Paired to Perfection

Jody Scott Gwinn, age 56, of New Castle, passed away on Saturday, December 27, 2025, at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis. Born and raised in New Castle, Jody was known for his sharp mind, kind heart, and an unwavering dedication to both his work and his family. ...read more

Born on December 1, 1969, Jody was the son of the late Vernon T. Gwinn and Phyllis Ann (Griffin) Gwinn. He was a 1989 graduate of New Castle Chrysler High School and went on to build a career doing what he loved most—solving problems and creating solutions. Jody was employed by Delaware Tool & Die in Muncie, where he worked as a tool and die maker and CNC machine operator, taking immense pride in his craft. Family meant everything to Jody. He never missed a family gathering and was especially devoted to helping and caring for his parents. Known for having a heart of gold, Jody was always willing to lend a hand, whether that meant fixing a car, tackling a mechanical challenge, or helping someone think through a problem. Jody had a strong interest in engineering and science and was a natural conversationalist who enjoyed talking with people—often diving into thoughtful discussions, including the occasional conspiracy theory. In his younger years, he enjoyed riding his bicycle and performing tricks, a reflection of his curiosity and adventurous spirit. A true man of many trades, Jody believed that anything could be fixed with enough patience and creativity—and if it couldn’t, he would always find a way. He was preceded in death by his father, Vernon T. Gwinn.

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Lou Smit, a longtime Colorado homicide detective whose relentless work helped put more than 200 killers behind bars, passed away on August 11, 2010, at the age of 75 after a battle with cancer. Known for his meticulous investigative style and refusal to let cases go cold, Smit built a legacy defined by persistence, integrity, and an unwavering pursuit of justice. ...read more

Born on April 14, 1935, in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Lou Smit spent decades serving as an investigator with the Colorado Springs Police Department and the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, eventually rising to the rank of captain of detectives. Throughout his career, he earned a reputation as one of Colorado’s most effective homicide investigators, helping bring closure to hundreds of cases and families.

Smit became a national figure in 1996 when he was brought out of retirement to assist in the investigation of the murder of six-year-old JonBenét Ramsey. After months of reviewing the case, he resigned, publicly stating that investigators were wrongly focusing on the child’s parents. He firmly believed that unidentified DNA found under JonBenét’s fingernails and on her clothing pointed to an intruder. Smit continued to defend this position for years and later worked directly for the Ramsey family, who were formally exonerated in 2008.

Beyond the Ramsey case, Lou Smit played key roles in solving several high-profile Colorado murders, including the 1975 rape and murder of Karen Elisa Grammer and the abduction and killing of 13-year-old Heather Dawn Church, whose killer was ultimately sentenced to life in prison.

Lou Smit passed away at Pikes Peak Hospice in Colorado Springs, surrounded by family, friends, and colleagues whose lives he touched through his dedication to justice and truth. His legacy endures through the countless cases he solved and the standards he set for investigative integrity.

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Linda Brossi Murphy died on Sunday evening, September 21, 2025, at the far-too-young age of 60. As she put it herself, she “died peacefully while surrounded by loved ones,” hugged, comforted, and deeply loved until her very last breath. Linda faced Bulbar ALS with humor, honesty, and defiance, refusing to let it define her joy, her marriage, or her unmistakable personality. Linda’s journey with ALS robbed her of speech, food, and ease, but never her ...read more

spirit. She lamented the cruelty of being unable to say “I love you,” call her beloved dog Mr. BoJangles, or order at the Dunkin’ drive-through, while bravely smiling through puréed meals and public appearances with hair done, makeup on, and grit fully intact. She leaves behind her husband David — lovingly known as “Hubby” — whom she adored from the moment she first saw him 42 years ago. From teenagers to grandparents, their life together was “mostly good and crazy fun,” an “A-” marriage by their own grading system. They even became a “thruple” when Hosee, her respirator, joined their bed — a detail Linda found endlessly hilarious. Linda was a devoted sister to Michael and Dave Brossi, her lifelong support system, and was predeceased by her father, David Brossi, whom she described as the salt of the earth. Tragically, he lost both his mother and daughter to ALS — a disease Linda never stopped calling out for its cruelty. Born in Boston and raised in Framingham, Linda attended St. Bridget’s, Marian High School, and Assumption University. She stayed home to raise her children before joining the family real estate business, until illness intervened. Prior to ALS, Linda also battled cancer — a story she chronicled in her unapologetically titled book, F Off Cancer. Linda lived loudly and joyfully. She loved family, friends, wine, dancing, boating, skiing, golf, gardening, feeding birds, traveling, dominating Words With Friends, and “playing” the piano when no one was home. Her self-declared superpowers were drinking without hangovers and genuinely loving people. Her advice was simple: say yes to the party, the trip, the adventure. Be kind — always. Linda’s final act of generosity was donating her brain and spinal cord to ALS research at Massachusetts General Hospital. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Compassionate Care ALS. Or better yet, buy scratch tickets and give them to strangers. Calling hours will be held Sunday, September 28, 2025, from 3:00–7:00 pm in Framingham. A celebration of life follows Monday, September 29, 2025, from 6:00–9:00 pm — with wine, food, dancing, and stories. As Linda requested, only nice energy is welcome. View Full Obituary Photo or Source

