Obituaries for 2020

[EasyAce]

Jim Lehrer
PBS news anchor dies at 85



Lehrer was the lead anchor of PBS's The MacNeil-Lehrer NewsHour from 1975 until his retirement in 2011. He was also a frequent debate moderator, hosting 12 presidential debates between 1988 and 2012.

Obituary from PBS

Wikipedia

I rarely missed the original MacNeil-Lehrer NewsHour until Robert McNeil retired.

RIP.

[Free Vulcan]

Lehrer was at least one of the more civil neo-Stalinists even if he was completely in the tank for collectivism with all his journo buddies.

I'll give him that.

[PeteS in CA]

https://www.christianpost.com/news/the-walking-bible-televangelist-jack-van-impe-dies-at-88.html

‘The Walking Bible’ televangelist Jack Van Impe dies at 88

Televangelist Jack Van Impe, the host of the show "Jack Van Impe Presents," has died at the age of 88.

Van Impe’s ministry, Jack Van Impe Ministries International, announced the news on its website.

“The beloved Dr. Jack Van Impe was welcomed into Heaven by His blessed Savior and Lord who he had so faithfully served in ministry for over 70 years,” the statement reads. “Please pray for his beloved wife and lifelong ministry partner Rexella and their families as they grieve this immense loss and for wisdom as she and the Board lead the ministry in the days ahead.”

Van Impe was more toward the Fundamentalist side of Evangelicals and more into eschatology than I am, but he is fairly well known in Evangelical circles.

[TomSea]

I saw many of Jack's shows with Rexella. Very entertaining.

I saw him in the '90s and I have seen it in the past few years and he hailed from and I believe broadcast from Michigan.

Bible prophecy is of importance to many. What he'd say is probably a bit similar to Hal Lindsay.

Thanks Jack, you will be missed. Sorry to hear this.

[Free Vulcan]

I watched a number of Van Impes' shows over the years. While I didn't always agree with their conclusions, Jack and Rexella always came off as decent, sincere, and down to earth people.

I don't recall any scandal associated with him, except the usual raging by the leftists. Seemed like a guy that lived what he preached.

[roamer_1]

I watched a number of Van Impes' shows over the years. While I didn't always agree with their conclusions, Jack and Rexella always came off as decent, sincere, and down to earth people.

I don't recall any scandal associated with him, except the usual raging by the leftists. Seemed like a guy that lived what he preached.

Yep... Same thinking here.

RIP.

[PeteS in CA]

I saw many of Jack's shows with Rexella. Very entertaining.

I saw him in the '90s and I have seen it in the past few years and he hailed from and I believe broadcast from Michigan.

Bible prophecy is of importance to many. What he'd say is probably a bit similar to Hal Lindsay.

Thanks Jack, you will be missed. Sorry to hear this.

W'pedia's page for Van Impe is fairly informative. For a site that is reliably Lib-Prog in socio-political matters, it's interesting that no scandals - moral or money - are mentioned. He and Rexella, who survived him apparently, married before I was born. 65 years' marriage isn't Guinness Book of World's records grade, but definitely impressive.

From the W'pedia page, Van Impe was definitely into Dispensationalist, Pre-Millennial, Pre-Tribulation eschatology, and made that the focus of his ministry. I'm Pan-Mil, Pan-Trib - it'll all pan out in the end, . Hal Lindsey is of similar views. I thought Lindsey was younger than Van Impe, but he is actually a year or two older.

It's disappointing to me that Van Impe started or repeated the ludicrous claim that Rick Warren was teaching/advocating what Van Impe and others have called "Chrislam" (merged Christianity and Islam). Obviously 8-10 years after the fact gives something close to 20-20 hindsight, but I said on another discussion site around that time that it was a ridiculous claim. Gnat-screening heresy-hunting is a trap to which Fundamentalist seem somewhat more susceptible than most Evangelicals, and this is far from the worst I've seen.

[jmyrlefuller]

Former Rep. Fortney "Pete" Stark (D-CA) dies at 88



Initially running on the premise that his predecessor had been in Congress for 28 years and that that was too long, Stark went on to serve 40 years in Congress, only leaving after redistricting led to his defeat in a jungle primary by current Rep. Eric Swalwell.

He was antiwar, pro-Obamacare, atheist (the first Congress member to openly admit as much), and regularly insulted other Congress members in debates.

Obituary from the Associated Press

Wikipedia

[Applewood]

I should hate Mr. Stark for contributing to the imposition of Obamacare on us.  But right now, his soul is in God's hands.  He will judge Mr. Stark, not me.

However, Mr. Stark does have family who I assume mourn his passing.  So I will pray for God's comfort for them.

[GtHawk]

I should hate Mr. Stark for contributing to the imposition of Obamacare on us.  But right now, his soul is in God's hands.  He will judge Mr. Stark, not me.

However, Mr. Stark does have family who I assume mourn his passing.  So I will pray for God's comfort for them.

Nope, he was an atheist so no soul delivered to Heaven or Hell it just dissolved away into the abyss.

