Tag Archives: obituaries

RIP, Soupy Sales

Posted on October 25, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Soupy Sales, the world’s funniest pie-in-the-face man, has passed away at the age of 83. As the star of “The Soupy Sales Show,” he performed live on television for 13 years in Detroit, Los Angeles and New York before the … Continue reading →

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RIP, William Wayne Justice

Posted on October 14, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

One of the great protectors of civil rights has passed away. U.S. District Judge William Wayne Justice — beloved by some, loathed by others — changed Texas civil and inmate rights in ways few political figures have over the past … Continue reading →

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People and records, gone but not forgotten

Posted on September 21, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Now that you know about Derek Jeter and various all-time base hits records for different franchises, go read Steve Goldman’s tribute to Lou Gehrig and what it means to leave behind a legacy. Bring some tissues if you’re the crying … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Weekend link dump for August 16

Posted on August 16, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Holy crap, it’s almost football season already… The case against Apple, in five parts. And the case for, in one. Why Kevin Drum doesn’t fear government-run health care. Once again, a big part of the reason why politicians lie is … Continue reading →

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Saturday video break: A John Hughes twofer

Posted on August 8, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

“Twist and Shout”, from “Ferris Bueller’s Day off”: And the original video to Simple Minds’ “Don’t You Forget About Me”, which was used in “The Breakfast Club”. Thanks to Steven Goldman for that link. And if you haven’t read this … Continue reading →

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Mickey Leland, 20 years later

Posted on August 7, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Twenty years ago today, US Representative Mickey Leland died in a plane crash while on a humanitarian trip to Ethiopia. His widow Alison Leland and State Sen. Rodney Ellis remember his legacy in today’s Chron. Twenty years ago our city, … Continue reading →

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RIP, John Hughes

Posted on August 6, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

John Hughes, iconic 80s movie director, has passed away from a heart attack at the age of 59. A native of Lansing, Mich., who later moved to suburban Chicago and set much of his work there, Hughes rose from ad … Continue reading →

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Thurman Munson, thirty years later

Posted on August 2, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

It was thirty years ago today that New York Yankees catcher and captain Thurman Munson was killed in a plane crash in Canton, Ohio. I was just rereading the post I wrote in 2004 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of … Continue reading →

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RIP, Frank McCourt

Posted on July 19, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Bestselling author and former high school teacher Frank McCourt has died at the age of 78. Frank McCourt, the retired high school English teacher who became a best-selling memoirist, liked to say he had disproven F. Scott Fitzgerald’s adage about … Continue reading →

Posted in Books | Tagged , , | 7 Comments

Frank McCourt “gravely ill”

Posted on July 16, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Sad news. Frank McCourt is gravely ill with meningitis and is unlikely to survive, the author’s brother said Thursday. Malachy McCourt said that his 78-year-old brother, best known for the million-selling “Angela’s Ashes,” is in a New York hospice, “his … Continue reading →

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RIP, Steve McNair

Posted on July 4, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

What a tragedy. Former Oilers quarterback Steve McNair was found shot to death in Nashville, shocking former teammates and NFL personnel around the country. McNair, 36, and a woman were found dead inside a condominium Saturday afternoon by the Nashville … Continue reading →

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RIP, Farrah Fawcett

Posted on June 25, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Not unexpected, but still sad. Fawcett was voted “most beautiful” her sophomore, junior and senior years at Ray High School [in Corpus Christi]. Her freshman year at the University of Texas, where she was majoring in microbiology and minoring in … Continue reading →

Posted in TV and movies | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

The best thing I’ve heard about my hometown in a long time

Posted on June 25, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

A Staten Island restaurant employs genuine Italian grandmothers to do the cooking. The 35-seat Enoteca Maria takes home cooking to a whole new level by bringing in genuine Italian grandmothers to cook for customers. Each night, one of eight nonnas … Continue reading →

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Debutant’s last post

Posted on May 29, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

As you know, Deborah Greer-Costello, better known as Debutant, passed away on May 18 after a long battle with leukemia. Her sister Stephanie, a/k/a Texans Chick, posted a final message from Deb based on conversations they had after her condition … Continue reading →

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RIP, Debutant

Posted on May 23, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I’m very sorry to say that Deborah Greer-Costello, better known as Debutant, passed away earlier this week from the leukemia that she had been fighting since 2005. I never met Deb in person, I only knew her through her writing … Continue reading →

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RIP, Andy Hallett

Posted on April 3, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Andy Hallett, who played Lorne the singing demon on Angel, has passed away at the far too young age of 33. The actor passed away at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles after a five-year battle with heart disease, with his … Continue reading →

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RIP, Terry Hayes

Posted on February 15, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Terry Hayes, an employee of the Houston Chronicle who wrote an award-winning blog that detailed her fight against terminal cancer, has died at the age of 42. Hayes spent five years as one of the newspaper’s essential support staffers, handling … Continue reading →

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