Remembering Those We Lost in 2019

Julie Lynn Cardinal  — A Woman Who Brokedown Barriers

Julie Lynn Cardinal, who in 2016 led the fight to force Westerly Yacht Club to accept female members, was killed in the shooting in Westerly, Rhode Island.

"Julie was a single mother, community leader, avid volunteer, our friend, and a truly beautiful soul," wrote House Minority Leader Blake Filippi in tribute. 

In total, two people are dead, including the shooter, and two have been wounded.

About Cardinal

At the beginning of 2016, women were still not allowed to be full members of the Westerly Yacht Club. And one woman -- Cardinal -- with a very public pronouncement after a vote upheld the males-only policy, helped to change that.

Official Obituary

It is with great sadness that Julie Lynn Cardinal, who was a most beloved mother, daughter, fiancé, and sister, was taken on December 19, 2019 at the age of 47.
A lifelong resident, Julie Lynn was the daughter of Michael H. and Holly Cardinal of Westerly. She will be dearly missed by her four children, Hannah Bettencourt, Morgan Bettencourt, Noah Bettencourt and Samuel Scavello of Westerly. She will be deeply mourned by her fiancé Charlie Ramsey and sister Tracy Cardinal as well as her many aunts and uncles, especially Maria Gingerella Valles, who was more of her best friend than Aunt, and several nieces and nephews.
Julie worked as the office manager at Babcock Village. She was a member of the Westerly Lodge of Elks BPOE 678, a former member of the Chariho Rotary Club, also a former employee and volunteer for the Misquamicut Business Association. She participated in many activities at the Westerly Yacht Club and was the integral part of finally allowing women members to join. Julie was an Athena Award Nominee in 2016, and was voted one of the 16 toughest women in Rhode Island.
Julie loved the ocean and the beach as well as the people and community she lived in. She was an amazing singer who loved music. She loved fierily and will be missed by so many. The light she shined on this world was a force that will shine on in her children, family and this community. Affectionately known by all who loved and knew her as a gypsy soul, her fiancé would like to make sure you glance up at the stars as she tip toes and dances across the them.
The family would like to give their sincerest thanks to the Town of Westerly, State Police and Westerly Police departments, especially Chief Shawn Lacey and Sergeant Matthew Champlin. They would also like to thank their friends and the entire community of Westerly for the outpouring of love and generous donations.
Visiting hours are respectfully omitted, funeral service and burial will be private. A Celebration of Julie's Life will be held at the Westerly Yacht Club, 1 Watch Hill Rd., Westerly on Friday, December 27, 2019 at 1 pm. Gaffney-Dolan Funeral Home, 59 Spruce St., Westerly is in care of the arrangements. For online condolences please visit www.gaffneydolanfuneralhome.com.

Don Imus — Radio Shock Jock Legend

Don Imus, one of the biggest names in radio for decades, has died at 79.

“[Imus] tested the limits of shock radio with his irreverent attacks on celebrities, politicians, racial and ethnic groups, women, gay people and practically anyone whose head stuck up out of the foxhole, died on Friday in College Station, Texas,” reports the New York Times.

One of his regular guests was former Providence Mayor Vincent “Buddy” Cianci.

“Among those championing Cianci’s innocence was New York City radio talk-show host Don Imus, who often invites the mayor to appear on his nationally syndicated show. “To suggest that Buddy Cianci is a thug greatly offends me,” Imus said. “It’s another example of ethnic profiling,” reported the Los Angles Times during Cianci’s indictment in 2004

A publicist, Matthew Hiltzik, confirmed his death, at Baylor Scott and White Medical Center. The cause was not specified. On his “Imus in the Morning” show on March 16, 2009, Mr. Imus disclosed that he had prostate cancer.

"He was advised to have radiation treatments, but said he had chosen to treat the disease holistically,” according to the New York Times

"The outpouring of sympathy after his disclosure about his prostate cancer reflected not only his wide following as a radio personality but also admiration for his private charity work, raising millions for the rehabilitation of wounded veterans of the Iraq war and for children with cancer and siblings of victims of sudden infant death syndrome, who had spent summers since 1999 on his ranch near Ribera, N.M.," reported the Times.

In 2007, Imus referred to the Rutgers women’s basketball team as “nappy-headed hos,” prompting the cancellation of the show by CBS.

"Imus was back on the air months later on WABC radio, a show that was later simulcast on Fox Business Network. He retired from broadcasting last year," reports the Wall Street Journal

"Born in Riverside, Calif. in 1940, John Donald Imus grew up in rural Arizona listening to 1950s radio personalities like Wolfman Jack. After a stint in the Marine Corps as a bugler, Mr. Imus started careers in stand-up comedy and radio, but it would be his talk-radio efforts that endured," WSJ.

PHOTO: Imus' Twitter Account

Dr. William Bundy — Professor at Naval War College, Banking Executive and Former DOT Director

Dr. William F. Bundy was an Associate Provost at the US Naval War College where he focused on technology integration to the United States Navy. With over forty years of service to the United States, Dr Bundy enlisted in the Navy and rose to the rank of Chief Sonar Technician (Submarines) prior to being commissioned as a Naval Officer. He held various positions in the Navy including Command of a submarine and as the Director, Naval Officer Candidate School.

He ended his active duty career as a Commander. He was a member of the Centennial Seven - one of the first seven African Americans to command one of our nation’s submarines in the first 100 years of the nation’s submarine force. While in the Navy, Commander Bundy earned a Defense Meritorious Service award and a Meritorious Service Award in addition to over twenty other personal, unit, campaign, and service medals. He was recognized as the 1993 Black Engineer of the Year Award for Outstanding Achievement in Government and the US Navy League’s Dalton L. Baugh award for inspirational leadership in recognition of his professional accomplishments during his service in the Navy.

In private life, he served as the Director, Rhode Island Department of Transportation, was a FleetBoston Financial Executive prior to assuming his civilian position at the Naval War College. He has also served on numerous local and national boards of directors. He was an adjunct professor at Providence College and Salve Regina University where he taught leadership, business organization, and ethics courses.

He is survived by his loving wife Jeanne Bundy of Bristol, RI, two sons and a daughter, William, Raymond, and Andrena. He has three grandchildren, Matthew, Eleanor and Annalise. He was a mentor to all and a role model for many aspiring and current Naval Officers. He holds advanced degrees from Salve Regina University and the Naval War College, and the University of Hawaii. He is a graduate of the Baltimore City College. 

PHOTO: U.S. Navy

ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Inspiration Pete Frates

Pete Frates, who brought awareness to ALS through his battle with the disease, passed away at the age of 34. 

A former Boston College baseball player, Frates was diagnosed with ALS in 2011 and brought national awareness about the disease through the Ice Bucket Challenge.

The challenge went viral in 2014 and has since raised over $200 million for ALS research.

To donate to the Pete Frates #3 fund, click here 

PHOTO: Boston College

Former Federal Reserve chairman Paul Volcker

Former Federal Reserve chairman Paul Volcker passed away at the age of 92. 

Volcker is credited with ending the high levels of inflation seen in the U.S. during the 1970s and 80s by raising interest rates to 20%.

The high-interest rates triggered a recession that lasted more than six months, but inflation receded during that period.

Once inflation receded, Volcker lowered interest rates and the economy bounced back. 

He is survived by his wife, Anke Dening, and two kids for his first marriage to Barbara Bahnson, who passed away in 1998.

PHOTO: U.S. Federal Judiciary/Wikipedia

Big Bird Puppeteer Caroll Spinney

Long-time Big Bird puppeteer Caroll Spinney — who also manned Oscar the Grouch on Sesame Street - died.

TMZ reported:

Spinney passed away Sunday (December 8) at his Connecticut home after living with Dystonia for a while, according to Sesame Workshop ... the nonprofit org behind the hit children's television show. Dystonia is a movement disorder in which a person's muscles contract uncontrollably.

Incredibly, the longtime puppeteer worked on the show for 49 years ... and retired from 'Sesame' just last year. He had been on the show since its early days in 1969. Besides being the man behind Big Bird, Spinney also handled and voiced Oscar the Grouch.

The legendary Jim Henson brought Spinney on-board, and by most accounts ... he struggled bringing Big Bird to life at first and having him resonate with the audience. Eventually, Spinney said he turned BB into a "big kid" character -- and the rest was history.

PHOTO: George Bush Presidential Library and Museum

Judge Joseph Rodgers 

Joseph R. Rodgers, Jr., the presiding Justice of the Rhode Island Superior Court from 1991 to 2009, has died. 

He had been the youngest judge in modern Rhode Island history to be appointed to both the District and Superior courts. In 1974, at age 33, he became an associate justice of the District Court and was elevated to the Superior Court in 1976.

He was a close political ally of the then powerful Speaker of the House Matthew Smith.

