obituaries

Poet Mary Oliver speaks at the 2010 Women's Conference in California.

Books
Arts

Beloved Poet Mary Oliver, Who Believed Poetry 'Mustn't Be Fancy,' Dies At 83

4:29pm January 17, 2019

by Lynn Neary

Oliver wasn't always appreciated by critics, but she was still one of the country's most popular poets. In 2012, she told NPR, "Poetry, to be understood, must be clear."

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John Bogle, founder of The Vanguard Group, died on Wednesday at the age of 89.

Economy

Jack Bogle, Father Of Simple Investing, Dies At 89

10:39am January 17, 2019

Bogle, the founder of Vanguard who created the first index mutual fund, died Wednesday, the firm said. He said investors should own a mix of bonds and stocks but shouldn't pay managers to pick them.

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Alfred K. Newman, a Navajo Code Talkers, died at age 94.

One Of The Last Navajo Code Talkers Dies At 94

6:48pm January 15, 2019

by Sasha Ingber

Alfred Newman served from 1943 to 1945, transmitting codes in his native tongue which prevented the Japanese from gleaning U.S. intelligence during World War II.

'Hello, Dolly!' Broadway Star Carol Channing Dies At 97

6:10pm January 15, 2019

by Bob Mondello

Carol Channing, who created iconic parts in the Broadway musicals Hello, Dolly! and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, died Tueday. She was 97.

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Channing's big break came when she landed the role of Lorelei Lee in the original Broadway production of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. The musical comedy opened on Dec. 8, 1949.

Bidding Farewell To 'Hello, Dolly!': Actress Carol Channing Dies At 97

1:50pm January 15, 2019

by Kim Kokich

Channing's big break came in 1949 when she was cast as Lorelei Lee in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. But she'll always be remembered for her role as a life-loving matchmaker and "meddler" in Hello, Dolly!

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John Hunter Gray, Of Mississippi Lunch Counter Sit-In, Dies At 84

5:43pm January 11, 2019

by Karen Grigsby Bates

One of the protesters in a famous photo of a Mississippi lunch counter sit-in, John Hunter Gray, has died. Gray, a lifelong human rights activist, was 84.

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Jakiw Palij, a former Nazi concentration camp guard, immigrated to America in 1949, claiming he had worked on his father's farm during World War II.

Last Known WWII Nazi Living In U.S., Deported To Germany Last Year, Is Dead at 95

12:11pm January 11, 2019

by Matthew S. Schwartz

The United States stripped Jakiw Palij of his citizenship in 2003, but it was difficult finding a country to take him. He was never charged for his involvement in the Holocaust.

Rev. Jerome LeDoux, Who Fought To Keep His Church Open After Katrina, Dies At 88

4:42pm January 10, 2019

by Karen Grigsby Bates

Rev. Jerome LeDoux served the St. Augustine Catholic Church community in New Orleans as it successfully fought off closure after Hurricane Katrina. He died Monday at 88.

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World News

Remembering Israeli Author And Peace Activist Amos Oz

1:56pm January 04, 2019

by Terry Gross

Oz, who died Dec. 28, co-founded Peace Now, a group that calls for negotiations with Palestinians and the creation of a Palestinian state. He spoke to Fresh Air in 1988, 1991 and 2004

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Southwest Airlines Co-Founder Herb Kelleher Dies At 87

7:00am January 04, 2019

Herb Kelleher, who died Thursday, was known for building the business on affordable flights, and a culture that put employees and customer service first.

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