The Memorial Wall

French paleontologist Yves Coppins, famous for discovering in Ethiopia in 1974 the skeleton of Lucy, the ancestors of humans dating back about 3.2 million years, the most famous Australopithecus afarensis, died today at the age of 87 after a long illness. Coppins is considered the “father of prehistory”, who revolutionized thanks to dozens of discoveries in paleobiology over the course of more than half a century. In October 2021, he organized a workshop on symbolism and the religious sense in man from the beginning at the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, of which he has been a member since 2014.

He was Professor Emeritus of Ancient and Prehistoric Anthropology at the College de France, Director Emeritus of the Musée du Manne in Paris, and a member of scientific institutions around the world, including the Royal Academy of Sciences, the European Academy, the Royal Belgian Academy, the National Academy of Sciences in Rome and the Institut Royal Anthropology.

Born in Vans on August 9, 1934, Coppins began his research first in Brittany while in high school and then at the Sorbonne in Rennes in Paris, where he studied geology, zoology, botany, and palaeontology. In 1956 he joined the French National Center for Scientific Research and dealt with distant periods and distant countries, particularly the borders of the Third and Quaternary eras in the tropics of the Old World. Beginning in 1960, he organized important expeditions first on his own in Chad, then in international cooperation, in Ethiopia (Omo Valley and Afar Basin) as well as numerous expeditions in Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Mauritania, South Africa, Indonesia, the Philippines, China and Siberia. His research focused on the paleontology of vertebrates (proboscis, hippos), their formation and importance to paleoenvironments, climate, biology, as well as paleoanthropology. The fruit of those expeditions is remarkable: tens of tons of fossils including more than a thousand human remains which could have been studied with amazing results, shedding light on the history of the past ten million years. He is known for his hypotheses that highlight the interrelationships between human evolution and the evolution of the environment.

In 1969 Cobbins was called to the deputy director of the Museum of Man, who became its director in 1980 at the same time
To dedicate the Anthropology Chair to the National Museum of Natural History. Meanwhile, travel to the Omo River valley in Ethiopia, an important site for the discovery of ancient humans. At the request of Haile Selassie, Emperor of Ethiopia, the British paleoanthropologist Louis Leakey organized an international expedition in which Yves Coppins participated, discovering the remains of Australopithecus Aethiopicos (2.5 million years ago).

Then the French scientist headed to Afar in eastern Ethiopia: in 1974 Lucy (Australopithecus afarensis) was discovered with Maurice Tayeb and Don Johansson (USA). Lucy’s 52 bones (a human skeleton has 206) made it possible to reconstruct her weight, age, and movement and to discover that pre-humans walked and climbed trees. Lucy’s name comes from the Beatles song “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds,” whose tunes rang out in the field.

Over the years, Coppins has formulated hypotheses proposing an ecological explanation for the separation of Hominidae Panidae 8 million years ago (1983), another hypothesis that identified the first appearance of Australopithecines 4 million years ago (1999), and another hypothesis about the emergence of the genus Homo 3 million years ago (1975) . These three stages postulated by Coppins are connected vertically or transversely within real trees, and each creates the conditions for the next stage, while developing its own stock in an original and independent manner.

Drawing on the different speeds of development of biology and technology, Yves Coppins also explained how the acquired gradually prevailed over the innate, giving man freedom and responsibility, and why human evolution slowed and then stopped.

Robert Lewis Smith died peacefully in Murfreesboro, TN on September 23, 2020. His wife of 60 years, Mary "Sue" Crisp Smith, also died peacefully in Murfreesboro, TN on November 19, 2020.

Robert was born on June 22nd, 1938 in Ranger, TX. He grew up in nearby Abilene as the 4th child of the late Lewis Smith and Eunice Turner Smith. He was preceded in death by his brother Ned Smith of Houston, TX and his sister Marilyn Owens of Abilene, TX. His sister Bonnie Baker of Dallas, TX passed away on May 3, 2021.

Sue was born in Victoria, TX on December 11, 1938, the firstborn to her parents, the late Noah and Elizabeth Crisp. She is survived by her brothers Don Crisp and Jerry Crisp, both of Dallas, TX.

