Linda Duncombe obit

Linda Duncombe, Beloved Banking Executive and Movie Producer, Dies at 55

 

She was not on the list.

Linda Duncombe, a longtime banking executive who spent the last past years as an independent film producer, died on Sunday of complications from a stroke. She was 55.

An infectiously friendly face at industry events, Duncombe — who was diagnosed with Stage 2 lung cancer days before she died — served for five years as chief marketing officer at City National Bank. She helped direct more than $12 million in investments tied to organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, Broadway Cares, SAG-AFTRA and the Grammy Museum.

Duncombe’s last public appearance was at the Motion Picture & Television Fund’s “The Evening Before” the Primetime Emmy Awards on Sept. 13, where she reunited with friends and rubbed shoulders with some of Hollywood’s biggest stars.

Born on Feb. 10, 1971 in Australia, where she spent the early years of her life, Duncombe enrolled in Harvard Business School in 2008. She officially moved to the United States in 2015, first living in New York and then in an apartment near the beach in Santa Monica. She produced two movies: the family adventure “The Queen’s Jewels” and suspense thriller “Killing Time.” Both films are planning a global release in 2027, and Duncombe was intricately involved in all elements of production from financing to publicity.

“Linda was a source of light, always smiling, laughing, gossiping — which, she’d say to her friends, ‘is never gossip between us, love’ — and someone who adored Hollywood with all her heart,” says Variety’s co-president and co-editor-in-chief Ramin Setoodeh, a close friend. “Growing up as a young girl in Australia, she dreamed of finding her way in the film industry. In the last few years, she finally realized her calling as a producer, which made her beam even more. This is a devastating loss, and I will miss Linda so much.”

Duncombe began her decades-long banking career at Citibank in Australia in 2010 as marketing director of digital and customer experience and rose to managing director, head of growth and chief marketing officer. Five years later, she transferred to New York as a founding member of the company’s subsidiary, Citi Fintech.

She joined City National Bank in Los Angeles in early 2019, establishing business, sponsorship and community relations with organizations like SAG-AFTRA Foundation, the Recording Academy, the Motion Picture Television Fund and Tribeca Festival. During the pandemic, she led efforts at City National Bank to deliver more than $1.8 billion in Paycheck Protection Program loans to support the entertainment industry.

At City National Bank, she quickly became friends with Variety staffers while working to keep the magazine’s annual “Business of Broadway Breakfast” afloat during COVID. Over the years, the event has attracted theater mainstays from Lin-Manuel Miranda to Rachel Zegler.

“Linda was initially my client but quickly became my very good friend, always including me in her gatherings,” says Variety publisher and co-president Dea Lawrence. “A true warrior woman who understood the importance of shared experiences and letting go with that unforgettable, infectious laugh. She was fiercely loyal, endlessly generous, and embraced life with so much passion and heart. It is hard to fathom that her brilliant light has gone out.”

Duncombe’s friends remember her sunny spirit, boisterous laughter, unbridled optimism and passion for new experiences. She took pride in mentoring younger generations and was deeply loyal to those in her orbit. Duncombe’s inner circle included her producing partner and best friend Josh Friedman, who was always by her side at industry events.

“Losing Linda is going to change the lives of so many people,” says Friedman, whom Duncombe affectionately called her little brother. “She made life look really easy in managing many things but remaining the most humble, kind and generous person. The emojis next to her name in my phone were a princess, heart and unicorn. She was a unicorn in this life for a lot of people.”

Added Bob Beitcher, MPTF’s president and CEO, “Linda was a gift to everyone who knew her. She was vital, fun, whip-smart, caring and compassionate, and always, always there to lend a hand and lift you up. As a friend and advisor, she is irreplaceable, and her passing dims the light for me and for MPTF.”

Duncombe was recognized on Variety’s “Most Powerful Women in Hollywood” list and was honored by the Australian Governor General with the Order of Australia Medal. She sat on the boards of several groups including the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, Grammy Museum, Habitat for Humanity Greater L.A. and the Australian Wildlife Conservancy.

After leaving Australia, Duncombe was proud of the success she’d achieved in the decade in which she lived in the United States.

“As a 9-year-old, I told my parents I wanted to live in New York when I grew up. My parents did not hesitate in their support of a shy, young girl’s big dreams,” she told the magazine Beauty Is in 2025. “We lived in government housing and while we had no money, our family and home was rich in love, support and laughter.”

As a child, she was inspired by the “Wonder Woman” television series starring Lynda Carter, and her parents taught her that treating people with kindness and respect would make her unstoppable. “Now I am a woman who has worked hard,” she said. “I try my very best to share my learnings, experiences, and networks to help people go after their dreams and live their best life.”

She is survived by her mother, Doreen Thompson, and nieces and nephews Shannen, Damien and Jarred.

Alan Greenspan - # 360

Alan Greenspan, economist and longtime head of the Federal Reserve, dies at 100

The influential economist died Monday from complications of Parkinson’s disease, said his wife of 29 years, NBC News correspondent Andrea Mitchell.

 He was number # 360

Alan Greenspan, the influential economist who steered U.S. monetary policy during his five terms as chairman of the Federal Reserve under four presidents, died Monday, according to his wife, NBC News correspondent Andrea Mitchell.

He was 100.

Greenspan helped define modern American capitalism from the final years of the Cold War-era through the dawn of the digital age. He presided over the Fed during one of the longest economic expansions in U.S. history, a boom stretching from 1991 to 2001. But he was also faulted for decisions that critics say created the conditions for the global financial crisis of 2007-08, such as advocating for deregulation of the financial sector.

Mitchell, the chief Washington correspondent and chief foreign affairs correspondent for NBC News, announced her husband’s death in a statement. They were married for 29 years.

“Alan passed away at our home this morning at the age of 100 from complications of Parkinson’s disease,” Mitchell said in a statement. “He was a giant of a man who helped shape the U.S. economy for decades under presidents of both parties, but was always honest in acknowledging his mistakes,” she said.

“To me he was my husband, who shaped my life from our very first date in 1984. He had ‘irrational exuberance’ for baseball, the Washington Commanders, tennis, golf and music, especially jazz,” Mitchell added. “He will be remembered for his brilliance and his kindness. Being his life partner was the joy of my life.”

