Monthly Archives: February 2025

Farewells of 2024, Part 6, The Star Trek Family

Posted on February 16, 2025 | Leave a comment

And last but certainly not least, we say farewell to all of the veterans of Star Trek. Of course, many of these performers worked on many projects outside of the Star Trek Universe, (Hello-Teri Garr!) but I always honor them for the little piece of the future they blessed us Trekkies with through the years. Godspeed old friends, and blessings as you travel the great beyond.

The Star Trek Family

  1. Gary Graham, 73, Actor, Musician,Tanis onStar Trek Voyager, Ambassador Soval Star Trek: Enterprise, and Star Trek Axanar. Detective Matthew Sikes on Alien Nation, Ragnar in Star Trek: Of Gods and Men, and also in Star Trek: Renegades.
  2. Peter Crombie, 71, Fallit Kott on Star Trek DS9, Seinfeld. Brief Illness
  3. Obi Ndefo 51, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Drex on Star Trek: Deep Space 9, Protector on Star Trek Voyager, Dawson’s Creek, Stargate: SG1, Orthoexia Nervosa
  4. Kenneth Mitchell, 47, Kol/Kol-Sha, Tenavik, and Aurellio on Star Trek: Discovery, Black Ops Officer 2 / Romulan Guard 1/ Tweerk Captain on Star Trek: Lower Decks. Complications from ALS
  5. Tony Todd, 69, Kurn in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Adult Jake Sisko and ‘Prey’ in Star Trek: Deep Space 9. Stomach cancer.
  6. Jill Jacobson 70, Vanessa in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Chalan Aroya in Star Trek Deep Space Nine, Esophageal cancer
  7. Alan Scarfe 77 Tokath on Star Trek: The Next Generation,
  8. Erich Anderson 67 Commander Kieran on Star Trek: The Next Generation, Melrose Place, Felicity.  Cancer
  9. Whitney Rydbeck 79, Ensign Alans on Star Trek: The Next Generation, M*A*S*H, Rocky II, Scrubs, Friday the 13th Pt, IV.  Prostate Cancer
  10. Mickey Cottrell 79 Arlik in Star Trek: The Next Generation, My Own Private Idaho, Ed Wood.  Parkinsons
  11. Teri Garr, 79, Roberta Lincoln on Star Trek, The Sonny and Cher Show, Young Frankenstein, Tootsie, Oh God, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Advocate for MS. Multiple Sclerosis
  12.  James B. Sikking, 90, Dementia
  13. Patti Yasitake, 70, Nurse Alyssa Ogawa on Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek Generations, Star Trek: First Contact. T-Cell Lymphoma
  14.  Charles Dierkomp, 87, Morla on Star Trek, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Batman, Mission Impossible, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Sting, Maverick, Heart attack and Pneumonia
  15.  Michael Barrier, 90, Actor and US Coast Guard Lieutenant Commander. Lieutenant LaSalle on Star Trek, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Mission Impossible, Angel in my Pocket. (undisclosed)

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Farewells of 2024 Part 5, Actresses and Entertainers

Posted on February 14, 2025 | Leave a comment

Sadly we lost many favorite actresses and outstanding performers in 2024, but we are blessed with the joys they left behind. Several of my favorites were Glynis Johns from Mary Poppins and The Court Jester,Mitzi Gaynor, a dynamite Singer, Dancer, and Actress from South Pacific, The wonderful and ethereal Shelly Duval, Dame Maggie Smith (who was so much more than Professor McGonnagal ) and Olivia Hussey, who passed in late December. She’ll always be Juliet to me!

Rest in Radiance, lovely angels!

