James Bond Actor Roger Moore Dies at 89

British actor Roger Moore, best known for his movie role as James Bond, has died at the age of 89.

"It is with a heavy heart that we must announce our loving father, Sir Roger Moore, has passed away today in Switzerland after a short but brave battle with cancer," his children said in a statement Tuesday. "The love with which he was surrounded in his final days was so great it cannot be quantified in words alone."

A private funeral will be held in Monaco according to his wishes, they added.

Moore gained international fame for playing famous secret agent James Bond in seven films released between 1973 and 1985, including Live and Let Die and The Spy Who Loved Me. They were based on the books by Ian Fleming.

Moore was also one of the longest serving goodwill ambassadors for the United Nations Children's Fund, visiting projects for children in over 16 countries. He was awarded UNICEF UK's first lifetime achievement award in 2012, which was later named the Roger Moore Lifetime Achievement Award.

"With the passing of Sir Roger Moore, the world has lost one of its great champions for children – and the entire UNICEF family has lost a great friend," UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake said in a statement.

(Photo courtesy of ABC Television: Roger Moore announcing his role as Beau Maverick on the television program Maverick. Circa 1960.)

Trailblazing American Journalist Gwen Ifill Dead at 61

Gwen Ifill, one of the most prominent African-American journalists in the U.S., has died after battling cancer for months. She was 61.

Ifill joined PBS as the moderator of Washington Week, the public broadcaster's Sunday morning public affairs program, in 1999 and served as the show's managing editor. She was the first African-American woman to host a major political TV talk show. In 2013, she was named co-anchor and co-managing editor with Judy Woodruff of the weeknight evening news broadcast PBS NewsHour.

In 2009, she wrote a book about President Barack Obama, The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama.

"It is with extreme sadness that we share the news that Gwen Ifill passed away earlier today [Monday] surrounded by family and friends," PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger said in a statement. "Gwen was one of America's leading lights in journalism and a fundamental reason public media is considered a trusted window on the world by audiences across the nation."

A native of New York City, Ifill joined PBS in 1999. Prior to joining PBS, Ifill worked as chief congressional and political correspondent for NBC News, White House correspondent for the New York Times, and political reporter for The Washington Post.

She moderated the 2004 vice presidential debate between Dick Cheney and John Edwards, and the 2008 vice presidential debate between Joe Biden and Sarah Palin.

Photo by Tony Powell: Master of Ceremonies Gwen Ifill at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington, D.C., 2015

Opera Singer Johan Botha Dies

South African opera tenor Johan Botha has died.

Botha, who was 51 years old, died Thursday in Vienna.

Botha's tenor seemed to effortlessly master a broad variety of operatic roles from Puccini to Wagner.

He showcased his talents on the stages of the world's opera houses, including La Scala, Covent Garden, New York's Metropolitan Opera and the State Opera in Vienna, which Botha had made his operatic home.

"We had been looking forward to his return so much," said Dominique Meyer, the director of the Vienna Opera.

Tenor Michael Schade said Botha was "one of the greatest voices that I ever got to share the stage with."

His last sang three weeks ago in Cape Town at a benefit for The Cancer Association of South Africa.

The Associated Press says the singer was suffering from cancer.

South African President Jacob Zuma said Botha would be remembered "for his soothing and powerful voice."

Botha is survived by his wife and two sons.

Photo by Monika Rittershaus: Production of Ariadne auf Naxos at Hamburgische Staatsoper 2012: Anne Schwanewilms as Primadonna / Ariadne (left), Johan Botha as Tenor / Bacchus (right).

Phyllis Schlafly 'First Lady of US Anti-Feminism' Dies

Phyllis Schlafly, the conservative activist who almost single-handedly helped defeat the proposed Equal Rights Amendment in the 1970s and pushed the Republican Party to the right in ensuing decades, has died. She was 92.

Schlafly died Monday of cancer at her home in St. Louis, her son John Schlafly said.

Known as "the first lady of anti-feminism," Schlafly rose to national attention in 1964 with her self-published book, “A Choice Not an Echo,” that became a manifesto for the far right. The book, which sold 3 million copies, chronicled the history of the Republican National Convention and is credited with helping conservative Senator Barry Goldwater of Arizona win the 1964 GOP nomination.

She later helped lead opposition to the ERA, a proposed constitutional amendment that would guarantee equal rights under the law regardless of gender. Schlafly argued that the measure would mean the end of the traditional family.

Supporters of the measure argued it would require that laws determining child support and job opportunities be designed without regard to gender.

Schlafly told the Associated Press in 2007 that perhaps her greatest legacy was the Eagle Forum, which she founded in 1972. The ultraconservative group has chapters in several states and claims 80,000 members. "I've taught literally millions of people how to participate in self-government,'' Schlafly said.

The Eagle Forum pushes for low taxes, a strong military and English-only education. The group is against efforts it says are pushed by radical feminists or encroach on U.S. sovereignty, such as guest worker visas. The group's website describes the Equal Rights Amendment as having had a "hidden agenda of tax-funded abortions and same-sex marriages.''

Saint Louis University history professor Donald Critchlow, who profiled Schlafly in his 2005 book, “Phyllis Schlafly and Grassroots Conservatism: A Woman's Crusade,” said the defeat of the amendment helped revive conservatism and pave the way for Ronald Reagan’s election in 1980.

Schlafly remained active in conservative politics well into her 80s, when she was still writing a column that appeared in 100 newspapers, doing radio commentaries on more than 460 stations, and publishing a monthly newsletter.

Photo by Gage Skidmore: Phyllis Schlafly speaking at CPAC in Washington D.C. on 12 February 2011.

Famed Italian Writer Eco Dies at 84

Italian author Umberto Eco has died at age 84, ending a writing career that spanned decades and covered topics both profound and mundane.

Eco died of cancer at his home in Milan Friday. He was, as the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera said, one of Italy's most celebrated intellectuals.

His novels, while challenging, had popular appeal.

His most famous work, the best-selling historical novel The Name of the Rose, was made into a movie starring Sean Connery in 1986. The novel published in 1980 has been translated into 43 languages and sold millions of copies.

Professional academics

Eco was a professional academic, having studied philosophy and later specializing in semiotics, the study of signs and symbols.