In a statement, the Fed extended condolences to Mitchell and said Greenspan’s “contributions to monetary policy and economic thought left a lasting mark on this institution, on the broader field of economics, and on the country.”

Greenspan was born March 6, 1926, in the Washington Heights neighborhood of New York City, where he showed mathematical acumen from a young age. In his early years, he attended the Juilliard School and played jazz saxophone and clarinet in a band.

He studied economics at New York University, earning a bachelor’s degree in 1948 and a master’s in 1950, and then started work on a doctorate at Columbia University under economist Arthur F. Burns, a future chairman of the Federal Reserve.

In the early 1950s, Greenspan became an associate of the “Atlas Shrugged” writer Ayn Rand, whose “objectivist” philosophy of self-interest and laissez-faire capitalism inspired future generations of political libertarians and conservatives. Greenspan embraced some of her beliefs and paid tribute to her in his 2007 memoir.

“Ayn Rand and I remained close until she died in 1982, and I’m grateful for the influence she had on my life. I was intellectually limited until I met her,” Greenspan wrote in “The Age of Turbulence: Adventures in a New World.”

Greenspan left Columbia in 1953 and joined an economic consulting firm that became known as Townsend-Greenspan Co., Inc. Five years later, he became president and chief owner of the firm.

Greenspan’s initial foray into the political world came in 1967 when he served as an adviser on Richard Nixon’s 1968 presidential campaign. He assisted with Nixon’s transition to the Oval Office but turned down an official role in the administration.

He advised Nixon on an informal basis and, following Nixon’s resignation in 1974, took a position in President Gerald Ford’s administration as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, serving until 1977. He pursued policies that, together with tighter monetary policy from the Paul Volcker-led Federal Reserve, helped reduce inflation from 11% to 6.5%.

In 1977, at the dawn of Jimmy Carter’s presidency, Greenspan returned to his consulting firm in New York and accepted an adjunct professorship at New York University, where he received a Ph.D. in economics.

Greenspan returned to government service when President Ronald Reagan appointed him to fill Volcker’s term as chairman of the Federal Reserve. Greenspan’s nomination was confirmed by the Senate on Aug. 11, 1987, during Reagan’s second term.

On Oct. 19, 1987, or “Black Monday,” when the Dow Jones Industrial Average plummeted by more than 22% — the blue-chip index’s largest one-day percentage fall ever — Greenspan moved swiftly to keep the markets liquid. From then on, Fed moves to support financial markets through episodes of instability became known as the “Greenspan put.”

He drew praise for steering the economy through what was then the longest expansion in U.S. history, running roughly from March 1991 to the first quarter of 2001, a transformative period that saw the acceleration of globalization and the rise of the internet. Greenspan navigated the Fed through seminal events, including the “dotcom” bubble burst and the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

He achieved celebrity status when stocks soared to record levels under President Bill Clinton. The writer Christopher Hitchens called him “America’s least-likely celebrity,” The Economist magazine dubbed him a “rock star,” and his admirers called him “the maestro.”

Greenspan, who served five consecutive four-year terms, retired Jan. 31, 2006. He has the second-longest tenure as Fed chair, behind William McChesney Martin, who served from 1951 to 1970.

In the wake of the financial collapse of 2007-08, Greenspan drew scrutiny for decisions that some critics believe set the stage for the meltdown. Despite his infamous warning in 1996 that “irrational exuberance” was unduly inflating stock prices, he was faulted for missing the early-2000s housing bubble.

In 2011, the bipartisan Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission determined that the crisis was triggered in part by Greenspan’s failure to discourage trade in securities backed by subprime mortgage loans amid an unsustainable housing boom and his promotion of financial industry deregulation.

“More than 30 years of deregulation and reliance on self-regulation by financial institutions, championed by former Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan and others, supported by successive administrations and Congresses, and actively pushed by the powerful financial industry at every turn, had stripped away key safeguards, which could have helped avoid catastrophe,” the report said in part.

In testimony to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform in October 2008, Greenspan referred to the financial crisis as a “once-in-a-century credit tsunami.”

“The crisis, however, has turned out to be much broader than anything I could have imagined,” he acknowledged.

After leaving the Fed, Greenspan started his own consulting company in Washington and authored several books.

He shared his impressions of the presidents he had worked with in his memoir “The Age of Turbulence” and in interviews. Nixon was smart but paranoid, he said. Ford “was a genuinely nice man who was not ruthlessly ambitious,” he said in a 2009 interview.

Reagan, the president who nominated him, “fervently believed in, and acted on, a small number of important principles,” he said in remarks at the Reagan Library in 2003.

Despite being a lifelong Republican, Greenspan had a strong relationship with Clinton, a Democrat, and praised his intelligence and fiscal discipline. Clinton, he joked, “was the best Republican president we’ve had in a while.”

His relationships with George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush were more complicated. The elder Bush blamed Greenspan publicly for the poor economy that likely contributed to his election loss, which Greenspan said in his book “surprised” him.

Greenspan said he was disappointed in the younger Bush for failing to rein in the budget with a GOP-controlled Congress, and that Republicans deserved it when they lost control of both chambers in the 2006 midterms. “The Republicans in Congress lost their way. They swapped principle for power. They ended up with neither,” he wrote in his book.

Greenspan’s successors as Fed chair include Ben Bernanke, Janet Yellen, Jerome Powell and, as of May, Kevin Warsh, who was appointed by President Donald Trump.

Greenspan received various national and international accolades: In 2000, the French government awarded him the Legion of Honor; and in 2002, Queen Elizabeth II named him an honorary Knight of the British Empire. He was awarded the U.S.’ highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, by the younger Bush in 2005.

The Fed, in its statement on Greenspan’s death, said he “brought rigorous analytical discipline to monetary policymaking and helped establish the credibility that remains” one of the central bank’s “most important assets.”

“Chairman Greenspan’s legacy endures at the Federal Reserve—in those he mentored directly, in the economists and public servants he inspired, and in the frameworks and practices he helped shape,” the Fed added.

Davíð Oddsson obit

Davíð Oddsson, editor and former Prime Minister, has died

 

He was not on the list.