Rodgers has served on the Court, the state's main trial court, for over 31 years, longer than any other Superior Court judge in Rhode Island history.

Star TV News Anchor Ann Conway

Former WLNE and WPRI anchor Ann Conway has passed away.

She was a star reporter and anchor during the golden days of local news in Rhode Island, when the average Rhode Islander could name the stars at each station.

Conway was a leader on the team that featured anchorman Dave Layman, meteorologist John Ghiorse, and Ken Bell at WLNE.

“Ann and I co-anchored the 6 and 11 pm newscasts at WLNE-TV when I joined the station in 1983. We had a terrific on-air and off-air friendship," said Layman. "And it said something special about her because at various times I was also acting news director.  She was always a pro about that.  The same was true for Ken Bell and John Ghiorse.  We were all good friends and as corny as it may sound, we were a loving team."

Conway was one of Rhode Island’s first female anchors.

PHOTO: Facebook

Sophie Danforth, Mother of Stephanie Chafee

Sophie Danforth, a noted Rhode Island philanthropist and the mother of Stephane Chafee, wife of former U.S. Senator and Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee, passed away.

The Danforths are considered one of Rhode Island’s Five Families — families that controlled much of the state’s wealth and influence in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Chafee confirmed her mother’s passing on social media on Sunday.

A noted philanthropist, Danforth was active in the Rhode Island nonprofits, with the Sophie Danforth Conservation Biology Fund (SDCBF), established by Roger Williams Park Zoo and the Rhode Island Zoological Society in 1989 to support conservation programs that protect threatened wildlife and habitats worldwide.

The Roger Williams Park Zoo has a building — the Stephanie Danforth Administration Building — named in her honor.

Danforth was the wife of Murray Danforth, a Vice President and Treasurer of the Rhode Island School of Design, which the family founded in 1877.

Also, Danforth was the President of the B Street Foundation — formerly the Sophie and Murray Danforth Foundation — with Stephanie Chafee serving as director.

The couple had been major shareholders in the Providence Journal Company. The company was sold to Dallas-based A.H. Belo in 1996 for $1.5 Billion.

Veteran Providence Police Officer Edmond Malloy 

Veteran Providence Police officer Edmond Malloy passed away following a five year battle with cancer.

About Malloy

Malloy was part of the Providence Police Department for almost three decades.

He was diagnosed with stage 4 liver cancer in 2014, but continued to work while undergoing chemotherapy.

While battling cancer, Malloy worked as part of the FBI joint terrorism task force.

Malloy’s father was a Providence Police officer, and his son joined the force as a patrolman in 2017.

John Conyers, Longest-Serving African-American Congress Member

John Conyers, the longest-serving African American member of the U.S. Congress, passed away at the age of 90. 

About Conyers

Conyers served as a Democratic U.S. Representative for Michigan from 1965 to 2017.

Conyers served more than 50 years in Congress, becoming the sixth-longest serving member of Congress in U.S. history.

By the end of his last term, Conyers was the only remains member of Congress who had served since the presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson.

Conyers served as the ranking Democratic member on the House Committee on the Judiciary from 1995 to 2007 and from 2011 to 2017.

He served as chairman of that committee from 2007 to 2011 and as Chairman of the House Oversight Committee from 1989 to 1995.

Due to allegations that he sexually harassed female staff members and secretly used taxpayer money to settle a harassment claim, Conyers resigned on December 5, 2017.

Prior to Congress

Prior to his run as a U.S. Representative, Conyers served in the Korean War.

Following that, he became active in the civil rights movement.

He co-founded the Congressional Black Caucus in 1969 and sponsored a bill to establish Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a federal holiday.

PHOTO: U.S. Congress

Chairman Elijah Cummings - Top Pelosi Ally, Investigating Trump

The chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform Elijah Cummings died at 68.

His committee has been a constant thorn in the side of President Donald Trump and is one of the committees formally investigating the President.

According to the New York Times, “His death resulted from ‘complications concerning longstanding health challenges,’ the spokeswoman, Trudy Perkins, said in a statement, without elaborating on the cause.”

Cummings had served in the House since winning a special election in 1996 to fill the seat vacated by Kweisi Mfume, who had resigned to become president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

He represented the 7th District in Maryland — a district that included the poorest areas of Baltimore.

He was a son of sharecroppers who rose to become one of the most powerful Democrats and close ally of Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Cummings said Trump’s coverups of congressional inquiries were “far worse than Watergate.”

Marcia Reback, Top Labor Leader

Marcia Reback, 74, passed away Thursday, September 26, 2019.

Born in 1944, the daughter of the late Ruth Gladstone and William Reback, Marcia began her life in Fall River, Massachusetts. Following the death of her father when she was just nine, Marcia and her mother lived with relatives in Florida before moving to Rhode Island.

Educated at Hope High School, the University of Rhode Island and the University of Connecticut, Marcia became an elementary school teacher in the Providence school system. Her passion for equity and justice led her to pursue a more administrative career, eventually serving as the President of the Providence Teachers Union, the President of the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals and the Vice President of the American Federation of Teachers. Her keen interest in the labor movement also led her to serve as the Vice President of the Rhode Island AFL-CIO. Marcia was well known publicly for her fierce representation of teachers, garnering her the nicknames of “Bulldog”, “Sphinx” and “Mother Teresa with an Attitude” from the Rhode Island press. Lesser known, but equally important, she was a champion of students’ rights, advocating for children on several national committees.

Retirement did not dampen Marcia’s enthusiasm for justice. She served on the Labor Relations Board, the Rhode Island Retirees Pension Committee, as well as on the State Investment Commission. She never forgot her roots, and contributed generously to the Hope High School Dollars for Scholars fund. An active participant in the Rhode Island Democratic Party, Marcia also contributed to those politicians who echoed her views on labor and education. Marcia will be honored with the first ever Frank Montanaro Sr. Award. The award was created by the Democratic Party to honor those who sacrifice on behalf of organized labor.

To her friends and family, Marcia was so much more than her public image. She was the conscience and life coach to many, and never failed to lend a helping hand to anyone who needed her advice or help. She had a keen sense of humor, a soulful laugh, and an unwavering stare that let you know if you crossed the line. She had many diverse friends, valued them equally, and managed to blend them all into the tapestry of her life. Her appetite for her life included relishing a good meal in the company of her friends, making her a most treasured dinner companion. She loved a good movie with a happy ending and had a lifelong obsession with Frank Sinatra’s music. She also appreciated her solitude, reading voraciously in the company of her beloved cats; Stevie Brown, Samantha, and Miss Kitty. Marcia’s kindness, intelligence and dedication to doing the right thing will forever be remembered and emulated by those who knew her well.

She is survived by Beverly and Frank Prosnitz, Gail Gladstone, Marty Kantrowitz, Jack Friedenn, Harvey Reback, David Reback, Charles Reback, and Marlene Haslam.

Legendary Journalist Cokie Roberts 

Legendary political journalist Cokie Roberts passed away at the age of 75 due to complications from breast cancer.

About Roberts

After graduating from Wellesley College in 1964, Roberts began her career in radio as a foreign correspondent for CBS in the 1970s.

Following a run at CBS and then NPR, Roberts joined ABC News in 1988.

She co-anchored ABC’s “This Week” with Sam Donaldson from 1996 to 2002, and also served as a political commentator, chief congressional analyst and a commentator for “This Week” during her three-decade run at ABC.

In addition to her work on TV, Roberts wrote eight books, most of which became New York Times bestsellers.

Throughout her career, Roberts won the Edward R. Murrow Award, the Everett McKinley Dirksen Award for coverage of Congress and a 1991 Emmy Award for her contribution to "Who is Ross Perot?"

In 2000, Roberts won the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism.

Roberts was inducted into the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame.

Roberts was born on December 27, 1943, in New Orleans Louisiana.

PHOTO: LBJ Presidential/Flickr Commons

Cars Lead Singer Ric Ocasek

Ric Ocasek, the lead singer of The Cars, died at the age of 75. 

Ocasek & The Cars

Ocasek founded The Cars in 1976 in Boston and served as the lead singer and main songwriter.

The other members of the band included bassist and singer Benjamin Orr; lead guitarist Elliot Easton; keyboardist Greg Hawkes; and drummer David Robinson.

The Cars had 13 top 40 singles and four top 10 albums in their career.

“The Cars were the ultimate New Wave dream machine: a hook-savvy super-charged quintet that fused 60s pop, 70s glam, and Avant-rock minimalism into a decade of dashboard-radio nirvana," the band's biography reads on the Hall of Fame website.

Some of their biggest hits include "Let the Good Times Roll," “Just What I Needed,” “My Best Friend’s Girl,” “You Might Think,” Bye Bye Love,” and “Let’s Go.”