His second novel, Foucault's Pendulum, was a thriller so complicated that it was packaged with an annotated guide to help readers follow the plot.

Eco's road to literary fame was long and filled with unlikely detours.

As a teenager in northern Italy, he wrote comic books and fantasy novels. He worked as a journalist for Italian television starting in the 1950s, and later wrote children's books and columns for Italian newspapers.

In the past decade, Eco published essay collections on current events and, last year, a novel about Italian political scandal called Numero Zero.

Motorhead’s Lemmy Dead at Age 70

British hard rock icon Lemmy, the lead singer and bass player for Motorhead, had died at the age of 70, two days after being diagnosed with cancer.

“There is no easy way to say this…our mighty, noble friend Lemmy passed away today after a short battle with an extremely aggressive cancer,” Motorhead said in a Facebook posting Monday “We cannot begin to express our shock and sadness, there aren’t words.”

The band noted that he had been diagnosed with cancer on December 26.

Born Ian Kilmister, Lemmy formed Motorhead in 1975. He was known for his aggressive bass and his gravelly voice on such songs as “Bomber,” “Overkill” and the band’s most famous track “Ace of Spades.”

“It's still very popular. When we do it onstage, everyone loves it," Lemmy told Rolling Stone in August.

Many rock and heavy metal musicians have been paying tribute to the Motorhead front man.

On Twitter, Ozzy Osbourne called him a warrior and a legend. "Lost one of my best friends, Lemmy, today. He will be sadly missed. He was a warrior and a legend. I will see you on the other side."

"We've lost a friend & legend," Foo Fighters said in a Facebook posting.

Metallica tweeted that it would be “forever grateful for all your inspiration.”

Lemmy was known for his hard living lifestyle that including heavy drinking. While confirming his death, Motorhead urged fans to “play Lemmy's music loud. Have a drink or few. Share stories. Celebrate the life this lovely, wonderful man celebrated so vibrantly himself. He would want exactly that."

Music: Final Exits of 2013

US Folk Musician Richie Havens Dead at 72
http://post-humous.blogspot.com/2013/04/us-folk-musician-richie-havens-dead-at.html

Remembering Richie Havens
http://post-humous.blogspot.com/2013/04/remembering-richie-havens.html

Music Fans Mourn Country Legend George Jones
http://post-humous.blogspot.com/2013/04/music-fans-mourn-country-legend-george.html

Teen Dies of Cancer After Touching Millions With Song
http://post-humous.blogspot.com/2013/05/teen-dies-of-cancer-after-touching.html

Remembering J.J. Cale
http://post-humous.blogspot.com/2013/08/remembering-jj-cale.html

George Duke, Jack Clement, Marilyn King
http://post-humous.blogspot.com/2013/08/george-duke-jack-clement-marilyn-king_13.html

Jazz Pianist Marian McPartland Dead at 95
http://post-humous.blogspot.com/2013/08/jazz-pianist-marian-mcpartland-dead-at.html

American Rock Pioneer Lou Reed Dead at 71
http://post-humous.blogspot.com/2013/10/american-rock-pioneer-lou-reed-dead-at.html

Final Exits of 2013
http://post-humous.blogspot.com/2014/01/final-exits-of-2013.html

Politics: Final Exits of 2013
http://post-humous.blogspot.com/2014/01/politics-final-exits-of-2013.html

Adam Yauch of The Beastie Boys Dies at 47

Adam Yauch, a founding member of the pioneering Beastie Boys hip hop group, died Friday at the age of 47 of cancer.

Yauch, who also was known as MCA, helped start the group in 1979 when it was a hardcore punk bank. But as its music evolved, the Beastie Boys produced some of hip-hop's celebrated albums, including Licensed to Ill, Paul's Boutique, Check Your Head and Ill Communication. Yauch was a vocalist and bass player.

The group has not performed live since 2009, but was inducted last month into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The Beastie Boys said Yauch died from a cancerous tumor in his saliva gland that was first discovered in 2009.

Photo: Adam Yauch a.k.a. MCA, Beastie Boys at Brixton Academy, 5 September 2007. Photo by Fabio Venni from London, UK.

Watergate Figure Charles Colson Dies at 80

Charles Colson, a special counsel for President Richard Nixon during the Watergate era, has died at the age 80.

Colson, who once said he would run over his grandmother to get Mr. Nixon re-elected, went to prison for his role in a Watergate-related case.

Colson helped run the Committee to Re-elect the President when it began an effort to gather intelligence on political rivals. The arrest of five of their employees burglarizing the Democratic National Committee offices in 1972 set off the scandal that led to Mr. Nixon's resignation in August 1974.

The Washington Post described him in 1972 as “one of the most powerful presidential aides, variously described as a troubleshooter and as a 'master of dirty tricks.' ''

Colson pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice and served seven months in prison in Alabama.

Prior to the start of his prison sentence, Colson became a born-again Christian. After his release he founded Prison Fellowship, a nonprofit organization that conducts outreach to prisoners.

He wrote dozens of books and had a Christian-themed radio show that reached millions of listeners.

In 2005, Colson was named one of Time magazine's “25 Most Influential Evangelicals in America.”

Camilla Williams



 Camilla Williams, 92, American opera singer, complications from cancer. Died 29 January 2012.

Camilla Williams passed away peacefully at her Bloomington, Indiana home, surrounded by family and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, attorney Charles T. Beavers.

Photo taken by Carl Van Vechten, 31 May 1946.

Final Exits, 8-14 December 2011

Susan Gordon, as seen in The Five Pennies, 1959.