Davíð Oddsson, editor of Morgunblaðið, passed away at his home yesterday at the age of 78. With his passing, Iceland loses one of its most influential politicians of the past decades.

During his tenure as Mayor of Reykjavík, the city underwent major progress: development was extensive, and its finances were strong. When Oddsson stepped down as mayor, he became Prime Minister and led significant reforms following a long period of economic difficulty. A period of strong growth and increased national prosperity followed.

After leaving government, he took the helm of the Central Bank of Iceland, where he confronted severe challenges during the banking collapse while also laying the groundwork for the nation’s recovery from the crisis.

In the autumn of 2009, Oddsson became editor of Morgunblaðið and held the position ever since. Under his leadership, the newspaper and other media of Árvakur hf. fostered important public debate and coverage of issues of great concern to the nation. At the same time, these media outlets withstood various pressures and remain strong today as they bid Oddsson farewell with gratitude and sorrow.

Davíð Oddsson was born in Reykjavík on January 17, 1948. His parents were Oddur Ólafsson, a physician, and Ingibjörg Kristín Lúðvíksdóttir, a bank clerk. His surviving wife is Ástríður Thorarensen; they married on September 5, 1970. Her parents were Þorsteinn S. Thorarensen and his wife Una Thorarensen. Their son is Þorsteinn Davíðsson, whose wife is Heiðrún Geirsdóttir. They have two daughters.

Oddsson graduated from Reykjavík Junior College (MR). He briefly studied acting before completing a law degree from the University of Iceland.

He served as office manager of the Reykjavík Theatre Company from 1970 to 1972, parliamentary reporter for Morgunblaðið from 1973 to 1974, an employee of the book publishing company Almenna bókafélagið in 1975, office manager of the Reykjavík Health Insurance Service from 1976 to 1978, and its executive director from 1978 to 1982.

Oddsson was elected to Reykjavík City Council in 1974 and served until 1994, including as Mayor from 1982 to 1991. He was elected chairman of the Independence Party at its national congress in 1991 and held that role until he left politics in 2005. He was elected Member of Parliament for Reykjavík in the 1991 parliamentary elections and became Prime Minister that same year.

He served as Prime Minister until 2004, when he became Minister for Foreign Affairs for just over a year. He then left politics and became Governor of the Central Bank of Iceland and chairman of its board. He served alongside Eiríkur Guðnason and Ingimundur Friðriksson until 2009. On September 24 of that year, he became editor of Morgunblaðið together with Haraldur Johannessen.

Davíð Oddsson was a versatile figure who also wrote in various genres. He authored popular song lyrics and other poetry, wrote three television plays — Róbert Elíasson Comes Home from Abroad (1977), Stains on the White Collar (1981), and All is good (1991) — and co-wrote two stage works for the Reykjavík Theatre Company and the National Theatre: I want to enrich my country (1974) and Tales of Icelanders (1975).

He also produced a variety of radio programs between 1968 and 1975, including Radio Matthildur in collaboration with Hrafn Gunnlaugsson and Þórarinn Eldjárn, which enjoyed great popularity. He wrote an essay on Prime Minister Geir Hallgrímsson in the magazine Andvari in 1994 and published the short-story collections A few good days without Guðný (1997) and Stolen from the author of the Alphabet (2002).

In closing, the staff of Morgunblaðið and mbl.is express their gratitude for a productive and rewarding collaboration and extends their deepest condolences to Davíð Oddsson’s family.

Allen I. Olson obit

Former North Dakota governor Allen I. Olson passes away at 87

 He was not on the list.

BISMARCK, ND (KXNET) — Former North Dakota governor Allen I. Olson has passed away at the age of 87, Governor Kelly Armstrong’s office announced today.

Olson served as the state’s attorney general from 1972 to 1980, before becoming the 28th governor of North Dakota from 1981 to 1984.

As governor, Olson worked with the Task Force on Drunk Driving and supported the Garrison Diversion program, which supplied Missouri River water for agricultural and other purposes. Under his administration, the Department of Human Services and Cross Ranch State Park near Washburn were created.

“Governor Olson served North Dakota with dignity and a steady hand as our state’s top law enforcement officer and chief executive,” Gov. Armstrong said in a press release. “His dedication to the well-being of our citizens and his contributions to natural resources management brought lasting benefits to the people of North Dakota. Kjersti and I extend our deepest sympathies and prayers to his family, friends and former colleagues throughout North Dakota.”

Olson was born and raised on a farm near Sarles. He earned his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of North Dakota. He then served in the U.S. Army as a Judge Advocate General’s Corps lawyer and as chief of military justice in Munich, Germany.

He returned to North Dakota in 1967 and became assistant director of what was formerly called the Legislative Research Committee (now Legislative Council). Olson worked in that role until 1969, directing the state’s first study of strip mining, soil banks and land reclamation.

The following three years, Olson worked in private practice until he ran for attorney general in 1972.

When his term as governor ended in 1984, Olson returned to private practice and moved to Minnesota. He became co-owner of a die-casting company in New Hope, and also served as president and CEO of the Independent Community Bankers of Minnesota.

He was also appointed by President George W. Bush to the International Joint Commission.

Olson passed away Friday, December 26. The governor’s office says funeral arrangements are pending.

Pettis Norman obit

Former Dallas Cowboys tight end Pettis Norman dead at 86

 He was not on the list.

Pettis Norman, a former NFL tight end who spent nearly his entire career with the Dallas Cowboys, has died, according to Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. He was 86 years old.

Harris said that Norman died “peacefully in his sleep” and was surrounded by his wife, daughters, grandson and great-grandchildren. “A strong advocate for civil rights and dedicated to creating opportunities for all, Mr. Norman was a respected business executive and civic leader, known widely for his accomplishments both on and off the field,” the family said in a statement. “He leaves behind a legacy of selfless leadership, advocacy on behalf of underserved people, and a deep commitment to his community.”

DALLAS, TX July 7, 2025 – Pettis Burch Norman, former tight end for the Dallas Cowboys and San Diego Chargers, passed away peacefully in his sleep at age 86, surrounded by his loving wife, daughters, grandson, and great grandchildren.