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Rick Stein, 71, of Wilmington, vanished on September 27, 2018, when the single-engine plane he was allegedly piloting lost contact over the Atlantic near Rehoboth Beach. Authorities say the aircraft disappeared without a trace, launching an investigation that quickly spiraled into one of the strangest mysteries they’d ever seen. According to investigators, Stein had been a cancer ...read more

patientat Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. Security footage shows him leaving the building around 3:30 p.m., after which the video feed abruptly cuts out. Police believe he took an Uber to the Philadelphia airport and somehow gained access to the aircraft, a claim that baffled nearly everyone who knew him.

“The sea was angry that day,” said NTSB investigator Greg Fields. “Any hope for rescue is unlikely.”

What complicated the case even further was the complete lack of agreement about who Rick Stein actually was. His daughter, Alex Walsh, said her father “couldn’t fly a kite,” but owned restaurants in Boulder, dominated Jeopardy!, and completed the New York Times crossword in pen. His brother Jim recalled running Stuart Kingston Galleries together, dealing in jewels and rugs—not jets. His sister Missel Leddington insisted Rick was a New Yorker cartoonist and television critic.

Others painted wildly different pictures. A son-in-law described him as a political satirist for The Huffington Post. His grandsons believed he was an ESPN columnist covering Duke basketball, FC Barcelona soccer, the Denver Broncos, and the Tour de France. His granddaughter claimed he was a YouTube star with a Netflix mega-deal. Extended family members added trail guide, music executive, cannabis entrepreneur, sitcom writer, botanist, electrician, mechanic, and even spy novelist to the list.

“This mess makes tracking him impossible,” authorities admitted.

The only person who might have known the truth was Stein’s wife of 14 years, Susan. She declined to answer questions, instead departing in sunglasses and a fedora, rolling suitcases behind her. FAA records later showed she had booked two one-way tickets to Rome—Rick’s favorite city. One ticket, investigators allege, was purchased under the alias “Juan Morefore DeRoad,” a name reportedly tied to Stein himself.

There is, however, another version of events. One far quieter. In that telling, Rick Stein never left the hospital at all, passing away peacefully, his hands held by Susan and Alex.

Which story is true remains unresolved.

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Kay Kent, a Medway-based Marilyn Monroe impersonator whose devotion to the Hollywood icon defined both her career and identity, passed away tragically in June 1989. Best remembered for her uncanny resemblance to Monroe, Kay was more than a look-alike—she lived as a modern echo of the star she idolized, leaving behind a legacy marked by fame, obsession, and unsettling parallels. Kay became a familiar figure across Britain, making appearances in department ...read more

stores, on television, and in staged recreations of Marilyn Monroe’s most iconic poses. Her resemblance was so striking that it led to risqué photo shoots, including a feature in the December 1987 issue of Penthouse. At the height of her career, she was reportedly earning around $90,000 a year.

Tragically, the parallels between Kay Kent and Marilyn Monroe did not end with fame or appearance. Like Monroe, Kay died young under circumstances that shocked those who knew her and quietly fueled speculation. Both women were found alone, both deaths were sudden, and both left behind unanswered questions that contributed to an enduring aura of tragedy.

One of Kay’s most notable appearances was portraying Marilyn Monroe in Def Leppard’s promotional video for Photograph, where she is pursued by a photographer—a scene later viewed by many as hauntingly prophetic.

In life and in death, Kay Kent remains etched into Medway’s memory as a figure whose admiration for an icon blurred into something far more consuming and ultimately tragic.

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Mary Agnes Mullaney—known to most as “Pink”—lived 85 full years guided by practical wisdom, radical kindness, and an unshakable belief in the problem-solving power of pantyhose. If you were about to throw a pair away, Pink would strongly advise you to reconsider. Pink believed ...read more

pantyhose could fix nearly anything: tie gutters, child-proof cabinets, repair toilet flappers, and hang Christmas ornaments. Why buy supplies when hosiery exists? She also taught that if a possum moved into your shed, you should politely coax him out with a barbecue brush. If that didn’t work, brush him for twenty minutes and let him stay.