Tomorrow, the final installment: The Star Trek Family

ACTRESSES and PERFORMERS

  1. Anouk Aimee, 92, Beloved French Actress, 8 ½,A Man and a Woman, La Dolce Vita, (undisclosed)
  2. Dame Maggie Smith, 89, Oscar Winning Actress, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, Travels with my Aunt, Harry Potter series, Downton Abbey. Grave’s Disease.
  3. Pat Colbert, 77, Dallas, Bensen, The Fall Guy. Several strokes.
  4. Linda Lavin, 87, Barney Miller, Alice. Broadway shows. Lung Cancer.
  5. Mitzi Gaynor, 92, Singer, Dancer, Actress, There’s No Business Like Show Business, South Pacific, Les Girls, Natural causes.
  6. Sarah Rice 68 The first Johanna of Sweeney Todd, The Fantastiks, A Little Night Music. Cancer.
  7. Jackie Loughrey 93, The First Miss USA 1952, Abbot and Costello Go to Mars, Escape from Burma, Burke’s Law, Six Characters in Search of an Author. (undisclosed)
  8. Esta Terblanch 51, All My Children. Brain Hemorrhage from blunt force fall.
  9. Katherine Grant Crosby, 90, Actress, Singer, Registered Nurse. The Seven Voyages of Sinbad, Anatomy of a Murder. Natural causes.
  10. Peggy Moffitt, 86, Iconic Model and Actress Basic Black. Dementia.
  11.  Barbara Rush, 97, Peyton Place, All My Children, The Young Philadelphians, The Young Lions.  Dementia.
  12. Franca Bettoia 88, The Last Man on Earth, The Seventh Floor. Pneumonia
  13. Janice Paige, 101, Actress and Singer, Romance on the High Seas, Please Don’t Eat the Daisies, General Hospital, Capital, Santa Barbara. Natural causes.
  14. Erica Ash, 46, Mad TV, Survivor’s Remorse. Breast Cancer.
  15. Judith Jameson, 81, Dancer and Choreographer with The Alvin American Dance Theater.  Brief Illness.
  16. Cat Glover, 60, Dancer with Prince. Congestive Heart Failure and COPD.
  17. Chita Rivera 91, Broadway LEGEND. Bye Bye Birdie (Original Rosie), West Side Story (Original Anita) Kiss of the Spider Woman. Short Illness.
  18. Nerene Virgin, 77, Canadian Actress, Today’s Special, (undisclosed)
  19. Pat Heywood, 92, Romeo and Juliet (as Nurse), Goodbye Mr. Chips, Young Winston. Natural causes. 
  20. Olivia Hussey, 75, Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Mary in Jesus of Nazareth
  21. Joyce Randolph, 99, Trixie on The Honeymooners (Natural causes)
  22. Glynis Johns, 100, The Court Jester, Mary Poppins, Papa’s Delicate Condition, The Sundowners. (Natural Causes)
  23. Connie Chiume, 72, South African Actress and Filmmaker. Black Panther, Black is King,(undisclosed)
  24. Silvia Pinal 93 Viridiana, Simón del Desierto, Shark!, Guns for San Sebastian. (UTI)
  25. Shelly Duval, 75, Faerie Tale Theatre, The Shining, Popeye. Diabetes
  26. Lynn Marta, 78, Days of Our Lives, Love, American Style, Footloose. Cancer.
  27. Pamela Salem 80, Never Say Never Again, Gods and Monsters
  28. Tisa Farrow, 72, Actress, Sister of Mia, Zombi, Manhattan Cardiopulmonary disease
  29. Barbara Fuller 101 One Mans Family
  30. Roxanne Rosedale 95 Beat the Clock, The Seven Year Itch
  31. Amanda Davies 42 OLTL
  32. Gena Rowlands, 94, Gloria, A Woman Under the Influence
  33. Shannon Doherty,
  34. Toian Matchinga 82
  35. Cecilia-Gentili 52, Pose, Actress and Activist
  36. Susan Buckner, 72, The Dean Martin Show, Grease, (undisclosed)
  37. Yvonne Furneaux
  38. Anne Whitfield 85 White Christmas
  39. Helen Gallagher, 98, Two-Time Tony Winner, Broadway star, High Button Shoes, No, No, Nanette, Ryan’s Hope, (Natural causes)
  40. Betty Bridges, 88, Model, Actress,
  41. Elizabeth Macrae, 88, Gomer Pyle, The Conversation, General Hospital
  42. Jean Allison 94, Edge of Fury, The Devil’s Partner, Bad Company. (undisclosed)
  43. Barbara Leigh-Hunt, 88, Frenzy, Pride and Prejudice (1995) (undisclosed)
  44. Carla Balenda, 98, Sealed Cargo, Hey Mulligan! Prince of Pirates. undisclosed)
  45. Cheng-Pei-Pei, 78, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, (rare brain disease)
  46. Dayle Haddon, 75, The Worlds Greatest Athlete,
  47. June Walker-Rogers 97 Broadway Performer, playwright and Author, The Girls Against the Boys, Little Me. Natural causes.
  48. Rita McKenzie 76, Ethel Merman’s Broadway, Ruthless-The Musical. Long Illness.
  49. Mimi Hines, 91, Singer, Comedienne, Funny Girl, The Ed Sullivan Show, Frasier, Natural causes.
  50. Ana Ofelia Muguria,90, Life Sentence, Queen of the Night, Coco (as Mama Coco) (undisclosed).
  51. Gloria Stroock, 99, Day of the Locust, The Competition, McMillan and Wife. Natural causes.
  52. Joan Benedict 96, General Hospital, Candid Camera. Natural causes.
  53. Cindy Morgan 69, Caddyshack, Tron, Falcon Crest, CHiPs, Natural Causes
  54. Diane Ford 68 Comedy star. Evening at the Improv, One Night Stand, Cancer.
  55. Betty Ann Rees, 81 Unholy Rollers, Sugarhill, Mannix. Stroke and several falls.
  56. Lynda Gravatt 77 Broadway Actor,  The Architect, I Hate Valentines Day, Undisclosed
  57. Diane Delano, 67, Days of Our Lives,  Northern Exposure, Popular. Cancer.