Robert and Sue are survived by their children Sara Smith of Shreveport, LA, Timothy Smith and his wife Jocelyn of Olympia, WA, Marcie Smith Castleberry and her husband John of Murfreesboro, TN, and Andrew Smith and his wife Erin of Seattle, WA. They have five grandchildren: Will Smith, Nathan Smith, Erin Smith, Elliot Smith, and Ben Smith.

Robert and Sue both graduated from Abilene Christian College in 1961. Robert received a doctoral degree from The University of Tennessee, Memphis. They moved to Shreveport in 1968 where Robert joined the faculty of LSU Health Sciences Center. He was a researcher and professor of Biochemistry there until he retired in 2006.

Sue worked as an advocate for people with disabilities. She was president of the PTO at Sara's school, and she worked for many years with the Caddo-Bossier Association for Retarded Citizens, including serving as its president. In 1979 Sue created ACCESS, a state-funded agency designed to help disabled people access resources to enable them to overcome limitations.

Sue and Robert were both longtime members of Southern Hills Church of Christ and then Clearview Church of Shreveport. Robert served first as deacon then as elder at Southern Hills. Sue was a gifted teacher and leader. She taught Bible classes and led home Bible studies. Robert and Sue opened their home to many "small groups," furloughed missionaries, and other friends over the years. In 2010 they helped establish Clearview Church of Shreveport with the goal of reaching more young people with Christ's message of hope.

Robert was deeply interested in the interface between science and faith. Well after retirement he continued to read scientific books and journals, compelled by his love for nature and respect for the scientific process. This wonder also compelled him to hike, fish, and garden for as long as his Parkinson's Disease would allow.

Sue had a quick and inquisitive mind. She loved to learn and was interested in new ideas. When home computers came on the scene, Sue was an early adopter and she loved helping others with her skills. Even in old age, she could help her middle-aged children with their software woes.

Both Robert and Sue especially loved visits from their children and grandchildren. During those times, their home was full of the family cooking and eating together, playing games and working puzzles, laughing, talking, and watching football, with grandkids running joyfully through the house. Their family will always cherish memories of those times together.

Nicholas Charles Moore was an English blues, rock and heavy metal singer, who was best known as a member of the British band Samson. He replaced Bruce Dickinson who left the band to join Iron Maiden in 1982. Moore left Samson in the late 1980s and rejoined in the late 1990s.

After his initial departure from Samson, Moore sang in the band Mammoth, which also featured former Gillan bassist John McCoy. Mammoth released two albums before splitting up in 1989.[1]

In 2006, Moore teamed up with former Nazareth guitarist Manny Charlton and three musicians from the Swedish band Locomotive Breath to record an album under the band name "From Behind".[2] The band performed at the Sweden Rock Festival on 9 June 2006.

From 1994, Moore worked with his own band, Nicky Moore and the Blues Corporation, who were voted 'Top Live Blues Band' by BBC Radio 2 listeners in the year 2000.

On 3 August 2022, Moore died at the age of 75 from Parkinson's disease.

The British musician, who was regarded as a pioneer of heavy metal. 

Moore’s death was confirmed by his team in a statement on Facebook, which read: ‘It is with immense sadness and almost unbearably heavy hearts that we have to let you all know that Nicky – a man larger than life in body and spirit – has sadly passed away this morning. 

‘A man that lived a thousand lifetimes in just one has decided he needed a rest. Rest well, dear friend. 

‘We will all miss you x.’ 

According to Louder, Moore had lived out his final days in a nursing home. 

Moore, who hailed from Devon, found his passion for music after becoming a choir boy before launching his rock music career in bands such as Hackensack, formed in 1969. 

In 1974, he became a member of Tiger alongside ‘Big’ Jim Sullivan. 

However, he then found his permanent home with Samson in 1981 and went on to change the direction of their sound with albums such as Before The Storm and Don’t Get Mad, Get Even.

Their journey recording and touring the two albums was featured on a live album, Thank You and Goodnight. In addition to Samson, Moore was known for performing with other bands, including Mammoth alongside Gillan bassist John McCoy, From Behind with late Nazareth guitarist Manny Charlton and Electric Sun which also featured Scorpions’ Uli Jon Roth.

Samson has also mourned the death of guitarist Paul Samson, who died in 2002 following a battle with cancer, while bassist Chris Aylmer died five years later.

