Showing posts with label obituary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label obituary. Show all posts

Physicist Stephen Hawking Has Died At Age 76



BBC: Physicist Stephen Hawking dies aged 76

Stephen Hawking has died at the age of 76, his family has said.

The British theoretical physicist was known for his groundbreaking work with black holes and relativity, and was the author of several popular science books including A Brief History of Time.

His children, Lucy, Robert and Tim, said: "We are deeply saddened that our beloved father passed away today.

"He was a great scientist and an extraordinary man whose work and legacy will live on for many years."

They praised his "courage and persistence" and said his "brilliance and humour" inspired people across the world.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: His work and legacy will live on.

More News On Physicist Stephen Hawking Passing Away At Age 76

Professor Stephen Hawking, renowned physicist, dies aged 76 -- The Telegraph

Stephen Hawking, Physicist Who Reshaped Cosmology, Dies at 76 -- Bloomberg
Renowned physicist Stephen Hawking has died at age 76 -- Business Insider

BREAKING NEWS: Professor Stephen Hawking is dead at 76 -- The Daily Mail

A brief history of Stephen Hawking's Brief History of Time -- The Guardian

Obituary: Stephen Hawking -- BBC
Read More

Cranberries Singer Dolores O'Riordan Dead At 46





WNU Editor: I have always enjoyed her music with the Cranberries and when she went solo. Too young to die at 46 .... Friends reveal troubled Cranberries singer Dolores O'Riordan was 'dreadfully depressed' in the weeks before she was found dead at 46 having previously told of battle with alcohol and failed suicide attempt (Daily Mail). The above are two of my favorite songs.

Read More

Zbigniew Brzezinski, National Security Adviser to Jimmy Carter, Has Passed Away At 89



Blomberg: Zbigniew Brzezinski, Security Adviser to Carter, Dies at 89

* National security adviser took hard line on Soviet Union
* Brzezinski helped plan failed Iran hostage rescue mission

Zbigniew Brzezinski, who as national security adviser to President Jimmy Carter advocated a hard line toward the Soviet Union and helped develop the unsuccessful military mission to rescue American hostages in Iran, has died. He was 89.

His death was announced in a tweet on Friday by his daughter, Mika Brzezinski, co-host of the MSNBC program “Morning Joe.” “He was known to his friends as Zbig, to his grandchildren as Chief and to his wife as the enduring love of her life,” Brzezinski wrote on Instagram.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: My father never liked Zbigniew Brzezinski .... there was something about the former national security adviser that always rubbed my father the wrong way .... especially on east-west issues. My father passed away 12 years ago at 82, and now Zbigniew Brzezinski is also gone. From my vantage point I see this as two Cold War warriors from different sides passing away .... and like the era itself .... the door slowly closing and waiting for the few who are left .... Henry Kissinger, Jimmy Carter, Mikhail Gorbachev, etc .... to also pass on.

More News On The Death Of Zbigniew Brzezinsk

Zbigniew Brzezinski, Jimmy Carter National Security Adviser, Dies at 89 -- Time/AP
Zbigniew Brzezinski, foreign policy intellectual who served as Carter’s national security adviser, dies at 89 -- Washington Post
Zbigniew Brzezinski, National Security Adviser to Jimmy Carter, Dies at 89 -- NYT
Foreign Policy Thinker Zbigniew Brzezinski Dies At 89 -- NPR
Zbigniew Brzezinski, US Cold War national security advisor, dies at 89 -- RT
Read More

Music Great Leonard Cohen Is Dead At 82



Rolling Stone: Leonard Cohen Dead at 82

Hugely influential singer and songwriter's work spanned nearly 50 years.

Leonard Cohen, the hugely influential singer and songwriter whose work spanned nearly 50 years, died at the age of 82. Cohen's label, Sony Music Canada, confirmed his death on the singer's Facebook page.

"It is with profound sorrow we report that legendary poet, songwriter and artist, Leonard Cohen has passed away," the statement read. "We have lost one of music's most revered and prolific visionaries. A memorial will take place in Los Angeles at a later date. The family requests privacy during their time of grief." A cause of death and exact date of death was not given.

Read more ....

Update #1: Leonard Cohen's death strikes chord around the world (CBC)
Update #2: A look at key dates in the life and career of Leonard Cohen (CTV).

WNU Editor: Another music great is gone. My favourite Leonard Cohen song (there are actually two of them) are below.



