obituary

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Creator of Pillsbury Doughboy Dead at 89
Creator of Pillsbury Doughboy Dead at 89
obituary
Apr 2, 2015 5:29 PM CDT

Creator of Pillsbury Doughboy Dead at 89

But Poppin' Fresh lives on and on

(Newser) - First the creator of the pet rock dies , and now the creator or another American fixture often accompanied by the word "iconic:" The former Chicago ad man who invented the Pillsbury Doughboy in 1965 has died at age 89, reports the Chicago Tribune . Rudolph Perz was working for...

Crystal Cathedral Megachurch Founder Dead at 88

Robert Schuller's influence had faded in recent years

(Newser) - The Rev. Robert H. Schuller, the Southern California televangelist and author who beamed his upbeat messages on faith and redemption to millions from his landmark Crystal Cathedral only to see his empire crumble in his waning years, has died. He was 88. Schuller died early today at a care facility...

Cynthia Lennon, John&#39;s Ex, Has Died
 Cynthia Lennon, 
 John's Ex, Has Died 
obituary
Apr 1, 2015 10:59 AM CDT

Cynthia Lennon, John's Ex, Has Died

A statement from her rep says she had a 'short but brave' battle with cancer

(Newser) - Cynthia Lennon, who was Cynthia Powell before she married John Lennon in 1962, has died. She was 75. Fox News reports that Cynthia's son Julian Lennon confirmed the news, and Billboard has this statement from her rep: "Cynthia Lennon passed away today at her home in Mallorca, Spain...

Inventor of Pet Rocks Dies
 Inventor of Pet Rocks Dies 
OBITUARY
Apr 1, 2015 2:40 AM CDT

Inventor of Pet Rocks Dies

Gary Dahl made millions off 1970s craze

(Newser) - Pet Rocks of America, say goodbye to your creator. Gary Ross Dahl, the man who made millions of dollars selling the novelty "pets" in the 1970s—and caused millions of people to say, "I could have thought of that"—has died at the age of 78. According...

Beloved Fantasy Author Terry Pratchett Dies
Beloved Fantasy Author
Terry Pratchett Dies
OBITUARY
Mar 13, 2015 12:12 AM CDT

Beloved Fantasy Author Terry Pratchett Dies

'Discworld' creator had rare form of Alzheimer's

(Newser) - Fantasy writer Terry Pratchett, creator of the exuberant, satirical Discworld series and author of more than 70 books, has died. He was 66. Pratchett, who suffered from a rare form of early-onset Alzheimer's disease, had earned wide respect in Britain and beyond with his dignified campaign for the right...

Hero in Gabby Giffords Shooting Dead at 78

Bill Badger tackled Jared Loughner on Jan. 8, 2011

(Newser) - How one shooting survivor describes Bill Badger's heroics on Jan. 8, 2011, to Arizona Public Media : "Bill was in his 70s at the time and Jared Loughner was a strong 22-year-old who had a gun and was attempting to reload. Had he been able to reload, he had...

27-Year-Old's Obituary Confronts His Addiction

Ryan Bossie's family decided not to shy away from his struggle

(Newser) - What may have been easier: to somewhat vaguely just state that Ryan Bossie died on Jan. 30. Maybe toss in the word "suddenly" or "unexpectedly." But what the family of the man from Caribou, Maine, chose to do instead was much bolder, and more difficult. They opened...

Leonard Nimoy Dead at 83
 Leonard Nimoy 
 Dead at 83 
obituary
Feb 27, 2015 11:29 AM CST

Leonard Nimoy Dead at 83

Star Trek's 'Spock' died of lung disease

(Newser) - He lived long and prospered: Leonard Nimoy, best known as Spock of Star Trek fame, died this morning at the age of 83. Nimoy died at home of end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, his wife tells the New York Times . Nimoy discussed his struggle with the disease last year , blaming...

Scientist Behind 'Feats of Espionage' Dead at 90

Navy's John Craven 'turned submarines into spy machines'

(Newser) - The name might not be of the household variety, but John Craven made his mark in Cold War espionage for the US military. In his obituary, the New York Times explains that the Navy scientist "turned submarines into spy machines" and was responsible for "some of the nation'...

&#39;It&#39;s My Party&#39; Singer Lesley Gore Dies
 'It's My Party' Singer 
 Lesley Gore Dies 
OBITUARY
Feb 17, 2015 12:03 AM CST

'It's My Party' Singer Lesley Gore Dies

Her hit 'You Don't Own Me' became feminist anthem

(Newser) - Lesley Gore, the singer-songwriter who scored a huge hit as a 16-year-old with "It's My Party" in 1963, has died at the age of 68. Gore, who grew up in New Jersey and was discovered by Quincy Jones, followed up the Grammy-nominated chart-topper with hits including "She'...

