Richard Smallwood obit

Grammy winning Gospel star Richard Smallwood dies

 

He was not on the list.

(December 30, 2025 – Sandy Spring, Maryland) Richard Smallwood, an eight-time Grammy® Award nominated, classically trained composer and gospel recording artist, died on Tuesday, December 30th @ 12:36 AM at the Brooke Grove Rehabilitation and Nursing Center. He died of complications of kidney failure. He was 77. Over the last five decades, he’s written some of the biggest songs of the gospel music genre such as “I Love the Lord,” which was remade by Whitney Houston and the Georgia Mass Choir for 1996’s The Preacher’s Wife soundtrack and Boyz II Men’s 1997 album, Evolution, closed with a song “Dear God” that included a refrain of it. “Total Praise” was covered by Destiny’s Child on their 2007 acapella track, “Gospel Medley.” With The Richard Smallwood Singers and later Vision, Smallwood enjoyed his own hits with “I Love the Lord” and “Total Praise,” as well as “Center of My Joy,” “Anthem of Praise,” and “I’ll Trust You.”

Smallwood was born November 30, 1948, in Atlanta, GA, but primarily raised in Washington, D.C., by his mother, Mabel and his stepfather Rev. Chester Lee “CL” Smallwood who was pastor of Union Temple Baptist Church in southeast Washington, D.C. He began to play piano by ear by the age of five. By seven, he was taking formal lessons and by eleven, had formed his own gospel group. Roberta Flack was one of his high school teachers prior to launching her recording career with Atlantic Records. He graduated cum laude from Howard University with a degree in music. He developed friendships with fellow classmates such as Donny Hathaway, Debbie Allen, and Phylicia Rashad. Smallwood was a member of Howard’s first gospel group, the Celestials, who were reputed to be the first gospel group to sing at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. Smallwood was also one of the founding members of Howard University’s Gospel Choir. Following college, Smallwood taught music at the University of Maryland for a while. Eventually, he founded the Richard Smallwood Singers in 1977 – inspired after seeing the Edwin Hawkins Singers perform live. The group brought a progressive, contemporary sound to gospel music. They performed throughout the Washington, D.C., area before they were signed to Onyx Records (The black gospel division of Benson Records) in 1982. Their debut LP, The Richard Smallwood Singers, spent 87 weeks on Billboard magazine’s Spiritual Albums sales chart.

With lead vocals fluctuating between the charismatic Dottie Jones, the smoldering Jackie Ruffin, the earthquaking Darlene Simmons, and Smallwood’s dry tenor, they created a distinct sound that caught on with middleclass, mostly black Christian young adults. Whereas most gospel artists of the period appealed to an older crowd, the Smallwood Singers enjoyed a young, educated following. Their 1984 LP, Psalms, hit #1 on Billboard’s Spiritual albums sales chart and earned them a Grammy® award nomination. They moved over to Word Records’ Rejoice black division for the 1987 LP, Textures, which peaked at No. 7 on the same chart and produced the biggest hit of the group’s career with the ballad, “Center of My Joy.” Composed by Smallwood with Bill & Gloria Gaither, the song had a soft pop feel that built to a rousing gospel crescendo with a background vocal arrangement alternating between a classical chorale sound and a passionate gospel blow-out. It was the first song to introduce Smallwood to the white Christian community and has since been covered by artists as diverse as Ron Kenoly, Tanya Goodman-Sykes, and the Sensational Nightingales. The group’s popularity led to an invitation to perform in the Soviet Union – reportedly the first gospel group to do a concert tour of the country at the time in the late 1980s.

The group also supplied background vocals for soul/gospel music legend Candi Staton on her 1988 LP, Love Lifted Me, and her 1989 album, Stand Up and Be a Witness. Smallwood shadowed Staton’s vocals on the title cut of the latter project. Smallwood was also among the all-star choir that backed Quincy Jones’ Handel’s Messiah – A Soulful Celebration album in 1992.

By the early 1990s, the Smallwood Singers had left Word Records for a brief tenure with Sparrow Records before finally landing at Jive/Verity Records (now RCA Inspiration). “I’ve been with every major gospel label that there is,” he once said. “I’ve been able to compare different labels and the way that things are done – the support or lack of. I’ve been in the position of the new kid on the block, where the importance or focus was put on the names that were known better than I was at the time, and all the energy was put on them….the label just did not give me the support, and that’s a frustrating feeling because you have a lot of ideas and concepts that you’d like to see, and you go to the label and say, `hey, I’ve got this idea about marketing or promotion’ and they say `well, we’ll see’ and they just kind of put [the record] out there, and if it makes it, it makes it on its own, without any serious support from the label. I’ve been there.”

With his new label home, Smallwood disbanded the Smallwood Singers. He formed a large backing choir named Vision that he featured on a string of albums that produced gospel radio hits such as “Angels” and “Total Praise.” The lush, near-classical “Total Praise” was introduced in 2001 and has become Smallwood’s biggest and most unexpected hit. “My mother was ill and my god brother was terminally ill with brain cancer,” he told a reporter on the red carpet at the 2014 BMI Trailblazer Awards where he was honored. “So, I was feeling helpless in terms of what I could do as a caregiver. And God just sort of gave me that song in the middle of all that which really gave me a peace about the whole thing and let me know that he was still in control of the situation. So, it came to me in a very difficult time of my life, but certainly I had no idea it was going to have the impact that it had.”

Smallwood’s 2007 album, Journey: Live in New York, featured performances from Chaka Khan, The Hawkins Family, Kelly Price, and Kim Burrell. Smallwood’s final album, Anthology, was released in 2015 and featured the Gospel radio hit, “Same God.” In 2019, Smallwood published a book, Total Praise: The Autobiography, which detailed Smallwood family secrets as well as his personal battles with grief and depression.

In the last few years, mild dementia and a variety of other health issues have prevented Smallwood from recording. In his darkest days, he always referenced music as a solace and a method of ministry. “I don’t know that I have all the answers or any of the answers,” he once said in a 1993 Washington Post interview. “But being a minister of music, I need to be open to listen and give a word of encouragement through songs of testimony. Singing is only part of it. The ministry itself is much more than that.” Aside from 8 Grammy® Award nominations, Smallwood earned three Dove Awards and multiple Stellar Gospel Music Awards.

Smallwood is survived by his brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews and several godchildren.

Begum Khaleda Zia obit

Bangladesh's first female prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia passes away

Begum Khaleda Zia, who became Bangladesh's first female prime minister in 1991, has died at the age of 80 while undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in the city.