A strong advocate for civil rights and dedicated to creating opportunities for all, Mr. Norman was a respected business executive and civic leader, known widely for his accomplishments both on and off the field.

He leaves behind a legacy of selfless leadership, advocacy on behalf of underserved people, and a deep commitment to his community.

Funeral and memorial arrangements are pending and will be announced in the coming days.

The family kindly requests privacy during this difficult time.

The Dallas Texans selected Pettis Norman in the 16th round of the 1962 AFL Draft. He never played for the Texans and signed with the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent. Pettis was with the Cowboys through the 1970 season.

Pettis Norman had success after is football playing career

In nine seasons in Dallas, Norman caught 124 passes for 1,672 yards and 14 touchdowns. He joined the San Diego Chargers (now Los Angeles Chargers) in 1970 and caught 59 passes for 820 yards and one touchdown in three seasons.

“Looking back, everyone really respected Pettis,” former Cowboys QB Roger Staubach said, per Pettis’ official website. “He was a really good football player. He got the job done as a receiver and was as good as anyone as a blocker. I got to know him as a human being and really like him as a friend. Pettis is someone who has been a positive force in trying to continue to overcome discrimination. He’s been able to get his message across in a very positive way. I’ve always had respect for the way he handles things. He’s a good man.”

Pettis was also a successful businessman. His bio states that he ventured into real estate, apartments, restaurant franchising and single-family housing. Pettis created five companies under the umbrella of PNI Industries. In 2021, Pettis published his autobiography, The Pettis Norman Story: A Journey through the Cotton Fields, to the Super Bowl, and into Servant Leadership. The book is currently available on Amazon.

Norman attended West Charlotte High School where he made the team until his junior season and became a starter in his final year. He was going to enlist in the Air Force until he received a football scholarship from Johnson C. Smith University by then coach Eddie McGirt, without ever having seen him play.

He was named the starter and team MVP at split end as a freshman. He was a two-way player and became a two-time All-CIAA selection. As a senior he had a game with 5 receptions for 133 yards, 2 touchdowns and was credited with 14 tackles.

He also lettered in track and field, once posting a 9.7 seconds 100-yard dash. The university's annual award given to the school's most outstanding student-athlete is named after him.

In 1977, he was inducted into the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Hall of Fame.

He was used mostly on special teams during his first two seasons. In 1963, he was initially used as a split end and started 6 games, before being moved to tight end because he excelled in blocking.

The next year, he became a full-time starter and manned the Cowboys tight end position for nearly a decade, becoming part of the franchise's legacy of great tight ends that included: Jim Doran, Dick Bielski, Lee Folkins, Mike Ditka, Billy Joe Dupree, Jackie Smith, Doug Cosbie, Jay Novacek and Jason Witten.

In 1965 and 1966, he splitted the tight end job with Franklin Clarke.

When Ditka joined the Cowboys in 1969 after having been a 4 time All-Pro tight end with the Chicago Bears, Norman remained the starter, but split playing time with Ditka to provide great blocking and leadership along the offensive line. He also started Super Bowl V, which was a loss to the Baltimore Colts.

The sports announcer Jack Buck during his two-year stint covering the Cowboys, famously referred to him on the air as Norman Pettis. Prompting Blackie Sherrod a sportswriter in Dallas, to write: "Dallas fans are tired of Pettis Norman constantly being referred to as Norman Pettis by broadcaster Buck Jack".

After trading the troubled Lance Rentzel, the Cowboys replaced him with future hall of famer Lance Alworth and Norman was sent to the San Diego Chargers as part of the "Bambi trade" in May 1971, that also involved Ron East and Tony Liscio.

In his first season with the San Diego Chargers, he was named the starter at tight end and had a career-high 27 catches for 358 yards. He played with the Chargers until he retired after the 1973 season because of a degenerative knee condition, having played 12 years and 162 games, receiving 183 passes for 2,492 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Norman was active in changing the segregationist climate within the Cowboys and later the city of Dallas, helping organized marches during the Civil Rights Movement, influencing the changing of the team's roommate assignments and breaking social barriers. He also became a successful businessman in different ventures (fast food franchises, real state, transportation, convenience stores, etc.).

He sued the Dallas Cowboys and San Diego Chargers, claiming medical negligence in the handling of his injured knee.

On December 2, 2014, the Dallas Police Department reported that Sharneen Norman, who also went by "Shawn," died from a gunshot wound. She was one of three of Norman's children.

Norman was known for his television and documentary appearances on The NFL on CBS, The NFL on NBC, NBC Sports, NFL Monday Night Football, and NFL Films. He appeared in numerous media including The New York Times, Texas Monthly, The Dallas Morning News, NBC DWF 5, the Dallas Business Journal, The Cowboys Legends Show The Charlotte Post, The Charlotte Observer, and many others.

In 1975, Norman became a television announcer and color commentator for the World Football League, formed in 1973 by attorney and businessman Gary Davidson. He broadcast on WRET TV 36 (Charlotte, NC), WGHP TV9 (High Point, NC), and WCTG TV 17 (Atlanta, GA) with John Sterling.

Pettis achieved success in several fields of business. He is an acknowledged leader in the community — an industrialist, entrepreneur, and political activist — and respected throughout the country. While actively engaged in football, he served in the National Guard and prepared for a career in business. He devoted much of his time to community, civic, and educational endeavors during the off season, as well as working extra off season jobs.

 

In the mid ’60s, he began a seven-year career in banking with South Oak Cliff State Bank in Dallas, initially hired to work in public relations. He quickly rose to assistant vice president in business development and became the first African-American banking officer in Dallas, Texas.

 

President Lyndon Johnson requested that Pettis fly to Washington D.C. to help quell the rioting that occurred after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In 1969, he was hired by Dr Pepper to appear in advertisements geared toward the untapped black consumer market — the first African American male athlete to do so. Pettis served in the National Guard from 1962 to 1968 while playing football.

His experience in banking led Pettis to answer his calling in life — business. He ventured into real estate, apartments, restaurant franchising, and single-family housing for three decades. He created five companies under the umbrella of PNI Industries, including wholesale fuel distribution, petroleum transportation, convenience stores, wholesale automotive battery distribution and fleet maintenance. The success of his minority-owned business was chronicled in a report to Vice-President Al Gore regarding the Clinton Administration’s BusinessLINC initiative.