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Farewells of 2024 Part 4 – Actors and Entertainers

Posted on February 13, 2025 | 3 comments

A day late but no less sincere as I didn’t finish this one yesterday. First I misplaced a few actors, (!) then a couple got numbered twice, and there’s a whole rigamarole you have to go through — new layers, new lines, new numbers and so forth. ANYWAY — Here are the many wonderful Actors and Entertainers we last in 2024. And, as I encourage you whenever you read these posts, look up the ones you’ve never heard of, you may find a new favorite! Too many, too soon but thanks for the memories. 🙂

Next time: Actresses and Entertainers

Actors and Entertainers

  1. Dabney Coleman, 92 Tootsie, Nine to Five, Never Forget, Dysphagia and heart failure.
  2. Donald Sutherland, 88, M*A*S*H, The Dirty Dozen, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Animal House, The Hunger Games,COPD
  3. Ron Ely, 86, Tarzan. Doc Savage. End Stage Heart disease
  4. Alain Delon, 88, French Legend. Purple Noon, Samurai. B Cell Lymphoma, Cardiac arrest.
  5. James Earl Jones, 88, The Great White Hope, The Lion King, Field of Dreams Complications of diabetes.
  6. Steve Lawrence, 88, Singer, Actor with beloved wife Eydie Gorme. Carol for another Christmas. The Carol Burnett Show, Alzheimer’s
  7. Richard Simmons,76, Fitness Guru, General Hospital, Heart attack
  8. Lou Gossett Jr., 87, An Officer and a Gentleman, Roots, COPD
  9. Bob Newhart, 94, Brilliant, subtle comedian, The Bob Newhart Show, Newhart, Elf. Natural causes.
  10. Earl Holliman, 96, Forbidden Planet, Twilight Zone, Police Woman. (undisclosed)
  11. Chris Gauthier 48, Smallville, Eureka, Once Upon a Time. Short illness.  
  12. Scott L Schwartz 65, Oceans 11,
  13. Mark Withers, 70, Dynasty, Kaz, Pancreatic cancer.
  14. Michael Newman, 67 Actor, Real life Fireman and Lifeguard, Baywatch, Parkinsons Disease
  15. Martin Mull 80, Actor and Comedian, Mary Hartman Mary Hartman, Fernwood Tonight, Roseanne, Long illness.
  16. Terry Carter 95, McCloud Battlestar Galactica (undisclosed)
  17. Tony Mondente,88, West Side Story, Family Ties. Short illness.  
  18. Bobby Bana, 90, West Side Story, Mary Poppins. Pneumonia.
  19. Carl Weathers, 76, Football player, Actor, Rocky, Predator, Cardiovascular disease
  20. Perry Kurtz 73, Comedian, killed by hit and run driver.
  21. Hiram Kasten, 71, Comedian-Actor, Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Long term illness.
  22. Richard Lewis, 77, Comedian, Actor Men in Tights, Anything But Love, Curb Your Enthusiasm. Parkinson’s,Heart attack
  23. Thom Chistopher, 84, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, One Life to Live, (undisclosed)
  24. David Emge, 77, Dawn of the Dead, Hellmaster, (undisclosed)
  25. Chance Perdomo, 27, Gen V, After Ever Happy, Motorcycle Accident.
  26. John Aprea, 83, Godfather II, Matt Houston, Another World, Full House. Natural causes.
  27. Christian Oliver, 51, The Good German, Speed Racer, I Am Fear, Plane crash.
  28. Alec Musser, 50, All My Children, Desperate Housewives, Suicide
  29.       (The Amazing) Kreskin, (George Joseph Kresge Jr.), 89, Clinical Psychologist, Mentalist, The Mike Douglas Show, The Merv Griffin Show, The Tonight Show, The Amazing World of Kreskin. Dementia.
  30.   Peter Marshall, 98, Actor, TV host, The Hollywood Squares, Annie, Kidney Failure
  31. Chuck Woolery, 86. Host, Wheel of Fortune, The Love Connection, (undisclosed)
  32. Michael Culver, 85, All-AroundBritish Actor,in over 300 Stage, Radio, TV and Motion Pictures, as well as voice work.  The Empire Strikes Back, A Passage to India, (undisclosed)
  33. Angus MacInnes 77, Canadian Actor, Star Wars,Half Moon Street, Witness,(undisclosed)
  34. Harry Johnson, 81, Battle Star Galactica, Law and Order Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Long illness.
  35. Spencer Milligan 86, Land of the Lost. The Bionic Woman, General Hospital (undisclosed)
  36. Timothy West, 90, English Actor of Stage Film, and TV, Royal Shakespeare Company, Edward VI, Day of the Jackal, Cry Freedom Coronation Street, East Enders.  Complications from a fall.
  37. John Amos, 84. Beloved American Actor, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Good Times, The World’s Greatest Athlete. Congestive Heart Failure.
