The Memorial Wall

John Bertin Hendricks was born on July 12, 1943, in an Oakland hospital near the city of Alameda where they lived. He moved with his mother, Ruth Solveig Johnsen and father, Glenn Franklin Hendricks, and his sister Susan to Santa Rosa where he grew up. In high school he lettered in swimming and basketball. He also attained becoming an Eagle Scout. From high school he went to the University of Berkley and graduated with a degree in anthropology. At college he met friends in the Kappa Delta Rho Fraternity who remained good friends for life. They got together for lunch until John could no longer physically attend.
After Berkley he attended San Jose State receiving his MBA. His first job was with Xerox until John was drafted into the army as a Lieutenant in the Green Berets. John and his men parachuted into the jungles of Viet Nam as tunnel rats. They also protected a tribe while teaching them how to defend themselves. Tribe members thanked them with gifts of wood carvings. John served his country with duty beyond and returned home with a Purple Heart and Bronze Star and ended his service as a First Lieutenant.
He used his MBA to travel to Los Angeles and work for Union Bank until he retired 34 years later. Starting as a management trainee he worked his way up to Senior Vice President and Manager of the Financial Institutions Division. John had numerous activities to attend with his wife, Carol, whom he met at Union Bank. Union Bank chose him to represent it with a trip to China, Japan, and Taiwan. He was also able to become a member of the Jonathan Club, which he and Carol loved. John was elected to be on the board, serving on various committees and receiving awards. He enjoyed the art committee where he and other members published a book of the art in the club. One of his greatest awards was to be selected by the Jonathan Club as a Trumble winner for all his work in many areas. After Union Bank retirement he joined Bank of the West for three years. He participated in community as well as Jonathan Club activities. He enjoyed a good glass of wine and made numerous trips to Santa Rosa to visit wineries and his parents. Justin and Fess Parker being two of his favorite wines. He still belongs to their wine club which Carol will continue to receive. At home John could be found behind his computer or watching Fox News.
Carol and her brothers, David, and James owned an orange ranch where they visited many times with their two children Jeff and Allison. John's family meant everything to him, and he worked hard to give them what they needed to live great lives. He was very stoic and guarded his emotions, but he was always ready to help those who asked. In 2021 his amazing son, Jeff, passed away at age 42 which hurt him deeply. Over the next three years his Parkinson's slowly worsened, but he fought it like a soldier even when he was in terrible pain. He died due to this disease on October l4, 2024. The l9th would have been Carol and John's 50th wedding anniversary which Allison and Carol celebrated. Carol and John loved living in Palos Verdes with the ocean a short drive down the hill.
John is survived by his sister Susan Nelsen and niece Laura McDermott of Wisconsin, brother- in- law R. David Packer, brother-in law James Colbert Packer, wife Carol Jeanne Hendricks and Daughter Allison Ruth Hendricks. John was preceded in death by son Jeffrey David Hendricks, sister Joan, and brother-in-law Chris Nelsen. Carol and Allison will continue to live the life that John provided for them and do their best to make him proud. John was everything a good man should be and will be missed by all those fortunate enough to be a part of his life.

Lee Wei Ling, the daughter of Singapore’s first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, has died at the age of 69.

Lee died at home on Oct. 9, according to a Facebook post by her brother Lee Hsien Yang. She is also the sister of former Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

Her death brings to focus a long-running family feud over a house left by late premier Lee Kuan Yew. The saga spilled into the public and political realm as the siblings argued over how 38 Oxley Road, at the fringe of the Orchard Road shopping district, should be handled after their father died in 2015.

Lee was diagnosed with progressive supranuclear palsy, a brain disease. It “starts with a Parkinson’s-like illness that slows physical movements” and eventually results in death, she wrote in a Facebook post in 2020. She was a neurologist and senior adviser at the city-state’s National Neuroscience Institute.

“Being a neurologist, she had in fact diagnosed herself before the doctors formally did,” senior minister and former premier Lee Hsien Loong said in a social media post on Wednesday morning. “She took it with her usual fortitude and stoicism, and posted about it as one of those things in life to be borne and endured.”