Obituaries for 8-14 December 2011

8
* Gilbert Adair, 66, Scottish author, film critic and journalist, brain haemorrhage.
* Robert Brown, 61, American politician, Georgia State Senator (1991–2011), suicide by gunshot. (body discovered on this date)
* Lewis Bush, 42, American football player (San Diego Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs), apparent heart attack.
* Sir Zelman Cowen, 92, Australian constitutional lawyer and academic, 19th Governor-General of Australia (1977–1982).
* Vinko Cuzzi, 72, Croatian footballer. (Croatian)
* Ladislas de Hoyos, 72, French journalist and news anchor (TF1). (French).
* Nancy Hoyt, 56, American reality show contestant (The Amazing Race), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
* Gene Huff, 82, American politician, member of the Kentucky House of Representatives (1967–1971) and State Senator (1971–1994), lung disease.
* Giorgio Mariani, 65, Italian footballer. (Italian)
* Minoru Miki, 81, Japanese composer. (Japanese)
* Andrew Pataki, 84, American Eastern Catholic hierarch, Bishop of Parma for Ruthenian (1984–1995) and Passaic for Ruthenian (1995–2007).
* Joe Restic, 85, American NCAA and CFL football coach (Harvard Crimson, Hamilton Tiger-Cats).
* Nakdimon Rogel, 86, Israeli journalist and broadcaster, author of the Nakdi Report.
* Roman Simakov, 27, Russian boxer, injuries sustained during a fight.
* Dick Sims, 60, American keyboardist (Eric Clapton, Bob Seger).
* Dan Spears, 62, American musician (Willie Nelson and Family), exposure.
* Alan Styles, 75, British roadie (Pink Floyd), subject of the song "Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast".

9
* Alf R. Bjercke, 90, Norwegian business magnate. (Norwegian)
* Davida Karol, 94, Israeli actress. (Hebrew)
* Len Phillips, 89, British footballer.
* Stanislaw Podemski, 82, Polish journalist . (Polish)
* Richard J. Rabbitt, 76, American politician, Speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives (1973–1977), heart failure.
* Roy Tattersall, 89, British Test cricketer.
* Myra Taylor, 94, American jazz singer.

10
* Cary D. Allred, 64, American politician, member of the North Carolina Senate (1980–1984) and North Carolina House of Representatives (1994–2009).
* Jean Baucus, 94, American author, historian and arts patron, mother of Max Baucus.
* Hamilton Bobby, 44, Indian footballer.
* John Gower, 70, American politician, member of the Wisconsin State Assembly (1973–1979).
* Shinichi Ichikawa, 70, Japanese scriptwriter. (Japanese)
* Vida Jerman, 72, Croatian actress, lung cancer. (Croatian)
* Albert Overhauser, 86, American physicist.
* Panagiotis Sideris, 33, Greek handball player, heart attack. (Greek)
* Karryl Smith, American rapper (The Conscious Daughters).
* Sotia Tsotou, 69, Greek lyricist, cancer. (Greek)

11
* Ahmed Bahgat, 79, Egyptian writer and journalist.
* Rodolfo Bottino, 52, Brazilian actor, pulmonary embolism. (Portuguese)
* Trevor Christian, 69, Australian boxer, first Indigenous Australian to referee world title bout.
* Phillip Cottrell, 43, Scottish journalist (BBC Scotland, Radio New Zealand), assaulted.
* John Patrick Foley, 76, American Roman Catholic Cardinal and Grand Master Emeritus of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, leukemia and anemia.
* Mihnea Gheorghiu, 92, Romanian writer and filmmaker, natural causes. (Romanian)
* Susan Gordon, 62, American child actress (The Five Pennies, My Three Sons, The Twilight Zone), cancer.
* J. Lynn Helms, 86, American Marine Corps officer, Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (1981–1984), cardiopulmonary failure and pneumonia.
* Hans Heinz Holz, 84, German Marxist philosopher. (German)
* Harold Hopkins, 67, Australian actor (Don's Party, Gallipoli, Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities), mesothelioma.
* Ke Yan, 82, Chinese poet and writer.
* Ahmed İhsan Kırımlı, 91, Turkish doctor, politician, poet and philanthropist. (Turkish)
* Leonida Lari, 62, Moldovan-born Romanian writer and politician, member of the Supreme Soviet (1989–1991) and Romanian Parliament (1992–2008), breast cancer.
* Mario Miranda, 85, Indian cartoonist.

12
* John Atterberry, 40, American music industry executive (Death Row Records), shot.
* Sunday Bada, 42, Nigerian Olympic athlete.
* Predrag Ćeramilac, 67, Serbian actor, suicide. (Croatian)
* John Gardner, 94, British classical music composer.
* Alberto de Mendoza, 88, Argentine actor.
* Mălina Olinescu, 37, Romanian singer (Eurovision Song Contest 1998), suicide. (Romanian)
* Robert Peliza, 91, Gibraltarian politician, Chief Minister (1969–1972).
* Bert Schneider, 78, American film and television producer (Easy Rider, Five Easy Pieces, The Monkees), natural causes.
* Will Townsend, 33, American video game producer, car crash.

13
* Juan Calderón, 75, Mexican journalist and announcer. (Spanish)
* Kabir Chowdhury, 88, Bangladeshi writer.
* Russell Hoban, 86, American writer.
* Park Tae Joon, 84, South Korean businessman, honorary chairman of POSCO, lung disease.
* Klaus-Dieter Sieloff, 69, German footballer. (German)
* Erica Wilson, 83, Scottish embroidery designer.

14
* Luigi Carpaneda, 86, Italian Olympic fencer. (Italian)
* Boris Chertok, 99, Polish-born Soviet and Russian rocket designer. (Russian)
* Karl-Heinrich von Groddeck, 75, German Olympic rower. (German)
* Thomas C. Kelly, 80, American Roman Catholic prelate, Archbishop of Louisville (1981–2007).
* Mark Francis Schmitt, 88, American Roman Catholic prelate, Bishop of Marquette (1978–1992).
* Joe Simon, 98, American comic book writer (Captain America, Fighting American, Prez).
* Billie Jo Spears, 74, American country music singer ("Blanket on the Ground"), cancer.
* George Whitman, 98, American bookstore proprietor, complications of a stroke.

Final Exits, 8-14 November 2011

Folk singer Jackie Leven a.k.a. Sir Vincent Lone (formerly of Doll By Doll) performs in the Musician Tent at the Summer Sundae 2005. Photo by Gareth Owen.