  38. Mark Damon, 91, Actor and Producer, The Longest Day, House of Usher,Black Sabbath. Natural causes.
  39. John Lassell 95, The Twilight Zone, As the World Turns. (undisclosed)
  40. M. Emmet-Walsh, 88, Movie, TV, and Voice Actor, The Sandy Duncan Show, Harry and the Hendersons, 100+ more. Cardiac arrest.
  41. Don Murray, 94, Bus Stop, A Hatful of Rain, The Outcasts, Knot’s Landing. (undisclosed)
  42. Frank Fritz 60,Free-Styling Antique Collector, American Pickers (a.k.a. The Pickers) Complications from Stroke
  43. Johnny Russel, 91, (John Russell Countryman) Child Actor, The Blue Bird, The Man I Married US Ambassador to Oman. Pneumonia
  44. Benji Gregory, 46, Alf, Punky Brewster, Never Forget.  Heatstroke.
  45. Taylor Wily, 56, Actor, Sumo Wrestler and UFC Competitor (known as Teila Tuli) Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Hawaii 5-0 Natural Causes.
  46. Eddie Driscoll 60 The Last Ship, Entourage. Stomach cancer
  47. Hinton Battle, 67, Three-Time Tony Winner, The Wiz, many more, Lengthy illness
  48. Niels Arestrup, 75. French Stage, Screen, TV Actor and DirectorLumiere, The Future is Woman,   Long Illness
  49. Ron Harpur, 91, Love of Life, The Planet of the Apes (tv) Land of the Lost, Capital. (undisclosed)
  50. Wayne Northrop 77, Days of Our Lives, Dynasty. Early-Onset Alzheimer’s  
  51. David Harris, 75, The Warriors, Fatal Beauty, Cancer.
  52. Chad McQueen, 63, Actor, Martial Artist, Race Car Driver, The Karate Kid I and II, Red Line. Son of Steve McQueen. Organ failure.
  53. Doug Sheehan, 75, General Hospital, Knots Landing, Sabrina The Teenaged Witch, (undisclosed)
  54. Nicholas Pryor, 89, General Hospital, Risky Business, Hunger Games, Cancer.
  55. Ken Page, 70, Actor and Cabaret Singer,Ain’t Misbehavin’. Torch Song Trilogy, Dreamgirls, Nightmare Before Christmas (as Oogie Boogie)(in his sleep)
  56. Jonathan Haze, (Jack Aaron Schachter), 95, Little Shop of Horrors, Not of this Earth. Natural causes.
  57. Geoffrey Duel, 81, Chisum, The FBI Mannix, The Mod Squad, The Young and the Restless. COPD
  58. Darryl Hickman, 92, Grapes of Wrath, The Strange Love of Martha Ivers, Island in the Sky, Tea and Sympathy, The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis (as Davey) Older brother of Dwayne Hickman. (undisclosed)
  59. Phil Donahue, 88, Talk Show Host, Donahue, husband of Marlo Thomas. Long illness.
  60. Bill Hayes, 98, Actor and Singer, Your Show of Shows,Days of Our Lives, Frasier (undisclosed)
  61. Michael Cole, 84, The Mod Squad, The Return of the Mod Squad, General Hospital. (undisclosed)
  62. Tom Bower, 86, The Waltons, Two-Minute Warning, Beverly Hills Cop II, True Believer,Clear and Present Danger, Natural causes.
  63. Ron Hale, 78, All the President’s Men, General Hospital, Port Charles, Ryan’s Hope, Natural causes.
  64. Drake Hogestyn, 70, Days of Our Lives. Pancreatic Cancer
  65. Adrian Bailey, 67 Broadway Veteran,Sophisticated Ladies, My One And Only, Legs Diamond, Black and Blue, Jelly’s Last Jam, The Who’s Tommy, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Smokey Joe’s Café, The Little Mermaid. In 2008, Bailey fell through a trap door 30 plus feet before a matinee of The Little Mermaid, breaking many bones. Eventually he was able to walk again, but his career was halted. He died from complications in 2024.  
  66. John Ashton, 76, Beverly Hills Cop, Midnight Run. Cancer
  67. Sam Art Williams, 78, Actor, Playwright, Producer, Cook and Peary: The Race to the Pole
  68. Paul D’Amato 76, Slap Shot, The Deer Hunter, Suspect, Heart Attack
  69. Paul Teal, 35, One Tree Hill, Dynasty, The Walking Dead Pancreatic cancer
  70. Ken Brophy, 70, Lucan, Hell Night.  Cancer.
  71. Robert Logan 82, 77 Sunset Strip, Daniel Boone, Adventures of The Wilderness Family. Natural Causes
  72. Tony LoBianco, 87, The French Connection, The Seven- Ups, Cancer.
  73. Fritz Wepper-82. German Actor, Derrick, Cabaret, The Bridge, Sepsis, followed by a long illness.
  74. Hudson Meek, 16, Baby Driver, Fall from moving vehicle
  75. Adan Canto, 42, Mexican Actor, X-Men:Days of Future Past. Blood &Oil, The Cleaning Lady.  Appendiceal cancer
  76. Gavin Creel 48 Broadway actor, Hair, Into the Woods, Cancer
  77. Art Evans, 82, Leadbelly, Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life is Calling, Everybody Hates Chris, Diabetes.