The Cars were named "Best New Artist" in the 1978 Rolling Stone Readers' Poll and won "Video of the Year" for "You Might Think" at the first MTV Video Music Awards in 1984.

Their debut album, The Cars, sold six million copies and appeared on the Billboard 200 album chart for 139 weeks. 

The Cars broke up in 1988, but were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2018.

PHOTO: Adanne Osefoh/Flickr Commons

RI Native & 9-Time NASCAR Champion Mike Stefanik

Rhode Island native and nine-time NASCAR champion Mike Stefanik was killed in a plane crash in Sterling, Connecticut in September. 

Stefanik, a resident of Coventry, was 61-years-old.

About Stefanik

Stefanik competed mainly in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, but made appearances in the Busch Grand National series and the Craftsman Truck Series.

On the Modified Tour, Stefanik recorded seven victories and is considered the second greatest NASCAR Modified driver of all-time.

His nine total championships (two in the Busch North Series) tie him with Richie Evans for most in NASCAR history.

Stefanik was six-time nominee for the NASCAR Hall of Fame. 

PHOTO: Luckylewis09/Wikipedia

Rock Legend Eddie Money

Rock legend Eddie Money passed away at the age of 70 after a battle with stage 4 esophageal cancer.

Money’s death came less than a month after he announced he had been diagnosed with cancer.

About Money

Money is best known for his two songs “Take Me Home Tonight,” and “ Two Tickets to Paradise.”

Over the course of his career, Money released 12 studio albums, recorded 11 Top 30 hits on Billboards’ Hot 100, and received a Grammy nomination for “Take Me Home Tonight.”

Other songs he wrote include “Baby Hold On,” “Think I’m In Love,” “Shakin,” “I Wanna Go Back,” “Walk on Water,” and “The Love in Your Eyes.”

In 2018, Money launched his own reality television show titled “Real Money.”

The show debuted on AXS TV in April of 2018.

He was born in Brooklyn.

PHOTO: Kevin Foley/Wikipedia

Former Roger Williams President Anthony Santoro

Anthony Santoro, the sixth president of Roger Williams University, passed away at the age of 77. 

About Santoro

In the early 1990s, Santoro joined Roger Williams to help establish a law school that “would enhance the legal culture of Rhode Island.”

Santoro had already been instrumental in establishing two other law schools, and as dean of Widener University School of Law, he had engineered a major expansion from Delaware into Pennsylvania.

A native of Melrose, Mass., a former resident of Fall River, and spouse of a native Rhode Islander, Santoro knew the lay of the land, bringing his expertise to bear on launching the state’s only law school.

When he was appointed in 1993 as the school’s first dean, he almost singlehandedly recruited the entire founding faculty. Just days before the law school’s official opening, he turned the deanship over to a new leader and went on to become the president of Roger Williams University.

During his seven years as president and chancellor of RWU, Santoro laid the foundation upon which today’s institution has been built.

He created what is now the Feinstein School of Arts, Humanities, and Education, as well as the Mario J. Gabelli School of Business, named in honor of university trustee and the founder and chairman of Gabelli Asset Management Company.

Santoro also re-established the university’s Providence campus, now University College at One Empire St., enabling robust growth of the undergraduate population and international students.

Santoro earned his bachelor’s degree from Boston College and a J.D. and LL.M. in Taxation from Georgetown University School of Law.

He began his career in legal education in 1970 at the Marshall-Withe School of Law, College of William and Mary, served as professor of law at Western New England College School of Law, and assumed his first deanship at the University of Bridgeport School of Law (now Quinnipiac) in 1976.

During his tenure as dean at Widener University School of Law from 1983 to 1992, he opened Widener’s Harrisburg campus.

Following his tenure as law dean and as university president, he returned to RWU Law as a member of the faculty, teaching until his retirement in 2018.

During those 18 years, he was an engaged, beloved faculty member. Many of his students followed in his footsteps to earn LL.M. degrees in taxation, and a number of them funded the Professor Anthony J. Santoro Business Law Lecture in 2012, bringing renowned academics and practicing lawyers to engage with students interested in business law.

In 2018, the law school dedicated in his name the same classroom in which he taught hundreds of students federal income tax and business organizations.

The law school granted Santoro an honorary degree in 2016, for his “inspired and foundational contributions to the law school and to the cause of law and justice in the State of Rhode Island as a whole.”

PHOTO: Roger Williams University 

“Mary Tyler Moore Show” Star Valerie Harper

“Mary Tyler Moore Show” star Valerie Harper passed away at the age of 80 after a battle with cancer.

After beating lung cancer in 2009, Harper was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2013.

About Harper

Harper started her career as a dance on Broadway in the 1959 show “Take Me Along.”

She is best known for her role as Rhoda Morgenstern on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” and its spin-off “Rhoda” in the 1970s.

For her role in “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” she received three Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.

She later received Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her work in “Rhoda.”

After “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and “Rhoda,” Harper appeared as Valerie Hogan on the sitcom “Valerie” from 1986 to 1987.

Harper’s most notable film appearances include roles in Freebie and the Bean (1974) and Chapter Two (1979).

In 2010, she was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her performance as Tallulah Bankhead in the play Looped.

PHOTO: Maggie Jumps/Wikipedia

Johnston Firefighter Richard Gemma

The Johnston Fire Department announced the passing of firefighter Richard Gemma on August 28. 

According to the fire department’s statement, Gemma passing was an "active duty death."

The Johnston Firefighters Local 1950 released the following statement on Facebook. 

Read the Statement Below

"With deep regret and sorrow, Johnston Firefighters Local 1950 announce the active-duty death and sudden passing of Firefighter Richard Gemma, Johnston Local 1950.

More information will follow. At this time, please keep brother Gemma, his family and the members of Local 1950 in your thoughts and prayers."

Business Leader, Civil Rights Advocate, Star Athlete Michael Van Leesten 

Van Leesten, who was 80 at his passing, was a leading business leader and civil rights advocate in Rhode Island for more than 50 years.

He burst on to the public sphere as a star basketball player at Rhode Island College.  His athletic success put him among the best basketball players in Rhode Island history. He graduated in 1965 from RIC.

His career included serving as Executive Assistant to the Chairman of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation.

Under the late Providence Mayor Vincent "Buddy" Cianci, he served as the director of the Department of Planning and Development for the City of Providence.

He helped to create and lead the Opportunities Industrialization Center of Rhode Island — not once but twice.

Billionaire David Koch - Famous for Politics and Philanthropy

David Koch, one of the famous billionaire "Koch Brothers" has died at 79.

The Wall Street Journal writes, "the billionaire libertarian who gave more than $1 billion to charitable causes but was better known for using his money to reshape U.S. politics, has died."

The Koch family released a statement Friday which said, “While we mourn the loss of our hero, we remember his iconic laughter, insatiable curiosity, and gentle heart.”

Koch's net worth was estimated to be $50.5 billion and he was tied with his brother as the world’s 11th-richest person in Forbes magazine rankings.

“Anyone who worked with David surely experienced his giant personality and passion for life,” his brother Charles Koch said in a statement.

Koch's wealth derived from his interest in Koch Industries has interests ranging from oil to beef to paper and is the second-largest closely held U.S. company.

"Though he was a liberal on social issues like abortion and same-sex marriage, Mr. Koch used his fortune to support conservative causes that favor lowering taxes, free trade, and fewer regulations. He was the Libertarian Party’s 1980 vice-presidential candidate," writes the WSJ.

"A gregarious, socially prominent New Yorker, Mr. Koch loved the ballet, had been a dinosaur buff as a child and battled prostate cancer in his 50s and 60s. These were the stories behind his name appearing on cornices at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the American Museum of Natural History and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital — the Manhattan institutions on which some of his $1.2 billion in charitable gifts were bestowed," said the New York Times.

PHOTO: Gage Skidmore/Flickr

Emmy-Award Winning Sportscaster Jack Whitaker

Emmy Award-winning sportscaster Jack Whitaker died at the age of 95. 

About Whitaker

Whitaker entered the network sportscasting business with CBS in 1961, where he did play-by-play for the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles.

He covered the very first Super Bowl championship. With the death of Dick Enberg in 2017, Whitaker was the only living play-by-play man from the first 21 Super Bowls.

He also covered golf’s four major championships, horse racing’s Triple Crown events, boxing and more.

Whitaker was banned from covering the Masters for CBS for five years after referring to a patron gallery at Augusta National Golf Club as a "mob" at the end of the 18-hole playoff in 1966. 

He was allowed to return in 1972.

In 1982, Whitaker moved from CBS to ABC, where he served as a reporter for both news and sports.

He was a part of ABC's sports team at the 1988 Winter Olympic Games and the 1984 Winter and Summer Olympic Games.

He retired from broadcasting in 2004, after leaving ABC.

In his career, Whitaker won three Emmy Awards for Outstanding Host or Commentator in 1979, for writing in 1990 and the Lifetime Achievement award in 2012.

