Interesting, overlooked, and significant obituaries from around the world, as they happen, emphasizing the positive achievements of those who have died. Member, Society of Professional Obituary Writers.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Liang Congjie
Environmental pioneer, historian and teacher -- via the New York Times. He founded China's first legally recognized environmental organization.
James Wall
Mr. Baxter on "Captain Kangaroo" -- via the New York Daily News. Though he will be best remembered for this role, he was an award-winning stage manager for CBS for decades as well. Here's the beginning of a multi-part interview with him:
Thursday, October 28, 2010
James MacArthur
Actor -- via the Hollywood Reporter. He worked extensively on stage, on radio, in TV and film; he will be indelibly identified with his role on "Hawaii Five-O" as Lt. Danny Williams, aka "Danno," as in the famous tag line, "Book 'em, Danno."
John Crawford aka Cleve Richardson
Film and television actor -- via the L.A. Times. This ubiquitous character actor can be seen in films such as "The Big Heat," "Exodus," "The Poseidon Adventure," "The Towering Inferno" and "Night Moves." His TV appearances include shows like "The Lone Ranger," "Hopalong Cassidy," "Commando Cody," "Wagon Train," "The Twilight Zone," "The Fugitive," "Star Trek," "Lost in Space," "Hogan's Heroes," "Gunsmoke," Mission: Impossible," "The Waltons," "Dynasty" -- it's a laundry list of TV history. What a life!
Richard T. Gill
An extraordinary person -- a Harvard economist and a Metropolitan Opera singer -- via the New York Times.
Walter Payton
Jazz bassist -- via the New Orleans Times-Picayune. He was a great part of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, and the New Orleans musical community.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Rudolph "Rudy" Rufer
Shortstop for the New York Giants and long-time baseball scout -- via Bill Schenley and groups.google.com/group/alt.obituaries.
Mbah Maridjan aka Mas Penewu Suraksohargo
The spiritual gatekeeper of Mount Merapi -- via the Jakarta Globe. He died in prayer, attempting to mediate the wrath of the Indonesian volcano.
S. Neil Fujita
Graphic designer par excellence -- via the New York Times. He created some of the most memorable designs of the 20th century, including the cover for Truman Capote's book "In Cold Blood" and Dave Brubeck's album "Take Five."
Fernando Ruelas
Co-founder of Duke's So. Cal, the oldest continuous lowrider car club -- via the L.A. Times.
Lloyd Gross
TV director who worked on news shows, live events and game shows -- via Legacy.com and the Stamford Advocate.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Bill Shannon
Official scorer for the Yankees and Mets -- via the Star-Ledger. He was a darn good writer as well, and a sign of the respect he commanded is evident in this piece in the Boston Globe.
Alvin Lawson
Literature professor who had a remarkable explanation for the phenomenon of "alien abduction" reports -- via the Telegraph.
Elijah "Lucky" Miller
Former Negro Leagues batboy and millworker -- via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Raymond deKozan
Inventor of the MetroCard, the swipe-to-pay public transportation payment system -- via Crain's New York. This technology replaced subway tokens in New York City in 2003. "He was also a longtime Yankees fan." Yes, my brother!
Who gets ink? Of Paul the Octopus
Over the past day, the three obituaries that have been posted most frequently on mainstream media are those of Joseph Stein, librettist of "Fiddler on the Roof," Alex Anderson, illustrator and creator of Rocky, Bullwinkle, et al; and Paul the World Cup-match-winning predicting octopus.
I reported Anderson's death on Saturday afternoon, Stein's Monday afternoon. In that time, I anthologized 16 obituaries of folks we felt fit my criteria of "significant and interesting," including those of a Sherpa killed in an avalanche, an educator who stood fast and fought racism even after someone burned her house down; a poet; and three exemplary yet little-known film industry figures. (OK, I threw in one facetious piece saluting the discontinued Sony Walkman.)
So who gets the ink? I issue two types of notice via Twitter when I update this blog -- a periodic summary roundup and an ALERT when I deem that readers would appreciate immediate notification. Did Stein and Anderson merit this approach?