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Farewells of 2024 – Part 3: Musicians and Singers

Posted on February 11, 2025 | Leave a comment

You can see my other farewells for last year here.

This was was a bit tough. Think of all the music you hear in your life, and how much joy it’s brought to you. Losing these musical creatives brought about many memories. I’m sure you’ll recognize many of these talents, and be sure to discover those whom you’ve never heard of. After all, there are only so many songs and music we’ll never hear in our lifetimes, so each new song is a gift.

Rest in Harmony, old friends.

Tomorrow: Actors!

  1. Les McCann, 88, Jazz Singer and Soul Piano player, Compared to What?
  2. Judi Pulver, 77, Twice as Nice, Dancing on the Moon
  3. Melanie Safka,76, Brand New Key, Lay Down (Candles in the Wind)
  4. Sergio Mendes, 83, Leader of Brasil 66, Mas que Nada, The Look of Love, Long Covid
  5. Cissy Houston, 91, Soul and Gospel singer, Think it Over, I Just Wanna Be with You, Mother of Whitney. Alzheimer’s.
  6. Liam Payne, 31, One Direction What Makes You Beautiful, Perfect. Fall from Balcony.
  7. Rich Homie Quan, 34, Type of Way, Accidental overdose, including Fentanyl
  8. Richard Sherman, 95, Composer, Mary Poppins
  9. Byron Janis 95, American classical pianist, The Philadelphia Symphony
  10. Peter Schikele, 88, American composer, musical educator and parodist, D.Q. Bach.
  11. Nell Smith, 17, singer composer Flaming Lips, Red Right Hand, Girl in Amber, Car accident
  12. Francoise Hardy, 80, French Pop Singer Songwriter, Actress and Model. Tous les garçons et les filles, Viola MALT Lymphoma, Lung cancer.
  13. Henry Fambrough 85 Last surviving original member of The Spinners, (undisclosed)
  14. Gene Merlino, 95, KCBS Radio, Voice of Lancelot in Camelot Natural Causes
  15. Brother Marquis, 58, 2liveCrew, Heart attack
  16. Maurice Williams 86, The Zodiacs Stay, So Fine (undisclosed)
  17. Cynthia Strother, 88, The Singing Bell Sisters Those Redheads from Seattle, Heart Failure
  18. James Kottak, 61, Drummer for The Scorpions, Wild Horses, Warrant, and many more. Cardiac Arrest.
  19. Joe Bonsall ,76, Tenor Vocalist with Oak Ridge Boys,Out Goin’ Cattin ALS
  20. Abdul ‘Duke’ Fakir, 88, last surviving original member of The Four Tops Can’t Help Myself, Reach Out I’ll Be There, Cardiac Arrest.
  21. Screamin Scott Simon, 75, Sha Na Na Pianist, Goodnight, Sweetheart, I Wonder Why, Sinus Cancer.
  22. Roni Stoneman 85, First Lady of Banjo, Those Stonemans, Grand Ol Opry, Hee Haw (undisclosed)
  23. Anfela Bofill 70, Composer and Singer, This Time I’ll be Sweeter, Angel of the Night”, Stroke
  24. Quincy-Jones, 91, Legendary Music Composer and producer, It’s My Party, Super Bossa-Nova, Producer: We Are The World, Thriller, Film Scores: In the Heat of the Night, The Wiz, The Color Purple Pancreatic Cancer
  25. Shifty Shellshock 49, Seth Brooks Binzer Crazy Town, Butterfly, Accidental overdose of cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine
  26. Seiji Ozawa 88 Internationally renowned Japanese Conductor of the Chicago, Toronto, San Francisco, Boston Orchestras and more. Esophageal cancer and Heart failure.  
  27. Tito Jackson 70, Founding Member of the Jackson 5, I Want you Back, Get it, Baby, Heart Attack
  28. Marlena Shaw 81 Jazz Singer, California Soul, Woman of the Ghetto, (undisclosed)
  29. Charlie Colin, 58, Bassist for Train, Drops-of-Jupiter, Homeless Artist Advocate, Philanthropist, Fall in shower.
  30. Kinky Friedman 79, Country Singed, Lasso from El Paso, Mystery Author Armadillo and Old Lace Parkinson’s
  31. Peetah Morgan 46 Reggae Singer of the band Morgan Heritage. Down by the River (undisclosed)
  32. Margo Smith, 84, There, I’ve Said it, Baby My Baby, Still a Woman, Stroke Complications
  33. Fatman Scoop, 56, Be faithful. Stage collapse
  34. Kris Kristofferson, 88, Singer Songwriter, Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down, Actor, A Star is Born,(undisclosed)
  35. John Mayall, 90, Singer Songwriter, John Mayer and the Bluesbusters. ‘Godfather of British Blues” (undisclosed)
  36. Brit Turner, 57, Drummer, Raspberry Smoke. Glioblastoma brain cancer
  37. Wayne Kramer, MC5, Back in the USA, High Time, Pancreatic cancer
  38. Vic Flick, 87, Guitarist 007 Theme, studio guitarist for many bit artists. Alzheimer’s
  39. Duane-Eddy 86 Guitarist, Rebel Rouser, Peter Gunn, Because They’re Young.
  40. Jack Jones 86, Singer, Lollipops and Roses, Wives and Lovers, Love Boat Theme, Leukemia
  41. Chino XL 50 No Slow Rollin’, Rise /Jesus, March of the Imperial.
  42. Greg Kihn,75, Rock Guitarist, The Greg Kihn Band. Jeopardy, Rendezvous Alzheimer’s
  43. Mary Weiss, 75, The Shangri-Las, Remember (Walking in the Sand), Leader of the Pack, COPD
  44. Dave Loggins, 76, Please come to Boston, Second Cousin to Kenny Loggins (undisclosed)
  45. Eleanor Collins, 104, Canadas ‘First Lady Of Jazz’, Serenade in Rhythm, Natural causes.
  46. Mojo Nixon 66 Singer, Elvis is Everywhere Cardiac Arrest
  47. Betty Brodel, 104, Singer, Actress, Vaudevillian, Thank Your Lucky Stars, Natural causes.
  48. Frankie Beverly, 77, Singer, Maze, Before I let Go. Love is the Key (undisclosed)
  49. Juana-Bacallao 98, Beloved, Cuban Cabaret Singer, Pulmonary Thromboembolism
  50. Toby-Keith 62, Country Singer, Grateful Dead Blue Moon, Peso in my Pocket, Stomach Cancer
  51. Phil Lesh 84 Bassist, Co-Founder, The Grateful Dead. Truckin’ Uncle John’s Band. Cancers
  52. Tommy Cash 84, Country Artist, Brother of Johnny Cash, Six white Horses, Rise and Shine, One Song Away. Complications of Diabetes.

