Norman Whitfield, who co-wrote a string of Motown classics including "War" and "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," has died at 67.
Pink Floyd keyboardist dies at 65
Meera Selva
Richard Wright, a founding member of the rock group Pink Floyd, died Monday. He was 65.
Joyce Trimmer, 80: Former mayor of Scarborough
Tracy Huffman
She was Scarborough's first female mayor, a crusader for protecting green spaces, a strong-willed woman who wasn't afraid to stand up for her beliefs.
John A. Wheeler, 96: Physicist named 'black holes'
John A. Wheeler, a physicist involved in the Manhattan Project to build an atomic bomb who later gave the space phenomenon black holes their name, has died at 96.
Jerry Zucker: Hudson's Bay Co. CEO
Jerry Zucker, the governor and CEO of Hudson's Bay Company died Saturday after a battle with cancer.
Richard Widmark, 93: 'Kiss of Death' actor
STEPHEN SINGER
Richard Widmark, who made a sensational film debut as the giggling killer in Kiss of Death and became a leading man in Broken Lance, Two Rode Together and 40 other films, died at his home in Roxbury after a long illness. He was 93.
Ted Tyndorf, 54: Toronto's chief planner
Christopher Hume
Even before he succumbed to cancer on the weekend, Toronto's chief planner, Ted Tyndorf, never had an easy go of it.
Margaret Truman, 83: Only child of former president
MARGARET STAFFORD
Margaret Truman, the only child of former President Harry S. Truman who became a concert singer, actress, radio and TV personality and mystery writer, died Tuesday. She was 83.
Robert Weaver, 87: Godfather of CanLit
Bruce DeMara
Robert Weaver was a behind-the-scenes giant of the Canadian literary scene, nurturing generations of authors – among them Alice Munro, Timothy Findley and Mordecai Richler – through radio, print and anthologies.
Ike Turner, 76: Rock pioneer
Elliot Spagat
The prodigious musical legacy of Ike Turner, 76, was forever tarnished by his image as the drug-addicted, brutally abusive former husband of Tina Turner.
Dick Wilson, 91: Mr. Whipple in Charmin ads
Dick Wilson, the character actor and pitchman who for 21 years played an uptight grocer begging customers ``Please, don't squeeze the Charmin," died yesterday. He was 91.
Paul Tibbets, 92: Dropped bomb on Hiroshima
Julie Carr Smyth
Paul Tibbets, the pilot and commander of the B-29 that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, during the Second World War, died today. He was 92.
Porter Wagoner, 80: Nashville legend
John Gerome
Porter Wagoner was known for a string of country hits in the '60s, perennial appearances at the Grand Ole Opry in his trademark rhinestone suits, and for launching the career of Dolly Parton.
Jane Wyman, 93: Screen legend
JIM BAWDEN
Jane Wyman stopped to blink back great tears of self-pity. She was following the waiter at Los Angeles' posh Garden restaurant when she realized he was leading her to an inferior table.
Bill Walsh, 75: NFL coach
Sam Farmer
Bill Walsh, known in football circles simply as "The Genius'' for taking his San Francisco 49ers to three NFL championships and designing the "West Coast offence", died yesterday. He was 75.
Kurt Waldheim, 88: Former UN secretary-general
WILLIAM J. KOLE
Former U.N. secretary-general Kurt Waldheim, whose legacy as head of the world body was overshadowed by revelations that he belonged to a German army unit that committed atrocities in the Balkans in World War II, died Thursday. He was 88.
Eugen Weber, 82: History professor
laire Noland
Eugen Weber, a history professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, who wrote about France and brought a joie de vivre to his lectures that formed the basis of the PBS documentary series The Western Tradition, has died. He was 82.
Kate Webb, 64: War reporter
Kate Webb, a pioneering journalist whose powerful reputation was forged on the front lines of the Vietnam War and who roamed Asia for nearly 35 years covering coups and strife from India to the Philippines, died Sunday. She was 64.
Dwight Wilson, 106: WWI veteran
John Goddard
A private funeral with military honours is being arranged for World WarI veteran Dwight Wilson, who died at Sunnybrook hospital yesterday at 106.
Bernard Weatherill, 86: British parliamentarian
Lord Weatherill, who guided Britain's House of Commons into the television age and was the last speaker to wear the traditional shoulder-length wig, died Sunday. He was 86.
Bertha Wilson, 83: First female Supreme Court justice
Tracey Tyler
Bertha Wilson, the first woman on the Supreme Court of Canada and one of its most controversial and intriguing judges, died Saturday at 83 after a long illness.
Jack Valenti, 85: Hollywood lobbyist
Bill Trott
Jack Valenti, a former presidential aide who became Hollywood's emissary to Washington and developer of the U.S. movie rating system, died today at age 85, his longtime spokesman said.
Boris Yeltsin, 76: Russian president
JIM HEINTZ
Former president Boris Yeltsin, who hastened the collapse of the Soviet Union by scrambling atop a tank to rally opposition against a hardline coup and later pushed Russia to embrace democracy and a market economy, died today at age 76.
Kurt Vonnegut, 84: Acclaimed novelist
CRISTIAN SALAZAR
Satirical novelist captured the absurdity of war and questioned the advances of science in darkly humorous works such as Slaughterhouse-Five and Cat's Cradle.
Peter Wingate, 76: Life well lived
Catherine Dunphy
This is a late-life love story – one that started on the loading docks of the old Daily Bread Food Bank operation at the bottom of Bathurst St. and lasted for 10 years.
Tsai-Fan Yu, 95: Mount Sinai researcher
Jeremy Pearce
Dr. Tsai-Fan Yu, a physician and researcher at Mount Sinai Medical Center who helped explain a principal cause of gout and evaluated early drugs to treat the disease that are still in use, died on March 2 in Manhattan.
Fely Villasin, 65: Activist battled Marcos
Catherine Dunphy
After the People Power movement stood up to the armed tanks in Manila's streets in 1986, Fely Villasin devoted herself to the rights of the domestic worker in Canada.
David Wilson, 68: Educator travelled the world
Catherine Dunphy
David Wilson grew up in Syracuse, New York, in a happy, comfortable home. He went to school in Syracuse, New York. He got his PhD in Syracuse, New York.
Keith Yates, 78; U of T prof
Nick Kyonka
After a successful career as a chemistry professor at the University of Toronto, few would argue that Keith Yates wasn't an expert on molecules.
Anastasia Wawryshyn, 99: Hard worker lived for family
Leslie Ferenc
Every Friday, Anastasia Wawryshyn's grandchildren would race out of their classrooms at St. Josaphat Catholic School, across Franklin Ave. and straight to Baba's kitchen.
