The RIP Famous Person Thread

[yortyiam]

^ Crikey!, maybe there is a God after all? I've got to spread around it says, Latindancer. Green owed.

[bobo746]

Former Australian Grand Prix head Ron Walker dies, aged 78

High-profile businessman, prominent Liberal Party identity and former grand prix chief Ron Walker has died after a long battle with cancer.

Mr Walker, 78, a former [at]Melbourne lord mayor who later developed Crown casino, was known for years as “Mr Melbourne’’ because of his roles in major events, business and politics. Malcolm Turnbull last night led tributes to him. The Prime Minister described him as “a great Australian, magnificent Melburnian and ferociously committed Liberal”.
“Ron was a wise and true friend to me as he was to so many Liberal leaders,’’ Mr Turnbull said.
“We will not see his like again. Our hearts go out to Barbara and their family at this sad time.”
Mr Turnbull’s predecessor, Tony Abbott, said “Australia, [at]Victoria and Melbourne have lost a great son”. “For decades, not much happened in Melbourne without Ron being at the centre of things,’’ Mr Abbott said.



https://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...a1537293c818fa

[SKkin]

Damn! Robert Parry, late of Consortium News, has passed on.



Investigative journalist Robert Parry dies at 68 | Obituaries | bismarcktribune.com

ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — Robert Parry, a longtime investigative journalist who was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 1985 for his Associated Press exclusives about the CIA's production of an assassination manual for Nicaraguan rebels, has died. He was 68.

Parry died Saturday in hospice care after a series of strokes brought on by undiagnosed pancreatic cancer, said his wife, Diane Duston.

Parry joined the AP in 1974 and went on to work in the Washington bureau, where he covered the Iran-Contra scandal as it rocked the Reagan administration. His work on the scandal also brought a George Polk Award in 1984.

After leaving the AP in 1987, Parry worked for Newsweek until 1990 and then became an investigative reporter for the PBS series "Frontline."

In 1995, frustrated with what he saw as dwindling venues for serious investigative reporting, Parry founded the Consortium for Independent Journalism. Its website, Consortiumnews.com, sought to provide a home for such reporting in the early days of the internet, though it struggled financially and relied on contributions.

In a tribute posted on the site, son Nat Parry said, "With my dad, professional work has always been deeply personal, and his career as a journalist was thoroughly intertwined with his family life."

Parry was born on June 24, 1949, in Hartford, Connecticut. He graduated from Colby College with a degree in English in 1971. He worked in Massachusetts journalism before joining the AP.

The author of six books, Parry received the I.F. Stone Medal for Journalistic Independence from the Nieman Foundation in 2015 and the Martha Gellhorn Prize for Journalism in 2017. In his remarks in London at the presentation of the Gellhorn Prize, Britain-based journalist John Pilger said, "Bob Parry's career has been devoted to finding out, lifting rocks - and supporting others who do the same."

Survivors include his wife, a former Associated Press newswoman; sons Sam Parry and Jeff Parry of Arlington and Nat Parry of Copenhagen, Denmark; daughter Elizabeth Parry of Alexandria, Virginia; and six grandchildren.

A memorial service is planned for later in the year.

Tribute to Parry from Caitlin Johnstone @Medium
https://medium.com/@caityjohnstone/t...y-4cfe6d3701f3

Also, from his son:

Robert Parry’s Legacy and the Future of Consortiumnews
Nat Parry
https://consortiumnews.com/2018/01/2...onsortiumnews/

[Davis Knowlton]

RIP Dennis Edwards, lead singer for the Temptations, dead at 74. Made some good music!

[harrybarracuda]

John Mahoney, cranky dad on Frasier, dies at 77



John Mahoney, who as the cranky, blue-collar dad in Frasier played counterpoint to pompous sons Frasier and Niles, has died at age 77.
The actor died on Sunday in Chicago after a brief hospitalisation, said Paul Martino, his manager for more than 30 years.
The cause of death was not immediately provided.
In Frasier, the hit Cheers spinoff that aired from 1993 to 2004, Mahoney played Martin Crane, a disabled ex-policeman who parked himself in a battered old armchair in Frasier’s chic Seattle living room.
Martin’s beloved dog, Eddie, also took up residence to annoy Frasier, played by Kelsey Grammer.
Tributes to the late TV star described him as a “wonderful man”, with actor John Cusack, who starred alongside Mahoney in the 1989 film Say Anything, described him as a “lovely kind human” who always “left you feeling better” any time you saw him.
Some highlighted the fact Mahoney only started acting – in theatre productions to begin with – at the age of 37, citing it as proof you could pursue your dreams at any age.
Actor, writer and director David Schneider described Mahoney as, “the perfect comic actor because you saw no acting”.


