The Memorial Wall

Australian media personality John Cornell has died, aged 80, after a long battle with Parkinson's disease.

Born in Kalgoorlie in 1941, Cornell quickly rose through the journalism ranks at the Daily News in Perth, becoming London editor at the age of 26. He later turned his talents to broadcast journalism as the original producer of "A Current Affair". While working on this program, he met Australian actor, Paul Hogan, and the two formed a popular comedy duo, Cornell playing the much-loved character, "Strop". Cornell went on to co-write and produce The Paul Hogan Show before the hugely successful "Crocodile Dundee" film franchise hit cinemas across the globe. He also worked with Kerry Packer to establish World Series Cricket, which revolutionized the game.

In a statement issued by the family, Cornell was remembered as "one of Australia’s leading lights". He died on Friday morning at his Byron Bay home, on the NSW North Coast.

"After being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2001, John concentrated his efforts on philanthropy, supporting his community and worthy environmental, sporting, and medical causes," the statement said. 

"A classic Australian character, John Cornell made the lives he touched much richer, not only through donations but also through his generosity of spirit, humour, humility and honour.

"A true egalitarian, John sought equity and equality, and fought for a fair go."

Byron Bay Cricket Club president Greg Daniels said the man locals knew as "Corney" was renowned for his generosity. 

"He was one of the more decent human beings I've ever met in my life and his influence in this town, most of it [was] behind the scenes," he said.

"He was a very quiet guy, didn't want publicity. That's how he operated. Yeah, it's really sad mate."

Cornell is survived by his wife of 46 years, Delvene Delaney, and three daughters, Melissa, Allira, and Liana.

Rosalee P Sass passed away peacefully with her husband and daughter by her side on July 21st, 2021 from complications related to Parkinson's disease. Born December 2nd, 1947, she was a lifelong resident of Los Angeles, grew up in Tujunga, and attended UCLA for her Bachelor's and Master's degrees.

For more than 30 years, Rosalee was the Director of Development at UCLA's School of Theater, Film & TV. She is survived by her husband Zohar Sorek, daughter Aimee Sorek, brother Marshall Sass and extended family + friends. Services will be held Sunday, July 25th at 1 pm at Eden Memorial Park - 11500 Sepulveda Blvd. Mission Hills CA 91345. Donations may be made to The Rosalee Sass Scholarship via the UCLA Foundation.

Tom O’Connor, the stand-up comedian, and host of television quiz shows including Name That Tune and Crosswits has died at the age of 81.

O’Connor was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease 14 years ago, his daughter-in-law, the former Olympic athlete Denise Lewis, said. He died in hospital on Sunday.

He was born in Bootle and was always seen as a proud son of Liverpool. The city council tweeted its respects: “Sad news breaking about the death of veteran Liverpool comedian Tom O’Connor. Our thoughts are with his family and friends. Thanks for the laughs, Tom.”

Before his showbiz career, O’Connor taught math and music and once said the only way he could get through to his pupils was by telling jokes: “It worked a treat … and that’s really how the comedy all started.”

He taught by day and performed stand-up in clubs at night, getting his early television break on the talent show Opportunity Knocks, which he won three weeks running. Soon came The Comedians, a 1970s ITV show that made stars of comics including Frank Carson, Stan Boardman, and Jim Bowen.

O’Connor had gentle, inoffensive humor and a relatable act. His easygoing manner made him the perfect quiz show host, beginning with the massively popular Name That Tune, where contestants could win £1,200 cash, a car, or even “a superb four-band radio including double cassette stereo tape recorder to give you hours of greater music enjoyment”.

Later, there were the cozy crossword-themed Crosswits, made by ITV Tyne Tees, which O’Connor presented for a decade until 1998. “And remember, if there’s ever a crossword in your house, make sure that it’s written and not spoken, just for me, all right,” he would tell audiences. The BBC Breakfast host Dan Walker revealed he was a Crosswits fan, tweeting: “How sad. I had the pleasure of meeting Tom O’Connor, and he was kind, funny, and a true gent. I loved watching him on telly – Crosswits was great. My sympathies are with his family and friends.”

