Death Anniversary Thread

[Drewsky1211 4,732]

Former FLOTUS Louisa Adams died on this day 170 years ago, aged 77.

Adams' maiden name was Johnson, and she was born in London. She was the only foreign-born First Lady, until Melania Trump became First Lady in 2017.

 

Louisa first met John Quincy Adams in 1795, while his father (then-VP John Adams) was serving as the consul general (to protect American civilians who were in London at that time). They were married two years later, and Adams and her parents took residence in the United States- she found Massachusetts to be dull compared to her previous homes in London and Paris. They had four children, but only one (Charles) outlived their parents.

 

John Quincy Adams served in a variety of diplomatic positions, and Louisa travelled with him. They moved to Washington D.C., when John Quincy was chosen as President James Monroe's Secretary of State in 1817. John Quincy was elected president in 1824- during her stay in the White House, she tended to be reclusive, but had her hobbies of playing her harp (portrait above) and spinning silk (she kept silkworms as "pets"). The couple moved back to Massachusetts after Andrew Jackson's presidential victory in 1828, but returned in 1831 when John Quincy was elected into the House of Representatives.

 

Following her death from a heart attack, Congress adjourned for a mourning period- this was the first time that the House and the Senate both did so for a woman.

[arghton 6,709]

Umegatani Tōtarō I, the 15th Yokozuna of Sumo and one of the best sumo wrestlers of the 1870s and 1880s, died on this day 94 years ago in 1928, aged 83.

He's also known for his long life, still the longest-lived Yokozuna of Sumo ever. Japan's life expectancy in the 1920s was a bit over 40.

[The Immortal 634]

On this day 40 years ago, American race car driver Gordon Smiley died, aged 36 in an extremely violent crash in qualifying for the 1982 Indy 500.

 

So Smiley had been known as an arrogant driver and a general prick, who was way over his head. Despite being warned by several senior drivers about his driving style and being told he was way over his head, he simply ignored their warnings. And then during qualifying, it happened. He lost control of his car, veered right and hit the wall and it completely disintegrated on impact. As for Smiley? The details are a bit too gruesome even for the DeathList so if you want to know you will have to look it up, but he was quite literally, turned into mincemeat. Even to this day, Smiley's fatal crash is considered one of the most violent in racing history.

 

 

[The Ashes Urn 1,355]

Prime Minister of Japan from 1931 to 1932, Inukai Tsuyoshi, died on this day 90 years ago, aged 76.

 

[Gooseberry Crumble 5,338]

On this day in 2003 american singer , songwriter and entertainer June Carter Cash died aged 73 after experiencing complications following heart valve surgery.

She was married to the legendary singer Johnny Cash who died just under four months after her.

She was also a distant cousin  of US President  Jimmy Carter. 

 

[Hell 1,334]

American actor, comedian, and writer Fred Willard died on this day 2 years ago, aged 86.

 

[Drewsky1211 4,732]

Jim Henson died on this day 32 years ago, aged 53.

Besides the Muppets, Sesame Street, and Fraggle Rock, you may remember Henson for directing either the cult classic The Dark Crystal (1982) or Labyrinth (1986), the latter of which starred David Bowie.

 

Did you know that Kermit wasn't created for the Muppets? Henson originally created him in 1955 for Sam and Friends, a show Henson created that was locally broadcasted in Washington, DC.

 

A similar-looking and sounding character that Henson created that has erroneously been referred to as a prototype of Kermit was Wilkins, a mascot for the Wilkins Coffee company that Henson made commercials for from 1957 to 1961- Henson would also use them to advertise for other coffee companies in the Washington, DC area, as seen in this compilation below:

 

Henson died of a streptococcus infection. One of his public memorial services in July 1990 featured puppeteer Carroll Spinney as Sesame Street character Big Bird performing his song "(It's Not Easy) Bein' Green":

 

[The Ashes Urn 1,355]

American diplomat Elbridge Durbrow died on this day 25 years ago, aged 93.