Mahoney, a British native who made Chicago his home town, was a two-time Emmy nominee for Frasier and won a 1986 Tony Award for The House of Blue Leaves.
His recent credits included a recurring role as Betty White’s love interest on Hot in Cleveland and a 2015 episode of Foyle’s War.
Mahoney never married and had no children.

https://thenewdaily.com.au/entertain...asier-dies-77/

[harrybarracuda]

John Perry Barlow, 'visionary' internet pioneer, dies aged 70

Digital freedom fighter and founder of Electronic Frontier Foundation, who wrote lyrics for the Grateful Dead, died in his sleep





John Perry Barlow, “visionary” internet pioneer, press freedom advocate and Grateful Dead lyricist, has died aged 70.
Barlow was named as a Guardian “Open 20” fighter for internet freedom in 2012 because of his work to establish the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), which defends online liberties. The organisation announced Barlow, a Wyoming native, died in his sleep on Wednesday morning.

“We will miss Barlow and his wisdom for decades to come, and he will always be an integral part of EFF,” said a statement by the group’s executive director, Cindy Cohn.
She continued: “It is no exaggeration to say that major parts of the internet we all know and love today exist and thrive because of Barlow’s vision and leadership. He always saw the internet as a fundamental place of freedom, where voices long silenced can find an audience and people can connect with others regardless of physical distance.”

In an apparent reference to Barlow’s idealistic early work, Cohn denied he was “a straw man for a kind of naive techno-utopianism that believed that the internet could solve all of humanity’s problems without causing any more”. She said Barlow understood that “new technology could create and empower evil as much as it could create and empower good” and he made a conscious decision to focus on the latter.

Barlow wrote extensively on the internet and digital world. Among the most well-known of his works was the Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace, published in 1996.

The staunchly libertarian document demanded governments to avoid interfering in the internet, which he referred to as “the new home of the mind”.

“I declare the global social space we are building to be naturally independent of the tyrannies you seek to impose on us,” he wrote. The article is regarded as highly influential on the ethos of the internet and Barlow stood by his words two decades on, despite accusations of naivety and the creeping encroachment of governments into the digital sphere.

In addition to his work with the EFF, Barlow co-founded the Freedom of the Press Foundation in 2012, which works to support public interest journalism. He sat on the board of directors, along with whistleblower Edward Snowden and investigative reporter Glenn Greenwald.

The Foundation tweeted: “Rest in power, Barlow. The internet will never be the same without you.

Outside of his activism, Barlow was good friends with Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir. The pair were the creative minds behind some of the psychedelic rock group’s most well-known songs, including Black Throated Wind, Mexicali Blues and Looks Like Rain.

https://www.theguardian.com/technolo...-grateful-dead

[harrybarracuda]

The Wire and House of Cards Actor Reg E. Cathey Dies at 59



Actor Reg E. Cathey has passed away at the age of 59.
Cathey, most known for his baritone voice, appeared in the early seasons of House of Cards on Netflix and played prison guard Norman Wilson on HBO's critically acclaimed The Wire. His cause of death was not immediately available to press.
The Wire creator David Simon was one of the first to acknowledge the news on Twitter and sent out a touching response to his followers. "Not only a fine, masterful actor — but simply one of the most delightful human beings with whom I ever shared some long days on set," Simon write. "On wit alone, he could double any man over and leave him thinking. Reg, your memory is a great blessing."


Cathey won an Emmy for his performance in House of Cards and scored two other nominations for the same role. His other credits include Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Star Trek: The Next Generationand Grimm.
He was a native of Huntsville, Ala., and studied theater at both the University of Michigan and Yale School of Drama.

