Randolf Frederick Pausch, the Carnegie Mellon University professor whose final lecture about the importance of achieving one’s childhood dreams became an Internet sensation and best-selling book, died on July 25 of pancreatic cancer. He was 47. The Baltimore native wanted to do many things with his life. As a child, he wrote a list of … Continue reading
Dianne Odell never let her poor health get in the way of a fulfilling life. Born in Jackson, Tenn., Odell was only 3 years old when doctors diagnosed her with “bulbo-spinal” polio. At the time, no vaccine was available, and the medical profession believed her only chance of survival would involve being confined to an … Continue reading
Pippa Bacca was married to an ideal; she believed in the kindness of humanity. That faith inspired the Italian performance artist to embark on a pilgrimage of the Middle East, dressed as a “Peace Bride.” Bacca and fellow artist Silvia Moro hitch-hiked from Milan to Israel and the Palestinian Territories as part of the “Brides … Continue reading
Victoria Louise Van Meter, a record-setting young pilot, committed suicide on March 15. She was 26. Born in Meadville, Pa., Van Meter discovered a passion for flying following a visit to the local airport in 1992. After taking several flying lessons, she made national headlines a year later for piloting a plane across the United … Continue reading
Lazare Ponticelli, the last French veteran of World War I, died on March 12. Cause of death was not released. He was 110. Born in 1897, Ponticelli came from a poor family that struggled to eke out an existence in northern Italy. His mother sought work in France when he was still a toddler, leaving … Continue reading
Norman Jeff Healey, a Grammy-nominated singer and musicologist, died on March 2 of lung cancer. He was 41. Born and raised near Toronto, Healey was diagnosed with a rare form of retinal cancer when he was only one years old. The disease, known as retinoblastoma, claimed his eyesight. Blindness could not halt Healey’s passion for … Continue reading
Kenneth Eugene Parnell, one of California’s most notorious child molesters, died on Jan. 21 at the California Medical Facility in Vacaville, Calif. Cause of death was not released. He was 76. The Texas native spent most of his adolescence in and out of juvenile detention facilities. At 19, he was convicted of impersonating a police … Continue reading
Richard Knerr, a businessman who brought joy to millions of children around the world, died on Jan. 14 from complications of a stroke. He was 82. The California native was a teenager when he befriended Arthur “Spud” Melin outside a Pasadena movie theater. The pair, who would remain lifelong pals and business partners, attended the … Continue reading
Maila Nurmi, an actress and artist who became the queen of the B-movie scene in Los Angeles, died on Jan. 10. Cause of death was not released. She was 85. Born Maila Elizabeth Syrjaniemi in Petsamo, Finland, Nurmi immigrated to America when she was just a toddler. Although she grew up in Ohio, Nurmi moved … Continue reading
Gemina, the beloved crooked-necked giraffe at the Santa Barbara Zoo, was euthanized on Jan 9. She was 21. Gemina was born on July 16, 1986, at the San Diego Wild Animal Park. Her parents, Ginger and Black Jack, were both born in captivity at the San Diego Zoo. Gemina was brought to the Santa Barbara … Continue reading