She welcomed dogs—one, two, or three—into her bed, said the rosary while walking them, and went to church with a chicken sandwich in her purse. She cried at the consecration every time, then gave the sandwich to a homeless friend afterward. Pink believed in kissing everyone at nursing homes, inviting strangers to Thanksgiving dinner, and learning to “listen with an accent.”

Picky eaters were placed in a laundry-chute box, declared hungry lions, and fed vegetables through the slats. She picked up hitchhikers—once trusting a man named “Peat Moss”—kept her car keys under the front seat so they wouldn’t get lost, and made the car dance by tapping the brakes to the beat.

Pink gave to every charity that asked, let homeless friends warm up in her car during Mass, refused to remove mailing labels from magazines “because if someone wants to contact me, that would be nice,” and left cold drinks for garbage collectors. She kissed every baby and ensured even encroaching possums knew the soothing touch of a barbecue brush.

Above all, Pink wrote letters—to everyone, about everything—many of which probably made you laugh, cry, or say, “huh?” She leaves behind a legacy of joy, generosity, and a world made gentler by her presence.

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Blaine Salvadore Kern, affectionately known as “Mr. Mardi Gras,” passed away peacefully at home on June 25, 2020, at the age of 93. A native of Algiers, Louisiana, Blaine devoted more than 70 years to creating the magic, spectacle, and artistry that helped define Mardi Gras in New Orleans and beyond. A World War II Army veteran, Blaine founded Kern Studios in 1947 and read more...

later Mardi Gras World in 1984, transforming parade float design into an art form recognized worldwide. An eccentric and visionary artist, he brought imagination to life not only for Mardi Gras krewes but also for theme parks, designing floats and attractions for Universal Studios and Disney for many years.

Throughout his remarkable career, Blaine received countless honors for both his creativity and his philanthropy. He was proclaimed “Mr. Mardi Gras” by the Krewe of Rex in 1988 and proudly served as Captain of the Krewe of Alla for 50 years. He was named a Louisiana Legend in 1998 and a New Orleans Legend in 2014. During the historic New Orleans Tricentennial, he was recognized as one of 300 individuals over 300 years who made New Orleans what it is today.

Blaine was deeply humbled when the University of Holy Cross named its library in his honor in 1990 and awarded him a doctorate and the Spes Unica Award. Even later in life, his passion for art endured, illustrated in the children’s book he created with his beloved wife Holly, titled A Tree In The Sea.

Devoted for over 18 years to his wife Holly Brown Kern, Blaine lived with a zest for life, people, and the City of New Orleans. Left to cherish his memory are his wife Holly; his children Thais Barr (Dennis), Blaine Kern Jr. (Tammy), Barry Kern (Tina), Brian Kern, and Blainey Kern; ten grandchildren; one great-grandchild; and countless friends who will miss his warm smile and vivacious spirit.

Blaine Kern was extraordinary, and his legacy of Mardi Gras magic will forever live on.

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Sarah “Sasoun” Guyard-Guillot was born on September 12, 1981, in Paris, France—a city fluent in art, beauty, and boldness. From an early age, she gravitated toward the circus, a world where gravity feels optional and courage is currency. For more than twenty years, she trusted the air beneath her, becoming an aerialist whose grace and precision helped audiences believe in magic. Sarah trained at the renowned Annie Fratellini Art & Circus Academy before embarking on a read more...

career that would keep her suspended high above stages around the world. To colleagues, she was an acrobat of rare discipline and control. To those who loved her, she was simply “Sasoun”—a mother, teacher, and woman who believed joy was something meant to be shared.

In 2006, she joined Cirque du Soleil’s Kà, one of the most technically ambitious productions ever staged. Night after night in Las Vegas, she climbed into the rafters, secured herself into harnesses, and performed breathtaking aerial sequences that blended danger and beauty so seamlessly that audiences forgot the risk involved.

Offstage, Sarah poured her energy into teaching. She ran a circus-fitness class for children, helping them build strength and confidence while balancing the demands of her career with raising her two young children, who were five and eight years old at the time of her death.

On June 29, 2013, during the final battle scene of Kà, Sarah fell approximately ninety feet during a live performance. Many audience members initially believed the fall was part of the choreography—a testament to how completely art and peril intertwined in her work. It was not. She suffered fatal injuries and died shortly afterward at the age of 31.

Her passing marked the first on-stage fatality in Cirque du Soleil’s history, prompting investigations and renewed scrutiny of safety protocols. Yet beyond the reports and reviews, what remained most profound was the absence she left behind.

