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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