Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth II’s husband, has died aged 99, Buckingham Palace has announced.
The prince married Princess Elizabeth in 1947, five years before she became Queen, and was the longest-serving royal consort in British history.
Prince Philip dead at 99: Queen announces with ‘deep sorrow’ that husband the Duke of Edinburgh ‘passed away peacefully at Windsor Castle’ this morning – three weeks after he finished 28-night hospital stay for infection and heart surgery
G. Gordon Liddy, the brash political operative who helped orchestrate the 1972 Watergate burglary, reportedly died on Tuesday at his daughter’s Virginia home. He was 90.
One of Liddy’s sons, Thomas Liddy, confirmed his death to the Washington Post. It was not immediately known how Liddy died, but his son said it was not coronavirus related.
Mom was born on Calumet Island in the county of Pontiac in Quebec. A direct descendant of her Irish forebears who fled the Potato Famine.
A child of the Depression she married my Dad shortly after WW II. In 1964 we moved to Toronto, I was just turned 5.
She was a great fierce old school Mom who loved and stood behind her family through thick and thin all her life.
My niece is donating this urn for Mom. It is fitting that it is handmade locally in the Pontiac. But now I have a bit of a dilemma on my hands.
Mom has a spot with dad reserved for her. She left no specific instruction in her will but I did find a handwritten note on an old receipt for Dad’s burial expenses asking that her ashes be sprinkled off a bridge into a pond near to where Dad is buried. Mom just found it a peaceful spot and I know she did speak of this arrangement in life. But there may be a problem. It’s on a cemetery’s property and I do not believe sprinkling ashes is allowed anywhere except for a specifically designated area.
Knowing Mom she’d simply tell us to wait till no one is looking and fulfill her wishes. We may do that, so I won’t name the cemetery but I will see what the rest of the family says first. Mom was always ready to break the rules if she thought she was in the right.
Kathy’s arrangements were largely looked after in advance, thanks to her mother’s foresight and Kath’s own sense of duty and order and thankfully Mom’s are straightforward enough as well.
When Kathy passed away many of her friends and admirers wrote wonderful tributes and comments honouring her and true to form Kathy knocked it out of the park with her own obit. Mark Steyn has collected all of Kathy’s movie reviews and created a lovely archive.
It saved me a duty I simply wasn’t able to handle at the time, maybe not ever.
Two months have passed since she left us on the 9th of January. It’s still too soon. I owe her so much and my small skill is no match for what she deserves and frankly I am still overcome at times by her loss.
Covid restrictions have halted one of the sadder duties. Clothing donations. I sometimes think I will become a sort of Mr. Havisham. I have picked out a charity for Kathy’s belongings, one we often drove by. A haven for misguided women. It’s my call and I’m pretty sure Kath approves, our sense of humour meshed wonderfully. But they are not accepting anything until the plague restrictions end. On the bright side it does give me time to be sure of what to keep in her honour. An old pair of Converse high-tops will occupy a special place by our front door.
I am still occupied with settling other aspects of her estate. Our government is there to help which means exactly the opposite it seems. There is a perverse amount of paper work and even more perverse instruction. Why do they require up to 3 “final” tax returns?
Word to the wise, if possible make your arrangements early but even that won’t spare your loved ones the aftermath of government dealings.
I have many phone calls to make starting Monday as I deal with Mom’s passing so I will not be too active on the blog. Many thanks to my co-bloggers for keeping things going.
And many thanks to all of you for your understanding as I vent my grief.
I texted the pic above to my relatives yesterday. A simple cup of tea made for Mom, and the TV clicker resting on the arm of her Lazy-Boy, fave blankets at the ready, sofa table repurposed and stocked with her ointments and creams and her phone.
It ignited a slew of memorial tea making among the family as sons, daughters, grandchildren and great grandchildren joined in and brewed up a cup for Mom.
That was Mom’s command central these past years. When not napping or watching TV she kept in contact with her family and friends.
Mom was known for her bleach strength tea, her sweet tooth and her lack of filters. And look who forgot to set out the cookies. I added some later.
Mom passed away at Toronto Western after contracting the UK covid variant at Runnymede. She would not have been in either institution were it not for the malevolence and incompetence of St. Joe’s. Do not send your elderly there, it seems geriatric treatment means charnel house conditions throughout our healthcare system. No vaccine was ever offered her at any of the hospitals she was in despite her advanced age of 96 and underlying vulnerabilities and to be blunt not all healthcare staff are “heroes” unless ill-treatment of the elderly has been elevated as a qualifier for “Hero Status.”
