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{{Short description|American writer}}
'''Irene Kampen''' (April 18, 1922 in [[Brooklyn]], [[New York (state)|New York]] – February 1, 1998 in [[Oceanside, California]]) was an [[United States|American]] newspaperwoman and writer who wrote several books about events in her life.
'''Irene Kampen''' (April 18, 1922, in [[Brooklyn]], [[New York (state)|New York]] – February 1, 1998, in [[Oceanside, California]]) was an American newspaperwoman and writer who wrote several books about events in her life.


==Biography==
Born in [[Brooklyn, New York]], and raised in [[Great Neck]], New York, she graduated from Great Neck High School. Kampen attended the [[University of Wisconsin–Madison]] before becoming a [[Copy boy|copy girl]] at the newspaper, ''[[New York Journal American]]'', and then went on to work at several weekly newspapers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.antonnews.com/levittowntribune/1998/02/20/obituaries/|title=Obituary - Irene Kampen|publisher=Levittown Tribune|date=February 20, 1998|accessdate=April 26, 2011|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110518150800/http://www.antonnews.com/levittowntribune/1998/02/20/obituaries/|archivedate=May 18, 2011}}</ref>
Born Irene Trepel in [[Brooklyn, New York]], and raised in [[Great Neck]], New York, she graduated from Great Neck High School. Kampen attended the [[University of Wisconsin–Madison]] before becoming a [[Copy boy|copy girl]] at the newspaper, ''[[New York Journal American]]'', in 1943. She soon married Owen Kampen, an active-duty [[World War II]] pilot with the [[United States Army Air Forces]].<ref name=LevitTribObit>{{cite web|url=http://www.antonnews.com/levittowntribune/1998/02/20/obituaries/|title=Obituary - Irene Kampen |newspaper=Levittown Tribune |date=February 20, 1998 |access-date=April 26, 2011|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110518150800/http://www.antonnews.com/levittowntribune/1998/02/20/obituaries/|archive-date=May 18, 2011}}</ref> She went on to work at several weekly newspapers, becoming a reporter for the ''Levittown Tribune'' when the family moved to [[Levittown, New York]], in 1948.<ref name=LevitTribObit/>


In 1954, Kampen moved to [[Ridgefield, Connecticut]], divorcing her husband after an eleven-year marriage. While working at her father's flower shop in New York City, she wrote fiction stories. She also frequently contributed to the local newspaper, ''[[The Ridgefield Press]]'', using the pseudonym, H. Loomis Fenstermacher.
In 1954, the Kampens moved to a new house in [[Ridgefield, Connecticut]], soon divorcing her husband after a fourteen-year marriage.<ref name=LevitTribObit/> While working at her father's flower shop in New York City, she wrote fiction stories. She also frequently contributed to the local newspaper, ''[[The Ridgefield Press]]'', using the pseudonym, H. Loomis Fenstermacher.


Kampen's first book, ''Life Without George'', was published by [[Doubleday (publisher)|Doubleday]] in 1961 and was about her divorce. The book became the basis for ''[[The Lucy Show]]'', a television series that ran from 1962 to 1968 and starred [[Lucille Ball]], who had also experienced divorce recently in her split with [[Desi Arnaz]].<ref name="NYT">{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/02/08/nyregion/irene-kampen-75-a-humorist-inspired-by-adversity-is-dead.html|title=Irene Kampen, 75, a Humorist Inspired by Adversity, Is Dead|date=February 8, 1998|accessdate=April 26, 2011|publisher=[[New York Times]]|author=Robert McG. Thomas Jr.}}</ref> Producers re-wrote Ball's character, Lucille Carmichael, as a widow, but the show portrayed [[Vivian Vance]]'s character, Vivian Bagley, as a divorcée.
Kampen's first book, ''Life Without George'', was published by [[Doubleday (publisher)|Doubleday]] in 1961 and was about her divorce. The book became the basis for ''[[The Lucy Show]]'', a television series that ran from 1962 to 1968 and starred [[Lucille Ball]], who had also experienced divorce, from [[Desi Arnaz]], just a few months before Kampen's book was published.<ref name="NYT">{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/02/08/nyregion/irene-kampen-75-a-humorist-inspired-by-adversity-is-dead.html |title=Irene Kampen, 75, a Humorist Inspired by Adversity, Is Dead |first=Robert McG. Jr. |last=Thomas Jr. |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=February 8, 1998 |access-date=April 26, 2011 |url-access=registration}}</ref> Producers re-wrote Ball's character, Lucille Carmichael, as a widow, but the show portrayed [[Vivian Vance]]'s character, Vivian Bagley, as a divorcée.


