Ulysses S. Grant

Posted in Grant National Memorial with tags , on November 19, 2013 by Cade

grant1April 27, 1822 – July 23, 1885

You know you’ve had an eventful life when being the President of the United States is the SECOND most famous thing for which you are known. Ulysses S. Grant was – of course – the commanding officer of the Union Army that accepted Robert E. Lee’s surrender to end the U.S. Civil War. Three years following the end of the war, Grant was elected as the 18th U.S. President. His presidency was full of successes and of failures. No real surprise considering the state of the country at the time. During his time in office, the last of the Confederate states were restored into the union. He was also instrumental in the passage of the Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which guaranteed the right to vote of (male) citizens, regardless of race. Continue reading →

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Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

Posted in Arlington National Cemetery with tags , on November 19, 2013 by Cade

kennedyoJuly 28, 1929 – May 19, 1994

Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy Onassis skyrocketed to international attention as the glamorous wife of the 35th President of the United States, John F. Kennedy. However, in the years after JFK’s assassination, Jackie did not fade away and maintained a relatively high profile. In 1968, she married shipping magnate, Aristotle Onassis, and became – now, no longer entitled to Secret Service protection – a popular target for photographers and paparazzi. After Onassis died in 1975, Jackie committed herself to personal work. She worked as an editor and spent a lot of time campaigning for the preservation of historic landmarks and architecture. Continue reading →

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James Coburn

Posted in Westwood Memorial Park with tags , , on November 18, 2013 by Cade

coburn1August 31, 1928 – November 18, 2002

Best known for “tough guy” roles throughout his 45 year career, Academy Award winner, James Harrison Coburn III, was the epitome of cool. His huge, toothy grin was unmistakable and his hip demeanor was more “Rat Pack” than ruffian – despite his ominous presence on both the large and small screens. He is probably best remembered for his many roles in westerns and other action films. He appeared alongside fellow screen-toughies Charles Bronson and Steve McQueen in The Magnificent Seven and The Great Escape. Continue reading →

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Lawrence Welk

Posted in Holy Cross Cemetery with tags , on November 9, 2013 by Cade

welk1March 11, 1903 – May 17, 1992

“A one and a two . . . “

Lawrence Welk may be the most famous accordion player of all time.

He’s probably the most famous German-speaking accordion player of all time.

And, he’s MOST DEFINITELY the most famous German-speaking accordion player of all time from North Dakota.

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Minnie Riperton

Posted in Westwood Memorial Park with tags , on November 8, 2013 by Cade

riperton1November 8, 1947 – July 12, 1979

Minnie Riperton rose to fame in the 1970’s as a singer-songwriter known mostly for her 1975 single “Lovin’ You.” Riperton had a solid career as a solo artist, working with artists like Stevie Wonder and Muddy Waters and fronting a couple of differently-styled groups. She was most noted for her unique vocal quality, specifically her ability to sing quite clearly in even the highest registers. Continue reading →

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Phog Allen

Posted in Oak Hill Cemetery with tags , , , on November 5, 2013 by Cade

phog1November 18, 1885 – September 16, 1974

Forrest Clare Allen had many nicknames. To players he worked closely with, he was “Doc” (he was an osteopathic physician). To the larger, basketball community, he is the “Father of Basketball Coaching.” But, to most – including the legion of fans of his beloved Kansas Jayhawks – he is simply “Phog.”

Phog Allen played basketball for KU under the game’s inventor, James Naismith. He also lettered in baseball. He eventually coached both sports, along with the school’s football team. He even served as the university’s Athletic Director for nearly two decades. But it was as a basketball coach that he will always be remembered. Continue reading →

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Gloria Foster

Posted in Kensico Cemetery with tags , on November 4, 2013 by Cade

foster1November 15, 1933 – September 29, 2001

Sometimes, fame is just bookends. This was the case, to a degree, for the incredibly talented Gloria Foster. Foster made a splash in New York in 1963 for her Obie Award-winning performance in the Off-Broadway production of In White America. The show saw Foster portraying 27 different characters and wowed critics.  She continued a successful stage career appearing in Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun and other shows. Continue reading →

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Merv Griffin

Posted in Westwood Memorial Park with tags on October 29, 2013 by Cade

griffin1July 6, 1925 – August 12, 2007

Mervyn Edward Griffin, Jr. began his long, successful career as a radio singer. After touring with an orchestra and eventually creating his own record label, Griffin was discovered in a nightclub and began acting in films. Though he appeared in a number of movies, he decided he would rather work in television, which he did for nearly 30 years. And, of course, by “work in television,” I mean he would make monumental contributions to its landscape. Not only did he host a number of successful talk shows, but he also created a producing empire that spawned stalwart game shows like Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune and variety series like Dance Fever. In addition to creating Jeopardy!, he also penned its iconic theme song, so music was always there for him. Continue reading →

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Oscar Wilde

Posted in Père Lachaise Cemetery with tags , on October 26, 2013 by Cade

wilde1October 16, 1854 – November 30, 1900

Ever hear the term “The Gay Nineties”? Well, the British counterpart to the American decade of decadence at the end of the 19th century was deemed the “Naughty Nineties.”

Enter Oscar Wilde.

Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish-born (you don’t say?) writer who was known for his wit and flamboyant personality. His literary masterworks include his lone novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray and his most famous play, The Importance of Being Earnest. But enough of the boring stuff…Wilde spent the first half of the so-called “Naughty Nineties” in London embroiled in an affair with Lord Alfred Douglas. A fact the Douglas family was none too thrilled about. Wilde was publicly outed – practicing homosexuality was illegal at the time – and sentenced to 2 years of hard labor in prison. Prison life vastly disagreed with Wilde’s sense of aesthetics and art and all things opulent and his health rapidly declined. Continue reading →

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George Harrison

Posted in Cremated with tags , , , , on October 26, 2013 by Cade

harrison1February 25, 1943 – November 29, 2001

In 1958, at the age of 15, George Harrison auditioned – for the second time – for a band made up of local lads from his native Liverpool. Two years later, the band was known as the Beatles. Three years after that, they were launched into international stardom and the rest was, quite literally, history. George was the lead guitar player for the group and developed into a significant songwriter over his 12 years with the band. His songs and instrumental work began to expand to include Eastern influences – specifically Indian music, culture and religion. By the time the Beatles broke up in 1970, Harrison was on course for a very successful solo career. Continue reading →

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