Surender Wadehra, 66: Dentist overcame great odds
Thulasi Srikanthan
Dr. Surender Wadehra opened his door to thousands of patients, including many who didn't have any money or coverage to pay, Thulasi Srikanthan writes.
Dr. Seuss collaborator
Phyllis Cerf Wagner, a writer, actress and socialite best known as the wife of a top publisher and a New York mayor, but proudest of her association with the Dr. Seuss books for children, has died at age 90.
Lindalee Tracey, 49: Filmmaker eyed naked truth
Catherine Dunphy
Lindalee Tracey, a teenage stripper turned award-winning journalist, never held anything back, least of all about herself. The Star's Catherine Dunphy explains.
Jack Warden, 85: Actor had a familiar face
Jack Warden, an Emmy-winning and Academy Award-nominated actor who played gruff cops, coaches and soldiers in a career that spanned five decades, has died. He was 85.
Earl Woods, 74: Father of Tiger Woods
Doug Ferguson
Earl Woods, who was more determined to raise a good son than a great golfer and became the role model, architect and driving force behind Tiger Woods' phenomenal career, died Wednesday morning, May 3, at his home. He was 74.
Ken Thomson, 82: Publisher, billionaire
Jennifer Wells
Over and over and over in his absence today and through all of our tomorrows, Ken Thomson will be painted into the country's narrative as the richest titan in the land, but a man little known by the country at large. Jennifer Wells reports on the life of a remarkable man.
Bob Yuill, 82: Frugal councillor had a fun side
John Goddard
Bob Yuill, long-time municipal councillor and sometime mischievous prankster, died May 17 of heart failure at 82.
Brian Turnbull, 62: Lived life full out
Catherine Dunphy
A football hero, charming and fun, and so very handsome, Brian Turnbull had it all at 17. A car crash with a drunk driver left him paralyzed — but never took away his charisma or his fun-loving character, writes Catherine Dunphy.
Alison Truelove, 42: A generous spirit
Catherine Dunphy
At the celebration of Alison Truelove's life, there were hundreds of people who loved her and admired her and wondered at how she had helped all her charitable causes, writes Catherine Dunphy.
Richard Thomas, 74: Man with the golden voice
Judy Stoffman
White-bearded and with an impassioned voice, Richard Thomas was an actor, broadcaster, storyteller, guru, farmer, ecologist, politician, rebel and folk hero in the Almaguin Highlands, the lake-studded region north of Huntsville.
Doris Way, 88: 20 years at the pulpit
Catherine Dunphy
For a time, Doris Way was one of only two females in the pulpit in all of Toronto, a fact that more than a few people never seemed to quite come to terms with.
Leslie Witt, 72: Chess 'superstar'
Catherine Dunphy
Leslie Witt never talked about the time he beat Bobby Fischer at his own game — but others did for years afterwards, writes Catherine Dunphy.
Peggy Ann Walpole, 73: Shelter pioneer
Catherine Dunphy
A wisp of a woman with a social conscience, Peggy Ann Walpole founded Toronto's first shelter for women 41 years ago, writes Catherine Dunphy.
Dennis Weaver, 81: TV's Sam McCloud
Bob Thomas
Dennis Weaver, the slow-witted deputy Chester Goode in the TV classic western Gunsmoke and the New Mexico deputy solving New York crime in McCloud, has died. The actor was 81.
Shelley Winters, 85: Actress won Academy Awards
Shelley Winters, the forceful, outspoken star who graduated from blond bombshell parts to dramas, winning Academy Awards as supporting actress in The Diary of Anne Frank and A Patch of Blue, has died. She was 85.
Al Widmar, 80: Pitching coach for the Blue Jays
Al Widmar was the pitching coach for some of the Blue Jays' most dominant starting rotations in the 1980s. In 1985, he guided a blue-chip rotation that featured Dave Stieb, Doyle Alexander, Jim Clancy and Jimmy Key as the Jays won their first division title. In all, he was with the club for 20 years.
Simon Wiesenthal, 96: Nazi hunter
Ian Gregor
Simon Wiesenthal, the Holocaust survivor who helped track down numerous Nazi war criminals following World War II then spent the later decades of his life fighting anti-Semitism and prejudice against all people, died Tues., Sept. 20. He was 96. The former architect began hunting war criminals after losing 89 relatives to Hitler's death machine. Photo gallery |
Rabbi Irwin Witty, 73: `Father of Jewish education'
Naomi Carniol
Rabbi Irwin Witty made sure no Jewish child in Toronto lacked a Jewish education because of money. During his years as executive director of the Toronto Board of Jewish Education, he worked with United Jewish Appeal to ensure money was put aside for children who could not afford tuition at local Jewish schools.
William Westmoreland, 91: Led U.S. troops in Vietnam
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Retired general William Westmoreland, who commanded American troops in Vietnam — the country's longest conflict and the only war the United States lost — died July 18. He was 91.
Steve Whale, 56 or 64: Beach's 'guardian angel'
Catherine Dunphy
For years he was there, outside the Beach ValuMart on Queen St. E., perched on a canvas stool someone had given him, wrapped in multiple layers of donated clothing and hand-knit scarves no matter what the weather. Catherine Dunphy memorializes Steve Whale, the Beach's most famous street person. Catherine Dunphy reports.
Paul Winchell, 82: Tigger's TV voice
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Paul Winchell, a ventriloquist, inventor and children's TV show host best known for creating the lispy voice of Winnie the Pooh's animated friend Tigger, has died. He was 82.
Scott Young, 87: Newspaper columnist, author wrote in the morning
Canadian journalist and author Scott Young has died at the age of 87. Young — father of pop music icon Neil Young — died Sunday in Kingston. Canadian Press reports.
Dorothy Thomas, 67: Stormed city hall by getting elected
Catherine Dunphy
Once upon a time, when Toronto was younger, a group of urban idealists stormed city hall. Among them was Dorothy Thomas, who died last month of cancer. She was 67. Catherine Dunphy reports.
Yvonne Vera, 40: A powerful voice quelled
Catherine Dunphy
Yvonne Vera spent 10 years in Canada, obtaining a PhD from York University in record time as well as coming to understand that her vocation was as a writer. With that came another tough lesson: she needed to write from her troubled homeland of Zimbabwe, and that meant leaving her husband and her marriage behind in Toronto. Catherine Dunphy reports.
Ezer Weizman, 80: Former Israeli president a man of war, peace
Mitch Potter
Israelis are today mourning the death of former president Ezer Weizman, one of the country's most colourful public figures and a decisive leader in both the art of war and the art of peace. A founder of the Israeli Air Force, Weizman is credited with playing a critical role in engineering Israel's overwhelming victory in the 1967 Six Day War.