House of Cards and The Wire Actor Reg E. Cathey Has Died - Today's News: Our Take | TV Guide

[harrybarracuda]

Legendary singer Vic Damone dies at age 89



Legendary singer Vic Damone passed away on Sunday at the age of 89, his family tells Fox News.
Damone, whose smooth baritone led Frank Sinatra to famously declare he “had the best pipes in the business,” died at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach, Fla. surrounded by several close relatives.
Damone starred in several television series, including "The Vic Damone Show" on NBC, and hit movies including "Kismet" and "Rich, Young and Pretty," but the crooner did not consider himself a true crossover star.
“I never thought of myself that way,” Damone wrote in his memoir. “That wasn’t my particular gift. My gift was singing.”
Best known for hits "You're Breaking My Heart" and "On the Street Where You Live," with over 2,500 recordings under his belt, Damone was part of the golden age of lounge singers who came to fame after World War II, including Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Dean Martin and Perry Como.
Damone’s first big break came at the age of 14, with Como’s help. Damone was forced to drop out of high school and take a job as an usher at the Paramount Theater in New York City, where he bumped into Como in an elevator. Damone stopped the elevator between floors and started singing.
He asked Como on whether he should continue voice lessons and Como said simply, “Keep singing!”
Fate intervened for Damone again in the summer of 1946, when Sinatra was playing poker at a friend’s Manhattan apartment, and one of Sinatra’s classics, “Night and Day,” came on the radio. Sinatra was astounded when the singer turned out to be Damone, live in the studio. Sinatra phoned the radio station and told Damone: “This is Frank Sinatra, and I want you to stop singing my songs.”
Damone thought he was being pranked and barked back, “Yeah, if you’re Frank Sinatra, then I’m the Pope.”
Months later, Sinatra ended up introducing Damone at a charity fundraiser in Madison Square Garden.
“I’d like to introduce to you Vic Damone,” Sinatra said. “This kid’s a really great singer. He’s got stardust on his shoulders.”
Damone was born Vito Farinola on June 12, 1928, in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn to Italian immigrant parents, Rocco and Mamie (Damone) Farinola.
Damone is survived by six grandchildren and two sisters, Elaine Seneca and Terry Sicuso. Two other sister died previously to Damone: Sandy Boucher and Pia Romeo.
Damone is also survived by three son-in-laws, William Karant, Michael Woodard, and Joel Brown.
A son named after Perry Como, Perry Farinola Damone, died in 2014.

Legendary singer Vic Damone dies at age 89 | Fox News

[harrybarracuda]

Morgan Tsvangirai, Zimbabwean fighter for democracy, dies aged 65



Zimbabwe's opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has died after a two-year battle with cancer.
Mr Tsvangirai, 65, was leader of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). His death comes only two months after his longtime nemesis, Robert Mugage, was ousted in a coup after 37 years in charge of the African nation.
Mr Tsvangirai's death was announced on Thursday morning (NZ time) by Elias Mudzuri, acting president of the MDC and former Mayor of Harare, the Zimbabwean capital.
"We have lost our icon and fighter for democracy," said Mr Mudzuri.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, the party and the nation at this hour."
The first elections since Mr Mugabe's resignation are due to be held in May.


Mr Tsvangirai founded the MDC in 1999, after a decade as the secretary general of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions.
His popularity wasn't lost on Mr Mugabe, whose security forces beat and tortured him in 2007 after authorities deemed an illegal gathering.
Newshub.

Morgan Tsvangirai, Zimbabwean fighter for democracy, dies aged 65 | Newshub

[reddog]

Sad to hear of Mr Tsvangirai's death,he,along with Roy Bennett,a fellow MDC party leader who died in a helicopter crash a few weeks ago were the only decent political leaders in Zimbabwe in the last 30 plus years.

[harrybarracuda]

'Father of Thai orchids' dies at 95



Renowned orchid expert Rapee Sagarik passed away on Saturday morning at the age of 95.


Prof Rapee died of natural causes at his residence in the Ngam Wong Wan area of Bangkok at around 6.30am, Thai media reported, quoting an aide.


He had earlier been treated for septicaemia at Phra Mongkutklao Hospital for about six months. After his condition improved, he was discharged to stay at his home.


Born in Bangkok on Dec 4, 1922, he attended Samsen Witthayakhan and Wat Benjamabopit schools. He then enrolled in Kasetsart college, which later became Kasetsart University, and also studied at the Faculty of Agriculture at Maejo University in Chiang Mai.


Prof Rapee conducted many research studies on orchids and was recognised locally and internationally for his expertise in orchid breeding. He was widely known as "the father of Thai orchids" because of his contributions in the field.


The renowned botanist and horticulturist was a professor at Kasetsart University and served as its rector from 1972-80. He also served as a deputy agriculture minister in the Kriangsak Chomanan government.


His family will announce funeral details later.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1413719/

[harrybarracuda]

Tota Kaneko
famed Japanese modern haiku poet
dies at 98

(Sorry, couldn't resist).