Pettis created The Dallas Together Forum, consisting of CEOs from Fortune 500 companies to address the pressing economic issues facing minorities and women and their inclusion in the “bounties of our nation.” The Dallas Together Forum became a successful role model replicated across our nation and communities abroad, reaching as far as Japan.

Pettis was Dr Pepper’s first African American pro football male model.

Ralph Heck obit

Ralph Heck

November 6, 1941 - May 25, 2025 

He was not on the list.

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved Papa, Ralph Heck, who slipped away peacefully in his sleep after a long battle with Myasthenia Gravis, an autoimmune disease.  He was a gentle bear of a man, leaving behind a legacy of love and cherished memories that we, his three children; his beloved wife; his wonderful grandchildren; his sister, niece, and nephew; former wife; dear friends; and extended family, will hold onto forever.

Ralph’s life was filled with vibrant stories and experiences.  He shared tales of his childhood adventures, from the garden he nurtured and the cakes he baked to his days working at the butcher shop with his family.  He fondly recalled feeding a squirrel on his way to school and spending Saturdays at the movie theater.  His playful spirit even led him to sing “Happy Birthday” in Mickey Mouse’s voice throughout his life.

Born to German immigrants, Ralph was the first in his family to attend college, at the University of Colorado, where he played football and majored in hotel management.  He was drafted to play professionally, leading to a nine year career as linebacker for the Eagles, the Falcons, and the Giants.  He later worked for Home Federal Savings Bank, becoming Vice President, before starting his own businesses.

In retirement, he loved spending winters in Florida with his wife, Marilyn, and feeding the geese and ducks at the lake behind his house.

A remarkable cook who rarely followed a recipe, he shared his culinary talents with family and community, inspiring his kids and grandkids to love cooking.

Ralph had a playful side and loved to maintain an air of mystery.  A steadfast friend, he stayed close to childhood and college friends his whole life.

He was gentle and accepting, despite a seemingly gruff exterior.  His sense of humor was legendary, with everyone possessing countless stories of his teasing wit and funny comments.  His intelligence shone through his near-photographic memory and his deep love for history.  He became an accomplished sailor and always loved being near or in the water.

Ralph was not just our father; he was our anchor.  He will be deeply loved and missed, forever etched in our hearts.  Rest in peace, dear Ralph. Your legacy lives on in each of us.

He played nine seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the Philadelphia Eagles, Atlanta Falcons, and the New York Giants. He played college football at the University of Colorado. Heck died May 25, 2025, at the age of 83.

Dick Carlson obit

Who Was Richard 'Dick' Carlson? Ex Journalist And Tucker Carlson's Father Passes Away

Tucker Carlson announced the death of his father, Richard "Dick" Warner Carlson, at 84. He passed away on Monday in Boca Grande, Florida, after a six-week illness. Tucker shared that his father declined painkillers, passing with dignity and clarity, surrounded by his children and dogs.

 He was not on the list.

Tucker Carlson announced the death of his father, Richard "Dick" Warner Carlson, at the age of 84. The conservative news personality shared the news in a post on X on Wednesday, revealing that Richard Warner Carlson passed away on Monday at his home in Boca Grande, Florida, following a six-week illness.

Tucker wrote, "He refused all painkillers to the end and left this world with dignity and clarity, holding the hands of his children with his dogs at his feet."

Who Was Richard Carlson?

Richard Carlson had a distinguished career in both journalism and government service. From 1991 to 1993, he served as the U.S. Ambassador to Seychelles under President George H.W. Bush. Prior to that, he was the Director of Voice of America from 1982 to 1986 under President Ronald Reagan. Carlson was also known for his investigative reporting and spent many years as a local news anchor, most notably in San Diego.

Carlson was born on February 10, 1941, at Massachusetts General Hospital, and his early life was marked by hardship. Abandoned as an infant, he spent years in foster care, developing rickets, which left his legs permanently bent. After being placed with the Carlson family, he struggled in school, was jailed for car theft at 17, and eventually enlisted in the S Marine Corps.

For the last 25 years of his life, much of Carlson's work remained unclear to his family, with few details known about his later endeavors. However, his commitment to his family was evident. Carlson spoke with his sons, Tucker and Buckley, every day, and for 30 years, they had weekly lunch meetings at Washington, DC's Metropolitan Club. His deep love for dogs and the strong bonds he maintained with his children were cornerstones of his life.

Carlson moved his sons to San Diego after his first wife, Lisa McNear Lombardi, abandoned the family in 1976. He eventually met and married Patricia Swanson, the heiress to the Swanson frozen dinner empire. Swanson later legally adopted Tucker and Buckley,

He was an American journalist, diplomat, and lobbyist who was the director of the Voice of America from 1986 to 1991. Carlson also was a newspaper and wire service reporter, magazine writer, documentary filmmaker, and television/radio correspondent.

Carlson was born in Boston, the son of college student Richard Boynton and Dorothy Anderson, 18 and 15 years old, respectively. He was born with rickets and mildly bent legs, as Anderson had starved herself to keep the pregnancy a secret. In 1943, Richard Boynton attempted to persuade Dorothy to accompany him in stealing their baby and get married; when she refused on the grounds that she was a junior in high school and nobody but her parents knew about the baby, he shot and killed himself two blocks from her house.

Six weeks after he was born, Carlson was given to The Home for Little Wanderers, an orphanage in Boston. The home ran a classified ad about him in the local papers, under the headline: "Home Wanted for Foundling." Florence Moberger, a housewife in Malden, was the only person to respond.

When Carlson was 22, he got a job working as a "copy boy" for night city editor Glenn Binford at the Los Angeles Times. There he met and befriended Carl Lance Brisson, the son of actress Rosalind Russell.

In 1963, Carlson became a reporter for United Press International. On his two days off, he wrote for Hearst movie columnist Louella Parsons in her Beverly Hills office. He also wrote for UPI's Foreign Film Bureau, contributing fan magazine stories and working under the editorship of Henry Gris, the first president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.

Two years later, Carlson and Brisson went to San Francisco to try to establish themselves, working as freelance independent television reporters, producing news features to sell for local and national distribution. They made less than $100 per week, until they were hired full-time by KGO-TV.