Read More

Jerry Doyle Dies At Aged 60



BBC: Babylon 5 actor Jerry Doyle dies aged 60

Actor Jerry Doyle, best known for his role in the sci-fi series Babylon 5, has died at the age of 60.

Doyle appeared in all five series of the 1990s show as Chief Warrant Officer Michael Garibaldi.

He also made guest appearances on other popular shows, such as Beverly Hills 90210, NYPD Blue and Martial Law, and was the host of a nationally-syndicated daily radio show in the US.
A spokesman for Doyle's family said the cause of his death was not yet known.

Fellow Babylon 5 actor Bruce Boxleitner tweeted that he was "so devastated at the news of the untimely death of my good friend", while astronaut Scott Kelly said the news was "very sad to hear".

Read more ....

Update: B5 Creator J. Michael Straczynski's Statement On the Death of Jerry Doyle (Epic Times)

WNU Editor: I just learned this now. I am beyond shocked. I first started corresponding with Jerry when he sent me an email inquiring about this blog when I first started. This led to me being on his radio show a few times talking about the Soviet experience in Afghanistan .... and why the U.S. will fail. When he started Epic Times he asked me to be a contributor ... which I declined because of the many commitments that I was/am involved in. Over the years I have met him a few times .... had a few beers .... and enjoyed a BBQ with some of his friends at his home in Las Vegas before the 2012 US Presidential election. Disagreed with him a lot .... but his views on business and economics was one that I always valued and agreed with .... and now he is gone and the world is definitely a poorer place.
Read More

Nobel Laureate And Holocaust Survivor Elie Wiesel Dies At 87



Reuters: Holocaust survivor, Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel dies at 87

Activist and writer Elie Wiesel, the World War Two death camp survivor who won a Nobel Peace Prize for becoming the life-long voice of millions of Holocaust victims, died on Saturday. He was 87.

Wiesel was a philosopher, speaker, playwright and professor who also campaigned for the tyrannized and forgotten around the world. He died at his home in New York City, the New York Times reported.

The Romanian-born Wiesel lived by the credo expressed in "Night," his landmark story of the Holocaust - "to forget the dead would be akin to killing them a second time."

Read more ....

WNU Editor: He will be missed.
Read More

Hockey Legend Gordie Howe Has Passed Away



CTV: Gordie Howe, 'Mr. Hockey,' dead at 88

Hockey legend Gordie Howe, a.k.a. "Mr. Hockey," has died after a lengthy illness. He was 88 years old.

Howe earned the nickname "Mr. Hockey" for his lengthy career that included 25 years as a Detroit Red Wing, six Hart Trophies as the league's most valuable player, and numerous records.

Howe played his first NHL game on Oct. 16, 1946 at the age of 18. He retired in 1971.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: For those who may not know .... I am a hockey fan. I never saw Gordie Howe play, but I know his hockey history and I was lucky to score an autograph from him at a Montreal Canadians event about 10 years ago. For those who may not know who he is, the video below sums up his hockey history ....

Read More

Picture Of The Day

© AP PHOTO/
"Champions aren't made in gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them-a desire, a dream, a vision. They have to have the skill, and the will. But the will must be stronger than the skill."
Above: Boxer Muhammad Ali doing his roadwork past St. Basil's and Lenin's mausoleum in Moscow in June 1978.

WNU Editor: Sputnik has a unique photo gallery of Muhammad Ali (with a collection of his favourite quotes). The link is here.
Read More

Muhammad Ali Dead at 74



New York Times: Muhammad Ali, Titan of Boxing and the 20th Century, Dies at 74

Muhammad Ali, the three-time world heavyweight boxing champion who helped define his turbulent times as the most charismatic and controversial sports figure of the 20th century, died on Friday. He was 74.

His death was confirmed by Bob Gunnell, a family spokesman.

Ali was the most thrilling if not the best heavyweight ever, carrying into the ring a physically lyrical, unorthodox boxing style that fused speed, agility and power more seamlessly than that of any fighter before him.

Read more ....

Update #1: Muhammad Ali: 1942 -2016 (Boxing News)
Update #2: Muhammad Ali, boxing champion and global good-will ambassador, dies at 74 (Washington Post)

WNU Editor: Our prayers are with his family and with his many fans.
Read More

The Singer Prince Is Dead At 57



TMZ: PRINCE Dead At 57

The artist known as Prince has died ... TMZ has learned. He was 57.

Prince's body was discovered at his Paisley Park compound in Minnesota early Thursday morning.

Multiple sources connected to the singer confirmed he had passed.

