Wannberg was found dead last Friday at his home in Florence, Ore., where he had moved following the closure of Dutton’s in 2008.  He died from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

A larger-then-life figure literally, being over 6 feet and weighing around 350 pounds – Wannberg is described as being “one of the most-loved poets in the LA poetry community”.

His friends, critics and acquaintances describe him as a “spontaneous poet” who was “warm-hearted and generous”, helping to inspire many budding poets.  He was recently described as the “Johnny Appleseed of poetry”.  His poems were published in a number of books, including a new book being published on September 30^th entitled ‘Tomorrow is Another Song’.

Wannberg also performed with the traveling poet troupe ‘Carma Bums’ who performed at bookstores, galleries and coffeeshops across the Southwest and Canada for the last twenty years.

At Dutton’s he was a known as a “literary zealot” with a natural gift for knowing what people liked to read.  He will also be remembered for his especial favoritism for four-legged customers, and kept dog biscuits to hand ready to take time for the canine friends of his customers.

Born in Santa Monica in 1953, he became known as not only a ‘cinephile’ listing casts of movies from memory, he began spouting poetry in a ‘stream-of-consciousness’ style.  He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in creative writing from San Francisco State.

Wannberg never married and is survived by his two brothers.  No details are available at present about his funeral arrangements.

R.I.P Scott

Esther Gordy Edwards, the woman who built up Motown Records alongside her brother Berry Gordy Jr.,has died at the age of 91 years.

Edwards passed away yesterday in Detroit surrounded by her family and friends.

Edwards served as a Motown executive for almost thirty years, as senior vice president, corporate secretary and director of Motown International operations.  She is credited with exposing the famous ‘Motown sound’ to international audiences around the world.

Berry Gordy started Motown Records in 1959 with a loan from his family, and the company churned out scores of global hits from artists such as Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, The Supremes, The Temptations and the Four Tops from the building entitled “Hitsville USA” in Detroit.  In 1972 Berry moved the company to Los Angeles, but Esther stayed in Detroit and set about preserving the Motown memorabilia and the old Motown HQ.

When Gordy sold Motown in 1988 Esther set about creating a ‘Motown Museum’ and she is single-handedly responsible for preserving the Motown legacy for generations to come.

Esther Gordy was born in Oconee, Georgia in 1920, the eldest daughter in a family of eight children, and the family moved to Detroit when Esther was just a small child.

Although Esther reportedly gave Berry a “hard time” when he asked his family for the loan to start Motown Records, she ended up becoming his greatest asset Berry claims.  Many of the hugely successful artists of Motown’s heyday speak very fondly of Esther and her nurturing belief in their talents.  Stevie Wonder remembers how she was “like a mother to me” and believed in me when I was “only 14 years old and many did not see his potential…..she championed me being in Motown.”

Esther Gordy Edwards 'Motown Mamma' with Michael Jackson & Stevie Wonder

Esther was first married to Robert Bullock, with whom she had a son, and later married state Rep. George Edwards becoming a stepmother to his son.

James H Cole Chapel in Detroit is conducting her funeral arrangements and a public viewing is to be held next Tuesday from 9 am to 7 pm at the Northwest Chapel at 16100 Schaefer Hwy, Detroit, Michigan 48235.

The funeral service is to take place next Wednesday at Bethel AME Church at 11 am.

R.I.P. Esther Gordy Edwards and long may your memory live on through the legacy you created with Motown.

Jack Layton, the Canadian New Democratic Party Leader, has died at the age of 61 years.

Layton, known as a politician who believed in people and had a passion for local community, died on Monday after losing a battle with cancer.

His passing is mourned by many across Canada, just four months after he led the NDP to become the official Opposition party in Ottawa.

Layton’s funeral is to take place this Saturday, a funeral he planned himself in the last month before succumbing in his battle with cancer.

Layton has been lying in state on Parliament Hill, but his casket will begin the journey to Toronto on Thursday.  As his body leaves the Centre Block for the last time, it will be led by a piper, with a 15-Gun salute and renditions of ‘O Canada’

His body will lie in repose at City Hall with private and public visitations on Friday and Saturday.

His funeral is to be conducted by the Rev. Brent Hawkes, with a state funeral at Roy Thomson Hall.  All details have been coordinated and fine-tuned by his wife of 23 years, Olivia Chow.

Their shared passion for democratic politics fuelled their love affair, with Ms. Chow being not only a political wife but a Toronto MP, and they married in 1988. Layton had wanted his funeral to further his political cause, so it was not just to be about him. Ms. Chow is expected to speak either at the funeral or in the video tribute being prepared for Saturday.

She will make the final journey with her husband as she lays him to rest.

R.I.P Jack Layton

Mike Flanagan, whose career with the Baltimore Orioles included a World Series Championship, coach, executive and broadcaster, was found dead at his Maryland home yesterday.

Flanagan, aged only 59 years, was discovered dead outside his property, and Baltimore County Police are currently investigating the cause of death.

Orioles Managing Partner, Peter Angelos, issued a statement saying “It is with deep sadness that I learned of the death of my friend Mike Flanagan earlier this evening. In over a quarter century with the organization, Flanny became an integral part of the Orioles family, for his accomplishments both on and off the field. His loss will be felt deeply and profoundly by all of us with the ballclub and by Orioles fans everywhere who admired him.”

