RIP: To remember those lost to us, whether close or at large

[clean]

My friend Bob Barrett was killed by a student charged with drunk driving.  He was 68 and a huge Clemson fan. He had been attending the basketball game. 

https://www.postandcourier.com/greenville/news/pedestrian-killed-after-clemson-university-nit-game/article_b6aa2e40-c431-11ed-b1b4-e7503574ccc8.html

He had been a dean at SC State, and retired. He enjoyed all things Clemson and was enjoying his retirement. 

Quite a shock.

[ab_grp]

I'm so sorry for your loss, Clean.  Such a senseless and tragic way to lose a friend. 

[research_prof]

I'm so sorry for your loss, Clean.  Such a senseless and tragic way to lose a friend.

I am sorry for your loss.

From the article: "The student posted a $992 bail". I guess that's how much we value the loss of a human life today.

[apl68]

Yesterday a friend of our family died unexpectedly.  He was a couple of years younger than me (early 50s) and had not been in great health in recent years.  Last month he landed in the hospital with an assortment of problems that turned out largely to be complications from diabetes.  He was in the hospital for several weeks.  For a little while they weren't sure he would live.  Then he seemed to be doing better, and was sent to a rehab center to be begin regaining his strength.  But he got worse there instead of better.  He was awaiting a transfer back to the hospital when he died unexpectedly yesterday.

His mother, who is an old friend of my parents, had recently overcome a long struggle with cancer.  She was wearing herself out trying to be near him at the rehab center.  She's bearing up well.  She says that her son has been healed completely now and is with God.  We had been hoping and praying for a different kind of healing, but we're glad for what he and we have got.

[ab_grp]

I'm sorry to that your family has lost a young friend as well, apl68.  I'm sorry that he didn't recover, and I hope his mother has support and care. 

I saw that Lance Reddick passed away, also too young.  He was such a talented actor (The Wire, John Wick, ...) but also just seemed like a nice human being.  https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/17/us/lance-reddick-dead.html

[Wahoo Redux]

Sorry apl.  Peace be with you, your family, and your friends.

Tonight I found out that an old junior high / high school classmate passed away.  We were never great friends, he was a bit of an outcast, I haven't spoken to him in at least 35 years, but he was a nice guy.  I am strangely undone by news of his death.  I am not sure why.

Go on, Kevin.  I'm sure your journey on the other side will be blessed with the memories we send with you into the afterlife.

[EdnaMode]

Received word yesterday that a former colleague who had retired a couple of years ago, and was living his best life in retirement pursuing his hobbies of travel, photography, and spending time with his family, passed away suddenly. He went to sleep and didn't wake up. He was only 63.

[AmLitHist]

Our secretary's husband passed last week.  He'd battled diabetes and kidney disease for years, but seemed to be improving lately--they were working him up to going back on the transplant list.  I always figured I'd be a widow before her.  We're all kind of in a funk in the office this week. At least he's not suffering any more, and she can finally take a breath and start taking care of herself. That kind of caretaking is hard on everyone involved.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Harry Belafonte

https://www.npr.org/2023/04/25/516446742/harry-belafonte-dead

[Langue_doc]

Harry Belafonte

https://www.npr.org/2023/04/25/516446742/harry-belafonte-dead

Here is the NYT obit: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/25/arts/music/harry-belafonte-dead.html

BBC obit: https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-65390525

So much grace, class, and dignity, in addition to his singing talent!

[secundem_artem]

Barry Humphries - aka Dame Edna Everage, aka Sir Les Patterson.

Us possums are going to miss Dame Edna as she's gone to the great Moonee Ponds in the sky where's she now pushing up the gladiolas.

[Langue_doc]

Harry Belafonte: A Life in Photos

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/25/arts/harry-belafonte-a-life-in-photos.html

[Juvenal]

About the very first 45-rpm record I ever bought (and I never bought many, really) was "The Banana Boat Song."  Not all that many banana boats or bananas in Alberta in 1956.  But two years later I was in Florida and could see what a banana palm looked like.  I actually got to see the Caribbean, too.  I calmed down when I missed the tarantula experience. 

[fishbrains]

Jerry Springer at 79.

The show where I learned a shoe could be a serious weapon in a street fight.

[kaysixteen]

Springer was,  of course, a significant responsible actor for the ever increasing disintegration of standards on American TV.   Who exactly mourns this fellow?