Edward Alton Risinger, Jr. November 15, 1944-October 4, 2024 of Westfield, IN died after a long gallant fight with Parkinson’s Disease. He is survived by his devoted wife of 43 years Carol (nee Wood), children Edward (Kim) of Bloomington-Normal, IL, Eric, (Amy) of Glenview, IL, Michelle of Washington, DC (Jeremy) and Mary Ridley (Jordan) of Noblesville, IN. Cherished grandchildren Mark, Matthew, Annika, Annabelle, Connor, Lucas and Summer and loving sister Carol Risinger Robbins (Leroy) as well as many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by parents Edward Alton Risinger and Jeanne (nee Lautebauche) Risinger of Hartford City, IN, sisters Catherine of Hartford City and Barbara Cheney of Lexington, Ky. 

Edward was an Air Force veteran serving as a squadron commander stationed in Clovis, New Mexico from 1966-1970 following his participation in the ROTC. Edward moved to Chicago following graduating from Ball State after earning a doctorate in American History and Education to work at National-Louis University (formerly National College of Education) as a professor and then administrator. He moved to Stockton, Illinois in 2005 to enjoy “Country Living” on his wooded 3 acres for 13 years and then to Westfield, IN in 2018 to be closer to family and grandchildren. 

For the 23 years that Ed fought against Parkinson's, he remained committed to knowledge, information and academia. As a historian, he dedicated his time to understanding and appreciating the complexities of humanity. Surrounded by books, articles, and journals, he committed his life to grasping the intricacies of human nature, embracing the diversity that defines us. He spent countless hours reading and studying various religions and was driven by a genuine desire to comprehend and learn about various beliefs. With in-depth knowledge, historical insight, and an open heart, he could discuss different religions, viewpoints, values, and lifestyles with precision and curiosity. His inherent ability to see the value of another being was a quality that drew others to him. Whenever he encountered an unfamiliar concept or value, he approached it with an eagerness to learn and an open mind. He used his knowledge for understanding, not judgment, and his intellect to advocate, not marginalize. 

Ed sought to understand and recognize the value in everyone. He was a person of humility and authenticity, never boasting, with his priorities firmly set on the comfort and happiness of his family above everything else. Ed's profound love for his wife Carol was heartwarming, and her unwavering devotion in return enabled him to spend the final days of his illness in the peace and comfort of their home. Carol, in essence, faced Parkinson's alongside Ed, standing by him as his devoted partner.

Ed was a true animal lover and environmentalist, frequently spotted in an animal rescue t-shirt while perusing a National Geographic article. For any stray cat that stumbled upon him, it was akin to winning the lottery for life. His respect for nature and ability to coexist peacefully with all creatures served as an inspiration. Ed was beloved for his humorous "quips," mastery of dad jokes, and his signature thumbs up. He adored the laughter of children, relished family gatherings, and had an unapologetically strong sweet tooth.

Ed was the embodiment of what it means to be both good and unique, and to say he will be missed is an immense understatement for his family. 

Floreine Gilliam Fitzwater died October the 7th of complications from Parkinson’s at 94. A native of Farmville, VA and graduate of Farmville High School, she worked most of her life as a clinical laboratory technician. An accomplished mother, wife, cook, nurse, knitter, weaver, and dog whisperer, she will be missed for her wit, wisdom and love. She is preceded by her husband, Ralph, Sr of 60 years and survived by her two sons, Ralph and Kirby and grandchildren Grace and Thomas. 

Allan Blye, a television comedy writer and producer who helped cement the Smothers Brothers’ reputation for irreverence in the late 1960s and later collaborated with Bob Einstein to create the hapless daredevil character Super Dave Osborne, died on Oct. 4 at his home in Palm Desert, Calif. He was 87.

His wife, Rita Blye, confirmed the death. She said he had been in hospice care for Parkinson’s disease.

Mr. Blye was a writer and singer on variety shows in Canada when he received a surprise call in 1967 from Tom Smothers asking him to join the writing staff of the series that he and his brother, Dick, would be hosting on CBS.

“I couldn’t believe it was Tom Smothers,” Mr. Blye said in an interview with the Television Academy in 2019. “I thought it was Rich Little doing an impression of Tom Smothers.”