Carlson and Brisson became best known for a September 1969 article in Look, in which they linked Mayor Joseph Alioto to organized crime. Alioto later filed a $12 million libel lawsuit against the magazine. After three inconclusive jury trials, a fourth trial by judge without a jury in 1977 found that the plaintiff had sustained the burden of proving by clear and convincing evidence that defendant published the defamatory statements contained in the article with actual malice, that is, with reckless disregard for whether they were true or not, and was entitled to judgment in the sum of $350,000, plus costs. and the legal costs helped bring about the demise of Look. Legal technicalities prevented Carlson and Brisson from being held as defendants in the trial. Carlson stood by the story, claiming several of their sources refused to testify or died.

In 1971, Carlson was hired by KABC-TV in Los Angeles. Working with producer Pete Noyes, Carlson won several awards, including a Peabody Award for an exposé they produced about car promotion fraud.

In 1975, Noyes took a job at KFMB-TV in San Diego, and asked Carlson to join him as a combination news anchorman and investigative reporter. However, Carlson walked away from the job after 18 months, tiring of news, calling it a "kid's game" that was "insipid, sophomoric and superficial" and laced with "a lot of arrogance and hypocrisy." He admitted to being part of that hypocrisy, by citing a piece he did that outed a local tennis player, Dr. Renée Richards, as a transgender woman.

Carlson also targeted G. Elizabeth Carmichael and outed her as a transgender con-artist, refusing to refer to her as a woman when instructed to by the judge presiding over the trial. This story was popularized in the HBO miniseries, The Lady and the Dale.

"There are so many other things I think are important and interesting but the media can be counted on to do handstands over that kind of scandal and sexual sensation."

In 1977, Carlson joined San Diego Federal Savings and Loan (later Great American First Savings), a savings and loan headed by Gordon Luce, a former cabinet member and close friend of Ronald Reagan, as its public affairs director. Within three years, he became vice president of finance.

Great American First Savings was mired in controversy due to the bank's political connections. For example, in 1984, the bank received negative press for allowing Edwin Meese, adviser to Ronald Reagan, to be 15 months delinquent on his mortgage. That same year, bank officers were accused of receiving federal jobs in exchange for being favorable toward Meese. Luce stated that he saw the loans to Meese as the "natural evolution" of mixing business, politics and friendship.

In 1981, the investigative television magazine 60 Minutes had Mike Wallace interview Carlson about controversial home foreclosures executed by the bank, in which the bank had been accused of duping low-income Californians. Carlson hired a camera crew to videotape the interview and, when the 60 Minutes cameras were not rolling during a commercial break, caught Wallace making a racist joke about blacks and Hispanics:

In 1983, Carlson sought an appointment to the San Diego County Board of Supervisors.

The following year, Carlson decided to run for mayor of San Diego in what became a contentious campaign against incumbent Roger Hedgecock, who was under indictment for perjury and conspiracy.

Carlson was criticized throughout his campaign. For example, he was criticized for speaking of his candidacy in terms of political strategy, without mentioning a vision or plans for the city. He was criticized for being "long on generalities and platitudes, but short on specifics." He was criticized as naïve for saying that the city wasn't run by the mayor, but by the city manager. He was further criticized for pledging not to spend his own money on the campaign, but going on to spend nearly $225,000 of his own money, and by "gay-baiting"—falsely claiming that Hedgecock was supported by the gay community in an effort to turn voters away from his opponent. Carlson also had a comic, at one of his major fundraisers, tell a series of racist jokes for which Carlson later apologized.

Carlson's campaign came under scrutiny for its close ties to Great American First Savings, which had direct ties to the White House. Thirty employees donated over $4,000, each, to his campaign, while only one employee donated to Hedgecock. When pressed on the connection, and on other campaign issues, Carlson began to skip candidate forums, and members of the press deemed it increasingly difficult to get ahold of him, with Carlson often not responding to the press for periods of two weeks at a time. Carlson also lacked more exposure because Hedgecock, calling Carlson "a minor candidate," refused to debate him.

In June 1991, Carlson left Voice of America after President George H. W. Bush nominated him to be the U.S. ambassador to the Seychelles.

In March 1992, Carlson became the CEO of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), a "private corporation funded by the American people" that produces and distributes programming for public broadcasting.

During his tenure, the Republican Party began its official shift on public broadcasting when it added a plank to its platform condemning public media as "misguided," "ridiculous," and undeserving of government support. The party's official position was that public media had a liberal bias and "the party looked forward to" the privatization of the system.

In 1997, he became president and CEO of King World Public Television, a subsidiary of King World Productions, the syndicator of Oprah, Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy!, among other successful TV shows, until the network was purchased, in the summer of 1999, by CBS for $2.5 billion.

Carlson had testified dozens of times before various U.S. Congressional committees, including the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Foreign Relations Committee. He had also been involved in negotiations on behalf of the U.S. government with many foreign governments, including those of China, Korea, the USSR, Germany, Costa Rica, Belize, Liberia, Botswana, Lesotho, South Africa, Morocco and Israel.

In 1990, Carlson jointly addressed the Israeli Knesset with Malcolm Forbes, Jr. Three years later, he jointly addressed Britain's House of Commons with Richard Branson.

In 1994, Carlson was an international observer at the first democratic elections in South Africa.

In 1997, he was an international observer at the Parliamentary Elections in Albania, overseeing polling places near the Greek border.

In 2003, Carlson became the vice-chairman of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, the counter-terrorism institute in Washington, D.C., and Brussels, Belgium. He held the position for eight years.

From 1992 to 1997, he was also president of InterMedia, the global research consulting firm which conducts opinion surveys for government agencies in over 75 foreign countries. He was recently its chairman.

Carlson was an advisor of the Institute for the Study of Terrorism & Political Violence.  He was also a long-time member of the European Broadcasting Union and the Asian Broadcasting Union.

In 2021, Carlson was reported to be a director of Policy Impact, a lobbying firm. The firm has lobbied the United States on behalf of the Viktor Orbán government in Hungary.

