Obituaries, December 2023

[AARR]

Sandra Day O'Connor, former Supreme Court Justice, dead at 93
Justice Sandra Day O'Connor died from complications of dementia and a respiratory illness, the Supreme Court said
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/sandra ... ce-dead-93

[Trainman2223]

Myles Goodwyn, Founding April Wine Singer, Dead at 75

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/musi ... 234908910/

[Jochs]

R.I.P. legendary TV writer-producer-developer Norman Lear, who died yesterday at the age of 101.
https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/norman ... 235823995/

R.I.P. actress Andrea Fay Friedman, who died on 12/3/23 at the age of 53. She had Down Syndrome, and appeared on the televsion drama, "Life Goes On," and "Carol of the Bells."
https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/andrea ... 235823473/

R.I.P. Denny Laine, Wings and The Moody Blues co-cofounder, who died yesterday at the age of 79.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/music/news/de ... ca45&ei=21

[Jochs]

R.I.P. Actor Ryan O'Neal, who was 82.
https://www.npr.org/2023/12/08/12183432 ... neal-death

[AARR]

Mama June's daughter Anna dead at 29
Reality star Anna 'Chickadee' Cardwell was diagnosed with stage 4 adrenal carcinoma earlier this year
https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/m ... na-dead-29

[David Collins]

RIP to Greg Scholl, who passed at 72. I used to watch his DVD’s religiously when I was little, very much the Danny Harmon of his time.

https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews ... ies-at-72/

[GTW6401]

Actor Andre Braugher passed away at 61.

https://www.freep.com/story/entertainme ... 899587007/

[AARR]

Jeffrey Foskett, longtime Beach Boys member, dead at 67
The Beach Boys co-founder Brian Wilson remembered Foskett as a 'great musical leader' in a tribute on Facebook
https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/j ... er-dead-67

[AARR]

André Braugher, Emmy-winning 'Homicide' and 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine' actor, dies at 61
Story by KiMi Robinson, USA TODAY •
André Braugher, the Emmy-winning actor who starred in NBC's "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" and the '90s police drama "Homicide: Life on the Street," has died. He was 61.

Braugher's longtime publicist, Jennifer Allen, confirmed the news to USA TODAY on Tuesday. According to an obituary shared by Allen, the actor died Monday after a brief illness.

Born in Chicago in 1962, the Stanford- and Juilliard-educated Braugher found his breakthrough movie role in the 1989 film "Glory," in which he starred opposite Denzel Washington and Morgan Freeman.

But he would establish himself with the role of Det. Frank Pembleton, which he would play for seven seasons in "Homicide," a gritty police drama on NBC based on a book by David Simon, who would go on to create "The Wire." The 11-time Emmy-nominated actor won his first Emmy for outstanding lead actor in a drama series in 1998 for his portrayal of Pembleton in "Homicide."

His second win came in 2006, when he earned an Emmy for outstanding lead actor in a miniseries or movie category for playing Nick Atwater in the FX miniseries "Thief."

Years later he would play a very different kind of cop on a very different kind of show, shifting to comedy as Capt. Raymond Holt on the Andy Samberg-starring "Brooklyn Nine-Nine." It would run for eight seasons from 2013 to 2021 on Fox and NBC.

Though he'd dipped his toe into comedy in the TNT dramedy "Men of a Certain Age," "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" still represented a major shift for Braugher, who was known for acting in dark and heavy dramas.

'You taught me so much': André Braugher mourned by 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine' co-star Terry Crews
"I just felt as though it was an opportunity to do something strikingly different from the rest of my career," Braugher said in an interview with The Associated Press. "I like it because it just simply opens up my mind and forces me to think in a different way. So I think I’ve become much more sort of supple as an actor, and more open to the incredible number of possibilities of how to play a scene."

He earned four Emmy nominations for playing the deadpan Capt. Holt on "Brooklyn Nine-Nine." The beloved series also featured Samberg, Terry Crews, Melissa Fumero, Stephanie Beatriz, Joe Lo Truglio, Dirk Blocker and Joel McKinnon Miller.