 

She was not on the list.

"Our beloved Deshnetri Begum Khaleda Zia passed away around 6am, just after Fajr prayers," BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told a press briefing in front of the hospital this morning (Dec 30).

The three-time former prime minister, Khaleda Zia, had been suffering from multiple health complications, including heart and lung, liver and kidney, diabetes, arthritis and eye-related ailments. She had a permanent pacemaker and previously underwent stenting in her heart.

She was admitted to Evercare Hospital on November 23 following the advice of her medical board after being diagnosed with infections in her heart and lungs. She had also been suffering from pneumonia.

Since returning from London on May 6, after receiving advanced medical care, Khaleda Zia had been undergoing regular check-up at the Evercare Hospital.

The first female prime minister of Bangladesh has left a strong political legacy that started through the journey of democracy in 1991.

She assumed the office through 1991 national election. She introduced the parliamentary form of government and caretaker government system to hold a free, fair and credible election.

Although Begum Khaleda was in prison since 2018, her party and family members repeatedly urged the then government to allow her to go abroad for better treatment, but the pleas were rejected by the fascist Awami League government.

She is survived her son Tarique Rahman and a host of relatives and admirers.

Tarique Rahman returned home on December 25 after 17 years in exile. Khaleda's younger son Arafat Rahman Koko died a few years ago in Malaysia.

Born in Dinajpur in 1945, Khaleda initially attended Dinajpur Missionary School and later completed her matriculation from Dinajpur Girls' School in 1960.

Khaleda's father Iskandar Mazumder was a businessman and mother Tayeba Mazumder was a housewife. Nicknamed "Putul", Khaleda was the second among three sisters and two brothers.

In 1960, she got married to Ziaur Rahman, the then a captain in Pakistan army and continued her education at Surendranath College of Dinajpur until 1965.

When the Liberation War started in 1971, Ziaur Rahman revolted and participated in the war.

After the assassination of Ziaur Rahman on May 30, 1981, BNP faced a serious crisis. At this critical juncture, Khaleda Zia, who was never in politics, joined the party and became its vice-president on January 12, 1984. She was elected BNP's chairperson on May 10, 1984. She was reelected chairperson of the party in January 2010.

Under the leadership of Khaleda Zia, BNP formed a 7-party alliance in 1983 and launched a movement against the autocratic regime of Ershad.

The Ershad government restricted her movement and she was detained several times. Undaunted, Khaleda Zia continued to provide leadership in the movement for ousting Ershad. Then, she became known as the "uncompromising leader".

In the parliamentary election in 1991, BNP emerged victorious as a single majority party. Khaleda Zia contested five constituencies in three consecutive parliamentary elections and won in all the seats.

On March 20, 1991, Khaleda Zia was sworn in as the first female prime minister of Bangladesh. She took oath as the prime minister under the new parliamentary system on September 19, 1991.

Allen Steen obit

Allen Steen — A Giant Among Warriors

 Allen Steen, the Tae Kwon Do Master who pioneered modern karate in America, passed on Dec 30, 2025 at the age of 85. He was a giant among men, loved by many, respected by all.

He was not on the list.

Tae Kwon Do Master Allen R. Steen was a pioneering American martial artist, visionary teacher, and trailblazing promoter whose influence helped shape the foundation of modern martial arts in the United States. Widely regarded as one of the most influential martial artists of his era, Steen’s legacy endures through his students, his innovations, and the uncompromising spirit he brought to American karate and taekwondo.

Steen began his martial arts journey in 1959 under the instruction of Jhoon Rhee, the man revered as the “Father of American Taekwondo.” At a time when Asian martial arts were virtually unknown in mainstream America, Steen embraced the discipline with uncommon dedication.

In 1962, he earned his black belt, becoming the first American student of Jhoon Rhee to achieve black belt standing. Of the original 184 students who enrolled under Rhee in 1959, Steen was one of only six to reach that level an achievement that underscored both his talent and perseverance.

Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family and many Martial Arts friends of Grand Master Allen Steen. As the original Karate Pioneer in Texas under Grand Master Jhoon Rhee, GM Steen's legacy will continue to inspire and empower the countless students, Champions, and karate friends he made over the many years. His impact will be remembered for generations to come. RIP.

—Jeff Smith (World Kickboxing Champion, Black Belt Hall of Fame)

Recognized as a pioneer of American karate and taekwondo, Allen Steen is often celebrated as the “Father of Tae Kwon Do in Texas.” During the 1960s, he played a central role in spreading martial arts throughout the state, establishing schools and cultivating a culture of discipline, respect, and toughness that would define Texas martial arts for generations.

Known for his demanding standards, Steen earned the reputation as the “Father of Blood-N-Guts Karate.” This moniker reflected the intense, no-nonsense style of training that flourished in Texas during the 1960s.

His methods emphasized toughness, discipline, and mental resilience—principles inspired by the rigorous training regimens of his own master, Jhoon Rhee. While strict, Steen’s approach forged deeply loyal students and produced exceptional martial artists.

Steen was also far ahead of his time as a businessman. Long before martial arts schools became widely commercialized, he successfully built and operated large-scale karate programs, proving that martial arts could thrive as both a discipline and a profession.

As early as 1970, Black Belt magazine recognized Steen as a pioneer of “big business karate,” highlighting his innovative approach to school management, instructor development, and student outreach. His success helped legitimize martial arts as a viable career path in the United States. In the 70s he continued to be a force and a spokesperson for the direction of sport Karate.

Allen blessed us in countless ways—as an inspirational competitor, a brilliant communicator and teacher, and a highly successful business entrepreneur. He was a fighter in the truest sense of the word: on the mat, in leadership, and in principle.

He earned respect the hard way—through unwavering commitment during the most demanding era of American sport karate. His legacy deserves to be remembered with the same strength, integrity, and dignity with which he lived his life.

—Mike Stone (International Karate Champion and Black Belt Hall of Fame)

Under his instruction, Allen Steen developed some of the most successful karate competitors and instructors of the era. Even before digital media, he introduced the idea of video for practice and mastery, as seen in this 1970 story over 55 years ago, Steen was way ahead of his time.

His students carried his teachings across the country, extending his influence far beyond Texas and ensuring that his philosophy lived on through multiple generations.

In recognition of his lasting contributions, Steen was inducted into the American Karate Black Belt Association Hall of Fame and later honored with induction into the Taekwondo Hall of Fame in 2007. In 2015, MA Success, a sister publication of Black Belt, featured him on the cover.