Obituaries for 8-14 November 2011

8
* Jimmy Adamson, 82, British football player and coach.
* Hal Bruno, 83, American journalist (ABC News).
* Clay Green Cambern, 56, American TV editor (Lost, The Sopranos, Cold Case), cardiac arrest.
* Gene Cantamessa, 80, American Academy Award-winning sound engineer (E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial).
* Oscar Rolando Cantuarias Pastor, 80, Peruvian Roman Catholic prelate, Archbishop of Piura (1981–2006).
* Nosson Tzvi Finkel, 68, American Orthodox Jewish rabbi.
* Katherine Grant, 12th Countess of Dysart, 93, Scottish peeress.
* Heavy D, 44, Jamaican-born American rapper ("Now That We Found Love") and actor (The Cider House Rules, Life).
* Izabel Hoffmann, 17, Brazilian model, pulmonary embolism. [79] (Portuguese)
* Ricky Hui, 65, Hong Kong actor. (Chinese)
* Bil Keane, 89, American cartoonist (The Family Circus), heart failure.
* Valentin Kozmich Ivanov, 76, Russian football player and coach. (Russian)
* Ed Macauley, 83, American basketball player (St. Louis Hawks, Boston Celtics, Saint Louis Bombers).
* Jimmy Norman, 74, American rhythm and blues and jazz musician and songwriter.
* Herbert S. Okun, 80, American diplomat.
* Jacques Suprikyan, 71, Armenian footballer. (Russian)
* Lauri Sutela, 93, Finnish military officer, Chief of Defence (1974–1983). (Finnish)

9
* Abdoulkarim Abdrashitov, 30, Russian imam, Mufti of Mordovia (since 2011), car accident. (Russian)
* Shmuel Ben-Artzi, 96, Israeli writer, father in-law of Benjamin Netanyahu.
* Mary Ellen Cano, 32, American MMA fighter, shot.
* Bob Carney, 79, American basketball player (Minneapolis Lakers).
* Roger Christian, 75, American Olympic gold medal-winning (1960) ice hockey player.
* Renée Franke, 83, German pop singer. (German)
* Har Gobind Khorana, 89, Indian-born American biochemist, Nobel laureate (1968), natural causes.
* Benny McCoy, 96, American baseball player (Detroit Tigers, Philadelphia Athletics).
* Ézio Leal Moraes Filho, 45, Brazilian football player. (Portuguese)
* Dani Wadada Nabudere, 79, Ugandan academic.
* Jean-Paul Randriamanana, 61, Malagasy Roman Catholic prelate, Auxiliary Bishop of Antananarivo (since 1999).
* Thomas Shanahan, 54, American politician, alderman of Springfield, Illinois.
* Wilbur South, 28, American MMA fighter, suicide by gunshot.
* Terry Willers, 76, Irish cartoonist.

10
* Peter J. Biondi, 69, American politician, member of the New Jersey General Assembly (since 1998), cancer.
* David Boyd, 87, Australian artist.
* Manuel Carbonell, 93, Cuban-born American sculptor.
* Ana Grepo, 36, Croatian model, carbon monoxide asphyxiation. (Croatian)
* Barbara Grier, 78, American publisher (Naiad Press) and writer, cancer.
* Ivan Martin Jirous, 67, Czech poet and dissident.
* Alan Keen, 73, British politician, MP for Feltham and Heston (since 1992), cancer.
* Killer Karl Kox, 80, American professional wrestler.
* Petar Kralj, 70, Serbian actor. (Serbian)
* Andy Tielman, 75, Dutch Indorock musician.
* Adrián Yospe, 41, Argentine actor, cancer. (Spanish)

11
* William Aramony, 84, American charity executive.
* Francisco Blake Mora, 45, Mexican politician, Secretary of the Interior (since 2010), helicopter crash.
* Domenico Tarcisio Cortese, 80, Italian Roman Catholic prelate, Bishop of Mileto-Nicotera-Tropea (1979–2007).
* Lynn Deerfield, 61, American actress (Guiding Light).
* John Francis Donoghue, 83, American Roman Catholic prelate, Archbishop of Atlanta (1993–2004), after short illness.
* Emory Folmar, 81, American politician, Mayor of Montgomery, Alabama (1977–1999), after long illness.
* Michael Garrick, 78, English jazz pianist and composer.
* Fridtjof Frank Gundersen, 77, Norwegian jurist and politician. (Norwegian)
* Choiseul Henriquez, 51, Haitian politician.
* Charlie Lea, 54, French-born American baseball player (Montreal Expos).
* Bernd Methe, 47, German handball referee, traffic accident.
* Reiner Methe, 47, German handball referee, traffic accident.
* David Myers, 73, American politician, Oklahoma State Senator (since 2002), pneumonia.
* Nick Strincevich, 96, American baseball player (Pittsburgh Pirates, Boston Braves).

12
* Gavin Bornholdt, 63, New Zealand Olympic sailor.
* Doyle Bramhall, 62, American blues musician, heart failure.
* Alun Evans, 69, Welsh football administrator, General Secretary of the Football Association of Wales (1982–1995), after long illness.
* Zbigniew Jaworowski, 84, Polish physicist.
* Evelyn Lauder, 75, Austrian-born American philanthropist (The Breast Cancer Research Foundation), creator of pink ribbon symbol, complications from ovarian cancer.
* Julius C. Michaelson, 89, American politician, Rhode Island Attorney General (1975–1979) and State Senator (1962–1974).
* Hasan Moghaddam, Iranian general, commander in the Revolutionary Guard, explosion.
* Peter Roebuck, 55, British-Australian cricketer and columnist, suicide by defenestration.
* Jim Sullivan, 43, Canadian curler, world junior champion (1988).

13
* Bobsam Elejiko, 30, Nigerian footballer, traumatic aortic rupture. (Dutch)
* Guido Falaschi, 22, Argentine racing driver, racing accident.
* Esperanza Pérez Labrador, 89, Cuban-born Argentine human rights activist (Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo). (Spanish)
* Jamie Pierre, 38, American professional skier, avalanche.
* Artemio Lomboy Rillera, 69, Philippine Roman Catholic prelate, Bishop of Bangued (1993–2005) and San Fernando de La Union (since 2005).
* Diego Rivas, Mexican singer, shot.
* Solly Tyibilika, 32, South African rugby player, shot.

14
* Franz Josef Degenhardt, 79, German poet, satirist, novelist and folk singer. (German)
* Richard Douthwaite, 69, British economist and ecologist.
* Alf Fields, 92, English footballer (Arsenal F.C.).
* Maurice-Adolphe Gaidon, 83, French Roman Catholic prelate, Bishop of Cahors (1987–2004).
* Brikt Jensen, 83, Norwegian literary critic and publisher. (Norwegian)
* Laura Kennedy, American musician (Bush Tetras), liver disease.
* Jackie Leven, 61, Scottish musician, lung cancer.
* Cargill MacMillan, Jr., 84, American billionaire (Cargill family), natural causes.
* Ilya Zhitomirskiy, 22, Russian-born American Internet entrepreneur, co-founder of Diaspora social network site, apparent suicide.