The singer -- full name Prince Rogers Nelson -- had a medical emergency on April 15th that forced his private jet to make an emergency landing in Illinois. But he appeared at a concert the next day to assure his fans he was okay. His people told TMZ he was battling the flu.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: Enjoyed his music for years. Sighhh .... this is not a good year for music's icons.
Read More

Remembering Abe Vigoda


WNU Editor: I just learned that he had past away .... Famed character actor Abe Vigoda recalled as a class act (AP). I will always remember him in the Godfather, and on the TV series Barney Miller.
Read More

David Bowie Has Died At 69



Daily Mail: 'Look up here, I'm in heaven': David Bowie's 'parting gift' to his devastated fans - a haunting last video released just three days before he lost his secret 18-month battle with cancer

* David Bowie has died aged 69 after battling cancer in secret for 18 months
* Bowie recorded his final album Blackstar while fighting the disease and last week released a video showing himself in a hospital bed
* Producer Tony Visconti said the singer had known for a year that he was dying and the album is a 'parting gift' to the world
* Star's son Duncan says he is 'very sorry and sad' about the news
* Tributes flood in from celebrities, politicians and other public figures

David Bowie released a haunting video in which he declared 'look up here, I'm in heaven' just three days before he lost a secret 18-month battle with cancer.

The star, whose new album came out just last week, passed away from the illness yesterday surrounded by his family, according to an announcement posted on his official website and Facebook page today.

His final video, Lazarus, was released on Thursday and featured chilling footage of the singer confined to a hospital bed with his eyes covered by a bandage.

His longtime producer Tony Visconti suggested that Bowie knew for a year that his cancer was incurable, and added that his final album Blackstar was 'a parting gift' to the world.

Update: David Bowie dead: Fans and musicians pay tribute to rock legend - live updates (The Independent)

WNU Editor: This is the song that I will always remember him by ....

Read More

Former West German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt Dies At The Age Of 96



The Guardian: Helmut Schmidt, former West German chancellor, dies aged 96

Schmidt led West Germany from 1974 to 1982 as it rose to the ranks of a global economic powerhouse

Helmut Schmidt, an elder statesman of German politics who led West Germany as it rose to become a global economic powerhouse, has died aged 96.

Schmidt’s doctor, Heiner Greten, told the German news agency dpa that he died on Tuesday afternoon in Hamburg. He had been receiving treatment at home after suffering a downturn in health earlier this week.

The docker’s grandson was the West German chancellor from 1974 to 1982, when he lost power to conservative Helmut Kohl.

WNU Editor: For someone who was a chain smoker .... he lived a long life.

More News On The Passing Of Former West German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt

German ex-Chancellor Helmut Schmidt dies at 96 -- BBC
Former West German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt dies at age 96 -- AP
Former West German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt dies at 96 -- Reuters
German ex-leader Schmidt dead at 96: office -- AFP
Former West Germany Chancellor Helmut Schmidt dies -- CNN
Helmut Schmidt dies; West German chancellor was transformative leader -- Washington Post
Helmut Schmidt, Assertive West German Chancellor, Dies at 96 -- NYT
Helmut Schmidt, Former West German Chancellor, Dies at 96 -- Bloomberg
Helmut Schmidt's passion for politics and the arts -- DW
Timeline of Helmut Schmidt’s career -- AP
Read More

'Beautiful Mind' Mathematician And Nobel Laureate John Nash, Wife Killed In Car Crash

CNN: 'Beautiful Mind' mathematician John Nash, wife killed in car crash

(CNN)John Forbes Nash Jr., the famed mathematician and inspiration for the film "A Beautiful Mind," and his wife died in a car crash Saturday in New Jersey, according to state police.

 Nash, 86, and wife Alicia Nash, 82, were riding in a taxi near Monroe Township when the incident occurred, State Police Sgt. 1st Class Gregory Williams said.

 They were traveling southbound in the left lane when the taxi went out of control while trying to pass another car, Williams said.

 The car crashed into the guard rail, and the couple was ejected from the vehicle. They were pronounced dead at the scene.

WNU Editor: It is fitting that they died together at the same time. I attended one of his lectures years ago at Princeton. I was on my way to Atlantic City and I decided to make a pit-stop. The auditorium was packed with people .... and just listening to him speak .... how he structured his sentences and his sense of humor .... you could not help but feel that you were in the presence of an incredibly brilliant mind. Sighhhh .... I wish I had his math skills when I hit the blackjack tables the next day.