Allen R. Steen leaves behind an enduring legacy as a martial artist, teacher, entrepreneur, and pioneer. His impact on American martial arts is immeasurable, and his name remains synonymous with toughness, integrity, and the uncompromising pursuit of excellence.

Ben Nighthorse Campbell obit

Former Colorado Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell dead at 92

 

He was not on the list.

Former Colorado Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell, who started out representing the state as a Democrat before switching to the Republican Party, has died at the age of 92, as confirmed by The Colorado Sun.

In addition to serving in Congress for nearly two decades, Nighthorse Campbell was a chief of the Northern Cheyenne tribe, a celebrated jewelry designer, and a member of the first U.S. Olympic judo team.

“He was always generous to me with his time and wisdom,” Sen. John Hickenlooper wrote in a remembrance on Wednesday. “I will not forget his acts of kindness. He will be sorely missed.”

Former Senator Cory Gardner called Nighthorse Campbell a “true icon of the United States Senate, & fearless public servant” in a statement and said he was “gracious and kind, always willing to lend an ear and sound advice.”

“Colorado lost a true legend in former U.S. Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell,” GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert wrote on social media. “A proud Northern Cheyenne, Olympian, veteran, and trailblazing leader who championed our great state. He and his beloved wife Linda were pioneers for Colorado and built a legacy of strength, service, and innovation that will inspire generations to come.”

Nighthorse Campbell was first elected to the House in 1987, representing western Colorado, before being elected to the Senate in 1991. During his time in office, he played a key role in the creation of two of Colorado’s National Parks: Great Sand Dunes and the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. He was also instrumental in the creation of the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C., and the preservation of the Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site.

Nighthorse Campbell was born in Auburn, California. He dropped out of high school to serve in the Korean War as a member of the U.S. Air Force. After his service, while attending San Jose State University, Nighthorse Campbell joined the school’s judo team. He competed in the 1964 Tokyo games but was injured and did not medal.

Nighthorse Campbell entered politics via the Colorado legislature before seeking a seat in Congress. He cut a colorful figure on Capitol Hill, known for riding a motorcycle and appearing in the Senate tie-less, according to a profile in High Country News.

He was the only Native American in the Senate while he served there. He also became the first Native American to chair the Committee on Indian Affairs.

In 1995, Nighthorse Campbell shocked the political establishment by switching parties midway through his first term in the Senate.

“I can no longer represent the agenda that is put forth by the party,” Nighthorse Campbell said at a press conference announcing the shift, as quoted by the New York Times. “Although I certainly agree with many of the things they stand for.”

The Times reported his party shift was due more to personal disputes with the Democratic establishment in Colorado than changes in his own ideology. Much of his congressional staff quit on the spot, but he went on to win reelection in 1998 as a Republican.

In another shift, Nighthorse Campbell voted with the Bush Administration to authorize the Iraq War in 2003. By 2016, he had “misgivings” about that decision.

"In retrospect, after seeing that there were no weapons of mass destruction and that we did not have really good intelligence on the ground to give us some guidance on how we should proceed, I now look back and think, ‘Maybe I shouldn't have voted the way I did,’” he told Colorado Matters.

The 2013 government shutdown also changed Nighthorse Campbell’s opinion about term limits for Congress.

“I never used to believe in limited terms for elected officials, but I'm beginning to believe it now because too many of them are voting to get back in office rather than voting to do the right thing,” Nighthorse Campbell said.

The longtime legislator experienced multiple shutdowns during the Clinton Administration. The first lasted six days in mid-November 1995. The second lasted 21 days, between Dec. 16 to Jan. 6, 1996. It was the longest shutdown in U.S. history at the time.

After leaving politics, Nighthorse Campbell worked as a lobbyist, representing tribes and other interests. He also founded Nighthorse Jewelry with his daughter and grandson. He belonged to the 44-member Council of Chiefs of the Northern Cheyenne Indian Tribe.

Nighthorse Campbell’s varied professional background came in handy in some surprising ways.

As the only senator with a commercial drivers license, he was responsible for bringing the Christmas tree to the U.S. Capitol on two occasions. The first time he transported the tree was in 2000.

He was tapped the second time to bring the Christmas tree in 2012. Campbell talked about the 23-day trip from the White River National Forest to Washington, D.C., with Colorado Matters.

“Ever since I was a teenager, I got through college by driving a semi,” Campbell said. “And the only difference with this is it's so long. But the police go with you. There's police escorts. I tell people it's kind of fun having red lights and sirens in front of you, (rather) than chasing you.”

Tatiana Schlossberg obit

Tatiana Schlossberg Dies: Environmental Journalist & JFK’s Granddaughter Was 35

 

She was not on the list.

Environmental journalist and granddaughter of President John F. Kennedy Tatiana Schlossberg has died. She was 35.

Schlossberg’s family posted the news on Instagram via the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Foundation account.

“Our beautiful Tatiana passed away this morning,” the post’s caption reads. “She will always be in our hearts.”

The statement is signed by Schlossberg’s parents, Edwin Schlossberg and Caroline Kennedy, as well as her siblings, Jack and Rose.

The middle child and second daughter of Edwin Schlossberg and Carlone Kennedy revealed her terminal leukemia diagnosis in a New Yorker essay published in November 2025. Doctors discovered the acute myeloid leukemia shortly after she gave birth to her daughter in May 2024.

“I did not—could not—believe that they were talking about me. I had swum a mile in the pool the day before, nine months pregnant. I wasn’t sick. I didn’t feel sick. I was actually one of the healthiest people I knew,” she wrote in her New Yorker essay, titled The Battle With My Blood, recalling her reaction to the diagnosis.

She also revealed in that essay that a postpartum hemorrhage almost killed her following the birth of her daughter. She recounted her time at Columbia-Presbytarian and later Memorial Sloan Kettering. She also did a round of at-home chemotherapy. Her sister turned out to be a match for donating stem cells.

In the essay, Schlossberg remembered watching her cousin, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. get nominated and confirmed as the Secretary of Health and Human Services “in the face of logic and common sense.” She drew connections between watching RFK “cut nearly half a billion dollars for research into mRNA vaccines” and her experience being cared for by doctors and nurses.