Boxing Icon 'Smokin' Joe Frazier Dead at 67

Former world heavyweight boxing champion Joe Frazier, who was known for his personal and professional battles with Muhammad Ali, has died after a brief fight with cancer at the age of 67.

The youngest of 12 children, Frazier was born in 1944 into a working-class family on a farm in the racially-segregated southeastern U.S. town of Beaufort, (pron: BYOO'- fert) South Carolina. Frazier dreamed of becoming a prize fighter from an early age, watching boxing matches on his family's black-and-white television.

After fighting as an amateur for several years, Frazier won a gold medal for the United States at the 1964 Olympic Games. But “Smokin' Joe” Frazier really made his name in the 1970s during his epic rivalry with boxing legend Muhammad Ali.

Frazier became the first man to beat Ali, winning the heavyweight title in 1971 in a dramatic, 15-round unanimous decision at New York's Madison Square Garden. Dubbed the “fight of the century,” an estimated 300 million people worldwide viewed the match, which left both men hospitalized.

After Ali responded with a 12-round victory in 1974, the two men met in the Philippines for the famed “Thrilla in Manila,” considered to be one of the most famous sporting events in history. After battering each other for 14 rounds, Frazier was forcibly held back by his trainer after nearly being blinded by Ali's punches. Ali later said the match was the “closest thing to dying” that he had ever experienced.

The no-nonsense Frazier was often overshadowed by Ali's more aggressive and charismatic personality. Frazier resented being verbally attacked by Ali, who referred to him as a “gorilla” and accused Frazier of being too accommodating to the white-dominated society.

The two men remained bitter enemies for decades. But in later years, Frazier came to forgive Ali, saying he felt no bitterness against him for his attacks outside the ring. Ali also later apologized, saying the insults were only meant to promote the fights.

Ali said in a statement late Monday that “the world has lost a great champion,” and that he will always remember Joe with “respect and admiration.”

Frazier's aggressiveness, close-range style and devastating left hook compensated for his relative small size. He weighed just 93 kilograms – considered small for a heavyweight boxer.

Frazier retired in 1976 with a record of 32 wins, 4 losses and 1 draw.

The boxing icon's family said late Monday that he died in his adopted hometown of Philadelphia – one month after being diagnosed with an advanced form of liver cancer.

Photo: The New York Daily News editor-in-chief Kevin Convey (on the right) presented Joe Frazier (center) with the Daily News Front Page Award in 2011. Photo by Akira Kouchiyama / ToonariPost – A News Mash Up.

Boxing Heavyweight Joe Frazier Dead at 67

Former world heavyweight boxing champion Joe Frazier has died after a brief fight with cancer at the age of 67.

Frazier – who was born in a small southeastern U.S. town – was diagnosed with advanced liver cancer last month. He was known for his epic fights with boxing legend Muhammad Ali in the 1970s.

He was the first man to beat Ali, knocking him down and taking a decision in the so-called “Fight of the Century” in 1971.

Frazier would go on to lose two more fights to Ali, including the famed 1975 “Thrilla in Manila” in the Philippines.

He won a gold medal for the United States at the 1964 Olympic Games before enjoying a successful pro career.

Frazier retired in 1976 with a record of 32 wins, 4 losses and 1 draw.

Photo: Joe Frazier was awarded the Order of the Palmetto in Beaufort, South Carolina, United States. (Photo by Akira Kouchiyama / TheDigitel Beaufort)

Final Exits, 1-7 October 2011

Bert Jansch performing at the Green Man Festival, 21 August 2006. Photo by Chris Barber from Dartford, England.

Obituaries for 1-7 October 2011

1
* Hans Christian Alsvik, 75, Norwegian television presenter. (Norwegian)
* David Bedford, 74, British composer and musician.
* Len Castle, 86, New Zealand potter.
* Ruby Langford Ginibi, 77, Australian author and Aboriginal historian.
* Paulos Mantovanis, 65, Cypriot Orthodox hierarch, Metropolitan of Kyrenia (since 1994). (Greek)
* Sholom Rivkin, 85, American rabbi, last chief rabbi of St. Louis and the United States.
* Johnny Schmitz, 90, American baseball player (Chicago Cubs, Brooklyn Dodgers, Washington Senators).
* Sven Tumba, 80, Swedish ice hockey player (world champion 1953, 1957 and 1962), footballer and golfer, prostate cancer.

2
* Vasily Aleksanyan, 39, Russian lawyer and businessman, Executive Vice President of Yukos, complications from AIDS.
* Don Lapre, 47, American television pitchman, suicide.
* Mark Mendel, 60s, Romanian born Israeli-Jamaican football coach.
* Taha Muhammad Ali, 80, Palestinian poet.
* Peter Przygodda, 69, German film editor, cancer. (German)
* John Romonosky, 82, American baseball player (St. Louis Cardinals, Washington Senators).
* François Abu Salem, 60, French-born Palestinian actor and director.
* Cindy Shatto, 54, Canadian Olympic diver, lung cancer.
* Pavlos Tassios, 69, Greek film director. (Greek)
* Piero Weiss, 83, Italian pianist and author, pneumonia.
* Moshe Wertman, 87, Israeli politician.

3
* Kay Armen, 95, American singer, actress and composer.
* Argyris Fatouros, 79, Greek law professor. (Greek)
* Mikko Laine, 30, Finnish rock musician, truck accident.
* Aden Meinel, 88, American astronomer and optical scientist.
* David I. Mitchell, 79, American set designer (Annie), cancer.
* Jim Neal, 81, American basketball player (Syracuse Nationals, Baltimore Bullets).
* Arthur C. Nielsen, Jr., 92, American businessman (ACNielsen), Parkinson's disease.
* Rollin Post, 81, American television reporter.