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Farewells of 2024, Part 2: Honoring Notable Creators and Newsmakers

Posted on February 10, 2025 | Leave a comment

Day Two of our farewells the notable persons of 2024. Today we celebrate the Creators who have enriched our lives with their craft, and the Newsmakers who both make the news and report it. So many we shouldn’t forget. If you’re unfamiliar with any of the people in these tributes, be sure to look them up, we learn so much from lives well lived. Rest in Love.

Tomorrow Musicians and Singers!

Newsmakers and Creators

  1. Jimmy Carter, 100, 39th US President, Humanitarian, The Carter Center. Natural Causes.
  2. Joe Leiberman, 82, Former US Senator, Complications from fall.
  3. Tep Vong, 93, Cambodian Buddhist Community Leader, Long Illness
  4. Peanut, 7, beloved Central Park Eastern Gray squirrel. Euthanized. 😦
  5. Falco, 13, beloved Central Park Eurasian Eagle Owl, escaped from park for a year, hit building in Upper West Side.
  6. William Anders, 90, Apollo 8 Astronaut, photographer of Earthrise. Plane Crash in his Beechcraft T-34 Mentor
  7. Alexei Navalny, 47, Russian Activist for Democracy. Murdered by Putin
  8. Ruth Ashten Taylor, 101, Groundbreaking female journalist and anchor. Natural Causes.
  9. Bob Edwards,76, beloved NPR anchor. Metastatic bladder cancer, heart failure.
  10. Ina Jaffe, 75, NPR journalist, Breast cancer
  11. Brian Mulroney, 84, Former Canadian Prime Minister, Declining health and fall.
  12. Ethel Kennedy, 96, Activist and Widow of Robert F. Kennedy Sr. Stroke.
  13. Lilly Ledbetter, 86, Activist for Equal Pay and Women’s Equality, Author. Respiratory Failure.
  14. Aziza Barnes, 32, Author, A Knight of Seven Snowfalls, Winter Snowfall. Suicide.
  15.  Warren Wilson, 90, Groundbreaking LA Broadcaster (undisclosed)
  16. Tom Watson, 55, The Daily Show writer
  17. Trevor Griffiths, 88, Dramatist, Occupations, Comedians Heart Failure.
  18. Robert Towne, 89, Director, Shampoo, Chinatown (undisclosed)
  19. Robert M. Young, 99, Independent Ground-breaking Director, Alambrista!, Triumph of the Spirit. (undisclosed)
  20. Barbara Taylor-Bradford, 91author, A Woman of Substance, Act of Will, Cancer.
  21. Tom Shales, 79, Television Critic, The Washington Post. Covid 19 and Kidney failure.
  22. Aaron Brown, 76, ABC World News Tonight, CNN Journalist. Pneumonia.
  23. Charles Osgood, 91, beloved journalist, news host. Author of 7 books. CBS News Sunday Morning. Dementia.
  24. Robert McNeil, 93, The McNeil-Lehrer Report, Natural causes.
  25. Dr. Ruth Westheimer, 96, Sex Therapist, Sexually Speaking, The Dr. Ruth Show. Natural causes.
  26. Wally ‘Famous’ Amos, 88, Cookie entrepreneur, Dementia
  27. Norman Jewison, 97, beloved producer, Moonstruck, You’ve Got Mail (undisclosed)
  28. Brian McConnachie, 81, Comedy writer and author, SNL, Caddyshack, Sleepless in Seattle.  Parkinson’s
  29. Christopher Durang, 75, Tony Winning playwright, Beyond Therapy, Sister Mary Ignatius… Logopenic progressive aphasia.
  30. Mark Dodson, 64, Voice artist, Return of the Jedi, Gremlins, Heart Attack in sleep