Other shows included I’ve Got a Secret, The Zodiac Show, Gambit, and the snooker-based Pick Pockets. O’Connor became a regular in dictionary corner on Countdown and had occasional work as an actor, playing a Catholic priest, Father Tom, on the daytime soap Doctors. In more recent years, he was a winner of Celebrity Come Dine With Me and Pointless Celebrities with Lewis.

O’Connor leaves behind a wife and four children.

On 15 July 2021 at Tawa, Wellington. Dearly loved husband of Valerie. Cherished father and father-in-law of Amanda (dec), Russell, Diane (dec), Belinda & Andrew, and Jon & Lorna. Legendary grandad to Eden, Thomas, Harry, and Freddie. Forever in our hearts.

Former All Black's first five-eighth Bruce Watt has passed away at the age of 82.

Watt played 29 times for the All Blacks between 1962 and 1964, scoring two tries on debut against Australia, and went on to become a leading figure in South Island rugby during the 1970s.

The early 1960s produced a talented crop of playmakers, all competing for the All Black No 10 jersey and Watt's test comrades included the likes of Steve Nesbit, Adrian Clarke, Tony Davies, Neil Wolfe, Mack Herewini, Peter Murdoch, and Earle Kirton.

A highlight of Watt's career was the 1963/64 tour of Britain and France where he appeared in 20 of the 36 matches, including tests against England, Scotland, and Wales, dropping a goal in the latter game.

His All Black career came to an end in the first test against the 1964 Wallabies, though Watt continued to feature in South Island and All Black trials until 1967 and was considered unlucky not to be selected for the 1967 tour of Britain, Canada, and France. In all, Watt appeared in 197 first-class games, 117 of them for Canterbury.

After hanging up the boots, Watt went on to serve as a South Island under 18 selector from 1972-75 and as co-coach for Marlborough (1976) and Nelson Bays (1978-79).

Watt suffered from Parkinson's disease later in life, an ailment his family suspected was linked to a rugby career riddled with head-knocks.

"He had concussion many times and I'm told was often the 'target' of bigger guys as he was a bit lippy," his daughter, Belinda, told the Herald in 2016.

"He remembers one time being badly concussed in an All Blacks game and because there were no other players left, he was asked to go back on the field. He did not remember the whole second half. I guess it's impossible to tell but we also believe there might be a link between the head hits and Parkinson's, not just dementia."

Watt's biography on the All Blacks official website also recalls his love of marathon running, a hobby he took to the extreme while playing for Canterbury.

"During his rugby career, Bruce Watt ran a number of marathons. On Canterbury's Queen's Birthday trips to play Buller and the West Coast Watt would strip down and, when given the nod by the bus driver, would run on the spot in the aisle. He would pound away until the bus driver told him they had traveled 26 miles and 385 yards."

Myron Thielman, of Palm Desert, CA, passed away July 15th following a struggle with Parkinson's. He was born 80 years ago in St. Cloud, Minnesota.

Myron leaves behind his wife of 55 years, Mary Sue (Hall) Thielman, his son, Mike, daughter-in-law Laura, and granddaughters Natalie and Jackie of Laguna Niguel, CA, and his daughter Sarah, son-in-law Chris Flanagan, and grandsons Aidan and Brendan of Dallas, TX.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Evelyn and Norbert Thielman, and 4 brothers, Norbert, LeRoy, John, and Louis. Surviving siblings include Marcy, Daniel, Leo, and David.

He was a graduate of Cathedral High School, St. John's University, and St. Louis University. He was an English teacher, a school counselor, and eventually, Myron moved into administration and served as principal in the Palm Springs Unified School District from 1979 to 2000. Throughout his professional career spanning decades and multiple states, he guided young people to make good choices in life. Locally, he was principal at Nelly Coffman, Della Lindley, and St. Theresa's. His life's work impacted many students, teachers, and friends. He was respected, well-loved, and will be greatly missed.

Robert Downey Sr. was a filmmaker and actor best known for his 1969 film “Putney Swope.” He was also the father of Robert Downey Jr.