He was inducted into the American Sportscasters Association Hall of Fame in 1997, the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Hall of Fame in 2001.

Whitaker was born on May 18, 1924.

PHOTO: Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame

“Easy Rider” Star Peter Fonda 

Actor Peter Fonda has passed away at the age of 79.

According to People Magazine, Fonda died of respiratory failure. 

About Fonda

The son of Henry Fonda, brother of Jane Fonda, and father of Bridget and Justin Fonda, Fonda was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for Easy Rider in 1969, and the Academy Award for Best Actor for Ulee's Gold in 1997.

Fonda won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama for Ulee’s Gold and the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film for The Passion of Ayn Rand in 1999. 

PHOTO: From the film's promotion

Nobel Prize-Winning Author Toni Morrison

Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison passed away at the age of 88. 

About Morrison

Morrison was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1993, becoming the first African American woman to be honored.

She was awarded the Pell Award by Trinity Rep in Providence in 2001. 

In 2012, Morrison received the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama.

Works and Life

She is known for her 1987 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel “Beloved" and "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings."

The novel was later made into a film starring Oprah Winfrey and Danny Glover in 1998.

Morrison was born on February 18, 1931, in Lorain, Ohio.

PHOTO: West Point Military Academy/Flickr

Nick Cardi of Cardi’s Furniture 

Nick Cardi, one of the Cardi brothers from Cardi’s Furniture, passed away after a four-year battle with cancer.

He was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2015.

About Cardi

Cardi, and his brothers Ron and Pete, became the faces of Cardi’s Furniture with the launch of the “NiRoPe” advertising campaign.

Cardi’s Furniture has been in business since 1928.

PHOTO: Cardi's Furniture 

Former URI Women’s Basketball Coach Cathy Inglese 

Former URI women’s basketball coach Cathy Inglese passed away at the age of 60. 

Inglese’s death came a week after she suffered a serious brain injury in a fall, as GoLocalProv reported.

Her passing was announced by her sister Nancy Inglese on Facebook.

“It is with great sadness that we share with you the passing of our sister and daughter Cathy Inglese, due to complications from a traumatic brain injury.  We will miss Cathy sooo very much. Our thanks go out to everyone for their unbelievable love and support. Cathy’s legacy lives on.”

Inglese coached at URI from 2009-2013 and was recently named an assistant coach at Hofstra University.

PHOTO: Hofstra Athletics

Saoirse Kennedy Hill

The Kennedy Family released the following statement late Thursday night acknowledging the death of Saoirse Kennedy Hill, 22. She was the granddaughter of Robert and Ethel Kennedy.

She was rushed to Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis, where she was pronounced dead.

"Our hearts are shattered by the loss of our beloved Saoirse. Her life was filled with hope, promise, and love. She cared deeply about friends and family, especially her mother Courtney, her father Paul, her stepmother Stephanie, and her grandmother Ethel, who said, The world is a little less beautiful today. She lit up our lives with her love, her peals of laughter and her generous spirit. Saoirse was passionately moved by the causes of human rights and women's empowerment and found great joy in volunteer work, working alongside indigenous communities to build schools in Mexico. We will love her and miss her forever."

PHOTO: Cecil Stoughton

Vincent Igliozzi, Patriarch of the ‘Kennedys of the 7th Ward’ 

For decades, the Igliozzi family has dominated the politics of Providence’s 7th Ward — once one of the most Italian wards in the city of Providence.

The dynasty was led by Vincent Igliozzi, the longtime ward chairman and father of former Providence City Councilman David Igliozzi and present Finance Chairman John Igliozzi.

Vincent was not just the political ward boss, but also the focus of much of the area's community activities over the past 40 years.

Former colleagues spoke of his passing. 

"Vinny was always a gentleman. I had my differences with him, but we agreed on many things. He was parochial -- well-known in that circle -- and he knew how to get things done," said former City Council President and once acting Mayor and now State Representative John Lombardi. 

“Everyone respected his opinion. He was incredibly politicly savvy.  I feel sad for his family but he leaves behind a legacy with his family and they are a tribute to him,” said Artin Coloian, former chief of staff to Vincent ‘Buddy’ Cianci.

"Vin Igliozzi gave me an education in political grassroots and political loyalty.  He loved our country and state; he loved the democratic process and the Democratic Party; and my heart goes out to his sons John and David in their time of grief," said U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse in a statement to GoLocal.

Hall of Fame Boxer Pernell Whitaker

Boxing Hall of Famer Pernell Whitaker passed away after being hit by a car in Virginia Beach. 

Whitaker was 55-years-old.

About Whitaker

Whitaker came onto the boxing scene as an amateur in the 1984 Olympics when he won a gold medal.

He turned pro later that year at Madison Square Garden. 

He finished his amateur career with a record of 201-14 with 91 knockouts. 

As a pro, Whitaker won titles in four different weight classes (lightweight, light welterweight, welterweight, and light middleweight).

Whitaker scored victories over boxers such as Freddie Pendelton, Anthony Jones, Jorge Paez, Harold Brazier, James “Buddy” McGirt and Hall of Famer Azumah Nelson, as well as, Roger Mayweather.

He compiled a career record of 40-4-1.

He retired from boxing in 2001 and was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2007.

PHOTO: International Boxing Hall of Fame

Ross Perot, Billionaire, and Former Politician

Texas billionaire Ross Perot -- who ran for President in 1992 and in 1996 -- is Dead at 89.

According to family spokesman James Fuller, Perot died after a short battle with leukemia.

He had close Rhode Island ties. Former RI Department of Environmental Management Director Andrew McLeod was his nephew and his family had a home in Westerly.

The entrepreneur originally made his fortune through tech companies Electronic Data Systems and Perot Systems.

He is perhaps best known for launching Independent bids for president in 1992 and 1996.

In the '92 race, he won no electoral votes but garnered nearly 19% of the popular vote.

Even though his results in the '96 race were less successful, Perot's ideas such as deficit reduction stuck around.

The billionaire was also known for his decades of support for U.S. veterans and the military.

Leading RI Journalist Jim Taricani 

Long-time television journalist Jim Taricani died at 69 years of age.

Taricani was married to Laurie White, head of the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce.

His long-time colleague at WJAR-10 Dyana Koelsch wrote about Taricani in a statement for the family:

James Taricani, beloved husband, son, brother and friend passed peacefully at his home on June 21, 2019.

We are profoundly grateful for the blessing of having Jim in our lives.

We are thankful for the skilled medical professionals and caregivers that have provided life -saving care for Jim … dating back to 1986 when he had his first heart attack at age 36 and through the many years. Jim inspired us with his spirit as he underwent a heart transplant and other medical challenges. We’d like to thank the teams at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and here in Rhode Island at Kent County Hospital and Dr. Hub Brennan Jim’s wonderful personal physician, friend, and musical collaborator.

It’s hard to describe the vast impact Jim had on our lives. His award-winning investigative reporting personified excellence in journalism. Covering organized crime and government corruption with unwavering courage for nearly four decades, Jim was fair, thorough and compassionate. He was committed to the highest professional standards. Yet he remained humble and curious, accessible to everyone regardless of their position.

Jim was a United States Air Force veteran who received a Presidential Letter of Commendation in 1968 for helping secure the transfer of James Earl Ray--- the assassin of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Jim was a rock and roller, an occasional cowboy boot-wearing rebel, a lousy joke-teller a fantastic chef and a generous writer who shared his personal story. But most importantly, he was a good man.

A careful listener, Jim had a quiet wisdom that gave him the ability to see the essence of situations. He had an irrepressible sense of humor especially when it came to laughing at himself. He was fearless with a stubborn persistence. He hated bullies and when he turned that steely stare – it could be downright scary. But he was gentle and loved his kitties. He was reflective and meditative. He had a passion and talent for music and writing songs, playing the drums, guitar and trumpet----even singing now and then.

When I recently asked Jim what he thought of as his largest life accomplishments- he reflected for a minute and said first and foremost staying alive… and secondly living- fully living his life.

He knew he had been given a second chance with his heart transplant and he was determined to honor that new heart in his chest with a life of purpose. He never forgot that someone died so that he could have that second chance.

He was kind and sensitive, generous and creative. He was a strong and selfless friend and to Laurie - the love of his life- he was a devoted husband.

We celebrate his life. We were lucky to know him. He will be missed.

Fashion Icon Gloria Vanderbilt

Fashion icon and artist Gloria Vanderbilt passed away at the age of 95. 

Trial of the Century

In the 1930s, Vanderbilt was the subject of a high-profile child custody trial known as the “trial of the century.”

In the trial, Vanderbilt’s mother,  Gloria Morgan Vanderbilt, and her paternal aunt, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, each sought custody of her and control over her trust fund. 