 

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On this day in 2019  the former Labor Prime Minister of Australia  died aged 89.

He was Prime Minister for eight years between  1983 and 1991.

[Hell 1,334]

Mexican singer and songwriter Chalino Sanchez died on this day 30 years ago, aged 31.

 

 

American singer, dancer, actor, comedian, film producer and television director Sammy Davis Jr. died on this day 32 years ago, aged 64.

 

 

American prohibition agent, famous for his efforts to bring down Al Capone and enforce Prohibition in Chicago Eliot Ness died on this day 65 years ago, aged 54.

 

[Drewsky1211 4,732]

American novelist Herman Wouk died on this day 3 years ago, aged 103.

After publishing two novels in the late 1940s to little fanfare, Wouk's first successful book was 1951's The Caine Mutiny. Relying heavily on elements from his service during World War II (which includes serving on a minesweeper boat and enduring Typhoon Ida in the Western Pacific), it was a historical fiction novel about the moral dilemmas naval officers faced during the time. It won the Pulitzer Prize the following year, and was adapted into a film in 1954 starring Humphrey Bogart (it was the second highest-grossing film of the year, behind White Christmas).

 

More of Wouk's movies were adapted into movies, including 1955's Marjorie Morningstar (which drew from his Jewish heritage), starring Natalie Wood. He wrote the screenplay for the 1956 film Slattery's Hurricane.

 

Wouk's career had a revival in the '70s and '80s when he wrote two more historical fiction novels: The Winds of War (1971) and its sequel War and Remembrance (1978)- this time, they focused on a family during the entirety of World War II. These were adapted into TV miniseries in 1983 and 1988, the former of which was viewed by 140 million people- the most viewers of any miniseries at that time.

 

Wouk first appeared on DeathList in 2001, when he was a mere 85 years old. After a nine-year absence, he returned in 2010, then in 2012, and was consecutively on the list from 2015 until his death for a total of eight appearances (three in the top 5). He died ten days before his 104th birthday, and was the third DeathList hit within a week (Doris Day and Bob Hawke were the other two).

 

(this was him at 102- for comparison, the first picture was probably from the 1950s)

[Hell 1,334]

American statesman, patriot, diplomat, Founding Father, abolitionist, negotiator, and signatory of the Treaty of Paris of 1783 John Jay died on this day 193 years ago, aged 83.

 

[The Ashes Urn 1,355]

American photographer George Hurrell died on this day 30 years ago, aged 87.

 

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On this day in 2004 american actor Tony Randall died aged 84.

 

He was known for starring in the television adaptation of Neil Simons play  The Odd Couple. 

He also starred alongside Marilyn Monroe in one of her final movies  Lets make love and in the Doris Day Rock Hudson movie  romantic comedy  Pillow talk.

He left two young children behind  when he died as he became a first time  father in his late seventies.

[Drewsky1211 4,732]

Jeannette Rankin died on this day 49 years ago, aged 92.

Rankin was a social worker-turned suffragette. In 1911, she became the first woman to speak before the Montana Senate, advocating for female voting rights. This was achieved in 1914. From there, Rankin proceeded to run for Congress as a Republican in the 1916 election. At the time, Montana elected the people with the highest two vote counts, and Rankin came in second. She was the first woman to hold federal office in the US.

 

During her term, Rankin voted against joining World War I and rallied for better labor conditions. In 1918, Rankin set forth discussion about a proposed constitutional amendment that granted universal voting rights for women- this led to the Nineteenth Amendment, ratified in 1920. In 1918, Rankin attempted to run for the Senate, but lost the primary. She accepted the nomination of the National Party, and placed third in the general election.

 

During her absence from congress, she bought a farm in Georgia (where she lived most of the time, but still had Montana residence). In 1939, she returned to Montana and decided to run in the 1940 election in an attempt to regain her old seat. She defeated the Nazi-sympathizing incumbent Jacob Thorkelson in the primary (effectively ending his political career), and former Representative Jerry O'Connell in the general election.