Schlossberg formerly wrote about climate and the environment for The New York Times. Her book, Inconspicuous Consumption: The Environmental Impact You Don’t Know You Have, published in August 2019. She was planning to write a book about oceans — their destruction and also their opportunities — before she got sick. In mentioning this, she called out one of her chemotherapy drugs, cytarabine, which exists thanks to the sponge Tectitethya crypta that lives in the Caribbean sea.

She is survived by her husband and their two children, Edwin and Josephine.

Isiah Whitlock obit

Isiah Whitlock Jr. Dies: ‘The Wire’ Actor & Frequent Spike Lee Collaborator Was 71

 

He was not on the list.

Isiah Whitlock Jr., a veteran character actor known for memorable roles in such series as The Wire, Veep, Your Honor and The Residence and a number of Spike Lee movies, died Tuesday in New York. He was 71.

His manager Brian Liebman told Deadline that Whitlock died peacefully after battling a short illness.

Born in South Bend, Indiana, Whitlock started his acting career by joining San Francisco’s American Conservatory Theater after graduating from college.

His first notable screen role was a 1987 guest shot on CBS’ Cagney & Lacey. He worked steadily in television for the past 3½ decades doing dozens of guest appearances including the Law & Order franchise, with multiple episodes each on the mothership series, Special Victims Unit and Criminal Intent.

Whitlock is probably best known for playing corrupt State Sen. R. Clayton “Clay” Davis on HBO’s The Wire. He appeared on all five seasons of David Simon’s lauded crime drama, recurring in Seasons 1-4 before joining the main cast in Season 5.

He also recurred on HBO’s political comedy Veep as Secretary of Defense Gen. George Maddox and was a series regular on Showtime’s legal thriller drama Your Honor, playing a politician with connections to organized crime.

Whitlock’s last TV role was a series-regular turn as the Chief of Police opposite Uzo Aduba on Netflix’s White House murder mystery The Residence, which premiered in March.

In features, Whitlock is known for his longstanding relationship with Lee, appearing in six of the Oscar-winning filmmaker’s movies: 25th Hour (2002), She Hate Me (2004), Red Hook Summer (2012), Chi-Raq (2015), BlacKkKlansman (2018) and Da 5 Bloods (2020). Lee paid tribute to “my dear beloved brother” following Whitlock’s death.

It was in 25th Hour that Whitlock first introduced what would become his signature phrase, ‘Sheeeeeit,” his own interpretation of the word “sh*t,” a delivery he said in a 2008 interview that he had picked up from his uncle Leon.

“I did it there, and I did it in She Hate Me,” he said in the interview. “But then, when I got on to The Wire, I saw a couple of opportunities where I could do it, and I did. And they started writing it in.”

The phrase’s popularity grew, and it soon entered pop culture.

“I was in, I think, Grand Central Station and far away I heard someone say it and they’d be kind of smiling” he said. “I’m glad people enjoy it.”

In another meta moment, Whitlock got to play a character in the 2011 movie Cedar Rapids who is a self-professed fan of The Wire.

On the big screen, he most recently was seen in Elizabeth Banks’ black comedy Cocaine Bear and soon will be heard as part of the voice cast of the Pixar/Disney animated feature Hoppers.

“Isiah was a brilliant actor and even better person,” Liebman told Deadline. “He was loved by all who had the pleasure to work with or know him. He will be greatly missed.”

 

Actor

Hoppers

Bird King (voice)

Completed

2026

 

The Body is Water

David Alexander Wilkins

Post-production

 

Bronson Pinchot, Giancarlo Esposito, Jason Lee, Ken Marino, Mel Rodriguez, Randall Park, Susan Kelechi Watson, Julieth Restrepo, Uzo Aduba, Molly Griggs, and Mary Wiseman in The Residence (2025)

The Residence

7.7

TV Mini Series

Larry Dokes

2025

8 episodes

 

Bryan Cranston in Your Honor (2020)

Your Honor

7.6

TV Series

Charlie Figaro

2020–2023

19 episodes

 

Cocaine Bear (2023)

Cocaine Bear

5.9

Bob

2023

 

Donald Glover, Brian Tyree Henry, LaKeith Stanfield, and Zazie Beetz in Atlanta (2016)

Atlanta

8.6

TV Series

Raleigh Marks

2016–2022

2 episodes

 

Chris Evans in Lightyear (2022)

Lightyear

6.1

Commander Burnside (voice)

2022

 

Triggered (2022)

Triggered

7.7

Short

Ohio

2022

 

Lamorne Morris, Blake Anderson, Sasheer Zamata, and T. Murph in Woke (2020)

Woke

6.7

TV Series

Mr. Jackson

2022

2 episodes

 

The Kings of Napa (2022)

The Kings of Napa

4.6

TV Series

Reginald King

2022

1 episode

 

Apple & Onion (2016)

Apple & Onion

6.3

TV Series

Mayor Naise (voice)

2020–2021

5 episodes

 

Rosamund Pike in I Care a Lot (2020)

I Care a Lot

6.4

Judge Lomax

2020

 

Da 5 Bloods (2020)

Da 5 Bloods

6.5

Melvin

2020

 

Sloan Hearts Neckface (2020)

Sloan Hearts Neckface

6.2

Short

Lester

2020

 

Leslie Bibb and Josh Duhamel in The Lost Husband (2020)

The Lost Husband

6.1

Russ McAllen

2020

 

Seneca (2019)

Seneca

7.1

Michael

2019

 

Run with the Hunted (2019)

Run with the Hunted

5.2

Lester

2019

 

Emily Ratajkowski and Theo James in Lying and Stealing (2019)

Lying and Stealing

5.5

Lyman Wilkers

2019

 

Jeremy Sisto, Alana De La Garza, Missy Peregrym, John Boyd, and Zeeko Zaki in FBI (2018)

FBI

7.1

TV Series

Richard Talmage

2019

1 episode

 

Demi Moore, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Calum Worthy, Ed Helms, Jessica Williams, Nasim Pedrad, Dan Bakkedahl, Martha Kelly, Jennifer Kim, and Karan Soni in Corporate Animals (2019)

Corporate Animals

4.5

Derek

2019

 

Lost Holiday (2019)

Lost Holiday

4.5

Matthews

2019

 

Téa Leoni in Madam Secretary (2014)

Madam Secretary

7.8

TV Series

Hervé Dupont

2018

1 episode

 

Tony Danza and Josh Groban in The Good Cop (2018)

The Good Cop

7.0

TV Series

Burl Loomis

2018

10 episodes

 

Will Arnett in BoJack Horseman (2014)