According to Robert Downey, Jr., "Last night, dad passed peacefully in his sleep after years of enduring the ravages of Parkinson's ..he was a true maverick filmmaker and remained remarkably optimistic throughout...According to my stepmom's calculations, they were happily married for just over 2000 years," Downey Jr. wrote on Instagram. "Rosemary Rogers-Downey, you are a saint, and our thoughts and prayers are with you."

“Putney Swope” was one of Downey’s earlier films as a writer and director, though he had already begun gaining an underground following with his low-budget films when it was released in 1969. A satire of the advertising world, “Putney Swope” was included in the Library of Congress National Film Registry, and it was influential on other filmmakers including Jim Jarmusch. Downey directed more than a dozen other films, including some in which his son acted, such as “Greaser’s Palace” (1972), “Up the Academy” (1980), and “Too Much Sun” (1990). Downey was also an actor, with appearances in movies including “To Live and Die in L.A.” (1985), “Boogie Nights” (1997), “Magnolia” (1998), and “Tower Heist” (2011) as well as on TV in “The Twilight Zone” and “Matlock.” He was a U.S. Army veteran.

Downey on how he got into filmmaking

“I wrote a few plays. They were done Off-off-off-off Broadway. I was working as a waiter at the Village Gate in Greenwich Village and the other waiter said, ‘I have a camera. Do you have anything written that we can make into a movie?’ We went with his camera, my script, rounded up some people, and made a film. [I] couldn’t believe it. We actually had fun.” —from a 2014 interview for Interview magazine

Popularly known as Stan Swamy, was an Indian Catholic priest, a member of the Jesuit order, and a tribal rights activist for several decades. Swamy was the oldest person to be accused of terrorism in India.

On 8 October 2020, Swamy was arrested and charged by the National Investigation Agency under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, for his alleged role in the 2018 Bhima Koregaon violence and links to the Communist Party of India (Maoist). Swamy was suffering from Parkinson's disease and had requested bail on medical grounds, which was rejected multiple times. While incarcerated, his health deteriorated and died on 5 July 2021.

Swamy was implicated in the 2018 Bhima Koregaon violence, while he claimed that he was not in Pune during the said period, and he was accused of being a Maoist "sympathiser". It was alleged that the Persecuted Prisoners Solidarity Committee (PPSC) founded by him and Sudha Bharadwaj, "to fight for the release of around 3,000 men and women who have been labelled as Maoists and imprisoned", was a front for Maoist fundraising. The Jesuits denied the allegation of Swamy being a Maoist, by stating that it was against the ethos of the Jesuit order. He was arrested by the NIA on 8 October 2020, from Bagaicha, a Jesuit social action centre, and charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, under which bail can be denied. The case was initially investigated by the Pune Police but later handed over to the NIA. He had earlier been arrested in June 2018 in Ranchi on similar accusations. Activists Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira were also lodged at Taloja prison along with Swamy.

Swamy's arrest triggered widespread protests across India. The People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), All India Catholic Union, the Catholic Bishops Conference of India, Kerala Catholic Bishops' Conference (KCBC), Kerala Latin Catholic Association (KLCA), Kerala Jesuit Provincial, Federation of Asian Bishops Conferences (FABC), and the international Jesuit community, all protested, calling for his release. The Ranchi Catholic Church released a statement saying it was "distressed and troubled" at the way he was arrested. The arrests were termed as politically motivated due to his work among the adivasi community, the release of undertrials, Persecuted Prisoners Solidarity Committee, among others. Leaders of other minority religions also protested his arrest. In a protest on 21 October 2020, leaders of opposition political parties such as Shashi Tharoor, Sitaram Yechury, D. Raja, Supriya Sule and Kanimozhi along with economist Jean Dreze, Dr Joseph Marianus Kujur, the director of the Ranchi-based Xavier Institute of Social Sciences, activists Dayamani Barla and Rupali Jadhav, and lawyer Mihir Desai called for Stan's release. Jharkhand Chief minister Hemant Soren and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan both objected to Swamy's arrest.

In October 2020, Swamy filed for bail on the grounds of him being a victim of Parkinson's disease. His bail pleas were rejected multiple times.

On 6 November 2020, Swamy submitted an application to the special court requesting a straw and sipper, stating that he was unable to hold a glass due to Parkinson's. In response to the delay in arranging a straw and a sipper for Swamy, social media users protested by ordering straws and sippers online, getting them delivered to the NIA's Mumbai office and at the Taloja jail.