Noel Young, 51: 'Incurable optimist' had vision for daycare
Catherine Dunphy
A playful, joyful giant of a man, Noel Young dedicated his life to children, their care and their welfare — even though it was all theoretical until the birth of his own daughter just six years ago. Four years before Mieke was born, he was diagnosed with a brain tumour and given a few months to live, Catherine Dunphy writes.
Pierre Tessier, 91: He made every day a good hair day
Catherine Dunphy
Legendary hair colourist Pierre Tessier was on the job up until the week before he was admitted to hospital where he died three weeks later on Feb. 17. Even though he was 91 years old, he never had any intention of ever stopping work.
Hunter S. Thompson, 67: Pioneered 'gonzo journalism'
By Robert Weller
ASPEN, Colo. — Hunter S. Thompson, the hard-living writer who inserted himself into his accounts of America's underbelly and popularized a first-person form of journalism in books such as ``Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas," has committed suicide.
John Vernon, 72: Crusading coroner in TV's Wojeck
John McKay
He was the smarmy Dean Wormer in the sophomoric cult movie Animal House. He was a bad guy who got tossed out a window to his death by the even badder Lee Marvin in Point Blank. But Canadians may best remember actor John Vernon as a crusading coroner in the groundbreaking 1960s CBC crime series, Wojeck.
Rose Mary Woods, 87: Secretary was a foot soldier for Nixon
Philip Shenon
WASHINGTON—Rose Mary Woods, the devoted White House secretary to Richard M. Nixon who found herself at the centre of one of the great mysteries of Watergate after 18 1/2 minutes of a crucial White House tape were erased, died Saturday near her hometown in northeastern Ohio. She was 87.
Bedros Zobyan, 82: A man of letters — and passion
Catherine Dunphy
Two careers, two countries, one passion. Call it pride, if you will, of place or of history but certainly of a people. Bedros Zobyan was an architect and crusading newspaper editor born and raised in the Turkish city of Istanbul who used both of his careers to nurture and nudge his fellow Armenians closer to their heritage and culture. Catherine Dunphy explains.
Tony van Bridge, 87: Actor won stage acclaim
Richard Ouzounian
"I have worked with the two greatest theatre companies in North America, performing the work of the two greatest playwrights in the world. I count myself a lucky man."
Bob Wilson, 62: An unflappable editor
Maureen Murray
Former Toronto Star editor Bob Wilson was the epitome of grace under fire. >"I know no one who was cooler under pressure," recalled Alan Christie, the Star's national editor. "In all the years I knew him, I don't recall him once raising his voice, even in times of great stress."
Patrick Worth, 49: Talented speaker gave others voice
Catherine Dunphy
Nobody — nobody — could describe the feeling of being labelled deficient and defective and thus being left out the way Patrick Worth could. He used to describe the segregation of people like himself — the ones society deemed developmentally delayed — into special institutions, homes or even classrooms as a holocaust. Group homes were a "quick fix," a sheltered workshop a "slave camp."
Mike Webster, 17: `Hero' to pals who stuck with him
Catherine Dunphy
Seven of Michael Webster's friends are crowded on the floral couch in the pastel blue living room in Mississauga, talking about their 17-year-old buddy who died here — in this house — on Aug. 13 after three years of fighting cancer. When you've been friends, real friends since even before Grade 1, this is tough.
Frank Thomas, 92: Drew Lady and the Tramp
LOS ANGELES - Frank Thomas, one of Walt Disney's top artists who animated two dogs romantically nibbling a single strand of spaghetti in the 1955 Disney film Lady and the Tramp, has died. He was 92.
David Vienneau, 53: A newsman of courage, integrity
Susan Delacourt
Globe TV's Ottawa bureau chief, and former Toronto Star reporter, David Vienneau, has died of cancer. Yesterday, he was saluted by Prime Minister Paul Martin who said: "We all knew him very well, whether you were on the media side or the government side, with tremendous affection and tremendous respect."
Lewis Urry, 77: Created alkaline batteries
Stan Josey
To the rest of the world, Lewis Urry was the man behind the Energizer Bunny. But to his niece, Ada Urry of Oshawa, "Uncle Lew" was like a second father.
Fay Wray, 96: Actress became famous in King Kong
NEW YORK — Fay Wray, who won everlasting fame as the damsel held atop the Empire State Building by the giant ape in the 1933 film classic King Kong, has died. She was 96.
Rose Viggiani, 93: The face behind Mamma Bravo
There really was a Mamma Bravo. Rose Viggiani earned the sobriquet by spending hours — and hours — at her kitchen stove, sifting, adding, stirring, tasting, adding, and writing down each variation until she had created the perfect tomato sauce for her husband. Rose Viggiani has died at age 93. Catherine Dunphy reports.
Sir Peter Ustinov, 82: Iconic actor
By Jonathan Fowler
GENEVA —Sir Peter Ustinov, a brilliant wit and mimic who won two Oscars for an acting career that ranged from the evil Nero in Quo Vadis to the quirky Agatha Christie detective Hercule Poirot, has died. He was 82.
Jan Zurakowski, 89: Avro Arrow pilot
Bill Taylor
Jan Zurakowski was Canada's Chuck Yeager, a test pilot known as 'the best of the best.' But the man who was the first to fly faster than sound in a Canadian-designed aircraft, the first to fly the Avro Arrow, tended to downplay his achievements. He died this week at the age of 89.
Nat Taylor, 98: Canada's first movie mogul
Sid Adilman
As the creator of the multiplex theatre and producer of Canada's first horror film, Nat Taylor was a visionary. Canada's original movie mogul died from natural causes yesterday at the age of 98 in the presence of his family.
Bert Templeton, 63: Coach won Memorial Cup
In his hard-nosed, uncompromising style, Bert Templeton produced winning junior hockey teams and NHL players during a coaching career that spanned over a quarter-century. Templeton, who was a coach in the Ontario Hockey League for 26 years, died of cancer this morning at the age of 63. Templeton coached the Hamilton Fincups to a Memorial Cup title in 1976 and also to a silver medal in 1977 at the world junior championship in the days before Canada sent a national team.
Leslie Wight, 74: Passionate about cricket
Dana Borcea
When Leslie Wight came to Canada more than 50 years ago from what was then British Guiana, he left behind a promising career as a cricket batsman and brought with him a passion for a game impenetrable to most Canadians. In January, the prominent member of Toronto's cricket community died of heart failure. He was 74.
John Toland, 91: Won Pulitzer Prize for Rising Sun
DANBURY, Conn.—John Toland, who won the 1971 Pulitzer Prize for non-fiction for The Rising Sun, a historical narrative of the rise and fall of the Japanese empire during World War II, has died. He was 91.
