(CNN) Christopher Tolkien, the son of "The Lord of the Rings" author J.R.R. Tolkien, has died, the Tolkien Society announced Thursday. He was 95 years old.

Tolkien was his father's literary executor , editing much of the author's work published posthumously after his death in 1973, including "The Silmarillion."

But many fans will also be familiar with Tolkien's detailed maps of Middle-earth , the setting of "The Lord of the Rings" series, which readers have referenced over the years as they journeyed alongside the hobbit Frodo Baggins in his quest to destroy the One Ring.

"Christopher's commitment to his father's works have seen dozens of publications released, and his own work as an academic in Oxford demonstrates his ability and skill as a scholar," Tolkien Society Chair Shaun Gunner said in a statement. "We have lost a titan and he will be sorely missed."

Born in Leeds, England, on November 21, 1924, Christopher Tolkien grew up in Oxford. According to the Tolkien Society, he would go on to join the Royal Air Force during World War II and was stationed in South Africa.

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