "Swag" site and I was really excited to find that my painting seems to go along with another one of your collectors series of water colors!   Feel free to share mine on the "Swag" site, as well.  Or.... at least, share it with the other collector.  I think my painting sort of ties the series/story together! Thanks so much and all my best!
Heidi Imbus ~ San Francisco

PAGE 2 of a letter from ERB in Hawaii to daughter Joan back in California
July 15, 1941

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2.
. . . been, to whom I really mean nothing. I suppose that had I been sick elsewhere, I would have found equally kind people; though it scarcely seems possible. None of these people are under any obligations to me; in fact, quite the reverse; yet there is nothing that they won't do for me. I wanted to tell you these things, so that you wouldn't be too sorry for me. I want you to be a little sorry, but not too sorry.

I have a good doctor, and I am getting better slowly. My hind legs don't track very well as yet, and my left hand doesn't know what my right hand is doing. In fact, God alone knows what it is going to do when I try to write longhand.  The doctor thinks that it is is the result of all the dope I took in the hospital and the enormous doses of sulphathiazole he had to give me. I am perfectly normal at the typewriter (hitting the usual proportion of wrong keys), and I drive my car the same as usual.

Wayne Pflueger has been a wonderful host. Anyone would think that I was doing him a favor by occupying his guest room and eating his food. I can tell you that when you are in trouble you learn who your friends are.

Well, I think that is about enough of Old Burroughs. Naturally I think a great deal about all of you. I am always wondering about Jim's flying. He must be a crack pilot. I imagine that he would like to fly bombers to England. God! What a thrill that would be. I was reading something the other day, and I can't recall where, about the relation between age and efficiency in pilots; and I thought of what you said about Jim's age being against him. But this article emphasized the fact that under certain conditions the older pilots were the better, and that a man could fly as well at sixty as at twenty if he still retained his health and his faculties.

I should certainly like to see some of you over here; but Hulbert shouldn't think of making the trip, as that would mean that there would be two of us to get home again instead of one, and the Lord knows that it is going to be quite a problem getting home.

Your home must be lovely, from what Ralph and Jack and Jane tell me. I am so glad that you have a real home at last; there are few things more satisfying. I am glad that it is not in the city. The Valley is a great place to bring up children. It is also a great place for antediluvian do-dos to live. I wonder if it has changed much in 14 1/2 months.

Thank you again for your sweet letter and for your very kind invitation. I needed a letter from home and yours came just in time; it was the only one I got.

Lots of love for each and every one. I am certainly blessed with the swellest children any man ever had.

Aloha nui nui!
Papa