Swamy suffered from Parkinson's disease and other age-related illnesses. He fell multiple times while in prison. He suffered from hearing loss in both ears and had undergone surgeries. Due to his Parkinson's, he had trouble holding a glass, and requested to be provided with a sipper and a straw while imprisoned.

On 18 May 2021, in a note submitted to the Bombay High Court, it was reported that Swamy was gravely ill in prison. The Court ordered the formation of an expert committee to examine Swamy. While appearing before the Court over video conferencing on 21 May 2021, Swamy refused to be admitted to either JJ hospital or any other hospital and requested only interim bail so that he could go to his home in Ranchi, citing his rapidly deteriorating health. On 28 May 2021, the Bombay High Court directed the Maharashtra government to admit Swamy to a private hospital for 15 days, considering his rapidly deteriorating health. He was admitted to the Holy Family Hospital, Mumbai. Swamy then tested positive for COVID-19.

On 4 July 2021, Swamy was put on ventilator support, as his health deteriorated. He died on 5 July 2021, ahead of his bail hearing in Bombay High Court.

In November 2021, Jamshedpur Jesuit Province (JJP), petitioned the Bombay High Court, as his next-of-kin, to clear Swamy's name from the case. His counsel while appealing the Bombay High Court, to set aside NIA observation against him, had submitted, "It is strongly believed by those closest to him that his death was caused (in view of his age and past health conditions) due to his arrest and prison conditions including inadequate health facilities and health care". HC asked the petition to be resubmitted.

The Washington Post reported in December 2022 that hackers had planted evidence on Swamy's computer.

Late in the evening of July 1, 2021, the field of neurology unexpectedly lost a renowned practitioner, researcher, and teacher: Dr. Richard Alan Shubin, beloved husband of Judy Shubin and father of Matthew Shubin. Dr. Shubin, aged 65, was known for his protean knowledge of neurology, focusing on multiple sclerosis, sleep disorders, Parkinson's, and Alzheimer's diseases. Throughout his more than 30 years of practicing medicine, Dr. Shubin was known to the medical community as the neurologist of last resort for patients with the most intractable and complex neurological conditions.

Born in Hollywood in 1956, Dr. Shubin was the eldest son of Hilde Shubin and Dr. Herbert Shubin. Motivated to enter medicine by the passing of his physician-father in 1975, he graduated from Stanford University with a BS in Chemistry. He received both his medical degree and master's degree in philosophy from the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Shubin completed his residency in neurology and completed a fellowship in neuroimmunology at Los Angeles County-University of Southern California School of Medicine, where he worked on developing disease models for coronaviruses. Along with maintaining a fully private practice in Arcadia, CA, Dr. Shubin was actively engaged in clinical research throughout his career, co-directing the Sleep Disorders Center at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena.

He also served as the site investigator for more than 100 clinical trials, authored more than 15 peer-reviewed papers and book chapters, and served as a clinical faculty member at LAC-USC School of Medicine. Dr. Shubin was dedicated to excellence in the practice of medicine and devoted to providing state-of-the-art care to his many patients. Dr. Felice Laverso, CEO and President of Casa Colina Rehabilitation Hospital, where Dr. Shubin served as Director of multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease clinics, described Dr. Shubin as "one of the most talented neurologists I had ever known. His knowledge and caring about individuals with movement disorders were unprecedented.

I admired him and felt fortunate to have known him. I will miss him greatly as will every patient in his orbit." Ever the polymath, Dr. Shubin derived ceaseless joy from his lifelong study of history, natural philosophy, and geology, to the day of his untimely passing. Dr. Shubin is survived by his wife Judy Shubin, son Matthew Shubin, mother Hilde Shubin Rosenbluth, stepfather Irving Rosenbluth, sisters Carol Shubin and Dorothy Shubin, as well as by aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews. He will be dearly missed by his family, friends, colleagues, and the medical community.