“The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour” was unlike any other variety show. The brothers were renowned as a comical folk-singing duo: Tom played the naïve, guitar-playing buffoon, and Dick, who played the double bass, was the wise straight man. They had creative control of the series, which emboldened them and their writers to be more outspoken as they addressed politics, the Vietnam War, religion and civil rights — and their forthrightness during a divisive era increasingly angered some viewers, CBS censors, some of the network’s affiliates and conservative groups.

Mr. Blye and his writing partner, Mason Williams — best known for writing and performing the hit guitar instrumental “Classical Gas” — worked on the deadpan editorials delivered regularly by Pat Paulsen, a mournful-looking cast member who used the show as a platform to run for president in 1968 as the candidate of the S.T.A.G. (Straight Talking American Government) Party.

“These were double talk, they didn’t make sense,” Mr. Blye told The Los Angeles Times in 1970. “Pat closed with the line that if viewers wanted copies of the editorial, they could have them by sending in stamped, self-addressed envelopes. We got thousands and thousands of those envelopes.”

Mr. Blye, who became a producer during the show’s third and final season, encouraged the comedian David Steinberg, a friend from Winnipeg, Manitoba, where they both grew up, to deliver comic sermons. In his second one, he told the biblical story of Jonah, with humorous riffs.

The sermon was part of the April 13, 1969, episode, which never aired and led to the show’s cancellation. CBS had been insisting that Tom Smothers send it and its affiliates a tape of each week’s show in advance, in a timely fashion, for their review. When the tape of their final show did not arrive on time, CBS told the brothers that they had broken their contract. Tom Smothers later said that CBS used the sermon as an excuse to fire them.

Two months after the cancellation, Mr. Blye and the rest of the show’s writing staff — which included Mr. Einstein and Steve Martin — won an Emmy Award.

“Allan was measured, mature and fresh, and he wasn’t following a common road to success,” Dick Smothers said in an interview. “He wasn’t formula. When I talked to him, he made sense.”

In a post on the social media site Threads, Mr. Martin praised Mr. Blye as “my earliest mentor” and a “comic delight.”

Alvin Allan Blye was born on July 19, 1937, in Winnipeg. His father, David, a Romanian immigrant, worked in his wife’s family’s dry cleaning business; his mother, Goldie (Portnoy) Blye, who was from Russia, managed the home.

Alvin grew up in an Orthodox Jewish family in which Yiddish was his first language; he was a child soloist in his temple’s choir and sang on radio and in Yiddish theater. He became a cantor in his 20s and continued to be one at synagogues in Toronto and Los Angeles.

In the early 1960s, Mr. Blye performed on Canadian Broadcasting Corporation variety shows as well as on “MisteRogers,” the predecessor to Fred Rogers’s children’s show “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.” He played Captain Blye, who went on assignments like “Go find me love” for the genial host. He stayed in the cast for a little while after the show’s production moved to Pittsburgh in 1966.

While still working for the Smothers Brothers, Mr. Blye formed a partnership with Chris Bearde. Together they wrote and developed the format for “Singer Presents … Elvis,” Elvis Presley’s acclaimed 1968 comeback special. Steve Binder, the show’s producer, said it was Mr. Blye’s idea to have dozens of men, who resembled Presley in shadow, stand behind him on risers and imitate him on his opening number, “Trouble/Guitar Man.”

With Mr. Bearde, Mr. Blye was also a writer and producer for “The Andy Williams Show” (1969-71), “The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour” (1971-74) and “The Sonny Comedy Revue” (1974), Sonny Bono’s short-lived solo venture after he and Cher divorced. He was executive producer of the sitcom “That’s My Mama” (1974-75), a sitcom revolving around a middle-class Black family in Washington.

Mr. Einstein’s Super Dave character first emerged in 1976 on the short-lived variety show “Van Dyke and Company,” which starred Dick Van Dyke and was produced and written by Mr. Blye and Mr. Einstein.

“We wrote it as a sketch, then started auditioning people for the part,” Mr. Blye told The New York Times in 1995. “On the second or third day, I turned to Bob and said, ‘I don’t know anyone who could do this better than you.’”

Super Dave was puffed up with misplaced confidence as he plunged himself into one death-defying stunt after another. Although modeled on the real-life daredevil Evel Knievel, Super Dave was more like the ill-fated Wile E. Coyote, who would snap back from being crushed by a boulder or falling off a cliff in the Road Runner cartoons.