Elisabeth Tremblay, 17: Volunteer, student 'touched everyone'
Nicole Cohen
Once a week, Elisabeth Tremblay would light up the offices of War Child Canada. She arrived from school, changed out of her uniform and got to work. Some days she filed papers and organized the office in downtown Toronto. A dedicated volunteer, Ms Tremblay would complete every task — small, or global in scope — with a bright smile and a laugh.
Sir Denis Thatcher, 88: Husband of British ex-PM
Robert Barr
LONDON - Sir Denis Thatcher, husband and ever-supportive, self-effacing confidante of former prime minister Margaret Thatcher, died today at age 88, a family spokesperson said. Lady Thatcher, 77, suffered a series of small strokes last year. Sir Bernard Ingham told Sky News TV today that he did not think she would be able to recover from the loss of her husband.
Leon Uris, 78: Popular novelist wrote Exodus
Hillel Italie
NEW YORK - Author Leon Uris, an immigrant's determined son who made it big with the best-selling Exodus and other hugely popular novels, has died. He was 78.
Chen Zongying, 101: Walked with Mao on the Long March
BEIJING (AP) — Chen Zongying, one the few women who joined in the Chinese communist's epic 1934-36 Long March, has died at age 101, the official Xinhua news agency reported Monday.
Strom Thurmond, 100: Longest serving U.S. senator
U.S. Senator Strom Thurmond of South Carolina, a one-time segregationist who helped fuel the rise of the modern conservative Republican party in the South, has died. He wielded political power virtually to the end, prevailing upon President George W. Bush to appoint his then 28-year-old son as U.S. Attorney in South Carolina in 2001.
Anti-smoking crusader Barb Tarbox dead at 42
Barb Tarbox, a cancer victim who spent her last months travelling across Canada to deliver a powerful anti-smoking message to thousands of teenagers, has died at the age of 42.
Michael Wayne, 68: Produced, marketed famous father's films
BURBANK, Calif.—Michael Wayne, the eldest son of late actor John Wayne who helped produce several of his father's films, has died. He was 68. He was the head of Wayne Enterprises, which owns many of his father's films. Distributing the movies and merchandising his father's image occupied much of Wayne's time, along with real estate and other investments.
Archie Williamson, 60: Toronto Star arts editor
Archie Williamson, long-time night editor of the Toronto Star's Entertainment section, embodied the fierce contradictions of his homeland, Scotland. Tempestuous in one moment, tender in another, he is remembered by colleagues as a consumate professional and a great friend. Mr. Williamson died April 4 at Toronto Grace Hospital after fighting prostate cancer.
Ron Ziegler dead at 63
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Ron Ziegler, the combative former press secretary to president Richard Nixon who famously called the Watergate break-in a "third-rate burglary," died Monday of a heart attack, his wife said. He was 63.
Holiday Inn founder Kemmons Wilson dead at 90
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Kemmons Wilson, who founded the Holiday Inn chain of hotels and revolutionized the industry by bringing affordable and comfortable lodging to millions of travellers, has died at the age of 90.
Hugh Thomson, 88 was Star music critic
Ashante Infantry
If you were the Star's music critic in the '40s and '50s, you also covered drama and visual arts.
Rocker worked lifetime of magic
Nicolaas van Rijn
Zal Yanovsky believed in magic. As a member of the Lovin' Spoonful it got him his first big hit, the 1960s' "Do You Believe in Magic." And, after the music died, it got him to Kingston, where he started Chez Piggy, a restaurant known across the land. Yanovsky died Friday at 58.
Jazzman Jiro Watanabe played with the greats
Ashante Infantry
Butch Watanabe was an accomplished trombonist who worked with Lionel Hampton, Anne Murray and Oscar Peterson and earned the praise of his peers.
Journalist Esther Taylor a trailblazer
Tracey Tyler
Esther Taylor's trailblazing career as a reporter and photographer began when her brother-in-law Les Duby returned from World War II with a slew of negatives. What developed was more than pictures: It was the start of a 40-year journalistic adventure.
Cape Fear director J. Lee Thompson dead at 88
LOS ANGELES (AP) — British director J. Lee Thompson, whose more than 50 films included the original Cape Fear, The Guns of Navarone, Planet of the Apes sequels and nine Charles Bronson movies, has died. He was 88.
Betty Ward published auto bible
Carly Foster
Still hard at work just a week before she died, 78-year-old Ellen Elizabeth "Betty" Ward was calling customers to say hello and remind them their accounts were overdue.
Susan Tsuji fought for internees
Carly Foster
Susan Sumiko Tsuji's life of activism in the Japanese Canadian community began in 1975 when her youngest daughter was being picked on at Essex Senior Public School.
Artist Stanley Wellington carved a niche
Barbara Turnbull
Stanley Wellington was an artist who couldn't rise above his demons. Despite his exquisite intricate creations — wizards, elves, animals carved from ivory — he was cursed with a chronic depression that led to his escape into alcohol and drugs, often leaving him unable to work. Mr. Wellington, 59, died July 29 of emphysema.
Police veteran 'Copper Jack' Webster
Eilís Quinn
When he started his policing career he was a beat cop in a bobby hat, riding a bicycle. When he retired 55 years later, he had solved more than 85 murders and was a staff superintendent — the third highest rank on the Toronto police.
Adieu to The Kid, Ted Williams
Dave Perkins
"There goes the greatest hitter in the world." It was Ted Williams' lifelong ambition to have those words spoken about him as he left any room. Dave Perkins remembers baseball's premier batsman.
Concert pianist made music her life
Jennifer McGregor
Palma D'Orazio-Wilowski, an accomplished concert pianist and piano teacher, demanded self-discipline, determination and courage from herself and her students.
Tad Tadeson protected nation's PMs
Emily Bowers
When Tad was just a teenager, he dreamed that he would someday be an RCMP officer. Years later, he became not only a Mountie but a witness to history as he walked beside Canada's prime ministers.
Peter Thomson quietly won over his peers
Tara Brautigam
He was often very humble and never ostentatious about his work. But despite his soft-spoken image, Dr. Peter Garth Thomson was an active proponent of one of the most controversial psychological approaches of his time.
Nurse's retirement was for the birds
Tara Brautigam
She was a pigeon's best friend. While most people see pigeons as pests, Marguerite Williams truly saw them as feathered friends. Appalled at how most people treated pigeons, she would visit downtown parks keeping watch over as many as 500 pigeons at a time.
Peter Zarry, 67, was 'idolized by his students'
By Jennifer Kwan
Known for his eccentric behaviour in class, robust vocal cords and towering presence, York University professor Peter Zarry was praised as a guru in the marketing industry.