David John Wilson, a 34 year resident of Malibu, passed away peacefully on June 28th, 2021. He was born in Lincoln, NB on April 4th, 1937, and moved with his family to Boulder, CO when he was fourteen.  Later he attended UC Boulder and then in 1961 entered the US Air Force to train as a fighter pilot.  He flew the F86 Sabre, often in formation and he left the Air Force as a Commissioned Officer.

In 1964 he joined Pan American World Airways and began his 36-year career as an airline pilot flying to all corners of the globe and becoming a Boeing 747 Captain in 1981. In 1986 he transferred to United Airlines and finished his career as Captain of the Boeing 747-400, a plane he had flown consecutively for 25 years.

Dave was an avid skier, tennis player and enjoyed traveling extensively with his wife,  entertaining and hosting guests.  However, fishing with his sons in the mountains was especially high on his list of favorite things to do. Dave is survived by his wife of 40 years, Angela, sister Lorna, sons David and Darren, daughters-in-law Amy and Kelly, and grandchildren Kai, Bodi, and Zanna. Known for his humor and intelligence, Dave will be missed by asking who knew and loved him.

Funeral services will be private.  In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations online to parkinsonsresource.org  or by check to 74785 Highway 111 Suite 208, Indian Wells, CA 92210.  1-877-775-4111.

Visionary leader oversaw the building of Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center after the Northridge earthquake

Dr. Gerald Saul Levey, a nationally recognized leader who transformed UCLA’s hospitals and medical school into a world-class academic health system, died at home on June 25 of Parkinson’s disease. He was 84.

Levey served the university as Vice-Chancellor of Medical Sciences and Dean of the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA from 1994 to 2010. During his 16-year tenure, Levey amassed an extraordinarily long list of achievements crowned by the building of Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center and a $200 million endowment to the UCLA School of Medicine by entertainment executive David Geffen.

“It’s not possible to say in a short time what Jerry Levey means to UCLA,” said Chancellor Gene Block. “He left us with a state-of-the-art hospital, an endowed medical school, five new research buildings, and 100 endowed chairs. Many generations will reap the benefit of his vision, leadership, and dedication.”

Levey was born on Jan. 9, 1937, in Jersey City, N.J, to Jacob and Gertrude Levey. His father, who had emigrated from Odessa, completed night school to become an attorney, and his mother was the daughter of Polish immigrants.

Growing up during the Depression, Levey’s earliest memory was of wanting to be a physician like his pediatrician.

“He made house calls, set my broken nose, stitched a nearly severed finger, and fixed a fractured collarbone at our kitchen table,” he recalled. “I was absolutely in awe of him.”

When Levey turned 18, his father died of a heart attack, forcing his mother to join the workforce. On a secretary’s income, his mother paid for Levey’s college and medical school education; he graduated debt-free.

His senior year at Cornell University, Levey met Barbara Cohen, a quick-witted blonde who sat next to him in folk music class. It was, Levey, quipped, “a case of assigned seating — and love at first sight.”

Cohen, who graduated cum laude from Cornell, had already been accepted to medical school at the State University of New York in Syracuse. She graduated as the only woman in her 120-student class.

After Levey earned his medical degree from Seton Hall College of Medicine and Dentistry, the couple married in 1961, launching a partnership in family and career that spanned 58years.

Levey interned at Jersey City Medical Center and pursued a postdoctoral fellowship in biological chemistry at Harvard. After a residency at Massachusetts General Hospital, he trained for four years at the National Institutes of Health. In 1970, Levey was hired as an associate professor at the University of Miami School of Medicine, where he was funded as a Howard Hughes Medical Investigator.

In 1979, the University of Pittsburgh recruited him to chair its academic medicine department and serve as Chairman of the Department of Medicine at Presbyterian-University Hospital. During his 13-year tenure, Levey confided his desire to lead a major medical school to the university vice-chancellor, who encouraged him to hone his business and management skills at a larger organization.

In 1991, Levey surprised his academic colleagues by accepting a position at the pharmaceutical company, Merck & Co, as Senior Vice President of Medical and Scientific Affairs.

The strategic move paid off. Three years later, UCLA chose Levey for the newly merged roles of medical school Dean and Provost of the Health Sciences and hired Barbara Levey as Assistant Vice Chancellor of Biomedical affairs.