4
* Doris Belack, 85, American actress (Law & Order, One Life to Live, Tootsie), natural causes.
* Yelena Chernykh, 32, Russian actress, traffic collision. (Russian)
* Kenneth H. Dahlberg, 94, American businessman and World War II fighter ace, natural causes.
* Diana Gribble, 69, Australian publisher (McPhee Gribble), cancer.
* Ralph Hodgin, 96, American baseball player (Boston Bees, Chicago White Sox).
* Dustin Kellogg, 18, American baseball player, traffic collision.
* Hanan Porat, 67, Israeli rabbi, educator and politician, cancer.
* Shmuel Shilo, 81, Israeli actor and director, cancer.
* Aleksandr Yegorov, 59, Russian actor, traffic collision. (Russian)
* Valentina Yudina, 52, Russian actress, traffic collision. (Russian)

5
* Níver Arboleda, 43, Colombian footballer, heart attack. (Spanish)
* Derrick Bell, 80, American law professor (Harvard University), originated critical race theory, carcinoid cancer.
* Graham Dilley, 52, English cricketer, cancer.
* Enver Faja, 77, Albanian architect and diplomat, after long illness.
* Peter Jaks, 45, Swiss Olympic ice hockey player, suicide by train.
* Bert Jansch, 67, Scottish folk guitarist, singer and songwriter (Pentangle), cancer.
* Steve Jobs, 56, American computer entrepreneur and inventor, co-founder of Apple Inc., pancreatic cancer.
* Achilleas Karagiozopoulos, 56, Greek politician, cancer. (Greek)
* Charles Napier, 75, American actor (The Silence of the Lambs, The Blues Brothers).
* Fred Shuttlesworth, 89, American civil rights leader.
* Gökşin Sipahioğlu, 84, Turkish photographer. (French).
* Sarkis Soghanalian, 82, Turkish-born Armenian arms dealer.

6
* Diane Cilento, 78, Australian actress (Tom Jones, The Wicker Man), cancer.
* Birgit Rosengren, 98, Swedish actress. (Swedish)
* Igor Shmakov, 26, Russian actor, leukemia.
* Neil Street, 80, Australian speedway rider.

7
* Zaheer Ahmad, 63, Pakistani-born American doctor, brain hemorrhage.
* Ramiz Alia, 85, Albanian politician, First Secretary of the Party of Labour (1985–1991); President (1991–1992), lung complications.
* Julien Bailleul, 23, French footballer.
* George Baker, 80, English actor (I, Claudius, The Ruth Rendell Mysteries), pneumonia following a stroke.
* Fernando Charrier, 80, Italian Roman Catholic prelate, Bishop of Alessandria della Paglia (1989–2007).
* Charles Cuprill Oppenheimer, 95, Puerto Rican general. (Spanish)
* Andrew Laszlo, 85, Hungarian cinematographer (First Blood, The Warriors, Newsies).
* Neoklis Lechoudis, 55, Greek basketball player and coach, traffic collision. (Greek)
* Gianni Musy, 80, Italian movie dubber. (Italian)
* Milan Puskar, 77, American pharmacist, co-founder of Mylan, cancer.
* Julio Mario Santo Domingo, 87, Colombian businessman (SABMiller). (Spanish)
* Mishaal al-Tammo, 53, Syrian politician, shot.
* Avner Treinin, 83, Israeli poet and chemist. (Hebrew)
* Phil Walker, 67, British newspaper editor.

Kenyan Nobel Laureate Maathai Dies

Kenya's Wangari Maathai, the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, has died. She was 71.

The organization she founded, the Green Belt Movement, said in a statement that Maathai died Sunday at a Nairobi hospital after a long struggle with cancer.

The Nobel Committee awarded her the peace prize in 2004, citing her stand against Kenya's former oppressive government and work to encourage women to improve their lives.

Maathai started the Green Belt Movement in 1977 to help poor women in rural communities meet their basic needs for firewood, food and clean drinking water through a tree-planting program. The effort later grew to include focusing on issues of democracy, human rights, women's rights and peace.

The organization says it has mobilized hundreds of thousands of men and women to plant more than 47 million trees.

Maathai also served as a member of the Kenyan parliament, and as the country's deputy environment minister.

She attended college in the United States during the civil rights era in the 1960s, and said that experience inspired her to return home and do something positive for the people of Kenya.

Maathai was one of the founding members of the Nobel Women's Initiative, joining other female peace prize winners to support women's rights advocacy around the world.

(Photograph of Wangari Maathai by Martin Rowe)

Canada Opposition Leader Jack Layton Dies

Canada's New Democrat party leader Jack Layton died Monday from cancer. Layton's party announced his death, saying the charismatic politician died at his Toronto home, surrounded by his family.

During the May 2 elections, Layton helped his party become the dominant opposition group in Canada's Parliament while battling cancer. The NDP controls 103 of 308 total seats.

Former Canadian prime minister Brian Mulroney called Layton an “honorable, decent, loyal” man.

Prime Minister Brian Harper offered the Layton family a state funeral for the popular politician. The funeral will be held Saturday's in Toronto.

Layton penned a letter for release upon his death. The letter encourages others battling cancer, despite his death, to continue fighting the disease. Layton said, “You must not lose your own hope.”

Canadians have left flowers and cards at the eternal flame located on Ottawa's Parliament Hill. The national flag has been lowered to half staff until after the funeral service.

Photo: An impromptu memorial for Jack Layton, Canadian Leader of the Opposition, on Parliament Hill the day he died. Ottawa, 22 August 2011. Photo by M. Rehemtulla

Final Exits, 1-7 July 2011

Anna Massey in the film Bunny Lake Is Missing, 1965

Obituaries for 1-7 July 2011

1
* Jane Baker, 88, American community organizer and politician, first female Mayor of San Mateo, California.
* Edmund Snow Carpenter, 88, American anthropologist.
* Charlie Craig, 73, American songwriter ("She's Single Again", "The Generation Gap"), lung cancer.
* Willie Fernie, 82, Scottish footballer, Alzheimer's disease.
* Raymond Jones, 52, American keyboardist (Chic) and songwriter, pneumonia.
* Anne LaBastille, 75, American author and ecologist.
* Bébé Manga, 60, Cameroonian singer, cardiac arrest. (French)
* Harold Nelson, 88, New Zealand Olympic runner.
* Brice Phillips, 90, American restaurateur.
* Ruth Roberts, 84, American songwriter ("Meet the Mets").
* Phil Shepardson, 76, American quiz show host (As Schools Match Wits) (1961–1991). (death reported on this date)

2
* Itamar Franco, 81, Brazilian politician, President (1992–1995), leukemia.
* Bill Greer, 65, American newspaper editor (The Miami Herald), staph infection.
* Olivera Marković, 87, Serbian actress. (Serbian)
* Ross Martin, 68, Australian Olympic cross-country skier, cycling accident.
* Chaturanan Mishra, 86, Indian politician and trade union leader, after long illness.
* Sir Oliver Napier, 75, Northern Irish politician, leader of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland (1972–1984).
* Kip Tiernan, 85, American advocate for the homeless, cancer.
* Victor Villarreal, 41, American heavy metal singer, motorcycle accident.
* Carl Wedekind, American attorney and anti-death penalty activist.