  31. Morgan Lofting 84, Voice artist, Spiderman,“Baroness” in G.I.Joe (undisclosed)
  32. Greg Finley, 76 Voice Artist, Robotech. Heart related causes.
  33. Janice Burgess, 72, Screenwriter, Producer, TV Director, Creator –The Backyardigans. Breast Cancer.
  34. Isabelle Thomas, 39, Documentarian, Dreambreaker: A Pickleball Story, Suicide
  35. Iris Apfel, 102, Model, textile and antique fabric expert, Fashionista, Author Accidental Icon (undisclosed)
  36. Akiro Toriama, 68, Dragon Ball Z Manga and Anime, Accute subdermal Hematoma
  37. Morgan Spurlock, 53, documentarian, Supersize Me, Cancer
  38. Marshall Brickman, 85, screenwriter Annie Hall, Candid Camera (undisclosed)
  39. Michael Mosely, 67, Health Journalist, Author of Deep Calm.. Collapse while hiking in Symi, Greece
  40. Roger Corman, 98, Director and ‘The King of Cult’ low budget movies. Little Shop of Horrors, Masque of the Red Death, The Raven, The Wild Angels (undisclosed)
  41. Eli Noyes, 81, Inspirational Stop Motion Animator, Liquid Television.  prostate cancer
  42. Mark Gustafason, 63, Stop Motion Artist, Pinocchio, Fantastic Mr. Fox. Heart attack.
  43. Christopner Ciccione, 63,Visual artist, interior designer, brother of Madonna.  Pancreatic cancer
  44. Eduardo Xol, 58, Home Designer, 58, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Stabbed.
  45. Tim Sullivan, 76, Sci-Fi Author, actor, screenwriter. V, Twilight of the Dogs, Vampyre Femmes. Congestive heart failure.
  46. Ken Melton, 69, Animation Sculptor, Aladdin, The Little Mermaid ,Paranorman. dementia
  47. Alice Munro, 92, Author, and Nobel Laureate, Dear Life, The Moons of Jupiter. Cancer, dementia
  48. Bob Weatherwax, 83, Son of Rudd, second generation Trainer of Lassie COPD.
  49. Greg Hildebrandt, 85 Lord of the Rings artist
  50. Hailey Merkt, 31, Contestant on The Bachelor.  Leukemia

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Farewells of 2024 – Part 1 Athletes

Posted on February 9, 2025 | Leave a comment

Hello Everyone!

So here’s the story. A little over two months ago I started to assemble my annual Memorial Collage, that is my yearly tribute to those notable people who passed in the last year. (you can see last year’s here). It can be quite a progress; listing all the names, ages and causes of death, finding a good picture of the person, deciding who gets more than one picture due to lifetime achievement, etc. Then there’s the matter of sorting them into groups, and outlining and numbering them in a key, and so forth.

WELL, this year after many hours of mind-boggling re-arranging, I looked at the final project and I realized that it was TOO DARN BIG to really appreciate each individual’s contribution to society. Not to mention it overwhelming in scope!! Over 300 names! The last thing I want to do is overtax one’s brain looking for their favorite celebrity or news-maker. So two weeks ago I started ALL OVER again. The best option was to divide all these people up into their own individual group collage. At least it was easier to create since the individual .png files had been cut out and labeled already!