BoJack Horseman

8.8

TV Series

C.E.O. (voice)

2018

1 episode

 

Robert Redford in The Old Man & the Gun (2018)

The Old Man & the Gun

6.7

Detective Gene Dentler

2018

 

John David Washington in BlacKkKlansman (2018)

BlacKkKlansman

7.5

Mr. Turrentine

2018

 

All Square (2018)

All Square

6.2

Scotty

2018

 

Thin Ice (2017)

Thin Ice

7.6

TV Movie

Bill

2017

 

Kevin James and Leah Remini in Kevin Can Wait (2016)

Kevin Can Wait

5.6

TV Series

Jerry

2017

1 episode

 

She's Gotta Have It (2017)

She's Gotta Have It

7.0

TV Series

Dog #10

2017

1 episode

 

Tichina Arnold, RonReaco Lee, Erica Ash, Jessie T. Usher, and Teyonah Parris in Survivor's Remorse (2014)

Survivor's Remorse

7.2

TV Series

Samuel Jordan

2017

4 episodes

 

The Mist (2017)

The Mist

5.4

TV Series

Gus Bradley

2017

8 episodes

 

Tony Shalhoub, Owen Wilson, Larry the Cable Guy, Cai Puri-Evans, Heledd Jarman, Cristela Alonzo, and Siân Eirian in Cars 3 (2017)

Cars 3

6.7

River Scott (voice)

2017

 

Michael Peña and Dax Shepard in CHIPS (2017)

CHIPS

6.0

Peterson

2017

 

Tim Meadows, Cheryl Hines, Jason Sudeikis, and Johnny Pemberton in Son of Zorn (2016)

Son of Zorn

6.8

TV Series

Robert

2017

1 episode

 

Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu in Elementary (2012)

Elementary

7.9

TV Series

Jack Brunelle

2017

1 episode

 

Person to Person (2017)

Person to Person

5.7

Buster

2017

 

Charity Case

3.6

TV Movie

Ronald

2016

 

Jay & Pluto (2016)

Jay & Pluto

TV Series

Therapist

2016

 

John Kassir and Oakes Fegley in Pete's Dragon (2016)

Pete's Dragon

6.7

Sheriff Gene Dentler (as Isiah Whitlock)

2016

 

Tom Ellis in Lucifer (2016)

Lucifer

8.0

TV Series

Carmen

2016

1 episode

 

Teyonah Parris in Chi-Raq (2015)

Chi-Raq

5.9

Bacchos

2015

 

Jennifer Carpenter and Jake McDorman in Limitless (2015)

Limitless

7.6

TV Series

Lawrence Drake

2015

1 episode

 

Mariska Hargitay in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999)

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

8.1

TV Series

Captain ReeceTodd SmytheRobbery Division Captain ...

2000–2015

6 episodes

 

David Alan Grier, Loretta Devine, Amber Stevens West, Tiffany Haddish, Lil Rel Howery, and Jerrod Carmichael in The Carmichael Show (2015)

The Carmichael Show

7.7

TV Series

Reverend Carlson

2015

1 episode

 

Julia Louis-Dreyfus in Veep (2012)

Veep

8.4

TV Series

George Maddox

2013–2015

7 episodes

 

Gotham (2014)

Gotham

7.8

TV Series

Gerry Lang

2015

1 episode

 

Mark Hapka in 23 Blast (2014)

23 Blast

6.5

Dr. Connelly

2014

 

Luis Antonio Ramos, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Lorraine Bruce, Matt Long, Summer Bishil, and Stephen Louis Grush in Lucky 7 (2013)

Lucky 7

5.2

TV Series

Bob Harris

2013–2014

8 episodes

 

Nia Long, Damon Gupton, Paul Schneider, and Marin Ireland in The Divide (2014)

The Divide

7.5

TV Series

Rev. Cheeks

2014

1 episode

 

Robin Williams, Mila Kunis, Peter Dinklage, and Melissa Leo in The Angriest Man in Brooklyn (2014)

The Angriest Man in Brooklyn

5.7

Yates (Aaron's client)

2014

 

The Blacklist (2013)

The Blacklist

7.9

TV Series

Danny Moss

2014

1 episode

 

Lucas Bros Moving Co (2013)

Lucas Bros Moving Co

7.1

TV Series

Mr. Dream (voice)

2014

1 episode

 

Jerome's Bouquet (2013)

Jerome's Bouquet

8.1

Short

Jack

2013

 

Home (2013)

Home

7.4

Samuel

2013

 

Ned Luke, Shawn Fonteno, and Steven Ogg in Grand Theft Auto V (2013)

Grand Theft Auto V

9.4

Video Game

The Local Population (voice)

2013

 

Europa Report (2013)

Europa Report

6.4

Dr. Tarik Pamuk

2013

 

Jimmy Fallon in Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (2009)

Late Night with Jimmy Fallon

6.7

TV Series

Trent

2013

2 episodes

 

Newlyweeds (2013)

Newlyweeds

5.8

Philly

2013

 

John Magaro and Bella Heathcote in Not Fade Away (2012)

Not Fade Away

6.0

Landers

2012

 

Louis C.K. in Louie (2010)

Louie

8.5

TV Series

Alphonse

2012

2 episodes

 

Tim Robbins, Gwyneth Paltrow, P!nk, Mark Ruffalo, and Josh Gad in Thanks for Sharing (2012)

Thanks for Sharing

6.4

Charles

2012

 

Anjelica Huston, Debra Messing, Jack Davenport, Christian Borle, Leslie Odom Jr., Jennifer Hudson, Katharine McPhee, Megan Hilty, Jeremy Jordan, Krysta Rodriguez, and Andy Mientus in Smash (2012)

Smash

7.7

TV Series

Ronald Strickland

2012

2 episodes

 

Jesse Eisenberg, Melissa Leo, and Tracy Morgan in Why Stop Now? (2012)

Why Stop Now?

5.5

Black

2012

 

Red Hook Summer (2012)

Red Hook Summer

5.3

Detective Flood

2012

 

Julianna Margulies in The Good Wife (2009)

The Good Wife

8.3

TV Series

Ira Protopapas

2011

1 episode

 

Vincent D'Onofrio, Kathryn Erbe, Eric Bogosian, Julianne Nicholson, and Chris Noth in Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2001)

Law & Order: Criminal Intent

7.6

TV Series

Crime Scene DetectiveDetective

2001–2011

3 episodes

 

Chaos (2011)

Chaos

7.0

TV Series

Warren

2011

1 episode

 

Adrien Brody and Christina Hendricks in Detachment (2011)

Detachment

7.7

Mr. Mathias

2011

 

Onion SportsDome (2011)

Onion SportsDome

7.5

TV Series

Wally WrightIsiah Whitlock Jr.