Whitney was awarded custody of Vanderbilt, however, the judge’s decision said that Vanderbilt’s mother could have her from Saturday morning to Sunday night every week, and for eight hours on Christmas Day.

Vanderbilt in Fashion and Art

As an adult int he 1970s, Vanderbilt became noted as an early developer of designer blue jeans.

Former Beatle Paul McCartney's 1974 single "Mrs. Vanderbilt" is loosely based on her life. 

In 1978, launched her own company “GV Ltd.,” on 7th Avenue in New York.

From 1982 to 2002, L’Oreal launched eight fragrances under the brand named Gloria Vanderbilt.

In 2001, Vanderbilt opened her first art exhibition, "Dream Boxes," at the Southern Vermont Arts Center in Manchester.

She launched another exhibition of 35 paintings at the Arts Center in 2007. 

She was a member of the Vanderbilt family of New York. 

PHOTO: Wikipedia 

Claus von Bülow

Danish-British socialite Claus von Bülow passed away at the age of 92. 

von Bülow was charged with the attempted murder of his wife Sunny von Bülow in 1979 at her Newport mansion which left her in a coma.

In the trial, he was convicted for the attempted murder of his wife by administering an insulin overdose in 1980 which left her in a vegetative state for the rest of her life.

However, that conviction in the first trial was also reversed and he was found not guilty at his second trial. 

A jury in Newport, Rhode Island found von Bülow guilty of attempting to induce his wife’s death, and he was sentenced in 1982 to 30 years in prison.

von Bülow maintained his innocence and was later freed on $1 million bail.

von Bülow, with the help of Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz and former United States attorney Thomas Puccio, was acquitted of all charges in 1985 at his second trial in Providence.

The case was deemed the trial of the century and was made into an Academy Award-winning movie "Reversal of Fortune."

PHOTO: Youtube

Former Red Sox Bill Buckner 

Former Boston Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner has passed away at the age of 69

Buckner is best known for his error in the 1986 World Series that cost the Red Sox game six against New York Mets. New York would go on to win the World Series in game 7.

The Error

The Red Sox led 5-3 in the bottom of the 10th inning of game six of the World Series against the Mets.

New York tied it with two runs in the inning, that brought Mookie Wilson to the plate.

On a 3-2 count against Red Sox reliever Bob Stanley, Wilson hit a slow roller up the first base line that went under Buckner’s glove and through his legs into right field.

The hit scored Ray Knight to give the Mets a 6-5 walk-off win.

The Mets went on to win game 7 and the World Series. 

Buckner in Baseball

Buckner was a second-round draft pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1968.

He played eight seasons with the Dodgers before being traded to the Chicago Cubs in 1977, before coming to the Red Sox.

Buckner played 22 seasons in the Major Leagues, making the All-Star team once and winning the batting title in 1980.

He retired from baseball in 1990, finishing his career with 2,715 hits, 1,208 RBIs, 1,077 runs scored and 174 home runs.

PHOTO: Craig Johnson/Wikipedia

NFL Legend Bart Starr 

NFL legend Bart Starr passed away at the age of 85.

“It is with deep sadness that we announce Green Bay Packers legend Bart Starr passed away at age 85,” the Green Bay Packers wrote on Twitter.

Starr suffered a serious stroke in 2014.

About Starr

Starr was drafted by the Packers in the 17th round (200th overall) of the 1956 NFL Draft out of the University of Alabama.\

He would go on to win five NFL championships with Green Bay under head coach Vince Lombardi.

Starr led the Packers to victory in Super Bowls I and II and was named the game’s MVP each time.

Starr led the NFL in passing in 1962, ‘64 and ’66 and passed for 24,718 yards with a 57.4 completion percentage during his career.

He was named NFL’s MVP by The Associated Press in 1966.

Starr was named to the Pro Bowl four times, and held the Packers’ career record for most games played (196) until Brett Favre passed it in 2004.

He also served as head coach of the Packers from 1975-’83, compiling a 52-76-3 record.

He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Packers Hall of Fame in 1977.

PHOTO: Wikipedia/Public Domain 

Comedy Legend Tim Conway

Comedy legend Tim Conway passed away at the age of 85. 

According to reports, Conway had been battling a longtime illness before his death.

About Conway

Conway is best known for his role on “The Carol Burnett Show,” which ran form 1967 to 1978.

As part of the show, he won three Emmys for roles as the Oldest Man and Mr. Tudball.

Conway won a fourth Emmy as a member of the show’s writing team.

In 2005, Conway and the rest of the “Carol Burnett” cast received TV Land’s Legend award.

Along with “The Carol Burnett Show,” Conway headlined his own variety series and co-starred in multiple Disney live-action comedies including “The Apple Dumpling Gang,” and “The Shaggy D.A.,” in the 70s.

Other films include “They Went That Way and That Way” and "The Long Shot," as well as, “Speed II,” and “Dear God.”

In 1989, Conway received a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame.

He was inducted into the Academy of Television Arts & Science’s Hall of Fame in 2002.

Conway also made guest appearances in sitcoms such as “Coach” and “30 Rock.”

He won another Emmy for his appearance on "30 Rock" in 2008. 

Conway’s last credited role was Dorf in the 2016 comedy “Chip and Bernie Save Christmas with Dorf.”

PHOTO: Alex Erde/Flickr Commons

Allen R. Southwick, North Kingstown Legend 

Allen R. “Al” Southwick, 73, passed away on June 4, 2019. Born in Browerville, Minnesota, he was a loving son of the late Thomas E. and Emma C. (Farwick) Southwick.

Allen was the beloved brother of John Southwick and his wife, Alma Gay of Allen, Texas and Lynnwood Southwick of North Kingstown. He is also survived by many caring nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Allen was an instrumental figure in the North Kingstown Parks & Recreation Department for nearly 50 years.

He received many awards throughout his life, but he was most proud of the achievements and awards his girls’ sports teams received.

PHOTO: Quinn Funeral Home

Hollywood Legend Doris Day

Doris Day, the legendary film and music star, passed away at age 97.

The singer turned actress enjoyed success in such films as Calamity Jane and Pillow Talk and had a hit in 1956 with Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be).

Her screen partnership with Rock Hudson was one of the biggest box-office draws of the 1950s and '60s.

PHOTO: Wikipedia/Public Domain

Boston Celtics Legend John Havlicek 

The Boston Celtics issued the following statement:

John Havlicek is one of the most accomplished players in Boston Celtics history, and the face of many of the franchise’s signature moments. He was a great champion both on the court and in the community, winning 8 NBA championships and an NBA Finals MVP, while holding Celtics career records for points scored and games played. Named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, he is enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame and his retired #17 hangs in the Garden rafters. His defining traits as a player were his relentless hustle and wholehearted commitment to team over self. He was extraordinarily thoughtful and generous, both on a personal level and for those in need, as illustrated by his commitment to raising money for The Genesis Foundation for Children for over three decades through his fishing tournament. John was kind and considerate, humble and gracious. He was a champion in every sense, and as we join his family, friends, and fans in mourning his loss, we are thankful for all the joy and inspiration he brought to us.

Longtime Boston News Anchor Tom Ellis

Longtime Boston news anchor Tom Ellis has passed away at the age of 86.

“For four decades, Tom Ellis was the face of Boston TV news. He is the only person in Massachusetts broadcast history to have anchored newscasts that were number one on each of the city’s primary network television affiliates,” reads his biography on the Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame website.

Ellis was inducted into the Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2010. 

About Ellis

Ellis started his career in Texas before moving to Boston in 1968.

He saved as the solo anchor of the 6 and 11 p.m. newscast at WBZ-TV from 1968 to 1974, before being paired with Tony Pepper.

Following his work at WBZ- TV, Ellis moved to WCVB where he co-anchored with Natalie Jacobsen and Chet Curtis from 1978 to 1982.

Following his run at WCVB, he moved to WNEV, where he teamed with Robin Young and Diane Willis from 1982 through 1987.

He later worked at New England Cable News (NECN) as a weekend anchor from 1994 to 2009.

He is the only person to anchor top-rated television newscasts at each network affiliate in Boston in the 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s.

Along with being a news anchor, Ellis also made appearances in three movies.

He appeared in 1976’s “Marathon Man” as a television anchor, 1991’s “29th Street” as a newscaster and as an FBI agent in “True Colors,” which also came out in 1991.

PHOTO: Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame

Former Providence City Council President Robert Haxton 

Robert Haxton 85, passed away, April 21, 2019. He was born April 6, 1934, in Providence, RI, the son of the late Thomas C. and Elizabeth F. (McGuinness) Haxton.

Along with his parents, Robert is preceded in death by his older brother Thomas C. Haxton, Jr. and his younger brother Ronald E. Haxton.

Robert graduated from Central High School in 1952. Upon graduation, he joined the U.S. Navy and served for two years. Robert was a former member and President of the Providence City Council.

