I just found out about this while visiting Facebook after a busy morning/early afternoon.
All I could think of was
DAMN!! 
I have the reinvigorating of my interest in reading to owe to Anne McCaffrey and the Pern books - I was loosing interest and had yet to discover Heinlein, Feist etc in '81 - and have enjoyed her books since.
Farewell Dragonlady, till we meet again in the place where no shadows fall.