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Archive - 2011 - Forum topic

December 29th

Robert Dickey, a guitarist and singer, “I’m Your Puppet,” died 72

Robert Dickey (Bobby Purify) died December 29, 2011

James & Bobby Purify were an R&B singing duo, whose biggest hits were "I'm Your Puppet" in 1966, which reached #6 in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and in a re-recorded version #12 in the UK Singles Chart (in April 1966), and "Let Love Come Between Us" in 1967, which reached #23 in the U.S.

Robert Dickey cause of death
Robert Dickey's Cause of death was not released.
Robert Dickey was 72 uears old at the time of his death.

I'm Your Puppet - James & Bobby Purify

December 28th

Kaye Stevens, Rat Pack singer and USO performer, dies 79

Catherine Louise "Kaye" Stevens (July 21, 1932 – December 28, 2011) was an American singer and actress.

Stevens's big break in show business came at the Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas, when the headliner for the night, Debbie Reynolds, became ill and Stevens filled in for the night. She then went on to do small shows at the Plaza Hotel's Persian Room, New York's Waldorf Astoria, and Caesars Palace on the Las Vegas Strip near Las Vegas, Nevada. One of these shows includes the Frank Sinatra Spectacular TV Show. She went on to appear on such television game shows as Match Game, Hollywood Squares, Celebrity Sweepstakes, The Price is Right, and Password.

Stevens went on a USO tour with Bob Hope in 1965. She traveled to Vietnam with Hope and a group of fellow entertainers in the hopes of boosting the morale of thousands of American soldiers. She was quoted as saying “I came back in 1965 and my life was in shambles because of what I saw.”

Kaye Stevens cause of death
Kaye Stevens lived in retirement in Summerfield, Florida. She died of breast cancer and blood clots. She left no immediate survivors.
Kaye Stevens was 79 years old at the time of her death

Sammy Davis Jr. hosts Hollywood Palace 2-11-67 with Liberace
Kaye Stevens is the third act.  Kaye Stevens comes after Sammy Davis Jr. and roller skate stunt.

December 26th

Sam Rivers, pioneering jazz saxophonist, composer, dies 88

Samuel Carthorne Rivers (September 25, 1923 – December 26, 2011), was an American jazz musician and composer. He performed on soprano and tenor saxophones, bass clarinet, flute, harmonica and piano.

Rivers was born in Enid, Oklahoma. Active in jazz since the early 1950s, he earned wider attention during the mid-1960s spread of free jazz. With a thorough command of music theory, orchestration and composition, Rivers was an influential and prominent artist in jazz music.

Sam Rivers cause of death
Sam Rivers died from pneumonia in Orlando, Florida
Sam Rivers was 88 years old at the time of his death.

Sam Rivers Trio 1979 - Sam Rivers on Sax

December 24th

Cheetah the chimp from 1930s Tarzan movies dies 80

Updated December 29, 2011There is a controversy.  Many people are skeptical.  Experts say Chimpanzees live to early 70's max.  Living 80 years is unheard of.  So, the chimp cannot be authenticated.  And there are people who vouch for Cheetah's identity.

Cheeta (c1931 - December 24, 2011) (sometimes billed as Cheetah, Cheta and Chita) was a chimpanzee character appearing in numerous Hollywood Tarzan movies of the 1930s–1960s as well as the 1966–1968 television series, as the ape sidekick of the title character, Tarzan. Cheeta's role in these films is to provide comic relief, convey messages between Tarzan and his allies, and occasionally lead Tarzan's other animal friends to the ape-man's rescue. Cheeta Chap has usually been characterized as male, but sometimes as female, and has been portrayed by chimpanzees of both sexes.

Cheeta Cause of Death
Cheeta died in Palm Harbor, Florida, of kidney failure.
Cheeta was 80 years old at the time of his death.

Cheetah The Chimp, Drunk

December 23rd

Joseph Villavisencio; Texas A&M lineman killed in car crash

Texas A&M senior offensive lineman Joseph Villavisencio has been killed in a car accident, according to the university.

Witness reports say that Villavisencio swerved to avoid a buzzard and veered head-on into the path of an 18-wheeler near the town of Normangee about 40 miles from College Station, on Thursday.

Villavisencio spent part of Thursday with the team delivering gifts to families at a local shelter after the Aggies finished their last workout on campus in preparation for the Meineke Car Care Bowl. Villavisencio was heading to his home in Jacksonville, Texas, at the time of the crash.

December 20th

Eva Ekvall; Former Miss Venezuela dies of breast cancer at 28

Her family said Ekvall died Saturday at a hospital in Houston.

Ekvall was crowned Miss Venezuela at age 17 in 2000, and the following year she was third runner-up in the Miss Universe pageant in Puerto Rico.

She went on to work as a model, actress and television news anchor.

