Alice Conger

Alice Conger (b. Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin, 19 May 1908; d. Sauk City, Wisconsin, 6 November 1983)

A 1958 Bowling Team photo

Alice Josephine Conger was a school classmate of August Derleth. Both graduated from the Prairie du Sac High School in  June 1926. She went on to teach in nearby rural schools for about a decade. In 1936 she began doing research work for August Derleth, and this association continued until Derleth's death in 1971. It was evidently only part-time work, for her obituary notes that she also worked as a bookkeeper.

She typed many manuscripts for Derleth, and for Arkham House. In turn, when each new Arkham House book was published, as Derleth sent copies to authors to be signed and inscribed, he always requested one be inscribed to Alice Conger. Dozens of these have been sold at auction at premium prices. 

So far as I know, Conger never published anything, but her contribution to Arkham House was vital to its day-to-day operation.