Everyone in the DC region has heard of Sean Taylor’s tragic death. Supposedly he was shot during a robbery. I really think there is something else going on. My hunch is that someone wanted him dead. Sadly, this is exactly what happened. But will we ever find out who did it? I doubt it. I guess he had a lot of enemies out there. Could be anybody. Only time will tell.
It seems like I’ve been writing a lot of RIP entries on my blog, but unfortunately they keep coming…
Kevin DuBrow, 52, the lead singer of the 80s metal band Quiet Riot was found dead today in his Las Vegas home. At this time no one knows what exactly happened, but foul play and drugs are probably not a factor.
Sad that yet another icon has passed away so soon.
Dick Wilson, the actor who played Mr. Whipple for Proctor & Gamble’s Charmin toilet tissue, has died at age 91. Please don’t squeeze his Charmin!
I found out this morning that Joybubbles (born Joe Engressia) had passed away on August 7th of an apparent heart attack. Supposedly some of his blind friends had been trying to get in touch with him and were unable to and contacted the apartment management and found that he had indeed passed away.
I won’t go into details about him, read the Wikipedia article on him if you’re so interested.
Joybubbles was more of a “friend of a friend” but we had spoken a couple of times in the past. Probably the last time I talked to him was about a year or so ago, discussing the various kinds of telephone switches that we were familiar with an their differences. We also talked back in 2005 post-Katrina discussing the whereabouts of our common friend (Mark) who finally contacted myself and a few others when cell service returned to New Orleans.
There wasn’t an official obituary on him, but I found this article here that seems to be legit. I called his voice line and the voicemail is full, so it appears to be true.
So this year alone three people that I knew in the telephone realm have passed away (Mike Ravis, Stan Cline, and now Joybubbles). Last year Parris Wood passed way. I don’t want to know who may be next. We damn near lost Mark in 2005, hope this is the last of the line of “old schoolers” for a while. I know of some minor health issues with some other of us phone enthusiasts, but nothing really bad… yet!
Rest in Peace Joybubbles. Hopefully you’re met up with “Mr.” Fred Rogers in Heaven by now.
RIP Stan Cline. He was an acquaintance of mine who shared my enthusiasm of the telecom world. He actually worked in the telecom profession. He was a friend of a friend (Mark Cuccia), so I didn’t know Stan very well. Stan was odd character. Likeable guy, but odd. I met him once in 2005 when my friend Steve and I were in
Not a rant, but a metion of a passing. My fiancee’s mom, Ruth Clarke Wallace, passed away last night at age 84 after a long bout with cancer. May you find peace in Heaven.
I learned this morning that Rod Roddy, the famed announcer of CBS’s “Price is Right” died of complications related to colon and (gasp!) breast cancer on Monday. I knew he had cancer, but thought he had beaten it. I guess not. This is the second announcer that Bob Barker has outlived. Johnny Olsen was the first announcer and he passed away in 1985. In other news, I heard last week that Fred “Rerun” Berry of the 70’s show “What’s Happening?” died as well. You know when you’re getting old when famous people you grew up with are dying at a rapid rate.
Found out today that I’ll be going on not one, but two business trips in November.. ugh.
My aunt on my father’s side passed away from complications related to colon cancer today.