Kampen lived in Connecticut until 1988, when she moved to California. She died February 1, 1998, of breast cancer at the age of 75.
Kampen lived in Connecticut until 1988, when she moved to California. She died February 1, 1998, of breast cancer at the age of 75.


==Select bibliography==
Her books published include: ''[[Life Without George (book)|Life Without George]]'', ''[[Are You Carrying Any Gold Or Living Relatives?]]'', ''[[Due to Lack of Interest, Tomorrow Has Been Canceled]]'', ''[[Fear Without Childbirth]]'', ''[[Nobody Calls At This Hour Just To Say Hello]]'', ''[[Here Comes The Bride, There Goes Mother]]'', ''[[Europe Without George]]'', ''[[We That Are Left]]'', and ''[[Last Year At Sugarbush]]''.
{{Unreferenced section|date=September 2020}}
Kampen's published books include:
* ''Life Without George''
* ''[[Are You Carrying Any Gold Or Living Relatives?]]''
* ''[[Due to Lack of Interest, Tomorrow Has Been Canceled]]''
* ''Fear Without Childbirth''
* ''Nobody Calls At This Hour Just To Say Hello''
* ''Here Comes The Bride, There Goes Mother''
* ''Europe Without George''
* ''We That Are Left''
* ''Last Year At Sugarbush''


== References ==
== References ==
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[[Category:American memoirists]]
[[Category:1922 births]]
[[Category:1922 births]]
[[Category:1998 deaths]]
[[Category:1998 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Ridgefield, Connecticut]]
[[Category:20th-century American memoirists]]
[[Category:Writers from Ridgefield, Connecticut]]
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[[Category:20th-century American women writers]]

Latest revision as of 09:48, 30 January 2024

Irene Kampen (April 18, 1922, in Brooklyn, New York – February 1, 1998, in Oceanside, California) was an American newspaperwoman and writer who wrote several books about events in her life.

Biography

[edit]

Born Irene Trepel in Brooklyn, New York, and raised in Great Neck, New York, she graduated from Great Neck High School. Kampen attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison before becoming a copy girl at the newspaper, New York Journal American, in 1943. She soon married Owen Kampen, an active-duty World War II pilot with the United States Army Air Forces.[1] She went on to work at several weekly newspapers, becoming a reporter for the Levittown Tribune when the family moved to Levittown, New York, in 1948.[1]

In 1954, the Kampens moved to a new house in Ridgefield, Connecticut, soon divorcing her husband after a fourteen-year marriage.[1] While working at her father's flower shop in New York City, she wrote fiction stories. She also frequently contributed to the local newspaper, The Ridgefield Press, using the pseudonym, H. Loomis Fenstermacher.

Kampen's first book, Life Without George, was published by Doubleday in 1961 and was about her divorce. The book became the basis for The Lucy Show, a television series that ran from 1962 to 1968 and starred Lucille Ball, who had also experienced divorce, from Desi Arnaz, just a few months before Kampen's book was published.[2] Producers re-wrote Ball's character, Lucille Carmichael, as a widow, but the show portrayed Vivian Vance's character, Vivian Bagley, as a divorcée.

Kampen lived in Connecticut until 1988, when she moved to California. She died February 1, 1998, of breast cancer at the age of 75.

Select bibliography

[edit]

Kampen's published books include:

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "Obituary - Irene Kampen". Levittown Tribune. February 20, 1998. Archived from the original on May 18, 2011. Retrieved April 26, 2011.
  2. ^ Thomas Jr., Robert McG. Jr. (February 8, 1998). "Irene Kampen, 75, a Humorist Inspired by Adversity, Is Dead". The New York Times. Retrieved April 26, 2011.
[edit]
Library resources about
Irene Kampen
By Irene Kampen
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