"Comedy is such a joy to work on. And telling the kind of stories that make people laugh," Braugher said upon receiving his first Emmy nomination for "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" in 2014. "It's always the kind of thing I hoped for but never thought would happen to me."

Braugher went on to work with Angelina Jolie in the 2010 film "Salt," and Anne Hathaway in 2008's "Passengers."

His most recent credits include the 2022 drama "She Said," in which he portrayed New York Times Executive Editor Dean Baquet, who oversaw the work of reporters Megan Twohey (Carey Mulligan) and Jodi Kantor (Zoe Kazan), who exposed Harvey Weinstein's history of sexual harassment in Hollywood in 2017. He was also a voice actor in the 2021 animated film, "Spirit Untamed."

Working on "Homicide" was in many ways life-changing for Braugher. The actor met Ami Brabson on the NBC show, who played his onscreen wife. The two married in 1991 and share three sons, Michael, Isaiah and John Wesley.

[AARR]

Hall of Famer, ABA champion George McGinnis dies at 73
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/391 ... is-dies-73

[Trainman2223]

https://www.10news.com/news/local-news/ ... -pendleton

https://www.wxyz.com/news/marine-killed ... oak-native

"SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — The Marine Corps has identified the Marine who died in a rollover crash during a training exercise on Camp Pendleton Tuesday evening.

Sgt. Matthew K. Bylski was the Marine who was killed, according to the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit. Bylski was originally from Royal Oak, Michigan, and he joined the Marine Corps in Jan. 2019.

Bylski was trained as an amphibious combat vehicle crewman, assigned to the 15th MEU's Battalion Landing Team 1/5. He served as a vehicle commander, according to the press release.

The 15th MEU's commanding officer said the unit is mourning the model Marine's death.

"Words fail to express our sorrow at the tragic loss of Sgt. Bylski; an outstanding Marine and a leader within his platoon," said Col. Sean Dynan. "The MEU – the Marines who lived, trained, and learned from Sgt. Bylski, mourn alongside his family and friends. The entire 15th MEU ‘Vanguard’ family is affected by his absence.”

Bylski earned the following awards and decorations during his military career:

Two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals
Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation
Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Sea Service Deployment Ribbon

Fourteen other Marines were in the amphibious vehicle when it rolled over while making a ground movement during the training. According to the press release, one Marine is in good condition at the hospital, while the others were treated and released."

[Jochs]

R.I.P. commedian Kenny DeForest, who died on 12/13/23 in a bike accident. He was 37.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/news/kenny ... 00b6&ei=12

[AARR]

North Carolina basketball star Eric Montross dies at age 52
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-baske ... ies-age-52

Comment - I wouldn't call Montross a Star but he was above average for sure

[joeyuboats]

Ken Calvert, long time Detroit radio personality, passes at 72.
God, do I feel old.

[AARR]

Founding Dixie Chicks member dies in head-on collision in Texas: Officials
A Texas law enforcement spokesperson said Laura Lynch died in a head-on collision
https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/f ... -officials

[Jochs]

R.I.P. comedian Tom Smothers, who was 86.
https://www.npr.org/2023/12/27/12218241 ... thers-dies

[Jochs]

R.I.P. Burt Wilson, the voice of Fatz Geronimo in the animatronic band "The Rockafire Explosion" from Showbiz Pizza Place and Billy Bob's Wonderland in Barboursville, WV.
https://showbizpizza.fandom.com/wiki/Burt_Wilson

[AARR]

Former DePaul basketball player, coach Joey Meyer dies at 74
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-baske ... er-dies-74

[AARR]

NASCAR legend Cale Yarborough dead at 84
Yarborough put together 83 wins and 319 top 10 finishes in his NASCAR career
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/nascar-l ... rough-dead

[David Collins]

NASCAR legend Cale Yarborough dead at 84
Yarborough put together 83 wins and 319 top 10 finishes in his NASCAR career
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/nascar-l ... rough-dead

Huge, huge, huge loss for the sport.