Sarah Guyard-Guillot lived in defiance of gravity, fear, and the ordinary. She gave audiences wonder, and though her fall was tragic, the height at which she lived—artistically and personally—continues to define her legacy.

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Judge Roger Hugh Lawson, Jr., born in Hawkinsville, Georgia on September 23, 1941, was gathered to his fathers on March 29, 2024. A lifelong resident of Hawkinsville, except for his college and law school years, he lived a full life marked by sharp wit, public service, stubborn independence, and an abiding love of family. The son of Barbara Daniel Lawson and Roger Hugh read more...

Lawson, he was raised in a household heavily populated by women—his mother, grandmothers, great aunt, father’s secretary, and five sisters. He was fond of quoting his father’s observation that there are only two things a man needs to know to keep women happy, but no one knows what they are.

He was educated in the Pulaski County public schools, at Emory University, and—most importantly—in his father’s law office. While at Emory, he joined fraternities but was not inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, nor did he trouble himself over missing the dean’s list. The Dean of Men kept another list on which his name occasionally appeared, though the details were tactfully left unrecorded.

Returning home in 1964, he entered practice with his father, whom he regarded as his best friend, mentor, and law partner. They worked hard, were notably successful, enjoyed tobacco perhaps too much, and—when appropriate—shared a fair measure of whiskey. By all accounts, it was a good life.

In 1979, he was appointed to the Superior Courts of the Oconee Judicial Circuit, serving nearly seventeen years before being nominated by Senator Sam Nunn and appointed by President Bill Clinton in 1995 to the United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia. He later served as Chief Judge and, beginning in 2009, as a senior judge.

A lifelong Methodist, he liked to say his family had been Methodists since the Crucifixion. He taught Sunday school for thirty-five years and served faithfully, even while admitting to having more questions than answers.

Married first to Sydney Davis, with whom he had three children, he later married Barbara Boots of Indiana on Christmas Day, 1977—“as advertised,” he said. She brought three more children into his life, and though he joked about underwriting their upbringing, he claimed them all as his own and declared each one his favorite.

Judge Lawson lived with few regrets, acknowledged frequent mistakes, paid for them, and moved forward. He loved books, fishing, shooting, tending his farm, ardent spirits, and family gatherings. He despised obituaries written by “funeral home hacks,” especially those promising memories would be “forever treasured,” and so he wrote his own. His last conscious thought was, “Barbara.”

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Rebecca Marie Bunting, 30, of Pennsylvania, passed away on June 2, 2018, after being swept away by flash flood waters in Philadelphia’s Pennypack Creek. Known among friends as a fearless urban explorer and talented photographer, Rebecca had a gift for finding beauty in places most people had long forgotten. Rebecca’s passion for photography led her to abandoned read more...

buildings, tunnels, and overlooked corners of the city where she captured haunting and striking images of decay and forgotten spaces. Within the urban exploration community, often called “bando” explorers, she was affectionately known as the “bando queen.”

On the day of the accident, Rebecca had been photographing inside a storm drain along Pennypack Creek with her boyfriend when a sudden rush of flash flood water swept through the tunnel. Her boyfriend was able to pull himself to safety and was later seen by witnesses calling desperately for help.

Rescue crews and dive teams searched the murky waters—some areas reaching depths of ten feet—but were unable to locate her immediately. Rebecca’s body was recovered the following day. Authorities believe she likely died shortly after being carried into the floodwaters.

Friends described Rebecca as endlessly curious, creative, and fearless in pursuit of the perfect shot. Her Instagram account remains filled with images of abandoned and crumbling places transformed through her lens into something hauntingly beautiful.

“She was always trying to get really cool photos. She was really, really talented,” said friend Cristen DeDomenico. Another friend, Carly Weiss, reflected that Rebecca’s legacy will endure through the photographs she left behind.

In one of her final Instagram posts, Rebecca seemed to reflect on mortality beneath a photograph of a glowing sunset framed by trees and an archway. “If there is life after death,” she wrote, “I want to come back as a sunset. Ain’t much else more beautiful than that.”

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Frank “Frankie” Fabien Best, 59, passed away peacefully (but don’t worry, he went down fighting—throwing juice boxes) on January 29, 2025 after a stoic battle with cancer. Rumor has it Frankie must have had a lucky rabbit’s foot hidden somewhere on him because he lived his life entirely on his own terms, laughing loudly, pushing boundaries, and refusing to ever take the easy road. As the son of a police officer, Frankie embraced the stereotype and stretched it to read more...

its absolute limits. His passing has reportedly left cops across the country scratching their heads and wondering what they’ll do with all their newly allotted free time.