December 18th

Ralph MacDonald, Grammy-winner, wrote ‘Just the Two of Us’, dies 67


Ralph MacDonald (March 15, 1944 Harlem, New York - December 18, 2011 Stamford, Connecticut) was an American percussionist and song-writer. He joined Harry Belafonte's band at age 17. He wrote the Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway song "Where is the Love" with songwriting partner William Salter. Probably his best-known composition is the Grover Washington, Jr. - Bill Withers hit "Just the Two of Us", which has since been covered by many artists, including Will Smith.

His recording credits number in the hundreds and include George Benson, David Bowie, Aretha Franklin, Art Garfunkel, Billy Joel, Quincy Jones, Carole King, Miriam Makeba, David Sanborn, Paul Simon, Steely Dan, James Taylor, Luther Vandross, Amy Winehouse, and Jimmy Buffett, whose Coral Reefer Band has featured MacDonald as member since the late 1990s.

Ralph MacDonald cause of death
Ralph MacDonald died after a long illness.
Ralph MacDonald was 67 years old at the time of his death.

Grover Washington Jr. Featuring Bill Withers - Just the Two of Us

Roberta Flack / Donny Hathaway - Where Is The Love (1972)

December 17th

Kim Jong Il, North Korea's ruler, dies 69

Kim Jong-il (February 16, 1942 - December 17, 2011), was the Supreme Leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea).

Kim's death was reported by North Korean state television on 19 December 2011. The tearful presenter announced that he had died two days earlier of "physical and mental over-work" whilst travelling via train to an area outside Pyongyang.

*Comment disabled for political figure.

Christopher Hitchens Dies at 62

Christopher Hitchens, a sharp-witted provocateur who used his formidable learning, biting wit and muscular prose style to skewer what he considered high-placed hypocrites, craven lackeys of the right and left, “Islamic fascists” and religious faith of any kind, died Dec. 15 at a hospital in Houston. He was 62.

December 15th

Chicago Bears WR Sam Hurd busted by federal agents in ongoing drug distribution ring

Hurd was busted on Wednesday by undercover Homeland Security agents after attempting to set up regular purchases of marijuana and cocaine to expand a drug sale system that he already had going.

December 14th

Billie Joe Spears, Country Singer, dies 74

Billie Jo Spears (January 14, 1937 – December 14, 2011) was an American country music singer. She reached the top-10 of the Country music charts five times between 1969 and 1977, her biggest hit being "Blanket on the Ground", which, in 1975, became her only number one. She was known for her bluesy voice.

Billie Jo Spears cause of death
Billie Jo Spears died of cancer on December 14, 2011
Billie Jo Spears was 74 years old at the time of her death.

Billie Jo Spears - Blanket On The Ground

December 12th

John Atterberry; Record exec dies after Hollywood street rampage. He was 40.

A music executive died Monday after being shot last week by a rampaging gunman in the heart of Hollywood, a hospital spokeswoman said.

John Atterberry, who had worked with the Spice Girls, Jessica Simpson and others, died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center shortly before 5 p.m. Monday, spokeswoman Simi Singer said.

The 40-year-old executive was shot in the face and upper body as he drove his Mercedes-Benz during Friday's random attack.

Atterberry was the only seriously injured victim of 26-year-old Tyler Brehm, who police say fired nearly 20 bullets in the air and at cars as he screamed that he wanted to die. He was killed by police minutes later.

December 8th

Lew Bush: Former Chargers linebacker died of an apparent heart attack.

Lew Bush, the former San Diego linebacker who played for the Chargers for seven seasons and was part of their lone Super Bowl team in 1994; died Thursday. He was 42.

Bush, who also played for the Kansas City Chiefs, died of an apparent heart attack at age 42, the Chargers said in a statement.

It was not immediately clear where Bush died. Public records show he lived in San Diego and he had been a pregame commentator for the Chargers’ radio broadcast team.

Bush was the Chargers’ fourth-round pick out of Washington State in the 1993 draft and played seven seasons with the team followed by three with the Chiefs before retiring.

He is the seventh player from the Chargers’ Super Bowl team—which lost 49-26 to the San Francisco 49ers—who has died, and the second this year.

Defensive tackle Shawn Lee died of a heart attack in North Carolina in February at age 44.

Linebacker David Griggs was killed in a Florida car crash in 1995, a week after receiving his AFC championship ring. Running back Rodney Culver and his wife Karen were killed on May 11, 1996, when ValuJet Flight 592 plunged into the Florida Everglades shortly after takeoff from Miami International Airport.

Linebacker Doug Miller, 28, was killed by two lightning strikes while camping in Colorado 1998. Center Curtis Whitley, 39, died of a drug overdose in 2008. Defensive lineman Chris Mims was 38 when he died in 2008 of an enlarged heart.

Fred Thompson: Oregon State freshman; dead of apparent heart attack.

Oregon State freshman Fred Thompson died of an apparent heart attack Wednesday night in the university's Dixon Recreation Center.

According to a release from the university, Thompson — a 6-foot-4, 317-pound defensive tackle from Richmond, Calif. — collapsed while playing basketball and was transported to nearby Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

He was four days shy of his 20th birthday.