“People loved the character getting mauled,” Mr. Blye told the Television Academy.

Super Dave showed up on several TV series and specials overseen by Mr. Blye and Mr. Einstein, including “Bizarre” (1979-86), a sketch comedy series on Showtime that was hosted by the comedian John Byner, and his own talk show, “Super Dave,” also on Showtime, from 1987 to 1991.

At the end of a failed stunt in the first episode of “Super Dave,” Mr. Einstein said, “My life just flashed before my eyes, and there wasn’t another episode in it.”Mr. Blye’s first marriage, to Shirley Brotman, ended in divorce. He married Rita Rogers (no relation to Fred Rogers) in 1989. In addition to her, he is survived by two sons, Jeff and Rob, and a daughter, Debra Blye, from his first marriage; a daughter, Kate Blye, and two other sons, Sam and Charlie, from his second marriage; three grandchildren; and his brother, Garry, a talent manager and producer.

Looking back in the Television Academy interview at his work for the CBC, Mr. Blye said that working with Mr. Rogers had “touched something close to my heart.” He recalled being introduced to him in about 1961 in an otherwise empty CBC studio in Toronto, where he was appearing on “Parade,” a variety show. When Mr. Blye approached him, he said, Mr. Rogers’s hands were occupied by two of his puppets, Henrietta Pussycat and King Friday XIII.

“I never talked to him, I talked to both of his puppets, and the puppets had their dialects and it was great,” Mr. Blye said. “I talked to them for about 15 minutes and someone came to me and said, ‘Blye, they’re ready for you to rehearse.’”

Mr. Rogers waited for him after the rehearsal.

“He said, ‘I’m doing a show here myself. How would you like to appear on a portion of it called “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood of Make-Believe”?’ ‘Sounds great. I’d love that.’ So he booked me and I did 300 shows for him.”

Clifford S. Beck, M.D. died of complications from Parkinson's disease on Oct. 4, 2024 at the age of 83. He grew up in Northern California, attended UC Berkeley and then Stanford Medical School where he received his M.D. degree. After three years of residency at Harbor General Hospital in Torrance, California he conducted post-doctoral research in immunology. He then joined the Public Health Service and spent two and a half years on the Navajo Reservation in Kayenta, Arizona. In 1978 Cliff and his wife, Alice Casey, moved to Bishop where they raised their two daughters and practiced pediatrics and allergy for the next 36 years. In 2016, two years after retiring, they moved to Santa Fe, NM to be near three of their five grandchildren. Cliff enjoyed hiking, fishing, choral singing and watching spectacular sunsets over the Sierras and in New Mexico.

Another veteran actor has said goodbye to the cinema world. Veteran Malayalam actor Mohan Raj, famous for playing the role of villain Kirikkadan Jose in Mohanlal's film 'Kireedam', died at the age of 70. He was battling a serious illness for a long time. Mohan Raj died at his residence on Thursday, October 3. The actor was undergoing treatment at his home in Kanjiramkulam, Kerala. It is significant to note that having worked with several Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam superstars, Mohan Raj made his own identity in the entertainment world.

Malayalam actor Mohan Raj died due to a disease called Parkinson's. For those who don't know, this disease damages the movements of the human body and hollows it from the inside. During this disease, patients have a problem of tremors. The symptoms are usually different for everyone. It often starts from one side of the body and then starts happening on the other side. Due to Mohan Raj's critical condition, his family was getting him treated at home.

After the untimely demise of Mohan Raj, his friends and fans expressed their grief and condolences on their social media handles. Senior actor Mohanlal wrote in Malayalam on his Facebook handle, 'Being called by the name of the character is a blessing that not everyone gets... This blessing is received only by the artist who rules the hearts of the people. Dear Mohan Raj, who played the immortal character of Kirikadan Jose in Kireedam, left us, my dear friend.' Recalling the time when he worked with Mohan Raj in 'Kireedam' released in 1989, Mohanlal further wrote, 'I still feel as if it was yesterday when we met. A tearful farewell to my dear friend, who was a very good actor and human being.'

Mammootty also expressed his condolences on his social media handle and wrote, 'Tribute to Mohan Raj.'