Frankie was raised in Pumpkin Hook, New York, where he attended Victor schools. Those who knew him there will tell you the only reason he stayed enrolled as long as he did was football. School itself was never really his intended path, although he certainly found ways to stay entertained through what he considered “extra curricular activities.” These included shop class—where stealing cars occasionally landed him in the local newspaper—home economics for the strategic purpose of girl watching, and history classes, where he developed a lifelong fascination with World War II.

He completed one stint in the U.S. Army, which took him to Fort Ord, California. But as most people close to Frankie already suspected, military life wasn’t quite the long-term fit. Once he ventured back into civilian life he became something of a wandering soul—never staying in one place too long but always managing to drift back close to family.

That was fortunate for everyone involved, because family gatherings would have been far quieter and far less entertaining without him. Frankie was the classic jack-of-all-trades who never quite fit into the mold of a traditional career. Friends and relatives often compared him to MacGyver, convinced he could fix just about anything with nothing more than a gum wrapper and sheer stubbornness.

His family could tell endless stories about his adventures and exploits, but anyone reading this likely has a few unforgettable Frankie stories of their own.

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Wanda Marie Linney Hopkins, 87, passed away peacefully at home on July 12, 2016, surrounded by God and family after a battle with cancer. Born in San Antonio, Texas, Wanda’s life took an unexpected romantic turn when a foggy-night cow collision sent childhood friend Woodson Hopkins straight into her orbit. Born October 14, 1928, in San Antonio, Texas, Wanda called read more

South Texas home until one fateful night when destiny arrived in the form of a strategically misguided cow. Childhood friend Woodson Hopkins, recently returned to Refugio for his first post-college job at the weekly paper Timely Remarks, collided with a rogue cow on a dark and foggy road. Woodson and the cow survived, but his car did not.

The next day, Woodson arrived at Wanda’s father’s insurance company seeking what might generously be called “roadside” assistance. Wanda, a 1946 graduate of Refugio High School and later secretarial school in San Antonio, was there to help. Whether it was her raven black hair, sculpted cheekbones, infectious laugh, perfectly coordinated outfit, or simply her take-charge competence, something clicked. That childhood acquaintance turned into marriage vows in 1951, and those vows held strong for 64 years.

Over the next 14 years, Wanda and Woodson seemed to circumnavigate Texas, with stops in Victoria, Houston, Tyler, Waco, and San Antonio, welcoming four children along the way. In 1965, they finally escaped the gravity of Texas and migrated east to Lafayette, Louisiana, where they planted roots for nearly 50 years.

Alongside family life, Wanda returned to work and put her secretarial talents to use. The highlight of her career was serving as administrative assistant to Louis Records and Charles Prentice, engineers known for developing drilling well control and blowout prevention methodologies. As Wanda liked to say, this is where she peripherally learned how to drill a well.

Wanda also found deep purpose in the community of Asbury Methodist Church, where her gifts for organization and service found a higher calling. She and Woodson served as Eucharistic Ministers, and she became the first member of Asbury to attend the spiritual retreat Cursillo, opening that path for many others. That experience also helped foster her decades-long love of roosters and rainbows.

Wanda remained in Lafayette until 2014, when she and Woodson returned to their native Texas, settling in Houston. There she spent her final years enjoying peaceful days wrapped in the love of family.

In lieu of flowers, her family requested donations to Asbury United Methodist Church in Lafayette, Louisiana, Houston Hospice, or that people simply perform a random act of kindness in her memory.

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Schuyler Jones, an American-born anthropologist whose life often drew comparisons to Indiana Jones, died May 17, 2024, at 94. A globe-trotting adventurer from an early age, he traveled extensively, survived a helicopter crash in Algeria, and dedicated his life to studying cultures across the world. Jones grew up near Wichita, Kansas, and thanks to his father supplying boots read more...

to Army bases, he had already visited every U.S. state before finishing first grade. After World War II, he moved to Paris, where he worked as a photographer before setting off on years of travel across Africa.

During one trip in Algeria, he survived a dramatic helicopter crash in a crowded marketplace, an early glimpse into the kind of life that would later earn him comparisons to a fictional adventurer.

In 1958, Jones traveled through India and Nepal, an experience that sparked a deep fascination with Afghanistan and its cultures. Inspired, he pursued anthropology at the University of Edinburgh and later conducted fieldwork in remote Afghan mountain valleys. His research ultimately earned him a doctorate from the University of Oxford.

Jones went on to become a curator and later director of Oxford University’s Pitt Rivers Museum, home to vast anthropological and archaeological collections. He led the museum until retirement and was later honored as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for his contributions.

His adventurous lifestyle and academic work led many to compare him with Indiana Jones. Like the fictional archaeologist, he traveled widely, spoke multiple languages, wore a fedora, and believed artifacts should be preserved in museums rather than private collections.