2011

3 episodes

 

Gun Hill Road (2011)

Gun Hill Road

6.5

Officer Thompson

2011

 

Ed Helms in Cedar Rapids (2011)

Cedar Rapids

6.3

Ronald Wilkes

2011

 

Main Street (2010)

Main Street

4.8

Mayor

2010

 

James Badge Dale in Rubicon (2010)

Rubicon

7.9

TV Series

Mr. Roy

2010

6 episodes

 

Emma Roberts, 50 Cent, and Chace Crawford in Twelve (2010)

Twelve

5.6

Detective Dumont (as Isiah Whitlock)

2010

 

Meet the Browns (2009)

Meet the Browns

3.8

TV Series

Sidney Graves

2010

1 episode

 

Speed Grieving (2009)

Speed Grieving

8.1

Short

Dr. Holder

2009

 

Chris Diamantopoulos and Kelly Overton in Under New Management (2009)

Under New Management

6.0

Rev. A.L. Blunton

2009

 

Adam Goldberg, Harold Perrineau, Jeremy Renner, and Amber Tamblyn in The Unusuals (2009)

The Unusuals

7.9

TV Series

Captain Leslie Morgan

2009

1 episode

 

I Hate Valentine's Day (2009)

I Hate Valentine's Day

4.7

Drummer

2009

 

Richard Gere, Ethan Hawke, Don Cheadle, and Wesley Snipes in Brooklyn's Finest (2009)

Brooklyn's Finest

6.7

Investigator #3 (as Isiah Whitlock)

2009

 

The Things We Know

Short

Keith

2008

 

Adrien Brody, Norman Reedus, Beyoncé, Jeffrey Wright, and Shiloh Fernandez in Cadillac Records (2008)

Cadillac Records

7.0

Mississippi DJ

2008

 

Human Giant (2007)

Human Giant

8.1

TV Series

Casting Director

2008

1 episode

 

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau in New Amsterdam (2008)

New Amsterdam

7.4

TV Series

Joe Williams

2008

1 episode

 

The Wire (2002)

The Wire

9.3

TV Series

State Senator R. Clayton 'Clay' Davis

2002–2008

25 episodes

 

Choke (2008)

Choke

6.4

Detective Palmer

2008

 

Susan Sarandon, Patrick Dempsey, James Marsden, and Amy Adams in Enchanted (2007)

Enchanted

7.1

Ethan Banks

2007

 

The Man in My House

Short

T.J.

2007

 

John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson in 1408 (2007)

1408

6.8

Hotel Engineer

2007

 

A Nick in Time

7.8

Short

Old Bob Delagard

2007

 

William Hurt, Julianna Margulies, Rita Wilson, and Michelle Trachtenberg in Beautiful Ohio (2006)

Beautiful Ohio

5.7

Mr. Lebreaux

2006

 

Dave Chappelle in Chappelle's Show (2003)

Chappelle's Show

8.8

TV Series

HaroldStore manager

2003–2006

2 episodes

 

Kettle of Fish (2006)

Kettle of Fish

5.2

Freddie

2006

 

Slavery and the Making of America (2005)

Slavery and the Making of America

7.8

TV Series

MinisterPetitioner

2005

1 episode

 

Stealing Martin Lane (2005)

Stealing Martin Lane

6.9

Chopper

2005

 

Janeane Garofalo and David Schwimmer in Duane Hopwood (2005)

Duane Hopwood

6.5

William

2005

 

Honey Trap (2005)

Honey Trap

7.2

Short

The Detective

2005

 

Law & Order (1990)

Law & Order

7.8

TV Series

Capt. NavarroFred OakesSimon Brooks ...

1995–2004

5 episodes

 

Anthony Mackie in She Hate Me (2004)

She Hate Me

5.3

Agent Amos Flood (as Isiah Whitlock)

2004

 

Billy Burke, Adam Busch, Shalom Harlow, Jeff Hephner, and Cote de Pablo in The Jury (2004)

The Jury

7.1

TV Series

Abbott Truman

2004

1 episode

 

Bought & Sold (2003)

Bought & Sold

6.9

Mr. Stubbs

2003

 

Oliver Platt, Katie Holmes, Patricia Clarkson, and Derek Luke in Pieces of April (2003)

Pieces of April

7.0

Eugene

2003

 

Edward Norton in 25th Hour (2002)

25th Hour

7.6

Agent Flood

2002

 

NYPD Blue (1993)

NYPD Blue

7.8

TV Series

Anton Emery

2002

1 episode

 

Driving Fish

9.5

Short

Mason

2002

 

Tom Cavanagh in Ed (2000)

Ed

7.7

TV Series

Tim Unger

2001

2 episodes

 

WW 3 (2001)

WW 3

5.0

TV Movie

2001

 

Jump Tomorrow (2001)

Jump Tomorrow

7.1

George's Uncle

2001

 

Gabriel Byrne, Roy Dotrice, and John Hensley in Madigan Men (2000)

Madigan Men

6.8

TV Series

Airport Guard

2000

1 episode

 

Michelle Forbes, Billy Burke, Joelle Carter, Martin Donovan, Ted Levine, and Michael Jai White in Wonderland (2000)

Wonderland

7.6

TV Series

Reviewer (uncredited)

2000

1 episode

 

Michael Beach, Eddie Cibrian, Kim Raver, Jason Wiles, Coby Bell, Amy Carlson, Molly Price, Anthony Ruivivar, and Skipp Sudduth in Third Watch (1999)

Third Watch

8.0

TV Series

Reggie Simmons

1999

1 episode

 

Damon Wayans in Harlem Aria (1999)

Harlem Aria

5.9

Manny

1999

 

A Fish in the Bathtub (1998)

A Fish in the Bathtub

6.1

Rudy

1998

 

Liberty! The American Revolution (1997)

Liberty! The American Revolution

8.5

TV Mini Series

Luke-Slave

1997

6 episodes

 

Campbell Scott in The Spanish Prisoner (1997)

The Spanish Prisoner

7.1

Trooper

1997

 

Everyone Says I Love You (1996)

Everyone Says I Love You

6.7

Cop (as Isiah Whitlock)

1996

 

Whoopi Goldberg in Eddie (1996)

Eddie

5.2

Rick

1996

 

Patti D'Arbanville, Michael DeLorenzo, and Malik Yoba in New York Undercover (1994)

New York Undercover

7.9

TV Series

Chief Hardin

1996

1 episode

 

Queen (1993)

Queen

7.6

TV Mini Series

Preacher (as Isiaah Whitlock)

1993

1 episode

 

As the World Turns (1956)

As the World Turns

6.3

TV Series

Dr. Phalen

1992

1 episode

 

Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, and Joe Pesci in Goodfellas (1990)

Goodfellas

8.7

Doctor

1990

 

Howie Mandel and Tony Randall in Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)

Gremlins 2: The New Batch

6.5

Fireman

1990

 

Ronald Maccone and Irene Papas in Ocean (1989)

Ocean

7.5

TV Mini Series

The Moose (as Isiah Whitloch Jr.)

