Published: October 15, 2009 11:06 am      

Joyce Carol Oates comes to town

John Koplas was a teacher. He taught English for nearly 30 years at Lockport High School, before teaching literature courses at Niagara University and Niagara County Community College after retirement.

Although Koplas died last year, this won’t resemble an obituary. This is about how his love for the written word — and his name — will live on.

The John S. Koplas Memorial Lecture Series inaugural event will be held at the Palace Theatre this Friday, and it features a live appearance by Lockport’s homegrown literary superstar, Joyce Carol Oates.

Koplas was also a father and a husband. After his death, his family donated money in his name to the Lockport Public Library, according to library director Marie Bindeman. And then the donations started rolling in.

“We began to receive donations,” Bindeman said. “A lot of donations, many donations. We talked a lot about how we could designate those donations for a special project.”

Bindeman talked with the Koplas family, including John’s widowed wife, Dianne. It was decided that a memorial lecture series would be the best way to respect his memory.

“We both decided a memorial lecture series would be the best thing to do, because it reflected John so well,” Bindeman said.

“One weekend in February, we were in town,” Dianne Koplas said. “(We) sat with Marie (and decided) we would like to gear this series to connect with John in some way. And the easiest way to do that, in my mind, was to invite speakers who had influenced him.”

Joyce Carol Oates was the “obvious choice,” Koplas said, though her family doubted this new lecture series could pull such a big name so soon.

“The family thought I was off the wall, but John had a personal relationship with Joyce...he had corresponded with her,” she said. “There was a personal connection.”

Bindeman got in touch with Oates, who immediately responded.

As it turned out, Oates was going to be in the area, and discussions with her agent went well.

What Dianne considered “inconceivable to most people” became a reality.

“As I’ve been writing to friends, John would have been both shocked and very pleased,” she said. “He was a great fan of hers. I think what it did for me was to point out the fact of how important he was to so many people.”

As of this writing, tickets were still available for the free event, which will be held 7 p.m. Friday at the Palace Theatre. The event will feature a lecture, reading, commentary and Q&A session with Oates, who will also be doing a book signing — four of her books will be available for purchase at the event.

“We’re really excited about the event and we just hope the community enjoys it,” she said.