Jones authored several books about his travels and research and remained active in academic circles for many years. He is survived by his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, leaving behind a legacy as a scholar, explorer, and storyteller whose life often felt like something pulled straight from fiction.

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Ian P. Stevenson, M.D., a pioneering researcher into reincarnation and life after death, passed away on February 8, 2007, at the age of 88. Over four decades, he became one of the most well-known scientists to seriously investigate whether memories and traits could carry over from past lives. Born in Montreal in 1918, Stevenson showed early academic promise and went on to earn read more...

his medical degree from McGill University in 1943. Initially focused on biochemistry and later psychiatry, he grew increasingly dissatisfied with conventional explanations of human personality, believing they failed to capture deeper aspects of human experience.

That curiosity led him into one of the most controversial areas of scientific study: reincarnation. In 1961, Stevenson began conducting field research in India and Sri Lanka, focusing on young children who claimed to remember past lives. Over the next 35 years, he investigated nearly 3,000 such cases across multiple cultures, meticulously documenting their statements and attempting to verify details through records and eyewitness accounts.

His research uncovered recurring patterns. Children typically began recalling past-life memories between the ages of 2 and 3, with those memories fading by ages 7 or 8. Many described violent or sudden deaths in their alleged previous lives, and some displayed phobias, behaviors, or skills that seemed consistent with those accounts. In certain cases, Stevenson documented birthmarks or physical abnormalities that appeared to correspond with injuries of the deceased individuals the children claimed to have been.

While his work was often met with skepticism from the scientific community, Stevenson maintained a disciplined approach, focusing on presenting evidence rather than drawing definitive conclusions. His efforts helped establish the Division of Perceptual Studies at the University of Virginia, where his work continues to influence researchers exploring consciousness and the possibility of life beyond death.

Stevenson’s legacy endures through his extensive publications and the many scholars he inspired to continue investigating questions that sit at the edge of science and belief.

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Lesley Hazleton, a British-born psychologist turned journalist and author known for exploring faith, history, and her own beliefs, died April 29, 2024, at 78. In a final message scheduled before her passing, she reflected on a life lived fully, choosing her own ending under Washington’s Death with Dignity Act. Hazleton announced her death in an email sent to friends read more...

after her passing, explaining that she had chosen to end her life legally with the assistance of hospice volunteers. A lifelong advocate for personal autonomy, she framed the decision as consistent with her decades of belief in choice and self-determination.

“Yes, this is a goodbye letter,” she wrote, acknowledging the difficulty of parting while expressing a sense of peace, gratitude, and even joy. She described her life as one richly lived, at times feeling as though she had experienced multiple lifetimes within a single one.

Born in 1945, Hazleton began her career examining feminism in Israel, publishing her first book, Israeli Women: The Reality Behind the Myths, in 1977. After moving to New York in 1979, she shifted paths dramatically, becoming a race car driver and automotive columnist, writing for Lear’s magazine and the Detroit Free Press.

Her career eventually turned again toward deeper philosophical and religious exploration. Known for her fearless and irreverent voice, Hazleton wrote widely about the Middle East and religious history, including works on Mary, Jezebel, and the Prophet Muhammad. Her book After the Prophet examined the roots of the Sunni-Shia divide, while The First Muslim explored the life of Muhammad.

In her later years, she turned inward, examining her own beliefs in Agnostic: A Spirited Manifesto. In a 2016 talk, she spoke openly about mortality, describing it not as a limitation but as a source of meaning, emphasizing that it is not the length of life but how it is lived that truly matters.

Remembered as fearless, curious, and unapologetically independent, Hazleton leaves behind a body of work that challenged assumptions and invited readers to explore the deepest questions of belief, identity, and existence.

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Michel Siffre, the pioneering French scientist who willingly buried himself underground for months at a time to study human perception of time, died August 25, 2024, at the age of 85. His life’s work involved descending into isolated caves completely cut off from clocks, sunlight, and the outside world. Born in Nice, France, in 1939, Siffre developed a fascination with caves early read more...

in life and later studied geology at the Sorbonne. Rather than avoiding isolation and disorientation, he intentionally sought them out, believing that studying humans removed from natural cycles could reveal how our internal clocks truly functioned.

His first groundbreaking experiment came in 1962, when he spent 63 days alone inside an Italian cave with no sunlight, clocks, or external contact about the passage of time. The results were startling. Completely detached from the natural day-night cycle, his body developed its own rhythm, and what felt to him like roughly one month underground had actually been two.