John Adams Morgan obit

John Adams Morgan, Banker and Ex-Husband of Real Housewives of New York Star Sonja Morgan, Dead at 94

The great-grandson of legendary financier J.P. Morgan was also an Olympic gold medalist

 

He was not on the list.

MORGAN--John Adams. The trustees, fellows, and staff of the Morgan Library & Museum mourn the passing of John Adams Morgan, a devoted trustee of the Morgan for over 34 years and longtime member of its Finance Committee. Mr. Morgan's close familial ties with the Morgan reached back to his great-grandfather J. Pierpont Morgan, whose remarkable collection forms the foundation of the institution. John's unwavering dedication to the Morgan's mission to celebrate and share the history and process of human creativity will not be forgotten. We extend our deepest sympathies to Connie Morgan and all the members of the Morgan family. G. Scott Clemons, Co-Pres. Robert K. Steel, Co-Pres. Colin B. Bailey, Katharine J. Rayner Dir.

John Adams Morgan has died at the age of 94. He was the founder and chairman of Morgan Joseph, and his great-grandfather was the legendary financier J. P. Morgan. An Olympic sailor, he was married to Real Housewives of New York star Sonja Morgan, his fourth wife, from 1998 to 2006.

On Friday, Feb. 7, Quincy Adams Morgan, his daughter with Sonja, announced on her Instagram Stories that her father died in early February. She cited an obituary published by The New York Times on Thursday, Feb. 6: "As an obituary was published yesterday, I want to take the opportunity to tell you all myself that my father passed away this month," Quincy, 24, wrote.

"My family is navigating this together," she continued. "I very much loved and admired my dad. I am so grateful for the love and care I have been shown in these past weeks."

Quincy also posted a photo of herself as a little girl looking up to her father.

Sonja has not addressed her ex-husband's death publicly on social media. PEOPLE reached out to Sonja and her reps for comment.

John was born in 1930 in Oyster Bay on New York’s Long Island. His parents were Henry Sturgis Morgan — the the co-founder of Morgan Stanley — and Catherine Frances Lovering Adams, a descendant of U.S. Presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams whose father served as U.S. Secretary of the Navy. Morgan attended the Groton School before graduating from Yale in 1953.

Morgan competed at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki in the 6 Metre yacht race. He won a gold medal as a member of the boat’s six-member team.

Morgan began his banking career at Dominick & Dominick before moving to Smith Barney, now part of Morgan Stanley’s Wealth Management. In 1982, he established his own firm, Morgan Lewis Githens & Ahn, Inc.

He spoke to The New York Times in 1986 about the decision to start a small firm, noting, "The physical and mental pressures of investment banking are tremendous. Here the atmosphere is more pleasant and the pace is survivable.''

The outlet noted that in banking "pedigree opens doors," so his background helped "build the network of relationships, alliances and directorships that has made his small house among the most profitable of the new investment boutiques." The firm was eventually sold, and Morgan co-founded Morgan Joseph in 2002.

Morgan also served on the board of trustees of the Morgan Library & Museum in Manhattan, which began as J.P. Morgan’s private library in 1906 and became a public institution in 1924. It is a New York City designated landmark and a National Historic Landmark.

Morgan rarely gave interviews, though in 2000 he commented to The Wall Street Journal on the merger of Chase and J.P. Morgan Bank. "I don't think that anybody in the family can have any emotional reaction. Nobody in the family had been really involved in the bank for a number of years," he told the outlet of the company that bore his family’s name.

He added that the Morgan family — unlike the Rockefellers, whose family was linked to Chase — were not particularly close. "We see each other once in a while," he said.

Morgan was married five times. In 1953 he married Elizabeth Robbins Choate. They welcomed son John Adams Morgan Jr. in 1957 but divorced that same year.

In 1962, he married Tania Goss. They shared one child, Chauncey Goss Morgan, and the marriage also ended in divorce. He married Anne Chute in 1992.

Morgan married Sonja, then Sonja Tremont, in 1998. The pair met when Sonja worked as a hostess at a Manhattan restaurant. They welcomed a daughter, Quincy Adams Morgan in 2000. They divorced in 2006.

“My breakup is pretty boring,” she told The Daily Beast in 2019, telling the outlet that they got engaged on the first date. “We were in love, and then we broke up. There was no drama. We still love each other, and it was painful for both of us.”

Sonja also addressed their divorce during a 2021 episode of RHONY. "I lost my best friend and a wonderful marriage,” Sonja said. “Is he dead? No. But for all intents and purposes, for me, he's gone. I had to make a choice for my daughter, and I feel so bad. Maybe I should have stayed with him and made sure she had everything she needed and got more time with me. Did I make the right decision?"

Morgan married his fifth wife, Connie, in 2010.

He is survived by his wife and children.

 

Andy Ireland obit

Andy Ireland, former US House member for Polk County, dies at 94

 

He was not on the list.

Andy Ireland, whose party switch as a member of Congress foretold the future dominance of the Republican Party in Polk County, has died at 94.

Ireland served eight terms in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1977 to 1993. Originally elected as a Democrat, he changed his affiliation to Republican in 1984, at a time when Polk County had no Republicans holding any state or federal positions.

An Ohio native, Ireland earned a bachelor’s degree from Yale University and a graduate degree in banking from Louisiana State University, according to his obituary. He came to Florida to take a position with Barnett Bank in Jacksonville and rose to became its vice president.

Ireland moved to Polk County in 1962, when he was named chairman and CEO of American National Bank in Winter Haven. As the bank expanded, he was appointed to serve on the Board of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.

Ireland’s political career began with his election to the Winter Haven City Commission in 1966. He and others successfully wooed the Boston Red Sox to switch their spring training site to Chain of Lakes Park in Winter Haven, where they trained from 1966 to 1992.

In 1976, Ireland first ran for the U.S. House, easily defeating Republican Bob Johnson to win the seat for the 8th District. At the time, Ireland described himself as a “Yellow Dog Democrat,” one who was steadfastly loyal to the party, recalled Jean Burt of Lakeland, the former chair of the Polk County Republican Executive Committee.

But Ireland was a conservative Democrat, in an era when such politicians were much more common, and after four terms in Congress he announced his switch to the Republican Party. Bill Rufty, the retired political editor for The Ledger, praised Ireland for the timing of his announcement.