3
* Fernando Areán, 67, Argentine footballer and coach. (Spanish)
* Iain Blair, 69, British romance novelist.
* Francis King, 88, British writer.
* Anna Massey, 73, British actress (Frenzy, Hotel du Lac), cancer.
* Fred Newman, 76, American psychotherapist.
* Sir Roy Redgrave, 85, British Army general.
* Len Sassaman, 31, American cryptographer, suicide.
* John C. Truesdale, 89, American National Labor Relations Board chairman (1998–2000), cancer.
* Konstantin Vrotsos, 19, Greek actor, car accident. (Spanish)

4
* Serban Cantacuzino, 70, Romanian prince and actor.
* Wes Covington, 79, American baseball player (Milwaukee Braves, Kansas City Athletics, Philadelphia Phillies), cancer.
* Rusty Farley, 57, American politician, member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives (2011).
* Otto von Habsburg, 98, Austro-Hungarian royal and politician, MEP (1979–1999).
* Zurab Kapianidze, 74, Georgian actor and politician, MP (1999–2003).
* Josh Lichtle, 23, American motocross rider, heat stroke.
* Pablo McNeil, 71, Jamaican Olympic athlete and coach, after long illness.
* Lawrence R. Newman, 86, American advocate for the deaf.
* Jane Scott, 92, American rock music critic.
* Gerhard Unger, 95, German opera singer.
* Zainuddin Muhammad Zain, 60, Indonesian Islamic cleric and politician, heart attack.

5
* Jaap Blokker, 69, Dutch businessman, cancer.
* Neil Dougherty, 50, American basketball coach (TCU).
* Malcolm Forsyth, 74, South African-born Canadian trombonist and composer, pancreatic cancer.
* David Getches, 68, American law professor and Native American rights lawyer, pancreatic cancer.
* Armen Gilliam, 47, American basketball player (Phoenix Suns, New Jersey Nets, Milwaukee Bucks), heart attack.
* Edward Hastings, 80, American director and co-founder of the American Conservatory Theater, complications from Lewy body dementia.
* George Lang, 86, Hungarian-born American restaurateur and cookbook author, Alzheimer's disease.
* Mika Myllylä, 41, Finnish Olympic gold medal-winning (1998) cross country skier. (body found on this date)
* Robert Sklar, 75, American film historian, cycling accident. (death reported on this date)
* John Sweet, 95, American actor (A Canterbury Tale).
* Gordon Tootoosis, 69, Canadian actor (Pocahontas, Legends of the Fall) and activist, pneumonia.
* Cy Twombly, 83, American painter, cancer.
* Shinji Wada, 61, Japanese mangaka (Sukeban Deka). (death reported on this date)

6
* Paul-André Crépeau, 85, Canadian legal academic.
* Daniel Mortimer Friedman, 95, American jurist.
* Carly Hibberd, 26, Australian racing cyclist, traffic collision.
* Mani Kaul, 66, Indian filmmaker, after long illness.
* George Kimball, 67, American boxing columnist (Boston Herald), esophageal cancer.
* John Mackey, 69, American Hall of Fame football player (Baltimore Colts, San Diego Chargers).
* Josef Suk, 81, Czech violinist, prostate cancer.
* Andreas Waldherr, 43, Austrian rally driver, workshop accident. (German)
* Mark Whitehead, 50, American Olympic cyclist.

7
* Ricardo Alegría, 90, Puerto Rican anthropologist, complications of heart disease.
* Peter Aucoin, 67, American professor of political science and public administration (Dalhousie University).
* Bill Boddy, 98, British motor sport journalist.
* Allan W. Eckert, 80, American historian.
* Manuel Galbán, 80, Cuban guitarist, heart attack.
* Stewart A. Hay, 55, New Zealand businessman.
* Yuri Kukin, 78, Russian singer-songwriter. (Russian)
* Humberto Leal, 38, Mexican murderer, lethal injection.
* José Carlos Martínez, 48, Argentine politician, Senator (since 2007), car crash. (Spanish)
* Rizalino Navarro, 72, Filipino business executive, Secretary of Trade and Industry (1992–1996), heart attack.
* Miguel Gatan Purugganan, 79, Filipino Roman Catholic prelate, Bishop of Ilagan (1974–1999).
* Everett Reynolds, 83, American civil rights leader, cancer.
* Fred Scialla, 56, American actor (Hoffa).
* Olav Versto, 60, Norwegian journalist and editor (Verdens Gang), apparent drowning. (Norwegian)
* Dick Williams, 82, American baseball player and Hall of Fame manager (Oakland Athletics), ruptured aortic aneurysm.

American Artist Cy Twombly Dies at 83

Tuesday, 5 July 2011

Cy Twombly, an American painter, known for his giant scribbles and graffiti-styled art, has died at a hospital in Rome.

A spokesman for the Gagosian Gallery, which represented Twombly's work, said the artist died Tuesday at the age of 83. The spokesman did not specify a cause of death, but Twombly had suffered from cancer for several years.

Twombly, whose full name was Edwin Parker Twombly, was born in the eastern U.S. state of Virginia. His six-decade career spanned a number of artistic movements, but he was best known for a unique style that included oversize canvasses, abstract scribbles, incorporating words into his paintings and drawings, and his use of the color white,

Twombly had been living in Italy since the late 1950s.