1989

6 episodes

 

Cagney & Lacey (1981)

Cagney & Lacey

6.9

TV Series

Man Getting a Cab (as Isiah Whitlock)

1987

1 episode

 

A Christmas Carol

4.4

TV Movie

Second Charitable GentlemanParty Guest

1981

 

Writer

The Whitlock Academy (2015)

The Whitlock Academy

TV Series

Writer

2015–2016

4 episodes

 

Additional Crew

Roger Clark in Red Dead Redemption II (2018)

Red Dead Redemption II

9.8

Video Game

additional motion capture

2018

 

Self

Constance Cooks

Self

Post-productionTV Series

1 episode

 

Spike Lee's Da 5 Bloods: Casting and Crafting a Timely Epic

Self

2021

 

Live from Detroit: The Jeff Dwoskin Show (2020)

Live from Detroit: The Jeff Dwoskin Show

9.0

TV Series

Self - Guest

2021

1 episode

 

Spike Lee: American Cinematheque Tribute (2021)

Spike Lee: American Cinematheque Tribute

TV Special

Self

2021

 

Nicolas Cage in History of Swear Words (2021)

History of Swear Words

6.4

TV Series

Self - Actor

2021

2 episodes

 

Showtime: YouTube Channel (2006)

Showtime: YouTube Channel

TV Series

Self

2021

1 episode

 

Samuel L. Jackson, Mark Wahlberg, and Kylie Erica Mar in Made in Hollywood (2005)

Made in Hollywood

4.7

TV Series

Self

2020

1 episode

 

Wyatt Cenac's Problem Areas (2018)

Wyatt Cenac's Problem Areas

6.8

TV Series

Self - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

2018

1 episode

 

Cars 3: Legendary

7.0

Video

Self

2017

 

The Whitlock Academy (2015)

The Whitlock Academy

TV Series

Self

2015–2016

4 episodes

 

Jimmy Fallon in Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (2009)

Late Night with Jimmy Fallon

6.7

TV Series

Self

2012

1 episode

 

The Wire Odyssey (2007)

The Wire Odyssey

7.8

TV Movie

Self

2007

 

Archive Footage

Say Goodnight Kevin (2014)

Say Goodnight Kevin

7.5

TV Series

Self - Dr. Connelly (archive footage)

2018

1 episode

 

Tim Kask obit

Tim Kask (1949 - 2025)

 

He was not on the list.

Today, we lost Tim Kask, and it feels like one of the load-bearing pillars of this hobby has been removed. He was 76, just two weeks shy of 77.

Before he was TSR’s first full-time employee, before he edited The Dragon and helped turn a homebrew wargame into a living culture, Tim Kask was a married student at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale (SIUC). A Saluki. That detail matters more than it might seem. Well. At least to me.

From SIUC, Kask did something that sounds almost mythic now. He found an address for Gary Gygax in the back of Chainmail, picked up the phone, and cold-called Lake Geneva. Late '73 or early '74, depending on whose memory you trust. He got invited up, and the rest is history. Not destiny. Not inevitability. Just a guy deciding to make the call.

Tim and I talked a lot about SIUC. Salukis never really ever forget Carbondale, becomes part of our DNA. He told me about visiting his brother in the Triads, playing D&D there, making space for imagination in cinderblock dorm rooms. He lived in Boomer Hall, I lived in Wright Hall two of the three Triads. About thirteen or fourteen years apart, but close enough that the echoes line up. Same bricks. Same paths. Same sense that something strange and creative could happen there.

I'd love to know how many games were played in those ugly damn dorms. And we all have Tim Kask to thank for this.

Kask refereed what local coverage described as the first Dungeons & Dragons campaign played at SIU, and likely one of the first outside Lake Geneva. The Qualishar campaign, or Kwalishar, depending on which source you read. The spelling drift alone tells you how early this was. This was before canon. Before anyone knew they were making history.

That Carbondale period mattered. It shaped how D&D escaped the gravitational pull of those three little brown books and became something people shared, argued about, wrote letters about, and eventually built communities around. Tim was there when the game stopped being just rules and became culture.

There is also that wonderful bit of apocrypha Tim himself shared over the years. His first player character was named Kwalish. Fans have long connected that, informally, to the Apparatus of Kwalish. Is it provable? No. Is it plausible? Absolutely. And that feels right for Tim. Part fact, part legend, part inside joke, all wrapped up in the living memory of the game.

Tim Kask was never just an editor. He was a bridge. Between Lake Geneva and the rest of the world. Between amateurs and professionals. Between "this is a fun idea" and "this is something worth taking seriously."

Rest well, Tim. The dice are still rolling because you helped get them out of the box. I'll roll some dice in your honor or use a Quatro's cup with some chits, or my SIU cup.

Kask became interested in board games in his childhood, and later turned to miniatures wargames. While attending university after a stint in the US Navy, he was part of a group that playtested an early version of the new role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) for game co-designer Gary Gygax. Gygax hired him as the first employee of TSR, Inc. in 1975. After editing some of TSR's early D&D publications, Kask became editor of The Strategic Review, which later became The Dragon, and then Dragon Magazine.

Kask left TSR in 1980 to publish a new magazine, Adventure Gaming, but when that failed, he left the games industry in 1983 and spent some time as a freelance editor and speechwriter before becoming a teacher. In 2010 he returned to the games industry as one of the co-founders of Eldritch Enterprises.

Tim Kask was born and raised in Moline, Illinois. At age 11, he became interested in Avalon Hill's board wargame D-Day, and played it frequently for three years. During a four-year stint with the US Navy (1967–1971) during the Vietnam War, he often played 1914, another Avalon Hill game. He married his wife Cheryl in 1970, and they have a daughter, and a son.