I spent just under four hours at Mom’s bedside in the early AM before she passed away. I have been advised by her doctor to isolate for 2 weeks and to expect a call from public health to check up on my compliance. The Doc was genuine in her concern at my having spent so long (read too long by protocol) with Mom. I was pushy enough or staff were understanding enough when I explained Mom’s sad journey through our health care system that I was granted access and sorta maybe allowed to exceed the rules a bit. Mom would understand where I get that stubbornness from. Kathy would understand too. I will isolate but I don’t care if I “catch it.”
Yes a tough year, so what’s a little Covid gonna do?
Since Mom was a Covid death the funeral homes “charge” a little bit more. There will be no visitation or viewing of Mom’s body prior to cremation. I at least was afforded time alone with Kath. We will have family and friends services once the plague is over.
I know that my grief is no worse and no better than all those who have suffered the loss of loved ones at any time but especially during this wretched era when even our grieving is so brutally truncated.
Kathy’s loss is the worst of heartbreaks as is Mom’s passing, but looking out for Mom had the benefit of keeping me busy and out of trouble after Kath was taken from us. Now with Mom gone it will be just me and Buddy and of course the never ending paperwork demanded by our bureaucracy. So it is likely a good thing Buddy is so demanding of my time.
I was blessed to have Kath and Mom in my life and for that will never be anything but a fortunate man.
I take comfort in their memory and knowing they watch over me.
Join us in a cup of tea in honour of all our loved ones.
Mom was 96 years old.
She died from Covid this morning.
She contracted it at a hospital. One she should never have been in to begin with.
I found out only today she had the UK virus, apparently it is stalking our hospitals now.
I spent a few of her remaining hours by her bedside early this morning.
She passed not long after I left as it appeared her condition had stabilized and I needed rest. Loved ones passing on when their family isn’t there happens with some frequency according to the doctor, almost as if the timing were deliberate.
Mom is loved by her family, she raised 6 boys and 1 daughter, and will be greatly missed by all of us.
Thank you for your care and concern.
A statement from Kathryn Limbaugh and family said Rush Hudson Limbaugh III was honorably laid to rest Wednesday in St. Louis, with close immediate family in attendance. There will be additional celebrations of Rush’s life to come both virtually and in his home town of Cape Girardeau, the statement said.
“I know they’re still figuring out the arrangements, but what we do when there’s things of this magnitude, once the date of interment for Rush is announced, we’re gonna be lowering the flags to half-staff,” the governor stated at the beginning of a press conference at the Hilton Airport Palm Beach in West Palm Beach.
Conservative radio giant Rush Limbaugh passed away on Wednesday. Kathryn Limbaugh, Limbaugh’s wife of eleven years, announced his death on his iconic radio show.
From Mark Steyn – The Indispensable Man – Rush Limbaugh, 1951-2021
The Sound of Music star spent decades finding his footing as a character actor—and, in 2012, became the oldest person ever to win an Oscar.
Dustin Diamond, known best for his portrayal of the endearingly nerdy Screech on “Saved by the Bell,” died Monday morning, weeks after he was diagnosed with cancer, his manager said.
Leachman passed away of natural causes Tuesday night at her home in Encinitas, California, with her daughter, Dinah, by her side … this according to her son.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Larry King, the suspenders-sporting everyman whose broadcast interviews with world leaders, movie stars and ordinary Joes helped define American conversation for a half-century, died Saturday. He was 87.
Music producer Phil Spector has died from COVID-19 related complications at the age of 81.
Spector was diagnosed with COVID four weeks ago and was transferred from his prison cell at California Health Care Facility, where he was serving a 19 years-to-life sentence for the 2003 murder of actress Lana Clarkson, to a hospital.
Weirdo, made good music.
The family of slain Calgary police officer Sgt. Andrew Harnett has issued a statement Monday about his love of Calgary, Canada and duty.
Harnett was killed New Year’s Eve in a hit-and-run after pulling over a car in Falconridge that had mismatched licence plates.
Police allege a 17-year-old male was the driver along with a 19-year-old passenger. Both have been charged with first-degree murder.
Dawn Wells, who starred as “good girl” Mary Ann in popular 1960s sitcom “Gilligan’s Island,” died Wednesday of causes related to COVID-19 in Los Angeles. She was 82.