The King is dead aged 65
Martin Knelman
Al Waxman, known and loved by millions as the King of Kensington, died in a Toronto hospital early yesterday at the age of 65, just weeks before he was to begin working on one of his greate
Meera Selva
Richard Wright, a founding member of the rock group Pink Floyd, died Monday. He was 65.
Joyce Trimmer, 80: Former mayor of Scarborough
Tracy Huffman
She was Scarborough's first female mayor, a crusader for protecting green spaces, a strong-willed woman who wasn't afraid to stand up for her beliefs.
John A. Wheeler, 96: Physicist named 'black holes'
John A. Wheeler, a physicist involved in the Manhattan Project to build an atomic bomb who later gave the space phenomenon black holes their name, has died at 96.
Jerry Zucker: Hudson's Bay Co. CEO
Jerry Zucker, the governor and CEO of Hudson's Bay Company died Saturday after a battle with cancer.
Richard Widmark, 93: 'Kiss of Death' actor
STEPHEN SINGER
Richard Widmark, who made a sensational film debut as the giggling killer in Kiss of Death and became a leading man in Broken Lance, Two Rode Together and 40 other films, died at his home in Roxbury after a long illness. He was 93.
Ted Tyndorf, 54: Toronto's chief planner
Christopher Hume
Even before he succumbed to cancer on the weekend, Toronto's chief planner, Ted Tyndorf, never had an easy go of it.
Margaret Truman, 83: Only child of former president
MARGARET STAFFORD
Margaret Truman, the only child of former President Harry S. Truman who became a concert singer, actress, radio and TV personality and mystery writer, died Tuesday. She was 83.
Robert Weaver, 87: Godfather of CanLit
Bruce DeMara
Robert Weaver was a behind-the-scenes giant of the Canadian literary scene, nurturing generations of authors – among them Alice Munro, Timothy Findley and Mordecai Richler – through radio, print and anthologies.
Ike Turner, 76: Rock pioneer
Elliot Spagat
The prodigious musical legacy of Ike Turner, 76, was forever tarnished by his image as the drug-addicted, brutally abusive former husband of Tina Turner.
Dick Wilson, 91: Mr. Whipple in Charmin ads
Dick Wilson, the character actor and pitchman who for 21 years played an uptight grocer begging customers ``Please, don't squeeze the Charmin," died yesterday. He was 91.
Paul Tibbets, 92: Dropped bomb on Hiroshima
Julie Carr Smyth
Paul Tibbets, the pilot and commander of the B-29 that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, during the Second World War, died today. He was 92.
Porter Wagoner, 80: Nashville legend
John Gerome
Porter Wagoner was known for a string of country hits in the '60s, perennial appearances at the Grand Ole Opry in his trademark rhinestone suits, and for launching the career of Dolly Parton.
Jane Wyman, 93: Screen legend
JIM BAWDEN
Jane Wyman stopped to blink back great tears of self-pity. She was following the waiter at Los Angeles' posh Garden restaurant when she realized he was leading her to an inferior table.
Bill Walsh, 75: NFL coach
Sam Farmer
Bill Walsh, known in football circles simply as "The Genius'' for taking his San Francisco 49ers to three NFL championships and designing the "West Coast offence", died yesterday. He was 75.
Kurt Waldheim, 88: Former UN secretary-general
WILLIAM J. KOLE
Former U.N. secretary-general Kurt Waldheim, whose legacy as head of the world body was overshadowed by revelations that he belonged to a German army unit that committed atrocities in the Balkans in World War II, died Thursday. He was 88.
Eugen Weber, 82: History professor
laire Noland
Eugen Weber, a history professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, who wrote about France and brought a joie de vivre to his lectures that formed the basis of the PBS documentary series The Western Tradition, has died. He was 82.
Kate Webb, 64: War reporter
Kate Webb, a pioneering journalist whose powerful reputation was forged on the front lines of the Vietnam War and who roamed Asia for nearly 35 years covering coups and strife from India to the Philippines, died Sunday. She was 64.
Dwight Wilson, 106: WWI veteran
John Goddard
A private funeral with military honours is being arranged for World WarI veteran Dwight Wilson, who died at Sunnybrook hospital yesterday at 106.
Bernard Weatherill, 86: British parliamentarian
Lord Weatherill, who guided Britain's House of Commons into the television age and was the last speaker to wear the traditional shoulder-length wig, died Sunday. He was 86.
Bertha Wilson, 83: First female Supreme Court justice
Tracey Tyler
Bertha Wilson, the first woman on the Supreme Court of Canada and one of its most controversial and intriguing judges, died Saturday at 83 after a long illness.
Jack Valenti, 85: Hollywood lobbyist
Bill Trott
Jack Valenti, a former presidential aide who became Hollywood's emissary to Washington and developer of the U.S. movie rating system, died today at age 85, his longtime spokesman said.
Boris Yeltsin, 76: Russian president
JIM HEINTZ
Former president Boris Yeltsin, who hastened the collapse of the Soviet Union by scrambling atop a tank to rally opposition against a hardline coup and later pushed Russia to embrace democracy and a market economy, died today at age 76.
Kurt Vonnegut, 84: Acclaimed novelist
CRISTIAN SALAZAR
Satirical novelist captured the absurdity of war and questioned the advances of science in darkly humorous works such as Slaughterhouse-Five and Cat's Cradle.
Peter Wingate, 76: Life well lived
Catherine Dunphy
This is a late-life love story – one that started on the loading docks of the old Daily Bread Food Bank operation at the bottom of Bathurst St. and lasted for 10 years.
Tsai-Fan Yu, 95: Mount Sinai researcher
Jeremy Pearce
Dr. Tsai-Fan Yu, a physician and researcher at Mount Sinai Medical Center who helped explain a principal cause of gout and evaluated early drugs to treat the disease that are still in use, died on March 2 in Manhattan.
Fely Villasin, 65: Activist battled Marcos
Catherine Dunphy
After the People Power movement stood up to the armed tanks in Manila's streets in 1986, Fely Villasin devoted herself to the rights of the domestic worker in Canada.
David Wilson, 68: Educator travelled the world
Catherine Dunphy
David Wilson grew up in Syracuse, New York, in a happy, comfortable home. He went to school in Syracuse, New York. He got his PhD in Syracuse, New York.
Keith Yates, 78; U of T prof
Nick Kyonka
After a successful career as a chemistry professor at the University of Toronto, few would argue that Keith Yates wasn't an expert on molecules.
Anastasia Wawryshyn, 99: Hard worker lived for family
Leslie Ferenc
Every Friday, Anastasia Wawryshyn's grandchildren would race out of their classrooms at St. Josaphat Catholic School, across Franklin Ave. and straight to Baba's kitchen.
Surender Wadehra, 66: Dentist overcame great odds
Thulasi Srikanthan
Dr. Surender Wadehra opened his door to thousands of patients, including many who didn't have any money or coverage to pay, Thulasi Srikanthan writes.