 

Because of her pacifist values, she was the only person in either chamber of Congress to vote against declaring war on Japan following the Pearl Harbor attack, and then abstained from voting on declaring war on Germany and Italy. This was met with intense backlash, and she declined to run in 1942.

 

In the 1960s, the second-wave feminist movement emerged, and found Rankin to be an inspiration to them. In 1968, Rankin led a group of 5,000 to the US Capitol, delivering a peace petition in opposition to the Vietnam War. At the age of 91 in 1972, she considered running for Congress again because of her renewed audience, but her health was deteriorating, and she decided against doing so.

[Rellik 8]

On this day in 2017 Chris Cornell died aged 52
He was known for being the vocalist for Soundgarden, Audioslave and Temple of the Dog.
He committed suicide while on tour with Soundgarden.

 

[The Ashes Urn 1,355]

English professional wrestler Davey Boy Smith died on this day 20 years ago, aged 39.

 

[jcc 228]

42 years ago today, Ian Curtis. 

[Hell 1,334]

English actress Jill Ireland died on this day 32 years ago, aged 64.

 

 

American actor Charles Grodin died on this day a year ago, aged 86.

 

[Gooseberry Crumble 5,338]

On this day in 2012  british  bicycle  designer Alan Oakley died aged 85.

He worked for Raleigh and designed their hugely successful  chopper  bicycle. 

 

[Drewsky1211 4,732]

Anne Boleyn died on this day 486 years ago, aged around 35.

Henry VIII first met Anne in 1526, and instantly became smitten with her. The following year, Henry attempted to get Pope Clement VII (the the time prisoner of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V) to annul his marriage with Catherine of Aragon, but the pope denied their request. In 1531, Catherine was banished from the palace, and her rooms were given to Anne. This infuriated English women, and at one time, Anne was nearly attacked by a mob. Anne and Henry were secretly married in November 1532, while he was still legally married to Catherine- Archbishop Thomas Cranmer soon decreed Henry's marriage to Catherine annulled, but the pope still disagreed. Because of this, in 1534, the English clergy stripped papal authority, and formed the Church of England.

 

Henry was determined to have a male heir. Their daughter (and only surviving child) Elizabeth was born in September 1533 to the king's dismay. Anne suffered from three miscarriages, which also upset Henry. Catherine died in 1536 (the couple celebrated the occasion)- and the king could remarry without consequence if he chose to do so. On May 2 of that year, Anne was arrested under suspicion of treason. Archbishop Cranmer declared Boleyn's marriage to Henry null and void on May 17- the day that her brother George was executed.

 

Anne was beheaded via sword on May 19, and it was reported that she had essentially given up on life- she was reported to be happy in her final days, and the authorship of the poem "O Death Rock Me Asleep" is attributed to her. Below is the final stanza:

"Farewell my pleasures past, Welcome my present pain! I feel my torments so increase That life cannot remain. Cease now, thou passing bell; Rung is my doleful knell, For the sound my death doth tell, Death doth draw nigh, There is no remedy."

[The Ashes Urn 1,355]

American jazz pianist, composer and arranger Elmo Hope died on this day 55 years ago, aged 43.

 

[Hell 1,334]

American socialite, writer, photographer, and book editor who served as First Lady of the United States from 1961 to 1963 Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis died on this day 28 years ago, aged 64.

 

[Toast 16,133]

21 minutes ago, Hell said:

American socialite, writer, photographer, and book editor who served as First Lady of the United States from 1961 to 1963.

 

 

Who?

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On this day in 1907  English civil and structural engineer Benjamin Baker died aged 67.

He helped to develop the early underground railways in London with Sir John Fowler  but is probably best known for his role and work on the development  of the Forth bridge  across the Firth of Forth  in Scotland. 

 

He  is also noted for helping to develop the famous Aswain dam in Egypt.