I will always remember his Nobel price acceptance speech as done by Russell Crowe.

Read More

Author Tom Clancy Passes Away At 66



Author Tom Clancy, Master Of The Modern-Day Thriller, Dead At 66 -- CNN

(CNN) -- Spy thriller writer Tom Clancy, whose best-selling books became blockbuster films, has died, his publisher said Wednesday. He was 66.

Clancy's publisher, the Penguin Group, said the author died in Baltimore on Tuesday. The written statement did not indicate the cause of death.

Clancy's 1984 novel "The Hunt for Red October" propelled him to fame, fortune and status as a favorite storyteller of the American military. Sean Connery and Harrison Ford brought the Cold War drama to life in the big screen in 1990.

Other novels that became big movies included "Patriot Games" and "The Sum of All Fears."

Read more ....

My Comment: I have always enjoyed his books. He will be missed.
Read More

Norman Schwarzkopf Laid To Rest At West Point

Urn of Gen. Norman Schwartzkopf. Credits: Charles J. Koch-West Point

'Stormin' Norman,' Desert Storm Commander, Laid To Rest At West Point -- NBC

Norman Schwarzkopf, the general who commanded the 30-country coalition that drove Saddam Hussein’s forces out of Kuwait, was remembered both as a larger than life military figure and trusted adviser during his burial ceremony at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point on Thursday.

A 1956 graduate of the military academy, “Stormin’ Norman” was remembered by family, friends, former Secretary of State Colin Powell and former Vice President Dick Cheney at a memorial service in the West Point chapel. The Desert Storm commander with a tough-as-tacks reputation died on Dec. 27 in Tampa, Fla., of complications from pneumonia. He was 78.

Read more ....

More News On Stormin' Norman Honored And Buried At West Point

Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf Buried at West Point -- AP
Schwarzkopf memorial: Stormin' Norman honored at West Point -- Christian Science Monitor
Schwarzkopf Memorial: Former Desert Storm General Buried -- Epoch Times
'Stormin’ Norman' laid to rest today at West Point -- Examiner
Read More

Services For Lex


WNU Editor: Services for Lex announced here.
Read More

Remembering Christopher Hitchens (His Last Essay)

Photo by Gasper Tringale

Trial Of The Will -- Christopher Hitchens, Vanity Fair

Reviewing familiar principles and maxims in the face of mortal illness, Christopher Hitchens has found one of them increasingly ridiculous: “Whatever doesn’t kill me makes me stronger.” Oh, really? Take the case of the philosopher to whom that line is usually attributed, Friedrich Nietzsche, who lost his mind to what was probably syphilis. Or America’s homegrown philosopher Sidney Hook, who survived a stroke and wished he hadn’t. Or, indeed, the author, viciously weakened by the very medicine that is keeping him alive.

Read more ....

Update: In Memoriam: Christopher Hitchens, 1949–2011 -- Vanity Fair

My Comment: I have always been a fan of his writings. Agreeing with him .... disagreeing with him .... but never boring. He will be sorely missed. His brother has a moving tribute to him over here..
Read More

Remembering The Man Who Typed Schindler's List

Horror: Ralph Fiennes as commandant Amon Göth at the Nazi concentration camp Plaszow in Poland amuses himself by shooting prisoners

The Man Who Typed Schindler's List Has Died Aged 91, Honored By Germans And Jews Alike -- The Daily Mail

Mietek Pempe, the man who typed up Oskar Schindler's list, the paperwork that helped save 1,200 Jews from the Nazis, has died in Germany. He was 91.

Pemper died Tuesday in Augsburg, southern Germany, and was buried in the city's Jewish cemetery yesterday, when municipal authorities ordered flags to be lowered to half-mast in his honour.

Read more ....

My Comment: We will never forget.
Read More

Muffin

This weblog regrets to inform readers of the sad death yesterday of Muffin, who had been unwell for some months. An elderly cat even when she joined the Phillips family in June 2003 from an institution for unwanted felines, she valued her privacy and rarely took the limelight.  She treasured the small pleasures of life such as sleeping in the garden's sunny patches, digging in the newly-cleaned litter tray and keeping vigil at the front window when her owners were expected home.

It was at the very point at which discussion of the naming of this weblog was in progress that the arrival of Muffin in a wicker basket prompted the suggestion that the blog be called the "IP Cat", which soon metamorphosed into the IPKat.

Muffin had few close friends and never married.

No letters of condolence or flowers, please.  Requies-kat in pace ...
Read More