He worked with his father and mother at Haxton's Liquors in the Olneyville section of Providence, RI and cared for his parents throughout their lives.

He is survived by his sister Florence (Haxton) McGreen and his brother John J. Haxton. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on April 25, 2019, at 10 am in the Christian Brothers Center, 635 Ocean Road, Narragansett, RI. Visiting hours are respectfully omitted.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent in his memory to: the Christian Brothers Center. For guest book and condolences, averystortifuneralhome.com.

Former Judge Louis E. Azar 

The Honorable Louis E. Azar, 89, of Great Road, died Friday, March 29, 2019 at Miriam Hospital, Providence.  He was the beloved husband of the late Marie A.J. (Melucci) Azar.

Born in Central Falls, a son of the late Joseph and Ella (Sarkas) Azar, he had lived in Lincoln for the past fifty-one years.

Judge Azar was a graduate of Central Falls High School, and earned a Bachelor’s Degree from Providence College and a Juris Doctorate from the Boston University School of Law.

He went on to a distinguished law practice for over fifty years in Pawtucket, and was appointed Probate Judge in the City of Central Falls.  He had also served as a Judge Advocate General in the U.S. Army

He was chairman for twenty-five years of the Lincoln Town Democratic Committee, Past-President of the Pawtucket Bar Association, and a communicant of the Church of St. Basil the Great.

He is survived by four daughters, Pamela M. Azar of Lincoln, Patricia A. Antonelli of Lincoln, Priscilla A. Azar of Cumberland, and Paula Wilson, and her husband Brian, of Glendale, AZ; two sons, Louis E. Azar, Jr., and his wife Patricia Connor-Azar, of Woonsocket, and Dr. Anthony C. Azar, and his wife Dawn R. Houlker-Azar, of Rehoboth, Mass.; one sister, Barbara Deeb of East Greenwich; two brothers, Joseph Azar, Jr. of Central Falls, and Robert Azar of Warwick; five grandchildren, Alexander Elias Azar, Surrey R. Houlker, Richard Wilson, David Wilson, and Donald-Anthony R. Azar; his sister-in-law, Arabella Melucci of Providence; and several nieces and nephews.  He was the father of the late Richard Azar.

Leroy F. “Buddy” Martin, Army Paratrooper and Cranston Deputy Fire Chief

Leroy F. "Buddy" Martin, 77, of Apple House Drive in Cranston, died peacefully Tuesday, March 26, 2019 at Riverview Healthcare surrounded by his family. He was the husband of Frances M. (Velino) Martin for 55 years.

Born in Providence, he was the son of the late Henry and Ethel (Barton) Martin and was a Cranston Firefighter for 32 years, retiring as Deputy Chief.

Buddy received his Associate’s Degree from CCRI in Fire Science and was an Army Veteran who served in the Airborne Division as a paratrooper. Buddy was a member of the Cranston Permanent Firefighter’s Relief Association and the Elks Lodge #1697 West Warwick.

He enjoyed spending time with his family and friends and could always be counted on when others were in need.

Besides his wife, he is survived by his children Justine M. Brady and husband John of Charlestown, and Steven M. Martin and wife Christy of Coventry.

He also leaves behind 6 grandchildren; Jamie, Steven Jr., Matthew, Michaela, Tyler and Dylan, as well as two brothers Ronald Martin of Maine and Gregory Martin of Smithfield.

Edwin F. Fenner, Country Musician 

Edwin F. Fenner, 67, of Perry Street, Smithfield, died Saturday, March 23, 2019, at Fatima Hospital.

He was the son of the late Edwin and Mary Theresa (Anderson) Fenner. 

Born in Providence, he had lived in Smithfield for thirty years.

Edwin was a well known professional musician all of his life until his illness in 2017. Ed was highly skilled in guitar, singing, songwriting, and could play a variety of instruments by ear.

He was well known throughout the New England area and beyond. Eddy was a member of several prominent Rhode Island bands including The Fabulous Mertz Brothers, O.K. Chorale, and Snakebite.

Eddy belonged to the Country Music Association of Rhode Island and received a living legend award. He was inducted into the Rhode Island Country Music Hall of Fame in 2012. Eddy worked with many famous musicians including Tiny Tim, Merle Haggard, Johnny Paycheck, and Hank Thompson, just to name a few. 

Edwin is survived by his siblings: Eileen Duhaime and her husband, Normand of Chepachet, Catherine E. Fenner of North Providence, and Judith A. Marafino of Harrisonburg, VA, six nieces and nephews and six great nieces and nephews.

He is also survived by his loving companion, Marsha Niemi of Coventry. 

John Henry Hines, Owner of Leading Limousine Company

John Henry Hines, Jr, 81, died Monday, March 18, 2019. He was the beloved husband of Christina (Counts) Hines. They had been married for 19 years. 

Born in East Providence, he was a son of the late John Henry and Muriel Lola (Whittemore) Hines. He had served in the United States Navy. 

John most recently owned Open Road Limousine.

He had a great affinity for his clients and went above and beyond in remembering providing their special requests to make their trip with him memorable.

John often decorated the limousine for his client’s special events. 

Besides his wife, Christina, he is survived by his children, Tammy Hines of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and Bradford Hines of North Carolina, as well as his stepson, Derek Sabourin of Wakefield and his granddaughter, Michaela Phillips of Potowomut.

PHOTO: Anderson-Winfield

‘Surf Rock’ Creator Dick Dale 

'Surf Rock' Creator Dick Dale Dead at 81. The guitarist had been suffering from diabetes and an unknown form of cancer since at least 2012.

Dale is credited with creating the 1960s genre, "surf rock."

His signature sound mixed staccato picking and reverb with Middle Eastern melodies.

It went on to earn him the nickname, "King of the Surf Guitar." 

RI Hockey Star Arthur Saran 

Arthur "Artie" Saran, a retired hockey player and father, passed away at age 44. He had battled ALS for the past few years and his effort was strongly supported by the Rhode Island hockey community.

He is pure Rhode Island, having played for the Rhode Island Saints and La Salle Academy before moving on to play his professional hockey dream.

"Artie was just someone who you couldn’t help but be drawn to -- larger than life and the personality to match. The guys in the locker room all loved him and we are all heartbroken over this. Honestly, believed he would be the first to beat it," said Saran's close friend Andy Calcione.

Saran had been being treated with a stem cell protocol in an effort to combat ALS.

Saran's Career

He began playing in 1993 playing for the London Knights in the OHL (Ontario Junior Hockey League) before moving into the minor league ranks with the Wichita Thunder of the CHL (Central Hockey League) in 1995.

In addition, he played with the Jacksonville Bullets, West Palm Beach Barracudas, and Saginaw Lumber Kings.

Annually, Rhode Island’s hockey community came together and raised money to provide support for Saran’s son Arthur, Jr.

Francis J. Paquette, U.S Marine

Francis J. Paquette of Johnston died Monday, at home. 

Born Providence, he was the son of the late Mary Colbert and Hubert Paquette. Francis served in the US Marine Corps. 

He is survived by two brothers Robert Paquette and his wife Deborah; Hubert Paquette and his wife Gail; children Mary Paquette and Dennis Paquette.

Two granddaughters, Kery Ann and Mary Ann. Companion to Josephine Feeley. He was also the stepson of Dennis E. Colbert; previously married to the late Pat Stuart; brother to the late Gerald Paquette. 

Airwolf Star Jan-Michael Vincent 

Airwolf star Jan-Michael Vincent passed away at the age of 74. 

About Vincent

Vincent is known for playing daredevil pilot Stringfellow Hawke on the show Airwolf, which ran from 1984 to 1986.

He also made appearances with Charles Bronson in “The Mechanic,” with Burt Reynolds in “Hooper” and in the surfing film “Big Wednesday.”

Vincent was nominated for a Golden Globe in 1971 for the film “Going Home” and again in 1984 for the series “The Winds of War.”

Vincent also worked with Kim Basinger in the movie Hard Country, released in 1981.

His last movie came in 2002 when he took a role in the movie “White Boy.”

A leg infection in 2012 required him to have the lower half of his right leg amputated.

Vincent was born in Denver, Colorado on July 15, 1944.

Arthur R. Gauthier—National Guardsman, Bank Executive 

Arthur R. Gauthier died peacefully at Elmhurst Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center, Providence, on March 7, 2019.

He is survived by his wife, Diane L. Gauthier. He was also the husband of the late Carol Ann Gauthier who passed away in July 1991. He was the son of the late Eustache J. and Cecile (Fredette) Gauthier. He leaves behind a son, Gregory Gauthier and his wife Therese of Seekonk, MA; a step-son Thomas Pichette and his wife Lynne of Lincoln; a daughter, Mary-Beth Anderson and her husband Ronald of Warwick.