Siffre expanded these experiments throughout his life, most famously in 1972 when he spent 205 days isolated in Midnight Cave in Texas. During that experiment, his body unknowingly shifted into a 48-hour cycle, remaining awake and asleep far longer than a normal day would allow.

The psychological toll was immense. Siffre experienced extreme loneliness, confusion, and moments where he nearly abandoned the work entirely. Despite this, he persisted, helping establish foundational research in chronobiology and human circadian rhythms. His studies eventually attracted the attention of NASA and military researchers interested in how astronauts and submariners might cope with prolonged isolation.

Even decades later, Siffre continued pushing the boundaries of his research. In a final isolation experiment in 1999, he once again lost track of time so completely that he misjudged major holidays and even the arrival of the new millennium.

Though his ideas were initially met with skepticism, later studies confirmed many of his findings. Today, his work remains deeply influential in understanding sleep cycles, time perception, and human adaptation to extreme environments.

Michel Siffre leaves behind a legacy defined by endurance, curiosity, and a willingness to step far beyond the normal boundaries of human experience — literally descending beneath the surface world to better understand it.

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Joseph “Joe” Wilson Rogers Sr., co-founder of the legendary Waffle House restaurant chain, passed away March 3, 2017, at the age of 97. From Depression-era hardship to building one of America’s most recognizable diner empires, Rogers spent his life believing that taking care of people always came first. Born in Jackson, Tennessee in 1919, Rogers grew up during the Great read more...

Depression after his father lost his railroad job. As a young boy, Joe helped support his family by delivering newspapers and laundry, experiences that shaped the relentless work ethic and people-focused mindset that would define the rest of his life.

During World War II, Rogers joined the Army Air Corps, where he trained B-24 bomber pilots and eventually rose to the rank of captain. After the war, he entered the restaurant business with the Toddle House Corporation, founded by Frederick Smith, father of the future FedEx founder.

Starting as a short-order cook in Connecticut, Rogers learned every corner of the business. He baked pies, ground hamburger meat, handled bookkeeping, managed operations, and focused heavily on customer service. He often credited his father for teaching him a simple but powerful philosophy: smile at people and make them happy to see you.

Rogers’ leadership abilities quickly moved him up through Toddle House management and eventually brought him to Atlanta. There, he met real estate professional Tom Forkner, who became both his best friend and lifelong business partner. The two men famously built their business relationship on nothing more than a handshake.

Together, Rogers and Forkner opened the very first Waffle House in Avondale Estates, Georgia, on Labor Day in 1955. Joe Rogers often said, “We’re not in the restaurant business. We’re in the people business.” That belief became the heart of Waffle House culture and helped transform the small diner into a nationwide institution.

After briefly leaving to help grow Toddle House, Rogers returned in 1961 to focus entirely on Waffle House. Under his leadership, the company expanded rapidly, reaching hundreds of restaurants by the end of the 1970s and eventually growing to more than 1,900 locations across the country.

Even after stepping away from day-to-day operations, Rogers remained deeply involved with the company and its employees, regularly visiting headquarters in Norcross, Georgia well into his later years. His son later said that Joe genuinely loved every customer who walked through a Waffle House door — and customers could immediately feel it.

Joe Rogers Sr. is survived by his wife Ruth, their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchild. His legacy lives on not only through Waffle House itself, but through the countless employees and customers impacted by his belief that people always come first.

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Stephen “Steve” R. Stalker passed away October 15, 2025, at the age of 84 after complications from throat cancer and a long-dormant meningioma. Even while facing serious illness, he kept his sharp sense of humor and continued making caregivers smile and laugh. Steve was the son read more...

of M. Eugene and Madolyn Ham Stalker. From an early age, he showed a restless curiosity and a talent for communication. As a teenager, he became a pilot, worked as a DJ on local radio stations, and earned the rank of Eagle Scout.

During college, he continued his radio work while also adding fashion photography to the mix. He earned a degree in electrical engineering from the University of Missouri at Columbia and later, while working, earned a master’s degree in clinical psychology. Simply put, Steve liked to know how things worked.

He served in the Army Air Corps and was stationed in Panama, among other locations. Even there, he found his way back behind a microphone, going on air at a local radio station and forming connections he maintained for years.

His professional life was wide-ranging. He worked at radio stations in the metro area as well as New York, both in front of the microphone and behind the scenes maintaining broadcast towers and equipment. He also spent time working in the computer world.

Through his on-air work, Steve had the chance to meet, greet, and be photographed with an impressive lineup of famous names, including Frank Sinatra, Led Zeppelin, Janis Joplin, Gwen Stefani, Hootie and the Blowfish, and Elvis Presley.