Woman Who Fought Ban on Gay Marriage Dies of Cancer

Niki Quasney helped dump Indiana ban, is survived by her wife

(Newser) - A woman whose terminal ovarian cancer led her to push Indiana to recognize her same-sex marriage, eventually overturning the state's gay marriage ban, has died at the age of 38. Niki Quasney died Thursday, gay rights advocacy group Lambda Legal said yesterday. Two years after Quasney's 2009 diagnosis,...

Designer of Bullet Train, Soy Sauce Bottle Dies

Kenji Ekuan was former monk whose inventions went on and on

(Newser) - Japanese industrial designer Kenji Ekuan, whose works ranged from a bullet train to the red-capped Kikkoman soy sauce dispenser as familiar as the classic Coca-Cola bottle, has died, his company said. He was 85. A former monk, Ekuan crafted a tabletop bottle for Kikkoman Corp. in 1961, winning international popularity...

Obit Lists Cause of Man's Death: the Seahawks

Michael Vedvik died hours after the team's Super Bowl loss

(Newser) - A lifelong Seattle Seahawks fan, Michael Vedvik died of a heart attack early Monday in his home in Kent, Wa., hours after his beloved team threw the fateful interception that cost them the Super Bowl . According to his obituary in the Spokesman-Review , Vedvik, 53, "loved his family, work, clients,...

Thorn Birds Author Dubbed 'Overweight' in Obit

Backlash is swift over Colleen McCullough's obituary

(Newser) - Colleen McCullough wrote "the highest-selling novel in Australia's history," Time reports. She also happened to be a neurophysiologist. But even so, when the Australian reported on the Thorn Birds author's death this week , it led with this:
  • "Colleen McCullough, Australia’s best selling author, was
...

Thorn Birds Author Dead at 77
 Thorn Birds 
 Author Dead 
 at 77 
obituary
Jan 29, 2015 9:52 AM CST

Thorn Birds Author Dead at 77

Colleen McCullough has died after a long illness

(Newser) - Best-selling Australian author Colleen McCullough, whose novel The Thorn Birds sold 30 million copies worldwide, has died at age 77 after a long illness. McCullough died today in a hospital on remote Norfolk Island, HarperCollins Australia publishing director Shona Martyn said in a statement. McCullough wrote 25 novels throughout her...

Civil War Vet's Son, Among the Last, Dead at 97

Luke Martin Jr. was a local hero in North Carolina

(Newser) - Luke Martin Jr. was born to a former Civil War soldier in 1917, when the father was in his 80s. Now, at 97, Martin has died, meaning the world has lost one of the last surviving sons of a Civil War veteran; only eight remain, according to a roster . His...

2 Tuskegee Airmen, Lifelong Friends, Die on Same Day

Clarence Huntley Jr., Joseph Shambrey were both 91 and living in LA

(Newser) - Two members of the Tuskegee Airmen—the famed all-black squadron that flew in World War II—died on the same day. The men, lifelong friends who enlisted together, were both 91. Clarence E. Huntley Jr. and Joseph Shambrey died on Jan. 5 in their Los Angeles homes, relatives said yesterday....

Star of Fellini's La Dolce Vita Dies at 83

Anita Ekberg best known for iconic dip in Trevi Fountain

(Newser) - Anita Ekberg, the Swedish-born actress and sex-symbol of the 1950s and '60s who was immortalized bathing in the Trevi fountain in La Dolce Vita, has died. She was 83. Ekberg's lawyer Patrizia Ubaldi confirmed she died in Rome this morning following a series of illnesses. She had been...

Miss America Later Caught in Scandals Dead at 90

Bess Myerson was Jewish, popular, and political

(Newser) - Bess Myerson, the first Jewish Miss America and a New York political force until a series of scandals dubbed the "Bess Mess" forced her into obscurity, has died. She was 90. Myerson died Dec. 14 at her home in Santa Monica, Calif, officials say. The Bronx-born Myerson was hailed...

Edward Brooke, First Elected Black Senator, Dies at 95

Massachusetts Republican won Congressional Gold Medal in 2009

(Newser) - The first African American elected to the US Senate has died at age 95. Edward Brooke, a Massachusetts Republican, died of natural causes in Florida, the AP reports. He was elected in 1966 and served two terms as a highly popular politician. That came after he became the first African...

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