Remember Them Well

What About Jeff Healey? His was great also and he got forgotten

What about Brad Renfro? He may not have been as famous or celebrated as the much-deserving Heath Ledger, but his passing at age 25 is nonetheless a tragic loss.

WE HAVE ALL LOST SOMEONE IN OUR LIFE TIME, FOR THOSE OF US STILL HERE WE SHOULD BE THANK-FULL FOR THE TIME WE STILL HAVE HERE ON EARTH, FOR THERE WILL COME A TIME WHEN GOD WILL ASK FOR US UNTIL THIS TIME LIVE LIFE TO IT'S FULLEST.......

Well 2008 was already a bad year for most of us anyway, but this list just shows the depths of it. So many interesting, good people, who contributed so much...all gone.

Maybe those of us still here will appreciate life a bit more and make the most of 2009 for those we lost in our own circles as well as these more public losses.

In your Memorial to Larry Harmon, the man who made Bozo a household name, you said there were two other men trained by Harmon to be Bozo in the national franchise who were also TV weathermen. You were in error; there were at least three. The third was our father, Bennett B. Schneider, 4th, who played Bozo for WTEV, now WLNE, in New Bedford/Providence serving southern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. In the early 70's he single handedly set up for hte show each morning, bringing in toys for prizes, doing his own make up, and prepping the studio for the show. A few years after the station dropped the show he appeared on camera to announce the weather. Our father fit equally well into both roles as he is a former eagle scout with an abiding interest in natuer and weather as well as a class A clown and all arounbd nut case. He is retired now and lives in Mattapoisett, Massachusetts with his wife, Sherry, still watchign the weather, and still making children laugh.

Debbie Schneider Adams & Bennett B. Schneider, 5th

In your Memorial to Larry Harmon, the man who made Bozo a household name, you said there were two other men trained by Harmon to be Bozo in the national franchise who were also TV weathermen. You were in error; there were at least three. The third was our father, Bennett B. Schneider, 4th, who played Bozo for WTEV, now WLNE, in New Bedford/Providence serving southern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. In the early 70's he single handedly set up for hte show each morning, bringing in toys for prizes, doing his own make up, and prepping the studio for the show. A few years after the station dropped the show he appeared on camera to announce the weather. Our father fit equally well into both roles as he is a former eagle scout with an abiding interest in natuer and weather as well as a class A clown and all arounbd nut case. He is retired now and lives in Mattapoisett, Massachusetts with his wife, Sherry, still watchign the weather, and still making children laugh.

Debbie Schneider Adams & Bennett B. Schneider, 5th

The world is a poorer place because of their passing...

what about scott kalitta?

Wjat about Majel Barett-Roddenberry who died on December 18, 2008? Besides being the spouse of Gene Roddenberry, she also contributed in one form or another to all of the Star Trek franchises.

What tragedy that we lost the likes of Heath Ledger & Bernie Mac this yr... young lives cut short... Its sad

You must not overlook Dr. Judah Folkman. He was a professor at Harvard and director of the vascular biology program at Children???s Hospital Boston, is considered the father of the idea that tumors can be kept in check by choking off the supply of blood they need to grow. The approach is now embodied in several successful cancer drugs, most notably Avastin, by Genentech. While working for the Navy in 1960 on blood substitutes, Dr. Folkman began experimenting with tumors and found that all grew to the same size. He hypothesized that the tumors could not grow beyond a certain size without a blood supply and that tumors must have some mechanism to induce the formation of blood vessels. He published his research in 1971. It is widely thought that his vision and ideas literally changed the course of modern medicine because of his many years of research in this field of Angiogenesis. Not only was Dr. Folkman a brilliant surgeon and oncologist, he spoke all over the world and had a keen sense of humor. He was widely respected The quote in TIME magazine at the time of his premature death shows how revered he was throughout the world of medicine. ???Mention Dr. Judah Folkman's name to colleagues and patients and only the grandest descriptors come to their lips ??? words like "giant in his field," "visionary," "genius," and "ahead of his time." Credited with revolutionizing cancer treatment with the theory that preventing angiogenesis, or new blood-vessel growth, would starve tumors, the director of vascular biology at Children's Hospital and professor of pediatric surgery at Harvard Medical School ?????? He died on January 14 in Denver while en route to a scientific conference. He was 74. Judah Folkman was a giant in his field and a beloved family member and friend to many.

He was among the finest humanitarians who have ever lived and deserves mention over and over and over, lest any of us forgets his contributions and sacrifices so that we may enjoy a better existence.

You have overlooked an incredibly important curtain call.



Congressman Thomas P. Lantos (D-Ca). The only Holocaust survivor to ever serve in the US Congress, he dedicated his entire 28 years of public service to human rights and was a co-founder of the bipartisan Congressional Human Rights Caucus which now bears his name. He served as chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and was posthumously honored this past year as a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor one can achieve. As a father of two and grandfather of 17, he was revered at home and abroad. Among others, those who spoke at his memorial service included close friend, Vice-President elect Joe Biden, Condoleeza Rice, Elie Wiesel, Israel???s Tzipi Livni, Rep. Steny Hoyer, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and rock star and human rights activist, Bono.
One of his final quotes serves as an inspiration and an insight into the kind of man he was: "It is only in the United States that a penniless survivor of the Holocaust ... could have received an education, raised a family and had the privilege of serving the last three decades of his life as a member of Congress," he said as he announced his retirement. "I will never be able to express fully my profoundly felt gratitude to this great country." Tom Lantos died 11 days after turning 80. He was truly a citizen of the world and his passing is a palpable loss to all of us.

So many good ones leaving us but what a good year for heaven... I now fully understand why my grandfather would get so upset when his favorite cowboy stars from the 30's, 40s and 50s started passing away. I get it now. We have these people who are in our lives for years, either via art or news or tv, and in the end, they really do have an impact on us. Tim Russert, Health Ledger, and Anthony Minglella for me in a big way, some of the others in smaller ways. Did anyone else see Truly, Madly, Deeply? Ehhh, I cried more than the protagonist...ALL will be missed.

What happened to Don LaFonatine? His voice was all I knew for so long. This was a great list with good biographical snippets otherwise.

Paul Newman was a gentleman with compassion and sympathy for all who needed help. He was a loving husband . They are very scarce in Hollywood. So handsome and particular about the kind of parts he played in any film. i miss him.

Getting both sides of the story is very difficult to do and now that Tim Russert is gone it may be impossible. He was one in many.

Nor did you mention the legendary Jeff Healey who developed a technique of guitar playing and then mastered that technique to become one of the most respected electric blues guitar player of our time.

Jeff Healey? RIP Great musician , possibly legendary.