Mohan Raj was known for playing villainous roles in Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu cinema. The actor earned fame by playing the role of Kirikadan Jose in 'Kireedam', after which his fans started calling him by the name of his character. He also worked in the television industry sometime before the end of his career. The veteran star started his career with Mohanlal in 1988. Both the actors also worked together in a film named 'Moonam Mura'. Mohan Raj was last seen on-screen in the 2022 film 'Rorschach' alongside Mammootty.

Dennis Wright, a former Livonia mayor who helped bring jobs back to a long-vacant former General Motors plant and give residents' dogs a place to play, has died.

Wright, 72, died Thursday, the city announced in a news release. He had suffered from Parkinson's disease, a progressive nervous system disorder.

Wright was elected mayor in 2015 and served from 2016-19. In February 2019, he announced he would not seek reelection that November, in order to focus on his health.

The city listed construction of the Livonia Dog Park at Bicentennial Park, a community build for a universally accessible playground at Rotary Park, reinstitution of a holiday event with the Merry & Bright Holiday Parade and hosting the five-day Vietnam Moving Wall at the city's Ford Field among his most notable accomplishments as mayor.

Wright also helped shepherd redevelopment of the long-closed GM plant on Amrhein and Eckles roads into Amazon and Republic National Distributing facilities.

He was twice elected city treasurer before running for mayor.

"Mayor Wright was a true servant leader,” said Livonia's current mayor, Maureen Miller Brosnan. “He leaves behind a legacy of caring for children and families in need in our community. As founder of Livonia Kids and Families, he harnessed the power of civic-minded business leaders, like himself, who came together to provide food, Christmas gifts and financial support to families in need.”

A U.S. Air Force veteran, he owned Wright’s Hardware on Five Mile Road for 18 years, the city said. He also served on the board of the Livonia Chamber of Commerce.

“Dennis was as real as they come,” said Dan West, president of the chamber. “He always wanted to help people. He raised money to help kids play sports or help a family in need; he would go to people’s house to help them fix their lawnmower; and he took time to help a small business owner solve a problem. He was genuinely happy watching people solve problems and that’s why he deeply connected with so many people.”

Margaret (“Margie”) W. Cameron, 85, died October 3, 2024, in Luther Crest’s Health Care Center, from complications of Parkinson’s disease.

Born in Allentown, she was a daughter of the late Dr. Carlin O. Williams and Edna (Overturf) Williams.

Margie was a graduate of Allentown High School and was proud to have been a member of the first coed class at Muhlenberg College, the Class of 1961.

Margie and her husband Bill lived most of their married lives in Upper Gwynedd Township, Montgomery County. For many years, Margie was employed as an English-as-a-Second-Language teacher in the North Penn School District. She wrote an ESL curriculum guide that was used in the district for years. She was an active member of the Lansdale Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW). In 2013, Margie published a book of children’s poems, “Silly Rhymes for Silly Kids.” She and Bill observed their 63rd wedding anniversary in August.

At Luther Crest, Margie was one of the leaders of a Parkinson’s support group. She also led a group of residents writing their autobiographies.

In addition to her husband, Margie is survived by three children: William Todd Cameron and his wife Sharon, of Wayne, PA; Jennifer Weston and her husband Raymond of Ambler, PA, and Matthew Cameron of Pittman, NJ. She has eight grandchildren. Other survivors include Margie’s brother Donald Williams and his wife Ina, of Alburtis, and her sister Carlene Schmoyer of Emmaus. Margie was preceded in death by her brother Homer Williams and his wife Ruth, and her brother-in-law Terry Schmoyer.

Stuart passed away in Whiddon Aged Care Home, Laurieton, after a long battle with Parkinson’s.

He was born in Lismore, NSW, the only child of Allan and Faye Snowden, both deceased.

Beloved husband of Alison, ex-husband of Theresa and Diana. Loved stepfather and stepfather-in-law of Andrew and Elena, Daniel and Anita, Michael and Dianne, and Stephen. Beloved “Grandad Stuart” of Benjamin, Oliver, Anya, Sasha, Roy and Nea. Best friend of Maximillion for nearly 70 years. Devoted guitarist and passionate exponent of South American music, especially the tango.

Past President of Port Macquarie Parkinson’s Support Group, member of North Haven Probus Club and the Camden Haven Garden Club, Stuart worked tirelessly for his community despite the progressively worsening symptoms of his illness.