So here, finally, is Part 1 in my series of 6 collages — Athletics! Appropriate for Super Bowl Sunday, no?

Now unlike most Americans, I am not into Football or most sports at all (save the occasional local baseball game or Battlebots!), but as every year, I enjoy learning about the people who passed, even if it’s sad to say goodbye. Bless them all.

Be sure to check back every day this week for a new category, and have a lovely day!

ATHLETES

  1. Pete Rose, 83, Cardiovascular disease and Diabetes
  2. Don Gullet, 73 Heart issues
  3. Rickey Henderson, 65, Pneumonia
  4. Rocky Colavito, 91, Type 2 Diabetes
  5. Carl Erskine, 97, Pneumonia
  6. Kelvin Kiptum, 24, World Record Holder, Car Accident
  7. Bobby Allison, 86, (undisclosed)
  8. Tamayo Perry, 49, Master of Surfing, Shark attack
  9. Jose DeLeon, 63, Cancer
  10. Mike Brumley, 61, Car Accident
  11. Willie Mays , 93,“The Say Hey Kid” 93, Heart Failure
  12. Sean Burroughs, 43, Fentanyl intoxication
  13. Orlando Cepeda, 86, (undisclosed)
  14. Rico Carty, 85, (undisclosed)
  15. Fernando Valenzuela, 63, Liver cancer
  16. Len Randle, 75, (undisclosed)
  17. Chi-Chi Rodriguez, 88, (undisclosed)
  18. Wally Dallenbach Sr. 87, (natural causes)
  19. Fred Lorenzen, 89, Dementia
  20. Greg Gumbel, 78, beloved Sportscaster
  21. Parnelli Jones, 90, Parkinsons.
  22. Jack Burke Jr., 100 (natural causes)
  23. Ozzie Virgil Sr. 92, Pancreatitis
  24. Bud Harrleson, 79, Alzheimer’s
  25. Jerry Grote, 81, heart procedure
  26. Ken Holtzman, 78, heart disease
  27. Dave McCoy 54, Heart Attack
  28. Luis Tiant, 83, (undisclosed)
  29. Hector Ortiz 54, pancreatic Cancer
  30. Sid Eudy, 63, Cancer (Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma)
  31. Peter Westerbrook, 72, Liver cancer
  32. Amil Abdir Rahim, 43, Mededical Procedure Complication.
  33. Darius Morris, 33, Heart failure
  34. Dikembe Motombo, 58, Brain Tumor
  35. Joe ‘Jellybean’ Bryant Sixers, and father of Kobe, Massive Stroke.
  36. Josh Maravich, 42, Son of Pete, Congestive Heart Failure
  37. Jerry West, 86 Laker Legend, Model for the NBA Logo
  38. Bob Love, 81, Cancer
  39. Al Attles, 87, After weeks in Hospice Care.
  40. Chet Walker, 84,  Long Term Illness
  41. Robert Reid 68. Cancer
  42. Holden Trent, 25,  Car accident
  43. Israel Vazquez, 46, Cancer
  44. Franz Beckenbauer, 78, Natural causes
  45. Tony Huston, 49, (undisclosed)
  46. Ronald Powell, 32, (undisclosed illness
  47. Bryce Stanfield, 21, Pulmonary embolism
  48. Khyree Jackson, 24, Car accident
  49. Andre Seldon Jr, 22, Drowned
  50. Jacoby Jones, 40, Cardiovascular disease
  51. Rich Caster, 75, Long illness
  52. Andy Russell, 82, Alzheimer’s disease
  53. Jack Squirek, 64, (undisclosed illness)
  54. Vontae Davis, 35, Injury from fall
  55. Eugene “Mercury” Morris, 77, (undisclosed).
  56. Bill Walton, 71, Cancer
  57. Chris Simon, 52, Suicide, CTE
  58. Stan Bowles 75, Alzheimer’s
  59. Marco Anguilo 22, Car Crash
  60. Duane Thomas 77, Pulmonary embolism
  61. Pat Fischer, 84, Dememtia
  62. Larry Allen, 52, (undisclosed)
  63. Frank Ryan, 87, Alzheimer’s
  64. Roman Gabriel, 83, Natural causes
  65. Jimmy Johnson 86, (undisclosed)
  66. Bill Bergey, 79, Cancer
  67. Billy Shaw, 85, Hyponatremia
  68. Terry Beasley, 73, Complications from old Concussions
  69. Norm Snead, 84 (undisclosed)
  70. Golden Richards, 73, Heart Failure
  71. Joe Schmidt 92, (undisclosed)
  72. Jim Otto, 86, Dementia
  73. Bill Hay, 88, (undisclosed)
  74. Matthew Gaudreau, 29, and brother
  75. Johnny (Mr. Hockey) Gaudreau 31, both killed by drunken driver while bicycle riding.

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