The enterprise Levey inherited was massive: a medical school with more than 2,000 faculty and 725 students, and a health system of more than 75 community clinics and four hospitals on two medical campuses treating 80,000 hospital patients and 1.5 million clinic patients per year. Levey was tapped as the single executive to supervise the entire UCLA health sciences and integrate its factions into a cohesive, well-run organization.

When Levey joined UCLA in September 1994, he couldn’t have picked a less auspicious time. Mired by budget woes, a weak census, and discord between hospital and school leadership, UCLA struggled to finance its research and teaching programs while delivering care in a marketplace rocked by a recession, managed care, and dwindling government revenue.

Eight months earlier, the Northridge earthquake had damaged UCLA’s circa-1955 hospital. Following Levey’s appointment, engineers indicated the building would be unable to function in the event of another major quake. Levey was thrust into the unexpected role of overseeing the creation, financing, and construction of a new medical center. Famed architectural firms I.M. Pei & Associates and Perkins & Will designed the facility to anticipate the future demands of medicine and meet California’s rigid seismic standards.

Levey embraced the challenge with boundless enthusiasm, raising a record $300 million in private funds for the hospital by cultivating personal relationships with Los Angeles’ luminaries in business and philanthropy. He persuaded the Federal Emergency Management Agency to allocate $432 million to the new facility, noting its indispensable role in a future disaster.

On June 29, 2008, the unpretentious leader arrived before 4 a.m. in sneakers and a Bruins baseball cap to rally thousands of staff and volunteers. He oversaw the seven-hour transfer by ambulance and gurney of more than 340 psychiatric and clinical patients–including premature infants from the neonatal ICU and critically ill adults in comas.

Moving one patient every two minutes, the monumental task ran like clockwork and finished three hours ahead of schedule. By the afternoon, doctors had opened the emergency room for business and begun performing organ transplants and delivering the hospital’s first babies.

Encased in white Italian travertine and filled with natural light, the 1-million square-foot facility took 14 years to complete. It houses Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, Stewart and Lynda Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital at UCLA, and UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital.

Levey never lost sight of the reason behind the hospital. “Thinking about all of the people whose lives will be better because of the care they receive here is a very humbling and rewarding prospect,” he commented in UCLA Medicine.

Levey also oversaw the design and construction of a striking new campus for UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, and the addition of five state-of-the-art research buildings.

“Jerry didn’t focus exclusively on buildings; he knew that a successful enterprise is built on talented, dedicated people,” said Dr. John Mazziotta, UCLA Vice Chancellor of Health Sciences and CEO of UCLA Health. “He invested in recruiting and mentoring excellent people. Everyone at UCLA benefitted from his vision and ability to lead.”

During his tenure, Levey catapulted the hospital and medical school into U.S. News & World Report’s top rankings; recruited 20 academic chairs; revamped the educational curriculum; awarded medical degrees to more than 2,500 students; and oversaw the creation of the Broad Stem Cell Research Center and five new departments, including human genetics.

His leadership extended far beyond UCLA. Levey was a founding board member for the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine. When the county’s troubled Martin Luther King Jr./Drew Medical Center closed in South Los Angeles in 2007, Levey advised the County Board of Supervisors and the UC Board of Regents to enter a partnership, leading to the reopening of the hospital in 2012.

Fond of saying, ‘Never be afraid to do the right thing,’ Levey emphasized that a decision’s outcome mattered less than whether it was the ethical thing to do. That motto inspired the title of his business memoir in 2011.

His second book, “A Gift for the Asking,” described his personalized approach to fundraising. As Dean, Levey raised an unprecedented $2.52 billion in private donations.

To honor his exceptional service, Levey received numerous prestigious awards. Chief among them were the UCLA Medal, the university’s highest honor; the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science Board Medal of Honor; and the American Jewish Committee’s award for distinguished leadership

“I feel blessed to have the life I have had,” Levey told the Daily Bruin. “I consider my experience at UCLA the pinnacle of my career.”

Levey is survived by his sister Paula Westerman; son John (and Michele) Levey; his daughter Robin Levey Burkhardt; and three grandchildren. His beloved Barbara died in 2019.