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

[apl68]

Spoke to a neighbor and fellow church member today who lost his sister to COVID last week.  None of the family was able to be with her before she died.  And of course they can't hold a real funeral.  He's well and accepting. 

[wareagle]

We lost one of our long-time custodians to COVID last week.  Our first death in the campus family.  I never met him, but people have commented online about what a nice, unassuming guy he was, always quick with a story.  Sympathy to his family and those who loved him.

[clean]

Dawn Wells dies of Covid

https://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/news/dawn-wells-dies-of-covid-19-mary-ann-on-gilligans-island-was-82/ar-BB1cm21J?li=BBnb7Kz

[smallcleanrat]

Grad student in my cohort. Announcement to our department today. No details beyond vague allusion to medical complications. Haven't interacted much after first year courses and our class being scattered to different thesis labs. Did not know him well. Still feels like a punch in the gut. We're a pretty small cohort. Feeling so sorry for his family right now.

Don't know yet how the rest of the cohort is taking the news.

[mamselle]

My condolences. Even when you're not very close to someone, it's hard when you've known them at all.

M.

[apl68]

Found out only minutes ago that one of our long-time patrons has just died.  Not, so far as we know, from COVID.  He was a widower with long-term health problems whose time just seems to have come.  It's still sad for his family and others who knew him.

[Larimar]

Mary Oliver, nature poet extraordinaire, who passed away from lymphoma 2 years ago today.

[secundem_artem]

Legendary music producer Phil Spector - aged 81 from Covid 19.

Sylvain Sylvain guitarist for the proto-punk New York Dolls. 

[kaysixteen]

Remind us why the unrepentant murderer Spector ought to be given plaudits here....

[secundem_artem]

Remind us why the unrepentant murderer Spector ought to be given plaudits here....

The man changed the face of music in the 50's and 60's.  Not a nice guy, probably an abusive narcissist.  But I try to see people as broadly as I can.  John Lennon beat women in his life.  But a brilliant musician.  Norman Mailer - genuine asshole, stabbed his wife once.  But a well known man of letters.  Einstein - absolute dickhead to his first wife.  Married his cousin.  Changed the very nature of physics.  James Crick - co-discovered DNA.  Jackass IRL. 

So....  Phil Spector, dead at 81.  Brilliant music producer.  Also killed a struggling actress.  People can be admirable in some aspects and monsters in others. 

[fishbrains]

Remind us why the unrepentant murderer Spector ought to be given plaudits here....

Not a nice guy, probably an abusive narcissist.

This reminds me of Norm MacDonald's very long joke about serial killer Albert Fish: https://youtu.be/yrbZxtuUdsQ

[kaysixteen]

Lemme see:   changed music in the 60s, good, balances out, murderer, bad.

This individual ought to 'rest in peace'?

[mahagonny]

Lemme see:   changed music in the 60s, good, balances out, murderer, bad.

This individual ought to 'rest in peace'?

Yes, but he should have started years ago.

[marshwiggle]

Lemme see:   changed music in the 60s, good, balances out, murderer, bad.

This individual ought to 'rest in peace'?

Assuming the "RIP" in the title is more of a reminder that soeone is dead than an actual wish for someone's eternal repose, if we only choose to "remember" non-complicated people, that will be an extremely short list. It's like getting rid of statues of historical figures; removing public reminders of them doesn't erase their influence (good and bad) on history. Refusing to talk about them doesn't eliminate their contributions.

[mahagonny]

Lemme see:   changed music in the 60s, good, balances out, murderer, bad.

This individual ought to 'rest in peace'?

Assuming the "RIP" in the title is more of a reminder that soeone is dead than an actual wish for someone's eternal repose, if we only choose to "remember" non-complicated people, that will be an extremely short list. It's like getting rid of statues of historical figures; removing public reminders of them doesn't erase their influence (good and bad) on history. Refusing to talk about them doesn't eliminate their contributions.

I thought it could be a way to gloat, while playing the gentleman.