Really sad news, Vern. One of the men who brought Ernest P. Worrell to life has died. Filmmaker John Cherry died Sunday after a long battle with Parkinson's disease at the age of 73. 

"Buster, as his friends lovingly knew him by, was probably the most brilliant man I've ever met," reads a post from Melissa Laster on a Facebook page dedicated to the iconic character portrayed by Jim Varney. "Even as Parkinson's began to rob him of some things, that creative mind of his was always going full-force to the best of its ability.

"He was kind, amazingly funny, generous and had a heart of gold. In addition to being a brilliant writer, he was also an amazing artist, a skilled fisherman and an all-around amazing human being."

Cherry, a longtime resident of Williamson County, helped create the lovable good ol' boy Ernest character for his ad agency Carden and Cherry, alongside then-rising stand-up comic Varney in the role that would wind up defining both of their careers. The character was created to help advertise a then-rundown Beech Bend Raceway Park in Bowling Green, Ky.

In a 1990 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Cherry described the appeal that Ernest had during the advertising days. 

"Every time we do a study on who Ernest appeals to, it’s the under-13 and over-35 age groups,” Cherry said at the time. “If you’re under 13, it’s OK, and when you’re over 35, you know it doesn’t count anymore — you don’t have to be cool.”

The Ernest character first was used in regional advertisements (including an eight-year run with Nashville's Purity Dairies) and in short comedy skits before he hosted a direct-to-video special, Knowhutimean? Hey Vern, It's My Family Album, in 1983. He made his theatrical debut in 1985's subversive cult film Dr. Otto and the Riddle of the Gloom Beam, which saw Varney play seven roles, including Ernest, the titular Dr. Otto and his recurring character Auntie Nelda. That film started Cherry's longtime practice of mainly shooting the Ernest films in and around Nashville. 

Cherry is survived by his children Josh, Emilie and Chapman. His son Josh appeared in Ernest in “the Army” as Corporal Davis. 

The University of Louisville's "handstand man" — who for nearly three decades entertained spectators with handstands during men's basketball games at Freedom Hall — died Saturday, March 26, 2022.

Sedat Acton, 77, performed his last handstand at a basketball game in 2009 during the Cardinals' last season at Freedom Hall, and his last handstand ever in 2017, shortly after he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. 

His wife of more than 40 years, Teresa Acton, also died last month, according to his obituary. The two met in beauty school in 1976 and together owned a salon in east Louisville.

They left behind their three grown children, Anthony Acton, Tijen Lines and Sarah Colombo, as well as eight grandchildren, one great-grandchild, numerous nieces and nephews, and fans who remember him fondly.

Acton was known for getting the crowd rowdy during key moments, especially when the Cardinals were playing rivals like Memphis or Kentucky and needed the inspiration to close out the game. A gifted gymnast, Acton would hoist himself over the handrails of Freedom Hall's upper levels during timeouts and breaks in the action, as Louisville fans in the crowd looked on.

"You hear a roar, look up and thousands of people are cheering for your husband," Teresa told The Courier Journal in 2019.

Acton became interested in gymnastics as a young boy walking the beaches of his native country Turkey, often practicing in his backyard. He watched men perform acrobatic flips and twists on parallel bars and thought it could be a way to conquer polio, which he was diagnosed with as a toddler.

He left Europe for Louisville at age 23 in 1968, where his sister was already living. He joined the gymnastics team at the old YMCA at Third Street and Broadway — the gateway to his first halftime performance at a Louisville basketball game that same year. 

He performed with cheerleaders at football and basketball games, as well as Kentucky Colonels games. It wasn't until 1980 that he performed his first stunt on a Freedom Hall railing. 

Acton once turned down a job performing in Las Vegas to stay in Louisville and build a life with Teresa, and to continue performing at Freedom Hall. He was a common sight at Trinity High School and Sacred Heart Academy athletic events as well.

"I love Louisville because it's small and people understand you," Acton told The Courier Journal in 2019. "If you try hard you will be successful. And I truly believe people should help people, love each other, care about each other. Who knows who needs help and who don't?"

Acton requested any donations made in his name go toward the Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest in memory of his wife.

Cards fans who were wooed by Acton's stunts were disappointed to hear of his passing.