In retirement, he remained deeply involved in his parish, St. John the Baptist on Strawberry Hill, where he served as a lector and Eucharistic Minister, recruited volunteers, helped train new lectors and Eucharistic Ministers, and maintained the PA system for many years.

Steve was also an active member of the Wyandotte County Master Gardeners beginning in 2007. Though he was part of the Speaker’s Bureau early on, his main focus became photographing the organization’s activities and the people involved.

For the last 15 years of his life, he returned to amateur radio under the call sign WA0SRS and served as host of the Wednesday Night Network for the Pilot Knob Amateur Radio Club in Leavenworth. He also documented many of the club’s events through photography.

He will be remembered most for his resonant voice, his humor, and the many ways he used his talents to bring enjoyment to those around him. In lieu of flowers, the family suggested donations to the Sisters Servants of Mary, Pilot Knob Amateur Radio Club, or a charity of personal choice.

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Edie Irish, once named the “Most Traveled Woman in the World” after visiting 279 countries, passed away in 2018 at the age of 90. A lifelong adventurer, nurse, author, and member of both the Explorer and Circumnavigators Clubs, she spent decades chasing curiosity across nearly every corner of the globe. Born in 1928 and raised in Evanston, Illinois, Edie was the read more...

youngest child of Swedish immigrants. Her childhood summers were spent at the family cottage in Door County, Wisconsin, climbing observation towers, picking cherries, and listening to stories from her grandfather, a former sailor whose tales of foreign lands sparked her fascination with travel.

After high school, she earned a nursing degree and began working at Grant Hospital, where she met her future husband, then a medical student at the University of Illinois. Though she married and raised a family, her desire to see the world never faded.

Family vacations soon grew into worldwide adventures, and sometimes Edie traveled entirely on her own. She became heavily involved in student foreign exchange programs, welcoming students from countries like Brazil, Nepal, and Sweden into her home. Years later, many of those same students reconnected with her while she traveled through their home countries.

Edie’s endless curiosity and openness led her to encounters with a number of famous figures throughout her journeys. In 1979, during a trip to Auckland, New Zealand, she met Muhammad Ali while he was there for an exhibition fight with Jimmy Ellis. Ali even invited her to join his entourage during the event. That same year, she also befriended former Notre Dame president Father Ted Hesburgh while on a cruise to Brazil, spending long days at sea playing Bridge together.

Throughout her life, Edie championed tolerance, understanding, and human connection. She had a remarkable ability to communicate with people from vastly different religious, cultural, and economic backgrounds, often overcoming language barriers through sheer warmth and curiosity.

Over the years, she checked off nearly every destination on her massive bucket list, eventually visiting almost every country in the world as well as all of the United States National Parks. In 1986, the Travelers Century Club recognized her as the “Most Traveled Woman in the World” after she reached 279 countries visited.

Her family remembered her as the most adventurous person they had ever known — but also as a devoted mother whose love for people and exploration shaped everyone around her.

“Mom, it’s a lonely world without you.”

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G. Douglas “Doug” Follett spent nearly a century wandering the wilderness, telling stories, and making people laugh. Raised between Whitefish, Montana and Glacier National Park, Doug became a beloved teacher, naturalist, ranger, comedian, poet, and lifelong champion of the outdoors. Born in 1926 and raised between Whitefish, Montana and Glacier National Park, read more...

Doug Follett grew up roaming the hills from dawn to dusk, always knowing dinner would be waiting when he returned home. After graduating in 1944, he joined the United States Air Force during World War II.

When the war ended, the Air Force offered to fly him home, but Doug chose to hitchhike all the way from North Carolina back to Montana instead. After that, he never stepped onto an airplane again.

Back home, Doug married his hometown sweetheart, Anastasia Herriges, earned a teaching degree in History and Biology from the University of Montana, and spent 35 years teaching high school American history in Columbia Falls. He often said he was lucky to teach there because of the community, faculty, and students.

In 1961, despite earning poor grades in junior high shop class, Doug decided to build a family home in the woods on Whitefish Lake himself. That cabin became a lasting gathering place for generations of family.

Doug also became a legend in Glacier National Park, where he worked seasonally for 58 years as a naturalist and ranger, finally retiring at the age of 93 in 2019. Before that, he spent summers guiding tours at Hungry Horse Dam until tour guides were replaced by automation — specifically, a phonograph record.

Known as “Ranger Doug,” he became famous as a storyteller, comedian, poet, and passionate advocate for Glacier. He treated celebrities, politicians, and everyday visitors exactly the same, always eager to share his love for the natural world.

Doug liked to joke that he never traveled the world because “the rest of the world came here to me.” For him, Glacier was never just a stop along the way. It was always the destination.

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