Dr. Seuss collaborator
Phyllis Cerf Wagner, a writer, actress and socialite best known as the wife of a top publisher and a New York mayor, but proudest of her association with the Dr. Seuss books for children, has died at age 90.
Lindalee Tracey, 49: Filmmaker eyed naked truth
Catherine Dunphy
Lindalee Tracey, a teenage stripper turned award-winning journalist, never held anything back, least of all about herself. The Star's Catherine Dunphy explains.
Jack Warden, 85: Actor had a familiar face
Jack Warden, an Emmy-winning and Academy Award-nominated actor who played gruff cops, coaches and soldiers in a career that spanned five decades, has died. He was 85.
Earl Woods, 74: Father of Tiger Woods
Doug Ferguson
Earl Woods, who was more determined to raise a good son than a great golfer and became the role model, architect and driving force behind Tiger Woods' phenomenal career, died Wednesday morning, May 3, at his home. He was 74.
Ken Thomson, 82: Publisher, billionaire
Jennifer Wells
Over and over and over in his absence today and through all of our tomorrows, Ken Thomson will be painted into the country's narrative as the richest titan in the land, but a man little known by the country at large. Jennifer Wells reports on the life of a remarkable man.
Bob Yuill, 82: Frugal councillor had a fun side
John Goddard
Bob Yuill, long-time municipal councillor and sometime mischievous prankster, died May 17 of heart failure at 82.
Brian Turnbull, 62: Lived life full out
Catherine Dunphy
A football hero, charming and fun, and so very handsome, Brian Turnbull had it all at 17. A car crash with a drunk driver left him paralyzed — but never took away his charisma or his fun-loving character, writes Catherine Dunphy.
Alison Truelove, 42: A generous spirit
Catherine Dunphy
At the celebration of Alison Truelove's life, there were hundreds of people who loved her and admired her and wondered at how she had helped all her charitable causes, writes Catherine Dunphy.
Richard Thomas, 74: Man with the golden voice
Judy Stoffman
White-bearded and with an impassioned voice, Richard Thomas was an actor, broadcaster, storyteller, guru, farmer, ecologist, politician, rebel and folk hero in the Almaguin Highlands, the lake-studded region north of Huntsville.
Doris Way, 88: 20 years at the pulpit
Catherine Dunphy
For a time, Doris Way was one of only two females in the pulpit in all of Toronto, a fact that more than a few people never seemed to quite come to terms with.
Leslie Witt, 72: Chess 'superstar'
Catherine Dunphy
Leslie Witt never talked about the time he beat Bobby Fischer at his own game — but others did for years afterwards, writes Catherine Dunphy.
Peggy Ann Walpole, 73: Shelter pioneer
Catherine Dunphy
A wisp of a woman with a social conscience, Peggy Ann Walpole founded Toronto's first shelter for women 41 years ago, writes Catherine Dunphy.
Dennis Weaver, 81: TV's Sam McCloud
Bob Thomas
Dennis Weaver, the slow-witted deputy Chester Goode in the TV classic western Gunsmoke and the New Mexico deputy solving New York crime in McCloud, has died. The actor was 81.
Shelley Winters, 85: Actress won Academy Awards
Shelley Winters, the forceful, outspoken star who graduated from blond bombshell parts to dramas, winning Academy Awards as supporting actress in The Diary of Anne Frank and A Patch of Blue, has died. She was 85.
Al Widmar, 80: Pitching coach for the Blue Jays
Al Widmar was the pitching coach for some of the Blue Jays' most dominant starting rotations in the 1980s. In 1985, he guided a blue-chip rotation that featured Dave Stieb, Doyle Alexander, Jim Clancy and Jimmy Key as the Jays won their first division title. In all, he was with the club for 20 years.
Simon Wiesenthal, 96: Nazi hunter
Ian Gregor
Simon Wiesenthal, the Holocaust survivor who helped track down numerous Nazi war criminals following World War II then spent the later decades of his life fighting anti-Semitism and prejudice against all people, died Tues., Sept. 20. He was 96. The former architect began hunting war criminals after losing 89 relatives to Hitler's death machine. Photo gallery |
Rabbi Irwin Witty, 73: `Father of Jewish education'
Naomi Carniol
Rabbi Irwin Witty made sure no Jewish child in Toronto lacked a Jewish education because of money. During his years as executive director of the Toronto Board of Jewish Education, he worked with United Jewish Appeal to ensure money was put aside for children who could not afford tuition at local Jewish schools.
William Westmoreland, 91: Led U.S. troops in Vietnam
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Retired general William Westmoreland, who commanded American troops in Vietnam — the country's longest conflict and the only war the United States lost — died July 18. He was 91.
Steve Whale, 56 or 64: Beach's 'guardian angel'
Catherine Dunphy
For years he was there, outside the Beach ValuMart on Queen St. E., perched on a canvas stool someone had given him, wrapped in multiple layers of donated clothing and hand-knit scarves no matter what the weather. Catherine Dunphy memorializes Steve Whale, the Beach's most famous street person. Catherine Dunphy reports.
Paul Winchell, 82: Tigger's TV voice
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Paul Winchell, a ventriloquist, inventor and children's TV show host best known for creating the lispy voice of Winnie the Pooh's animated friend Tigger, has died. He was 82.
Scott Young, 87: Newspaper columnist, author wrote in the morning
Canadian journalist and author Scott Young has died at the age of 87. Young — father of pop music icon Neil Young — died Sunday in Kingston. Canadian Press reports.
Dorothy Thomas, 67: Stormed city hall by getting elected
Catherine Dunphy
Once upon a time, when Toronto was younger, a group of urban idealists stormed city hall. Among them was Dorothy Thomas, who died last month of cancer. She was 67. Catherine Dunphy reports.
Yvonne Vera, 40: A powerful voice quelled
Catherine Dunphy
Yvonne Vera spent 10 years in Canada, obtaining a PhD from York University in record time as well as coming to understand that her vocation was as a writer. With that came another tough lesson: she needed to write from her troubled homeland of Zimbabwe, and that meant leaving her husband and her marriage behind in Toronto. Catherine Dunphy reports.
Ezer Weizman, 80: Former Israeli president a man of war, peace
Mitch Potter
Israelis are today mourning the death of former president Ezer Weizman, one of the country's most colourful public figures and a decisive leader in both the art of war and the art of peace. A founder of the Israeli Air Force, Weizman is credited with playing a critical role in engineering Israel's overwhelming victory in the 1967 Six Day War.