“One of the things that a lot of party-switchers do is they wait until after the election, so that they can't be voted out,” Rufty said. “But Andy was so honest about it that he went ahead and announced his party switch from Democrat to Republican a few months before the elections.”

Rufty recalled a prominent Republican in Congress labeling Ireland “a class act” for the way he handled the party change.

Ireland decisively won another term in 1984 after redistricting placed him in the 10th District.

“It really started the wheels rolling toward Polk County becoming a viable Republican Party,” said Burt, who served as local Republican Party chair from 1983 to 1988. “It was not an easy decision for him to make. You have to remember that at the time, there was not a single elected Republican in Polk County, and so imagine the risk that he took, leaving the majority party.”

At that time, 74% of Polk County voters were registered as Democrats, Burt said. Capitalizing on Ireland’s move, Burt soon persuaded 1,000 local voters to change from Democrat to Republican.

“He just felt that he was a conservative and that the Democratic Party was not putting forward the things that he believed in,” Burt said. “And he said, ‘I'm conservative, and I'm in a liberal party, and I've got to be true to myself, and I'm going to go where my heart leads me.’ ”

Though it did not happen instantly, the political cast of Polk County gradually changed. Today, 41% of the county’s registered voters are Republicans, compared with 30% Democrats and 29% other parties or no party. The only Democrat holding state or federal office is U.S. Rep. Darren Soto, D-Kissimmee, whose district contains a small portion of east Polk County.

Burt recalled assisting Ireland with his election campaigns after his party switch, along with one of his staff members, Glenda Wright.

“Glenda used to come to my house, and we would sit there for hours putting stamps on envelopes and stuffing envelopes and getting them mailed out,” Burt said. “He didn't have the money to spend on doing a lot of clerical work like that. And when he had to have a reception, Glenda and I would put on our aprons and we'd take care of things like that for him. Times were very different.”

While in Congress, Ireland served on the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Small Business, Armed Services and Intelligence Committees, according to his obituary. President Ronald Reagan appointed him in 1981 as one of two Congressional representatives to the United States mission to the General Session of the United Nations.

Rufty, who joined The Ledger in 1985, said that Ireland maintained a cordial relationship with reporters.

“He was pretty straightforward, and I guess that is hard, sometimes, for a journalist to say that, because we have to deal with so many people,” Rufty said. “But running across someone who would give you answers to tough questions — and that would be whether it was going to be popular, or whether it's something that may go against the grain — I found that he gave answers very clearly.”

In addition to their political connections, Jean Burt said that Ireland and her husband were fraternal brothers in a social organization.

“I just can't say enough about what a wonderful person he was,” Burt said.

Ireland opted not to seek a 10th term in 1992. Having forged connections with Feld Entertainment, which operated circuses, in retirement Ireland supported the construction of the Center for Elephant Conservation in the Polk City area.

Ireland and his wife, Nancy Haydock Ireland, moved to Boca Grande, near Fort Myers. In retirement, Ireland became a trustee for Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium and served on several other boards, his obituary said.

Ireland is survived by his wife of 43 years, four children, seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

A celebration of life service will be held Nov. 16 at 11 a.m. at Christ Community Church, 1895 Overlook Drive, in Winter Haven.

Dick Stevens obit

Richard Stevens

February 23, 1948  -  August 17, 2024

 

He was not on the list.

Richard Stevens, a beloved gentle giant, is finally at peace. After a courageous battle with debilitating medical issues and chronic pain for 17 years, he died of CTE, dementia, and Parkinson’s at home on August 17, 2024.

The family is grateful for the outpouring of love, support, and prayers from our long-time friends, our Baylor tailgate group, our neighbors, high school teammates of the Dublin Lions, collegiate teammates of the Baylor Bears, and professional teammates of the Philadelphia Eagles. We appreciate the DCBE security guards and firemen, the EMTs, his caretakers, and Interim Hospice for their assistance.

Richard was born to Carl Stevens Jr. and Dorothy Nell (Hollon) Stevens in Dublin, Texas. Affectionally known as Truck, he was a stellar athlete in high school football, basketball, and track and garnered All-District, All-Area, All-State, and Prep. All-American honors. Dave Campbell chose Richard for the Super Team in Texas Football’s Friday Night Heroes. After his senior year, he played in the Big 33 game between Texas and Pennsylvania.

He was a blue-chip recruit for Baylor where he earned All-SWC honors, All-American honors, and AP preseason All-American honors. He was selected outstanding lineman of the year and was captain of the team. He played in the post-season Lion’s All-American Bowl Game and the Hula Bowl. He earned his B.B.A. from Baylor.

He was inducted into the Baylor Hall of Fame, selected by Dave Campbell for Texas Football magazine’s All-Decade team, and chosen as a Baylor offensive lineman on The Insider’s Fifty for the Century list.

Richard was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles and loved playing six years for the Eagles as an offensive lineman and captain of special teams. He and his family were always die-hard Eagle fans. Richard and his teammates contributed to community projects, participated in charity events, and worked to raise monies for the first Ronald McDonald house in Philadelphia.

After football, he enjoyed a successful career in banking for 23 years first as a Branch Manager and Regional Manager, then as a District Manager for Bank of America. After retirement, he enjoyed spending time with David, the grandkids’ athletic events, tailgate celebrations with college friends, traveling, going on cruises, reunions with former teammates in Philadelphia, and quiet moments at home with Pat. He is fondly remembered for his devotion to his family and friends, his integrity, his unwavering moral convictions, his strong work ethic, and his easy-going, unassuming personality.

He married Patricia Thiebaud, his high school sweetheart, and they shared a special happily-ever-after love story and recently celebrated their 56th wedding anniversary. He doted on their only son, David, and cherished every moment with Callie, Grant, and Allie, his grandkids.

His parents preceded him in death and he is survived by his wife Pat of Granbury; his son David and grandkids Callie, Grant, and Allie of Southlake; his sister Carla Stevens of Dublin; his sister Donna and brother-in-law Steve Hightower of Dublin; and a large circle of extended family and loyal friends.

His family worshipped at Acton Methodist Church and he was a long-time resident of De Cordova. The family held a private burial and a special Celebration of Life will be scheduled later.