alt obits guy

Beales Department Stores warns 22 stores and 1,000 jobs hang in the balance as it continues to look for a buyer and stave off going into administration/bankruptcy. https://www.bbc.com/news/business-51083396?at_custom2=twitter&at_custom3=Regional+BBC+North+East+and+Cumbria&at_custom4=94DD6CD8-3540-11EA-A8FB-76FEC28169F1&at_campaign=64&at_custom1=link&at_medium=custom7

Kazuo Sakurada death confirmed. https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/kendo-nagasaki-passes-away-age-71

Portuguese motorcyle rider Paul Goncalves has died during the Dakar Rally. He was 40. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/jan/12/portuguese-motorcycle-rider-paul-goncalves-dies-in-dakar-rally

Clara Cedeno Tello, a validated supercentenarian and the oldest person in Panama, has died. She was 113. https://www.tvn-2.com/variedad/obituario/Muere-Clara-Cedeno-Saavedra-Panama_0_5486451308.html (Spanish language obit) https://gerontology.wikia.org/wiki/Clara_Cedeno_Tello

Whereas the real Superman can leap tall buildings, this guy just got high.

Florence Richler, the widow of author Mordecai Richler and the editor of his books, has died. She was 90. https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/florence-richler-wife-and-editor-of-author-mordecai-richler-has-died-1.4762743

Jeanne Schiff, the mother of country music singer Martina McBride, has died after undergoing emergency heart surgery. https://tasteofcountry.com/martina-mcbride-mother-dies-heart-surgery/

Ed Sprague Sr., an original Oakland Athletic who pitched in nearly 200 games between 1968 and 1976, has died. He was 74. He was the father of Ed Sprague, who played over 1,200 games between 1991 and 2001 and the father-in-law of Olympic synchronized swimming gold medalist Kristen Babb-Sprague. https://www.sfchronicle.com/athletics/article/Ed-Sprague-Sr-an-original-Oakland-Athletic-14965834.php

Bobby Comstock, who had several minor hits in the U.S. in the late 50s/early 60s, has died. He was 78 or 79. https://www.14850.com/010912270-bobby-comstock/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTIkelZNjms

Saw Rush in concert at an outdoor festival during their last major tour, in 2013. Though I remember them from high school days 25-to-30 years prior, wasn't what you'd call a fan. (They appealed to a certain crowd, who truly loved them.) Peart doing an extended solo while the other band members took a break was a sight to see. Just listened to Distant Early Warning maybe two days ago.

QO, if needed: https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/breaking-rush-drummer-neil-peart-21257184

Alexis Eddy, a contestant on the sixth season of the MTV show 'Are You the One', has died. She was 23. https://www.wearecentralpa.com/entertainment-news/former-mtv-reality-star-from-mannington-dies-at-23/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter_WTAJnews

Frank Gordon Jr., a former Arizona Supreme Court justice, has died. He was 90. https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2020/01/09/former-arizona-supreme-court-justice-frank-gordon-jr-dead-90/4418857002/

Pampero Firpo has died.

Pampero Firpo, who wrestled from 1957 to 1981 and held a number of NWA regional championships, has died. He was 89. http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/2020/01/09/22804064.html

Andy Hassler, whose career spanned from 1971 to 1985, much of it with the California Angels but also with stints in Kansas, Boston, New York and Pittsburgh, died December 25th. He was 68. https://www.wickenburgfuneralhome.com/obituary/andrew-hassler

Buck Henry, the screenwriter behind the Graduate and the co-creator of Get Smart, has died. He was 89. https://deadline.com/2020/01/buck-henry-dead-saturday-night-live-the-graduate-get-smart-1202825337/

Don Howison, the oldest living survivor and the last living officer of the original USS Indianapolis, has died. He was 98. https://www.theindychannel.com/news/local-news/oldest-remaining-survivor-last-living-officer-of-uss-indianapolis-dies

Diane Ford, the mother of former Toronto Mayor Rob Ford and current Ontario Premier Doug Ford, has died. She was 85. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/diane-ford-mother-of-premier-doug-ford-and-former-mayor-doug-ford-dies-1.5415779

June Bacon-Bercey, the first American female TV meteorologist, died last July but is only now being reported. She was 90 according to the link below, though Wikipedia indicates she would've been 86. I guess it took a long-term forecast to find where she went off the radar. https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/june-bacon-bercey-americas-1st-female-tv-meteorologist-dies-at-90/655500

Douglas Wood, who was rescued after being kidnapped in Iraq and held for six weeks in 2005, has died. He was 78. https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/former-iraq-hostage-dies-aged-78-in-melbourne-home/news-story/a6854fb9710d1fc97b34e6cdc6f97287

Patricia Alice Albrecht, who voiced Pizzazz in the animated series Jem and the Holograms, died December 25th. https://www.animationmagazine.net/people/passings/patricia-alice-albrecht-voice-of-jems-pizzazz-has-died/

R. Kern Eutsler, who served as Bishop of Holston Conference of the United Methodist Church from 1984 until his mandatory retirement in 1988, has died. He was 100. https://www.umnews.org/en/news/bishop-eutsler-trusted-leader-dies-at-100

Martha Levert, the ex-wife of Eddie Levert and the mother of Gerald & Sean Levert, both of whom she outlived, has died. https://myhoustonmajic.com/3361984/martha-levert-dead/

Thank you very kindly, though I want to be careful because it's still unofficial. January 15th is the cutoff date for obituaries, to include anyone whose death gets reported in these early days of 2020, but who expired last year. Also be mindful the 25 point bonus for youngest hit of the year is awarded on the 15th, too. Seemingly won't affect me but will change the final overall standings. The 2019 game got off rather quickly and was on a pretty good pace throughout the year. Seemed to take most of November off, until the last week of that month. With more people playing, more hits and fewer solos may have been inevitable. A few daily doubles and year end hits shook things up. And, yes, the 2020 edition already has three hits in three days, with Monarc taking an early lead. Should be another good year, with a comparable number of people playing.