[harrybarracuda]

Fortunately his son has taken over as chief space fairy spokesman.

Billy Graham, Pastor Who Advised World Leaders, Dies at 99

By Heather Burke
February 21, 2018, 4:34 PM GMT+3 Updated on February 21, 2018, 5:13 PM GMT+3



US evangelist Billy Graham, who counselled presidents and preached to millions across the world from his native North Carolina to communist North Korea during his 70 years in the pulpit, has died aged 99.
He died at 8am local time on Wednesday at his home in Montreat, North Carolina, according to Jeremy Blume, a spokesman for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.
He had long suffered from cancer, pneumonia and other ailments,
Graham, who transformed American religious life through his preaching and activism, became the most widely heard Christian evangelist in history.
He reached more than 200 million through his appearances and millions more through his pioneering use of television and radio. Unlike many traditional evangelists, he abandoned narrow fundamentalism to engage broader society.

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/billy-gr...-millions-dies

[bobo746]

^ The Dynasty Continues.
His son is anti muslim,anti gay,but the cash will keep on rolling in.

[SKkin]

Billy Graham, Pastor Who Advised World Leaders, Dies at 99

To tell you the truth, I thought he was already dead.

[Davis Knowlton]

To tell you the truth, I thought he was already dead.

As did I. I thought the old con artist had kicked it years ago.

[Thai3]

Surely Bill was a 'legend' as well?

[BaitongBoy]

Graham operated a variety of media and publishing outlets. According to his staff, more than 3.2 million people have responded to the invitation at Billy Graham Crusades to "accept Jesus Christ as their personal savior".

As of 2008, Graham's estimated lifetime audience, including radio and television broadcasts, topped 2.2 billion. Because of his crusades, Graham preached the gospel to more people in person than anyone in the history of Christianity.

Graham was repeatedly on Gallup's list of most admired men and women. He appeared on the list 60 times since 1955, more than any other individual in the world. Grant Wacker reports that by the mid-1960s, he had become the "Great Legitimator".

[harrybarracuda]

Graham operated a variety of media and publishing outlets. According to his staff, more than 3.2 million people have responded to the invitation at Billy Graham Crusades to "accept Jesus Christ as their personal savior".

As of 2008, Graham's estimated lifetime audience, including radio and television broadcasts, topped 2.2 billion. Because of his crusades, Graham preached the gospel to more people in person than anyone in the history of Christianity.

Graham was repeatedly on Gallup's list of most admired men and women. He appeared on the list 60 times since 1955, more than any other individual in the world. Grant Wacker reports that by the mid-1960s, he had become the "Great Legitimator".

That's amazing. I thought he was a c u n t.

[Maanaam]

That's amazing. I thought he was a c u n t.

Yep. Father of financial gospelism and rorting the gullible.

Any Forbes or somesuch report on his wealth?

[Latindancer]

Billy Graham’s net worth was an estimated $25 million at the time of his death. Billy Graham Net Worth: Evangelist Billy Graham Died Age 99 | Money

[harrybarracuda]

Billy Graham’s net worth was an estimated $25 million at the time of his death. Billy Graham Net Worth: Evangelist Billy Graham Died Age 99 | Money

Yeah, don't believe that old bollocks, they'll have property galore in the charity's name so they don't have to pay tax on it.

[harrybarracuda]

Made me laugh.

[BaitongBoy]

Good money in that religion business, Harry...You've already got the fish part covered...Stop loafing...And start baking...Heh...

$25 million?...Virtually penniless for a man of his stature...Apart from the obvious...

[harrybarracuda]

The Real Thing’s Eddy Amoo has passed away at the age of 74.



Amoo was singer in the British soul group, who reached number one in the UK during 1976 with their best-known hit ‘You To Me Are Everything’.
Their other hits included ‘Can You Feel The Force’ and ‘Can’t Get By Without You’.


Amoo passed away on Friday (February 23) in Australia. His death was sudden and the cause is not yet known.
The news was confirmed by Amoo’s brother Chris and bandmate Dave Smith, the two sole surviving members of the group.
“It is with great sadness that we share the passing of our brother and inspiration, Eddy Amoo, who passed away on 23rd February, age 74,” a tweet from Chris and Dave read.

“Eddy was a showman and a legend,” they added, describing him as “Liverpool’s greatest showman” and saying that he “would be proud and humbled” by the fan tributes.

The Real Thing singer Eddy Amoo dies at 74 - NME