He is also survived by 6 grandchildren, Sarah Follensbee, Spencer Anderson, Rachel Anderson, Patricia Gauthier, Alexandria Pichette, and Zachary Pichette.

Arthur worked for Eastland Savings Bank for over 38 years, retiring as Executive Vice President. In his earlier days Arthur was a Sgt 1st Class in the 118th Battalion of the RI National Guard. During most of his adult life Arthur was involved in the community.

He was a member of the Board of Directors at Landmark Medical Center, treasurer of the RI Public Authority, a Paul Harris Fellow recipient with the Woonsocket Rotary Club, as well as serving on numerous other boards for his church and other non-profit entities. He also very much enjoyed being a member of the Turks Head club.

Arthur always enjoyed the outdoors. He was a member of the Appalachian Mountain Club and Newport Rifle Club. Arthur and Diane traveled cross country several times as well as visiting places all over the world.

Beverly Hills 90210 Star Luke Perry 

Beverly Hills 90210 star Luke Perry died at the age of 52 after reportedly suffering a stroke the week before. 

About Perry

Perry is known for playing Dylan McKay on Beverly Hills 90210 from 1990 to 1995 and then again from 1998 to 2000.

Perry also starred as Fred Andrews from the tv series Riverdale.

Perry has also had roles in a number of movies including `”The Fifth Element,” ″8 Seconds” and “American Strays.”

He also was in the HBO show “Oz” and voiced cartoons such as “The Incredible Hulk” and “Mortal Kombat”

Perry was born on October 11, 1966, in Mansfield, Ohio.

PHOTO: Gage Skidmore/Flickr 

Former Trinity and TV Star Katherine Helmond

Former Trinity Rep. star and veteran television actress Katherine Helmond died at 89 years of age.

The ”versatile actress who was especially known for her roles on the long-running television series “Soap” and “Who’s the Boss?,” died on Feb. 23,” writes the NYTimes.

“The APA Agency, which represented her and announced her death on Friday, said the cause was complications of Alzheimer’s disease.

She performed at Trinity in the glory years of Director Adrian Hall in the 1960s.

According to the NYTimes:

In 1966, working with the Trinity Square Repertory Company in Providence, R.I., she took on the role of Blanche DuBois in Tennessee Williams’s “A Streetcar Named Desire.”

“Miss Helmond gives all of Blanche’s irritating mannerisms,” Kevin Kelly wrote in a glowing review in The Boston Globe, “the coquettish come-on, the infuriating pretense, but she makes us understand (far more persuasively than many actresses I’ve seen in the role) the demons driving her beyond the brink. I’m not ashamed to admit that Miss Helmond brought tears to my eyes in three scenes.”

On “Soap,” ABC’s prime-time parody of daytime soap operas, which ran from 1977 to 1981, Ms. Helmond played Jessica Tate, a lovable aristocrat who was one of the show’s main characters. Some viewers, as Is often the case, wrongly assumed that the character was her.”

The Hollywood Reporter wrote, “The shapely, blue-eyed Helmond also portrayed Doris Sherman, the widowed owner of the fictional NFL team the Orlando Breakers, on ABC’s Coach, and she was Lois Whelan, the upper-class mother of Patricia Heaton’s character, on CBS’ Everybody Loves Raymond."

PHOTO: Soap 1977

Cranston Police Officer — Det. William (Bill) J. Palmer

Det. William (Bill) J. Palmer of the Cranston Police Department 53, of Cranston, passed away on Monday, February 25, 2019.  He was the beloved husband of Mary Ann (DeBalsi) Palmer.  Born in Providence, he was the son of the late Thomas J., Sr. and Elaine M. (Carmody) Palmer.

Bill was a twenty-eight-year veteran of the Cranston Police Department and an instructor at the New England Institute of Technology Criminal Justice Program.

In addition to his wife, he was the loving father of Billy Palmer, Jr., and twins, Jenna and Joseph Palmer, all of Cranston; brother of Thomas J. Palmer, Jr. (CPD ret.) and his wife, Michelle of Cranston, and Karen Ragosta and her husband Robert of Cranston; son-in-law of Dr. and Mrs. Anthony J. DeBalsi of Cranston; brother-in-law of Tony DeBalsi and his wife Patty of West Warwick, David DeBalsi of Cranston, Thomas DeBalsi and his wife, Kristin of New Hampshire, and the late Paul DeBalsi and his surviving wife, Bonnie of Cranston. 

He is also survived by many nieces and nephews, as well as his beloved dog, Sedona.

Veteran Boston Globe Baseball Writer Nick Cafardo

Veteran Boston Globe baseball writer Nick Cafardo passed away at the age of 62. 

According to the Globe, Cafardo reported to Red Sox Spring Training at JetBlue Park when he was “stricken by an embolism.”

Members of the Red Sox medical team were unable to revive him.

About Cafardo

Cafardo joined the Boston Globe in 1989 after covering the Red Sox for the Patriot Ledger.

Over the next three decades, he covered four Red Sox World Series championships, Patriots Super Bowl titles and more.

He also authored the book, “The Impossible Team: The Worst to First Patriots’ Super Bowl Season,” that was published in 2002.

Cafardo also wrote several other books including “If These Walls Could Talk,” with Jerry Remy, and “Inside Pitch: Playing and Broadcasting the Game I Love,” with Tom Glavine.

He could often be seen on NESN during Red Sox pre-game shows and also on WEEI.

 PHOTO: Boston Globe

Peter Tork of the Monkees 

Monkees singer and bassist Peter Tork has passed away at the age of 77.

Tork was diagnosed with adenoid cystic carcinoma, a rare cancer that affected his tongue, in 2009.

About Tork

Born in 1942, Tork joined the Monkees in the 1960s as the oldest member of the group.

He was featured on the group’s television series that aired from 1966 until it was canceled in 1968.

However, the group continued to record music through 1971.

In total, the Monkees have sold more than 75 million records worldwide making them one of the biggest selling groups of all time with hits, including "Last Train to Clarksville," "Pleasant Valley Sunday," "Daydream Believer," and "I'm a Believer."

Following the Monkees, Took played banjo on George Harrison’s soundtrack to the 1968 film Wonderwall.

Tork’s banjo can be heard approximately 16 minutes into the film when Professor Collins is caught by his mom while spying on his neighbor Penny Lane.

He also tried to form his own group called “Peter Tork And/or Release,” but after not being able to secure a record contract, the group called it quits in 1970.

Tork returned to the film in 2017, playing a role in the horror movie "I Filmed Your Death," which was written and directed by Sam Bahre.

Chanel Fashion Designer Karl Lagerfeld

Chanel fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld passed away at the age of 85 in Paris. 

According to BBC, Lagerfeld had been sick for several weeks, and missed numerous fashion shows.

About Lagerfeld

Lagerfeld was born in Germany as Karl Otto Lagerfeldt, before changing his last name.

As the New York Times reports, there is some controversy about his birth year, as Chanel believes he was born in 1938, a book about Lagerfeld, written by Alicia Drake, claims he was born in 1935. 

Lagerfeld told the magazine Paris Match that he was born in 1935. 

As a teenager, he moved to Paris and became a design assistant for Pierre Balmain, before joining Fendi and Chloe in the 1960s.

However, he is best known for his work with Chanel.

Lagerfeld began his career with Chanel in 1983, over ten years after Coco Chanel passed away. He died in 1971 in Paris.

He first reintroduced "haute couture," before introducing his "ready-to-wear" line the following year.

While at Chanel, he launched his own brand in 1984, the Lagerfeld line. According to the company, "Fashion icon Karl Lagerfeld is one of the most celebrated designers of the 21st century. He is renowned for his relevant approach to style and a curated vision that balances classic and contemporary influences. 'I design like I breathe,' he says of his artistic process, 'you don’t ask to breathe — it just happens.'”

He would lead Chanel for 36 years.

PHOTO: Christopher William Adach/Flickr Commons

Eight-Time Presidential Candidate Lyndon LaRouche

Eight-time presidential candidate Lyndon LaRouche passed away at the age of 96.

About LaRouche

LaRouche was a political activist and founder of the LaRouche movement, whose main organization was the National Caucus of Labor Committees.

The New York Times reports that by the mid-1970s, his organization had 37 offices in North America and 26 in Europe and Latin America.

LaRouche was a presidential candidate in every election from 1976 to 2004, running one time for his own U.S. Labor Party and event times for the Democratic Party nomination.

In his first run at President in 1976, LaRouche ran as a U.S. Labor Party candidate and polled 40,043 votes (0.05 percent).

In 1980, he beat out Governor Jerry Brown of California by 1,000 votes to win the Democratic Presidential Primary in Connecticut.

According to the Times, he would go on to receive thousands of votes in each future campaign.

LaRouche was born in Rochester, New Hampshire on September 8, 1922.