After leaving the navy, Kask attended Southern Illinois University’s campus in Carbondale, Illinois. While there, he was introduced to miniature wargaming, including Chainmail. Kask phoned Chainmail author Gary Gygax with some questions about the game. This developed into a series of long late-night phone conversations about miniatures rules that eventually resulted in Gygax's invitation to Kask to come to the Gen Con gaming convention in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.  There Kask finally met Gygax in person for the first time. At the time, Gygax was co-developing the rules for a new type of game that he called "The Fantasy Game". Kask sat in on the two sample sessions that Gygax offered, thereby becoming one of the first people outside of Gygax's family and friends to play what would become Dungeons & Dragons.

In 1975, a year after the original rules to Dungeons & Dragons were published by Tactical Studies Rules (soon to become TSR, Inc.), Gygax hired Kask as an editor, the first full-time employee of the new company. Kask's first assignment was editing, developing, and contributing to the Blackmoor rules supplement.[4] Kask became editor of The Strategic Review, starting with Issue #5. Kask authorized Jennell Jaquays through a casual license to publish The Dungeoneer as a fanzine to publish adventures for gamemasters to use.[6] In 1976 Kask edited the final three supplementary rules booklets for the original D&D rules: Eldritch Wizardry, Gods, Demi-gods & Heroes, and Swords & Spells. Kask's focus within TSR then changed, as he oversaw the formation of TSR Periodicals. He split The Strategic Review into two new periodicals: The Dragon, devoted to D&D; and Little Wars, devoted to historical board gaming and miniatures play. Kask was the editor of the first 33 issues of The Dragon (soon renamed Dragon Magazine). Kask developed and edited TSR's historical board game, William the Conqueror, 1066, and was responsible for starting the Days of the Dragon line of calendars. During the development of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons and Basic Dungeons & Dragons in the late 1970s, Kask helped Gygax delineate the differences between the two game systems.

Kask was responsible for hiring a number of people at TSR who subsequently went on to become influential creators in the role-playing game industry, including Kim Mohan.

Jerry Welsh obit

SUNY Potsdam Hall of Fame men's Basketball Coach and former Athletic Director Jerry Welsh passed away on December 30, 2025. The Massena native was 89.

 He was not on the list.

"Coach Jerry Welsh's impact on SUNY Potsdam and the world of college basketball is immeasurable. He was a visionary leader who built a program that inspired generations of student-athletes and elevated our institution to national prominence. Beyond his remarkable record, Coach Welsh embodied integrity, humility and an unwavering commitment to excellence. We mourn his loss as a campus, and celebrate a life that truly changed the game," said SUNY Potsdam President Dr. Suzanne R. Smith.

When Welsh arrived at Potsdam for the 1968-69 basketball season, he was already an accomplished coach. A 1958 graduate of Ithaca College, Welsh guided the Massena High School varsity team to a 146-32 record from 1960-68. In May of 1968, he was hired as the Bears' head coach while fellow Potsdam Hall of Famer Lou LaGrand was on a one-year sabbatical. After assisting LaGrand for the 1969-70 season, Welsh became the program's permanent head coach for the 1970-71 campaign, a position he held for 22 seasons.

Welsh's efforts saw quick results, with the Bears qualifying for the NCAA Tournament during the 1972-73 and 1973-74 campaigns. The 1977-78 season saw Potsdam begin a run of 13 consecutive years where the Bears reached the national tournament. They also claimed eight State University of New York Athletic Conference titles during the stretch (1974, 1977-80, 1983, 1986, 1987). In NCAA play, Potsdam won nine East Region Championships and reached the title game five times in eight years (1979, 1981, 1982, 1985, 1986). Welsh led the Bears to National Championships in 1981 and 1986, earning National Coach of the Year honors in both seasons. The 1985-86 team was 32-0 and extended its winning streak to 60 games during the following season. He closed out his time at Potsdam with a victory over No. 1 Hamilton College in the 1991 ECAC Upstate Tournament Championship.

Welsh guided the Bears to a 494-143 record and a .776 winning percentage in his 22 seasons. In SUNYAC play his teams were 184-49 (.790). Eight of Welsh's players earned All-American status, five claiming the honor twice, and 42 were named All-SUNYAC.

Welsh became Potsdam's athletic director in April 1977 and oversaw the athletic department for the rest of his Bears career. He helped found the Potsdam Athletic Hall of Fame in 1979 and was inducted in 1992. He started the College's annual summer basketball camp in 1971 and returned frequently to instruct its young participants.

After leaving the North Country, Welsh served as the head coach for Division I Iona University from 1991-1995. In retirement he and his wife Cathy relocated to North Carolina, where he served on the faculty at Duke University. At Duke he taught Theory of Basketball Coaching for 23 years and had many future NBA and WBNA players pass through his class.

In addition to the Potsdam Hall of Fame, Welsh also belonged to the Ithaca College, Massena High School, North Country Sports and New York State Basketball Halls of Fame. 

Welsh returned to Potsdam's campus a final time in the Fall of 2022 for the debut of the documentary "The Bodacious Bears." The film highlighted his program's championship seasons. He claimed a final honor in February 2025 when he was named a finalist for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

Welsh's wife Cathy (Zappia) is a 1957 Potsdam graduate. The couple had three children. Daughters Mary Kay Wells and Anne-Marie Sales. Son Tim is a 1984 Potsdam graduate as well as an analyst for ESPN and a former Division I coach.

"To say that Coach Welsh is a legend, an icon, doesn't even come close to doing him justice," said Potsdam Director of Athletics Mark Misiak. "Whenever I walk by the gymnasium which bears his name, I'm inspired to be better and do better for our student-athletes and our institution. He took us to the very pinnacle of college athletics, and he did it all with class. Everyone who met Coach Welsh came away saying he was an even better person than a coach, and as a coach, he was the best."

"Coach Welsh was an absolute treasure to both the college and the North County community," said former Welsh assistant and Bears head coach Bill Mitchell. "It's impossible to convey the lasting impact of his life in just a few sentences. From what I witnessed over the years, his most special gift was how he treated anyone and everyone who crossed his path. As simple as this may sound, a quick smile and a few encouraging words from Coach would make anyone feel that much better. He set a daily example of how to help others and live a full and meaningful life. We all lost a great friend. How truly lucky we all were to have him in our lives."