Noel Young, 51: 'Incurable optimist' had vision for daycare
Catherine Dunphy
A playful, joyful giant of a man, Noel Young dedicated his life to children, their care and their welfare — even though it was all theoretical until the birth of his own daughter just six years ago. Four years before Mieke was born, he was diagnosed with a brain tumour and given a few months to live, Catherine Dunphy writes.
Pierre Tessier, 91: He made every day a good hair day
Catherine Dunphy
Legendary hair colourist Pierre Tessier was on the job up until the week before he was admitted to hospital where he died three weeks later on Feb. 17. Even though he was 91 years old, he never had any intention of ever stopping work.
Hunter S. Thompson, 67: Pioneered 'gonzo journalism'
By Robert Weller
ASPEN, Colo. — Hunter S. Thompson, the hard-living writer who inserted himself into his accounts of America's underbelly and popularized a first-person form of journalism in books such as ``Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas," has committed suicide.
John Vernon, 72: Crusading coroner in TV's Wojeck
John McKay
He was the smarmy Dean Wormer in the sophomoric cult movie Animal House. He was a bad guy who got tossed out a window to his death by the even badder Lee Marvin in Point Blank. But Canadians may best remember actor John Vernon as a crusading coroner in the groundbreaking 1960s CBC crime series, Wojeck.
Rose Mary Woods, 87: Secretary was a foot soldier for Nixon
Philip Shenon
WASHINGTON—Rose Mary Woods, the devoted White House secretary to Richard M. Nixon who found herself at the centre of one of the great mysteries of Watergate after 18 1/2 minutes of a crucial White House tape were erased, died Saturday near her hometown in northeastern Ohio. She was 87.
Bedros Zobyan, 82: A man of letters — and passion
Catherine Dunphy
Two careers, two countries, one passion. Call it pride, if you will, of place or of history but certainly of a people. Bedros Zobyan was an architect and crusading newspaper editor born and raised in the Turkish city of Istanbul who used both of his careers to nurture and nudge his fellow Armenians closer to their heritage and culture. Catherine Dunphy explains.
Tony van Bridge, 87: Actor won stage acclaim
Richard Ouzounian
"I have worked with the two greatest theatre companies in North America, performing the work of the two greatest playwrights in the world. I count myself a lucky man."
Bob Wilson, 62: An unflappable editor
Maureen Murray
Former Toronto Star editor Bob Wilson was the epitome of grace under fire. >"I know no one who was cooler under pressure," recalled Alan Christie, the Star's national editor. "In all the years I knew him, I don't recall him once raising his voice, even in times of great stress."
Patrick Worth, 49: Talented speaker gave others voice
Catherine Dunphy
Nobody — nobody — could describe the feeling of being labelled deficient and defective and thus being left out the way Patrick Worth could. He used to describe the segregation of people like himself — the ones society deemed developmentally delayed — into special institutions, homes or even classrooms as a holocaust. Group homes were a "quick fix," a sheltered workshop a "slave camp."
Mike Webster, 17: `Hero' to pals who stuck with him
Catherine Dunphy
Seven of Michael Webster's friends are crowded on the floral couch in the pastel blue living room in Mississauga, talking about their 17-year-old buddy who died here — in this house — on Aug. 13 after three years of fighting cancer. When you've been friends, real friends since even before Grade 1, this is tough.
Frank Thomas, 92: Drew Lady and the Tramp
LOS ANGELES - Frank Thomas, one of Walt Disney's top artists who animated two dogs romantically nibbling a single strand of spaghetti in the 1955 Disney film Lady and the Tramp, has died. He was 92.
David Vienneau, 53: A newsman of courage, integrity
Susan Delacourt
Globe TV's Ottawa bureau chief, and former Toronto Star reporter, David Vienneau, has died of cancer. Yesterday, he was saluted by Prime Minister Paul Martin who said: "We all knew him very well, whether you were on the media side or the government side, with tremendous affection and tremendous respect."
Lewis Urry, 77: Created alkaline batteries
Stan Josey
To the rest of the world, Lewis Urry was the man behind the Energizer Bunny. But to his niece, Ada Urry of Oshawa, "Uncle Lew" was like a second father.
Fay Wray, 96: Actress became famous in King Kong
NEW YORK — Fay Wray, who won everlasting fame as the damsel held atop the Empire State Building by the giant ape in the 1933 film classic King Kong, has died. She was 96.
Rose Viggiani, 93: The face behind Mamma Bravo
There really was a Mamma Bravo. Rose Viggiani earned the sobriquet by spending hours — and hours — at her kitchen stove, sifting, adding, stirring, tasting, adding, and writing down each variation until she had created the perfect tomato sauce for her husband. Rose Viggiani has died at age 93. Catherine Dunphy reports.
Sir Peter Ustinov, 82: Iconic actor
By Jonathan Fowler
GENEVA —Sir Peter Ustinov, a brilliant wit and mimic who won two Oscars for an acting career that ranged from the evil Nero in Quo Vadis to the quirky Agatha Christie detective Hercule Poirot, has died. He was 82.
Jan Zurakowski, 89: Avro Arrow pilot
Bill Taylor
Jan Zurakowski was Canada's Chuck Yeager, a test pilot known as 'the best of the best.' But the man who was the first to fly faster than sound in a Canadian-designed aircraft, the first to fly the Avro Arrow, tended to downplay his achievements. He died this week at the age of 89.
Nat Taylor, 98: Canada's first movie mogul
Sid Adilman
As the creator of the multiplex theatre and producer of Canada's first horror film, Nat Taylor was a visionary. Canada's original movie mogul died from natural causes yesterday at the age of 98 in the presence of his family.
Bert Templeton, 63: Coach won Memorial Cup
In his hard-nosed, uncompromising style, Bert Templeton produced winning junior hockey teams and NHL players during a coaching career that spanned over a quarter-century. Templeton, who was a coach in the Ontario Hockey League for 26 years, died of cancer this morning at the age of 63. Templeton coached the Hamilton Fincups to a Memorial Cup title in 1976 and also to a silver medal in 1977 at the world junior championship in the days before Canada sent a national team.
Leslie Wight, 74: Passionate about cricket
Dana Borcea
When Leslie Wight came to Canada more than 50 years ago from what was then British Guiana, he left behind a promising career as a cricket batsman and brought with him a passion for a game impenetrable to most Canadians. In January, the prominent member of Toronto's cricket community died of heart failure. He was 74.
John Toland, 91: Won Pulitzer Prize for Rising Sun
DANBURY, Conn.—John Toland, who won the 1971 Pulitzer Prize for non-fiction for The Rising Sun, a historical narrative of the rise and fall of the Japanese empire during World War II, has died. He was 91.