PHOTO: Museras/Wikipedia

Frank Robinson, Baseball Great and 1st Black Manager in Majors 

The NewYork Times reported that “Frank Robinson, the Hall of Fame outfielder who hit 586 home runs and became a racial pioneer as the first black manager in the major leagues, nearly three decades after Jackie Robinson broke modern baseball’s color barrier playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers, died on Thursday at his home in Los Angeles. He was 83.”

Tim Kurkjian ‏of ESPN Tweeted, "Frank Robinson is the most ferocious competitor I’ve ever met, the most underrated player of all time. The Orioles won the World Series in his first year in Baltimore. Brooks Robinson told me, “Frank taught us how to win.” Frank taught me so much about the game. R.I.P. my friend"

On January 29, Peter Schmuck of The Baltimore Sun reported, “…Robinson, who led the Orioles to their first World Series title in 1966, is in the late stages of a long illness, according to a source with direct knowledge of the situation. Robinson…, was the first African-American manager in both the American and National Leagues. He also managed the Orioles for parts of four seasons (1988-1991) and worked in the club’s front office during a long post-playing career that most recently has been spent as an executive in MLB’s central office.”

Some of his accomplishments

14× All-Star (1956, 1957, 1959, 1959², 1961, 1961², 1962², 1965–1967, 1969–1971, 1974)
2× World Series champion (1966, 1970)
NL MVP (1961)
AL MVP (1966)
World Series MVP (1966)
Triple Crown (1966)
NL Rookie of the Year (1956)
Gold Glove Award (1958)
AL Manager of the Year (1989)
Cincinnati Reds No. 20 retired
Baltimore Orioles No. 20 retired
Cleveland Indians No. 20 retired
Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame
Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame
Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame
Washington Nationals Ring of Honor

RIC Professor Emeritus John E. DeMelim, Jr.

Artist, a lifelong educator and all around renaissance man passed quietly at home on his 95th birthday. Professor Emeritus at Rhode Island College where he taught for over 35 years, he is survived by his two sons John and David, their wives Pam and Jeanne and five grandchildren, John, Emma, Jillian, Samantha and Alison. A much loved and admired father, grandfather and teacher he was also a dear friend to many. 

John E DeMelim Jr. was born and raised in Somerville MA. A World War II veteran and survivor of the Bombing of London, he returned home to attend college on the GI Bill. A Honeymoon in Bermuda in 1952 marked the beginning of a 60-year marriage and was the spark that began a life long love of travel and fascination with other cultures and peoples of the world. Together with his wife Mary, they pioneered “off the map” vacationing before the maps were even available. Their travels have taken them to many of the worlds top tourist attractions, but their real interest was in the places less traveled. Always in the planning stages of the next trip, the list of places not explored is shorter than the list of locations they were able to visit and explore together. Each trip brought back new friends and new stories. In addition to new friends, John always returned with a renewed energy and a diverse collection of images, objects and material to inform or incorporate into his next body of artwork. 

A Graduate of Tufts and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, otherwise know as the Boston Museum School John went on to become a prolific artist, creating and constantly innovating in a practice that spanned ten decades. A student of Umberto Romano and Karl Zerbe, he moved to Rhode Island in 1960 to join the faculty at Rhode Island College as they opened their brand new campus in North Providence. As one of the first faculty members he quickly became everyone’s favorite professor, often for teaching Art in Society, a course required of all students for graduation. Teaching a wide array of foundation courses he went on to teach printmaking and later started the Graphic Design program at Rhode Island College. He grew and reinvented himself as the program grew, worked tirelessly to secure the national accreditation for the growing Art Department and went back to school several times to update his skills. Studying computers at MassArt led to his introducing computers to the graphic design program at RIC in 1984. 

A lifetime member of the Providence Art Club, he continued his personal practice long after retiring, working in his studio everyday and had his most recent exhibition at the Rhode Island Center for Photographic Arts in Providence in September. 

He was a wonderful, talented and kind gentleman who will be missed by all who knew him. 

PHOTO: Anderson-Winfield

WBZ NewsRadio Legend Gary LaPierre

WBZ NewsRadio legend Gary LaPierre passed away at the age of 76.

About LaPierre

LaPierre began his career by working in the mail room at WBZ in the 1960’s, before becoming a general assignment reporter.

In the 1960s, LaPierre traveled with The Beatles for the opening leg of their U.S. tour.

During the Blizzard of 1978, he broadcasted for five days, “at times by candlelight.”

LaPierre went to Germany on two different occasions to cover the American hostage releases from Iran, and then was at every national political convention from 1968 to 2004.

He interviewed every president starting with Lyndon Johnson and ending with George W Bush.

LaPierre was inducted to the Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame, won the Associated Press, Radio-Television News Director Association (RTNDA) Award, the national 1998 Edward R. Murrow award for Best Radio Newscast, and received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the March of Dimes Achievement in Radio Organization in 1997.

LaPierre was born in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts and graduated from Grahm Junior College and then the University of New Hampshire and Boston University.

Emerson College granted LaPierre an honorary doctorate in 1998.

PHOTO: WBZ Facebook

“Young and the Restless” Actor Kristoff St. John 

Emmy Award-winning actor Kristoff St. John, best known for his role in “The Young and the Restless,” passed away at his home in Los Angeles.

He was 52-years-old.

About St. John

St. John played the role of Neil Winters on The Young and the Restless from 1991 to 2019, winning 11 Daytime Emmy Award nominations, two Emmy Awards, and ten NAACP Image Awards.

St. John’s career began with an appearance on the sitcom “That’s My Mama” in 1975.

In 1979, he played Alex Haley in “Roots: The Next Generations,’ before taking on a recurring role on “The Bad News Bears.”

He could also be seen on “Family Matters,” “Martin,” “A Different World,” “Diagnosis Murder,” among other shows.

St. John was born in New York City in 1966 before moving to Bridgeport, Connecticut, and then Los Angeles, California.

PHOTO: John Matthew Smith/Wikipedia

Chris Harris, Leader in the RI Gay Community 

Rhode Island Pride today is mourning the loss of Chris Harris, who was a beacon in the New England queer Community for decades -- offering people of all walks of a life a safe place to dance and be themselves. The announcement was made by Joe Lazzerini, President of the Board of Directors of Rhode Island Pride.

Chris Harris was Pride. He lived and breathed it. In October of 2018, we bestowed Chris Harris with our annual Pyramid of Pride Award for his lifetime of service to the Rhode Island LGBTQ+ community, according to a release from Rhode Island Pride.

It is with that same gratitude and appreciation that the Rhode Island Pride Board of Directors voted to name Chris Harris as an Honorary Marshall in our 2019 Illuminated Night Time Parade, which will take place on Saturday, June 15th at 8:30 pm in downtown Providence.

Rhode Island Pride sends our love and sympathy to Chris's family and friends and the entire EGO Providence and Chris Harris Presents family. 

Title IX ‘Godmother’ Bernice Sandler 

Dr. Bernice Sandler, the “godmother” of Title IX died at the age of 90. 

Sandler lead the 1972 Title IX movement which barred sex discrimination against women by educational institutions.

According to the New York Times, Sandler died of cancer at her home in Washington D.C.

About Sandler

Sandler was born in New York City in 1928  and married Jerrold Sandler in 1952.

They had two children, Deborah Jo in 1954 and Emily Maud in 1956, but eventually divorced in 1978.

Sandler graduated from Erasmus Hall High School, she attended Brooklyn College where she graduated cum laude with a B.S. in psychology 1948.

In 1971, Sandler became the Deputy Director of the Women's Action Program within the Department of Health’s Education and Welfare section.

While there, Sandler worked on sex discrimination in education issues leading to the development and passage of Title IX.

She received numerous awards and honors for her work on women's rights and was inducted into the Maryland Women's Hall of Fame in 2010, and the National Women's Hall of Fame in 2013.

Title IX

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 was passed by the 92nd Congress and was signed into law by President Richard Nixon.

In addition to ending sex discrimination in education, the act also extends to athletics, sexual harassment and employment discrimination.

PHOTO: Women Rock Project

Blake Nordstrom, Heir to Nordstrom Inc. Fortune

The heir to the Nordstrom Inc. fortune, Blake Nordstrom, passed away at the age of 58.

"It is with great sadness we share that Blake Nordstrom passed away unexpectedly early this morning. Blake was a tremendous leader who personified the heart and soul of our company. We're devastated by this news and our hearts go out to his family during this difficult time,” said the company in a statement.

His death came less than a month after he revealed that he was diagnosed with lymphoma.

About Nordstrom

Nordstrom was co-president of the company along with his two brothers Erik and Peter.

Together, they ran the department store chain.

According to the company, Pete and Erick will continue to serve as executive leaders of the company.

PHOTO: Nordstrom Facebook