Final Exits, 15-21 April 2011

Elisabeth Sladen, standing outside Forbidden Planet in London, 2003. (Photo: Danacea)

Obituaries for 15-21 April 2011

15
* Vittorio Arrigoni, 36, Italian activist, hanged. (body discovered on this date)
* Babu Baral, 47, Pakistani comedian, cancer.
* Reno Bertoia, 76, Italian-born Canadian baseball player (Detroit Tigers), lymphoma.
* Hélio Gueiros, 85, Brazilian politician, Governor of Pará (1987–1991), renal disease. (Portuguese)
* Vincenzo La Scola, 53, Italian tenor, heart attack.
* Khan Mohammad Mujahid, Afghan police chief of Kandahar, suicide bomb.
* Bobo Osborne, 75, American baseball player (Detroit Tigers).
* Nicholas Selby, 85, British actor.
* Beryl Shipley, 84, American basketball coach (University of Louisiana at Lafayette, San Diego Conquistadors).
* Melih Yalman, 64, Turkish journalist, lung cancer. (Turkish)

16
* Gerry Alexander, 82, Jamaican cricketer.
* Bijan, 67, Iranian-born American fashion designer, stroke.
* Allan Blakeney, 85, Canadian politician, Premier of Saskatchewan (1971–1982), complications from liver cancer.
* Chinesinho, 76, Brazilian footballer, Alzheimer's disease. (Portuguese)
* Bill Kinnamon, 91, American Major League Baseball umpire.
* Serge LeClerc, 61, Canadian pardoned criminal and politician, MLA for Saskatoon Northwest (2007–2010), complications from colon and bowel cancer.
* Alfonso Martínez, 74, Spanish Olympic basketball player. (Spanish)
* William A. Rusher, 87, American columnist, publisher of National Review (1957–1988).
* Dan Monroe Russell, Jr., 98, American federal judge, natural causes.
* Sol Saks, 100, American screenwriter, creator of Bewitched.
* Bhawani Singh, 79, Indian noble, titular Maharaja of Jaipur (since 1970).
* Hermod Skånland, 85, Norwegian Central Bank governor (1985–1993). (Norwegian)
* Harold Volkmer, 80, American politician, U.S. Representative from Missouri (1977–1997), pneumonia.

17
* Nasser Al-Kharafi, 67, Kuwaiti businessman (M. A. Kharafi & Sons), heart attack.
* Carlo Capponi, 58, Italian janitor and reality contestant, heart attack. (Italian)
* Joel Colton, 92, American historian, heart failure.
* Osamu Dezaki, 67, Japanese animator (Space Adventure Cobra, Tomorrow's Joe), lung cancer. (Japanese)
* Eric Gross, 84, Austrian-born Australian composer.
* Eddie Leadbeater, 83, British cricketer, after short illness.
* Blair Milan, 29, Australian actor and television presenter, acute myeloid leukaemia.
* Nikos Papazoglou, 63, Greek singer-songwriter, cancer.
* AJ Perez, 18, Filipino actor, traffic accident.
* Mary Robbins, 78, American musician, mother of Tim Robbins, heart arrhythmia.
* Raúl Sánchez Díaz Martell, 96, Mexican politician, Governor of Baja California (1965–1971).
* Michael Sarrazin, 70, Canadian actor (They Shoot Horses, Don't They?, The Flim-Flam Man, For Pete's Sake), cancer.
* Dennis E. Stowell, 66, American politician, member of the Utah State Senate (2007–2011), cancer.
* Lynne Topping, 61, American actress (The Young and the Restless).
* Robert Vickrey, 84, American artist.
* Victor Ward, 87, Canadian pilot, survivor of the 1956 Springhill Mine disaster, after long illness.

18
* Olubayo Adefemi, 25, Nigerian footballer, car accident.
* Sadiq Ali, 58, Indian politician.
* Juan Pedro Domecq, 69, Spanish breeder of fighting bulls, car accident.
* Pietro Ferrero Jr., 47, Italian businessman (Ferrero SpA), bicycle accident.
* Kjell Håkonsen, 75, Norwegian harness racer and trainer. (Norwegian)
* Joe Pavia, 72, Filipino journalist, lung cancer.
* Mason Rudolph, 76, American golfer.
* Giovanni Saldarini, 86, Italian cardinal, Archbishop of Turin (1989–1999), natural causes. (Italian)
* William Donald Schaefer, 89, American politician, Governor of Maryland (1987–1995), pneumonia.
* Ivica Vidović, 72, Croatian actor, after long illness. (Croatian)

19
* Roy Burris, 79, American drummer (Merle Haggard), heart complications.
* Lynn Chandnois, 86, American football player (Pittsburgh Steelers).
* Norm Masters, 77, American football player (Green Bay Packers), cancer.
* Serge Nubret, 72, French bodybuilder and actor (Pumping Iron).
* Elisabeth Sladen, 65, British actress (Doctor Who, The Sarah Jane Adventures), cancer.
* Grete Waitz, 57, Norwegian Olympic silver medal-winning (1984) marathon runner, cancer.

20
* Allan Brown, 84, Scottish football player and manager (Blackpool, Scotland).
* Tim Hetherington, 40, British photojournalist and filmmaker (Restrepo), mortar attack in 2011 Libyan civil war.
* Chris Hondros, 41, American photojournalist, mortar attack in 2011 Libyan civil war.
* Osvaldo Miranda, 95, Argentine actor (Cita en las estrellas).
* Madelyn Pugh, 90, American screenwriter (I Love Lucy, Here's Lucy, The Mothers-in-Law).
* Tul Bahadur Pun, 88, Nepali World War II veteran, recipient of the Victoria Cross, cardiac complications.
* Franky Sahilatua, 57, Indonesian musician, complications from spinal cancer. (Indonesian)
* Gerard Smith, 36, American musician (TV on the Radio), lung cancer.
* Kerry Smith, New Zealand actress and broadcaster, melanoma.
* Antonio Tauriello, 80, Argentine composer. (Spanish)

21
* Beverly Barton, American romance author.
* Tine Bryld, 71, Danish social worker, writer, radio host and letters editor. (Danish)
* Helen J. Frye, 80, American federal judge, after long illness.
* Jess Stonestreet Jackson, Jr., 81, American wine entrepreneur, founder of Kendall-Jackson, cancer.
* Max Mathews, 84, American engineer and computer music composer, complications from pneumonia.
* Yoshiko Tanaka, 55, Japanese actress (Godzilla vs. Biollante) and singer (Candies), breast cancer. (Japanese)
* Gaylen Young, 59, American newscaster, car accident.