[PeteS in CA]

As far as I'm concerned, this is enough of Pete Stark's legacy for me to know what to think of his death:

https://pjmedia.com/eddriscoll/2004/5/8/pete-stark-loses-it-again/

Pete Stark loses it again, after voting against a House resolution condemning the prisoner abuse in Iraq while commending soldiers serving with honor. One of the constituents of the Democratic congressman from California, a member of the California Army National Guard, life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and a member of the American Legion sent Stark a fax questioning his judgment:

Staff Sergeant Dowd wrote politely and respectfully, "There are many soldiers, sailors, Marines, airmen and Coast Guardsmen from your 13th congressional district who are serving with pride and distinction." He called Fortney's vote "a disgrace...way out of touch with the people of this district." The fax drove Fortney to call this soldier up and leave this obscenity-laced torrent of insults on his answering machine:

"Dan, this is Congressman 'Pete' Stark, and I just got your fax and you don't know what you're talking about. So if you care about enlisted people you wouldn't have voted for that thing, either. But probably somebody put you up to this, and I'm not sure who it was, but I doubt if you could spell half the words in the letter. Somebody wrote it for you so I don't pay much attention to it, but I'll call you back later and let you tell me more about why you think you're such a great G--damn hero and why you think that this general and the defense department who forced these poor enlisted (bitter laughter) guys to do what they should shouldn't be held to account. That's the issue. So if you want to stick it to a bunch of enlisted guys have your way, but if you want to get to the bottom of people who forced this awful program in...Iraq, then you should understand more about it than you obviously do. Thanks."

That is why, as awful as Eric Swillwell (intentional spelling "correction") is, I think he's less awful than was his predecessor Pete Stark. If Stark's eternal destiny is infernal, I won't rejoice. But I won't be mourning him either.

[skeeter]

Former Rep. Fortney "Pete" Stark (D-CA) dies at 88



Initially running on the premise that his predecessor had been in Congress for 28 years and that that was too long, Stark went on to serve 40 years in Congress, only leaving after redistricting led to his defeat in a jungle primary by current Rep. Eric Swalwell.

He was antiwar, pro-Obamacare, atheist (the first Congress member to openly admit as much), and regularly insulted other Congress members in debates.

Obituary from the Associated Press

Wikipedia

No comment.

[Applewood]

Nope, he was an atheist so no soul delivered to Heaven or Hell it just dissolved away into the abyss.

And see, I was taught that regardless of whether you believed or not, you still had a soul and it would be judged by God. 

But whatever.  Mr. Stark's fate is no longer my concern.  Not that it ever really was. 

[Mod5]

Ixnay on the Eologythay, .

[Applewood]

 
@Mod5
My bad.  I deserve one of these:

 

[Gefn]

Kobe Bryant Dead, Dies in Helicopter Crash

Kobe Bryant died in a helicoper crash in Calabasas Sunday morning ... TMZ Sports has confirmed.

Kobe was traveling with at least 3 other people in his private helicopter when it went down. A fire broke out. Emergency personnel responded, but nobody on board survived. 5 people are confirmed dead. We're told Vanessa Bryant was not among those on board.

The cause of the crash is under investigation.

Kobe has famously used a helicopter to travel for years -- dating back to when he played for the Lakers. He was known for commuting from Newport Beach, CA to the STAPLES Center in DTLA in his Sikorsky S-76 chopper.

KB is survived by his wife Vanessa, and their four daughters -- Gianna, Natalia and Bianca and their newborn Capri.

https://www.tmz.com/2020/01/26/kobe-bryant-killed-dead-helicopter-crash-in-calabasas/

[Gefn]

Breaking story.

RIP Kobe.

[mountaineer]

Wow, shocking news about Bryant. I am checking ESPN - so far, nothing.

[mountaineer]

On FOX News now.

[TomSea]

How sad. Kobe Bryant. A shock, I can't believe it.

[corbe]

   Lebron just broke Kobe's NBA scoring title last night, too (Lakers lost).

[truth_seeker]

“We all know that Kobe loved flying on helicopters,” said Hill. “The cause of the crash has not been confirmed but there is some speculation that weather had something to do with it.”
The cause of the crash is under investigation.
As Hill reported, Bryant was an avid flyer, who enjoyed flying on helicopters.
“This was his normal mode of transportation. Most of the time, he flew from Newport Beach,” Hill said.

[mountaineer]

ABC reported all 4 of  his children died with him. That's been refuted, now reports say one of his daughters was with him. Seeing a lot of "we'll all remember where we were when Kobe died" posts. Uh, no. 

[Applewood]

 

[DCPatriot]

As Hill reported, Bryant was an avid flyer, who enjoyed flying on helicopters.

“This was his normal mode of transportation. Most of the time, he flew from Newport Beach,” Hill said.

Kobe owned and/or had driven the most exotic vehicles on the planet. 

But like everybody with "Go-to-Hell" money, why not buy your own flying machine...get a rush and get there without any hassle?

...just trying to add some context here.