Elisabeth Tremblay, 17: Volunteer, student 'touched everyone'
Nicole Cohen
Once a week, Elisabeth Tremblay would light up the offices of War Child Canada. She arrived from school, changed out of her uniform and got to work. Some days she filed papers and organized the office in downtown Toronto. A dedicated volunteer, Ms Tremblay would complete every task — small, or global in scope — with a bright smile and a laugh.
Sir Denis Thatcher, 88: Husband of British ex-PM
Robert Barr
LONDON - Sir Denis Thatcher, husband and ever-supportive, self-effacing confidante of former prime minister Margaret Thatcher, died today at age 88, a family spokesperson said. Lady Thatcher, 77, suffered a series of small strokes last year. Sir Bernard Ingham told Sky News TV today that he did not think she would be able to recover from the loss of her husband.
Leon Uris, 78: Popular novelist wrote Exodus
Hillel Italie
NEW YORK - Author Leon Uris, an immigrant's determined son who made it big with the best-selling Exodus and other hugely popular novels, has died. He was 78.
Chen Zongying, 101: Walked with Mao on the Long March
BEIJING (AP) — Chen Zongying, one the few women who joined in the Chinese communist's epic 1934-36 Long March, has died at age 101, the official Xinhua news agency reported Monday.
Strom Thurmond, 100: Longest serving U.S. senator
U.S. Senator Strom Thurmond of South Carolina, a one-time segregationist who helped fuel the rise of the modern conservative Republican party in the South, has died. He wielded political power virtually to the end, prevailing upon President George W. Bush to appoint his then 28-year-old son as U.S. Attorney in South Carolina in 2001.
Anti-smoking crusader Barb Tarbox dead at 42
Barb Tarbox, a cancer victim who spent her last months travelling across Canada to deliver a powerful anti-smoking message to thousands of teenagers, has died at the age of 42.
Michael Wayne, 68: Produced, marketed famous father's films
BURBANK, Calif.—Michael Wayne, the eldest son of late actor John Wayne who helped produce several of his father's films, has died. He was 68. He was the head of Wayne Enterprises, which owns many of his father's films. Distributing the movies and merchandising his father's image occupied much of Wayne's time, along with real estate and other investments.
Archie Williamson, 60: Toronto Star arts editor
Archie Williamson, long-time night editor of the Toronto Star's Entertainment section, embodied the fierce contradictions of his homeland, Scotland. Tempestuous in one moment, tender in another, he is remembered by colleagues as a consumate professional and a great friend. Mr. Williamson died April 4 at Toronto Grace Hospital after fighting prostate cancer.
Ron Ziegler dead at 63
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Ron Ziegler, the combative former press secretary to president Richard Nixon who famously called the Watergate break-in a "third-rate burglary," died Monday of a heart attack, his wife said. He was 63.
Holiday Inn founder Kemmons Wilson dead at 90
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Kemmons Wilson, who founded the Holiday Inn chain of hotels and revolutionized the industry by bringing affordable and comfortable lodging to millions of travellers, has died at the age of 90.
Hugh Thomson, 88 was Star music critic
Ashante Infantry
If you were the Star's music critic in the '40s and '50s, you also covered drama and visual arts.
Rocker worked lifetime of magic
Nicolaas van Rijn
Zal Yanovsky believed in magic. As a member of the Lovin' Spoonful it got him his first big hit, the 1960s' "Do You Believe in Magic." And, after the music died, it got him to Kingston, where he started Chez Piggy, a restaurant known across the land. Yanovsky died Friday at 58.
Jazzman Jiro Watanabe played with the greats
Ashante Infantry
Butch Watanabe was an accomplished trombonist who worked with Lionel Hampton, Anne Murray and Oscar Peterson and earned the praise of his peers.
Journalist Esther Taylor a trailblazer
Tracey Tyler
Esther Taylor's trailblazing career as a reporter and photographer began when her brother-in-law Les Duby returned from World War II with a slew of negatives. What developed was more than pictures: It was the start of a 40-year journalistic adventure.
Cape Fear director J. Lee Thompson dead at 88
LOS ANGELES (AP) — British director J. Lee Thompson, whose more than 50 films included the original Cape Fear, The Guns of Navarone, Planet of the Apes sequels and nine Charles Bronson movies, has died. He was 88.
Betty Ward published auto bible
Carly Foster
Still hard at work just a week before she died, 78-year-old Ellen Elizabeth "Betty" Ward was calling customers to say hello and remind them their accounts were overdue.
Susan Tsuji fought for internees
Carly Foster
Susan Sumiko Tsuji's life of activism in the Japanese Canadian community began in 1975 when her youngest daughter was being picked on at Essex Senior Public School.
Artist Stanley Wellington carved a niche
Barbara Turnbull
Stanley Wellington was an artist who couldn't rise above his demons. Despite his exquisite intricate creations — wizards, elves, animals carved from ivory — he was cursed with a chronic depression that led to his escape into alcohol and drugs, often leaving him unable to work. Mr. Wellington, 59, died July 29 of emphysema.
Police veteran 'Copper Jack' Webster
Eilís Quinn
When he started his policing career he was a beat cop in a bobby hat, riding a bicycle. When he retired 55 years later, he had solved more than 85 murders and was a staff superintendent — the third highest rank on the Toronto police.
Adieu to The Kid, Ted Williams
Dave Perkins
"There goes the greatest hitter in the world." It was Ted Williams' lifelong ambition to have those words spoken about him as he left any room. Dave Perkins remembers baseball's premier batsman.
Concert pianist made music her life
Jennifer McGregor
Palma D'Orazio-Wilowski, an accomplished concert pianist and piano teacher, demanded self-discipline, determination and courage from herself and her students.
Tad Tadeson protected nation's PMs
Emily Bowers
When Tad was just a teenager, he dreamed that he would someday be an RCMP officer. Years later, he became not only a Mountie but a witness to history as he walked beside Canada's prime ministers.
Peter Thomson quietly won over his peers
Tara Brautigam
He was often very humble and never ostentatious about his work. But despite his soft-spoken image, Dr. Peter Garth Thomson was an active proponent of one of the most controversial psychological approaches of his time.
Nurse's retirement was for the birds
Tara Brautigam
She was a pigeon's best friend. While most people see pigeons as pests, Marguerite Williams truly saw them as feathered friends. Appalled at how most people treated pigeons, she would visit downtown parks keeping watch over as many as 500 pigeons at a time.
Peter Zarry, 67, was 'idolized by his students'
By Jennifer Kwan
Known for his eccentric behaviour in class, robust vocal cords and towering presence, York University professor Peter Zarry was praised as a guru in the marketing industry.
The King is dead aged 65
Martin Knelman
Al Waxman, known and loved by millions as the King of Kensington, died in a Toronto hospital early yesterday at the age of 65, just weeks before he was to begin working on one of his greate