Popular culture rewards those who reinforce it. I love Stein's work, I've performed it; Rocky and Bullwinkle, Boris and Natasha, Dudley Do-Right and Snidely Whiplash helped form the core of my childhood being. The mainstream's criteria rewards the "hook," or the piece that can extrapolate into something beyond just looking at a person's life.
(And no, I can't post Paul's demise. Animals, though cute and fascinating, won't make it into the Obit Patrol, save for tangenital references and/or cheap attempts to boost readership such as this. That's a slippery slope that leads to typing in memorials to Fluffy all day long.
That an octopus should seem to be able to predict World Cup scores is truly amazing, and if a clairvoyant cephalopod shows up again, I will do its bidding. But I won't mix species, for now.)
So, will this change my approach? I don't know. Currently on my plate, getting prepped for posting, are three extraordinary obituaries about three people you've never heard of. Ted Buss of the Wichita Falls TimesRecordNews writes about the tragic life of Bob Packard; Kevin Kirkland of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette profiles a late 104-year-old former Negro Leagues batboy; and Jeremy Smerd in Crain's New York pens a fond and informative tribute to the man who invented the Metrocard.
Pieces such as these are good writing, plain and simple. I encourage you to read them, as well as those of the higher-profile subjects. I hope that the inspiring hidden gems of lives I get to share here make it worth your visits to the blog.
I reported Anderson's death on Saturday afternoon, Stein's Monday afternoon. In that time, I anthologized 16 obituaries of folks we felt fit my criteria of "significant and interesting," including those of a Sherpa killed in an avalanche, an educator who stood fast and fought racism even after someone burned her house down; a poet; and three exemplary yet little-known film industry figures. (OK, I threw in one facetious piece saluting the discontinued Sony Walkman.)
So who gets the ink? I issue two types of notice via Twitter when I update this blog -- a periodic summary roundup and an ALERT when I deem that readers would appreciate immediate notification. Did Stein and Anderson merit this approach?
Popular culture rewards those who reinforce it. I love Stein's work, I've performed it; Rocky and Bullwinkle, Boris and Natasha, Dudley Do-Right and Snidely Whiplash helped form the core of my childhood being. The mainstream's criteria rewards the "hook," or the piece that can extrapolate into something beyond just looking at a person's life.
(And no, I can't post Paul's demise. Animals, though cute and fascinating, won't make it into the Obit Patrol, save for tangenital references and/or cheap attempts to boost readership such as this. That's a slippery slope that leads to typing in memorials to Fluffy all day long.
That an octopus should seem to be able to predict World Cup scores is truly amazing, and if a clairvoyant cephalopod shows up again, I will do its bidding. But I won't mix species, for now.)
So, will this change my approach? I don't know. Currently on my plate, getting prepped for posting, are three extraordinary obituaries about three people you've never heard of. Ted Buss of the Wichita Falls TimesRecordNews writes about the tragic life of Bob Packard; Kevin Kirkland of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette profiles a late 104-year-old former Negro Leagues batboy; and Jeremy Smerd in Crain's New York pens a fond and informative tribute to the man who invented the Metrocard.
Pieces such as these are good writing, plain and simple. I encourage you to read them, as well as those of the higher-profile subjects. I hope that the inspiring hidden gems of lives I get to share here make it worth your visits to the blog.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Ruth Harris
Woman of many talents -- via the Cincinnati Enquirer. She penned her own obituary, which is revealing, humorous and touching.
Joseph Stein
Writer and librettist, most notably for "Fiddler on the Roof," for which he won a Tony -- via Broadway.com. (P.S. -- Tevye was a milkman, not a baker.)
Sunday, October 24, 2010
the Sony Walkman
Portable cassette player -- via Conceivably Tech. After 31 years and 200 million units made, its manufacture has been discontinued.
John Graysmark
Oscar-nominated art director and production designer -- via Legacy.com. Gave a great look to many films, including "Young Winston," "Ragtime," "The Bounty," "Lifeforce" and "Gorillas in the Mist," to name a few.
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