Flanagan pitched for 18 seasons with the Orioles (1975-1987 and 1991-1992), and the Toronto Blue Jays (1988-1990).  He also played in the 1983 World Series Championship for the Orioles.  In 1992 Flanagan retired and served as a pitching coach and executive vice president of baseball operations.  In 2010 he joined Mid-Atlantic Sports Network as a color analyst for Orioles telecasts.

Condolences go to his wife and three daughters at this difficult time.

Joey Vento, the founder of the infamous ‘Geno’s Steaks’ in South Philadelphia, has died at the age of 71 years.

Vento suffered a heart attack at his home in Shamong, N.J.

The famous Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich has become an icon for Philadephia, and alongside the Hamburger and Hot Dog, etched a niche for itself as a fast-food icon of 20^th century America.

Geno’s Steaks is considered on of the Big Three establishments in the Philly cheese-steak houses.  It’s large neon signage and red paint made it stand out, located at the southern end of the Italian Market, diagonally opposite it’s greatest rival ‘Pat’s King of Steaks’.

Vento opened Geno’s in 1967, when his infamous Philly cheese steak sandwich sold for just 35 cents, now it will cost you $9.00, and selling these iconic sandwiches made Vento a millionaire.  A community activist, over the years Vento donated to many charitable causes in his community.

Joseph Anthony Vento was born in Philadelphia in December 1939, and he dropped out of school in the ninth grade to start work at his father’s restaurant.  His next step with $6 in hand, 2 boxes of steaks and some hot dogs, was to open ‘Geno’s’.

Controversially Vento posted signs at Geno’s in 2005 that read “This is America: When ordering please speak English.”  Many critics complained that the signs were discriminatory, but Vento went on Fox News stating that the signs were not discriminatory at all as he included the word “please”, and that he was just trying to make his service run smoothly.  In 2008, a Philadelphia Commission ruled that the signs did NOT violate the city’s Fair Practices Ordinance.

Philadelphia Mayor, Michael Nutter spoke on Vento’s passing “Joey Vento was a colorful, larger-than-life Philadelphian who loved his city and excelled as a businessman. Mr. Vento had strongly held views that were matched by a commendable desire to give back to his community.”

He is survived by his wife of 51 years, his son Geno, his sister and his brother, and the iconic Cheese-steak stand.  The family has not released any details about his funeral service at this time.

R.I.P Joey Vento…..and long live on your Philly Cheese-Steak Legacy!

Dileo passed away today in Pittsburgh following complications from heart surgery undertaken in March.

A mere 5 feet 2 inches tall and a hefty 200 pound, with slicked back ponytail and abundant gold jewellery, Dileo made quite a striking contrast to Michael Jackson.  Dileo used to joke about the stark contrast between his rotund figure and Jackson’s skinny frame, stating “if we stand next to each other we look like the number 10.”

Dileo was working at Epic Records when Jackson hired him in 1984, and Dileo was credited with being a driving force behind the worldwide success of “Thriller”.  As his manager, Dileo supported Jackson through several world tours, endorsement deals and a visit to the White House.

Frank Michael Dileo was born in Pittsburgh in 1947, starting his career within the music industry by stacking shelves with new records, then in the 1960s and 1970s he worked promoting record companies to radio stations in New York, Nashville and Cleveland.

He had some run-in with the law, most notably in the 1980s when the feds investigated his use of independent promoters as middlemen whilst at Epic Records, trying to determine if Dileo had any links to organized crime.  But he was never charged.

In 1986 he negotiated the huge contract that Michael Jackson agreed with Pepsi, reported to be worth more than $10 million, and as a gesture of thanks Jackson gave Dileo a Rolls-Royce with the license plate ‘THANXMJJ’.

But by 1989 Jackson fired Dileo, apparently dissatisfied with the album sales from “Bad”.

Dileo then took up a spate of acting roles, playing a mafia character in Scorsese’s ‘GoodFellas’ and featuring as the flashy record executive in ‘Wayne’s World’ and ‘Wayne’s World 2’.

Throughout the 1990s Dileo continued as an artist manager, and in 2007 took a post as CEO of ValCom, a film, TV and theatre production company.

And in 2009 he was reunited with Michael Jackson as the singer prepared to do his comeback world tour.  Dileo was signed on as manager just a month before Jackson died, and it was Dileo who broke the news to Jackson’s children that their father was dead.

Dileo is survived by his wife, a son, a daughter and a grandson.  No details are available at present about the family’s plans for his funeral service.

R.I.P

I thought this was such a poignant image and story that I had to mention it on Flowers & Funerals.

Hawkeye, the loyal dog of Navy SEAL, Jon Tumlinson, who died at the weekend in the fateful attack on a helicopter in Afghanistan, refused to leave his master’s side and lay at the foot of his casket during the funeral service.

This sad and dramatic photo was taken by Lisa Pembleton, Tumlinson’s cousin, who wished to share the heartbreaking moment with family and friends unable to attend the funeral in Rockford, Iowa.

This image does so poignantly highlight that strong bond we humans have with our dogs, and that grief is not just a human emotion.

R.I.P Jon Tumlinson…….

Barbour passed away on Saturday at his home in Simi Valley, California from lung cancer.

In 1947, he and three freshman friends from Butler University took a year’s break from college to travel and take their quartet on the road.  The long chords harmony approach they adopted, which Barbour called the “purple chords”, made their four voices seem more like five or six, and their unique style went on to influence many other groups such as the Beach Boys and the Mamas and Papas.

The Four Freshman continue to this day as new freshman matriculate, and to date the group have recorded 50 albums and received 6 Grammy nominations.  In 2001, the Four Freshman were the first group inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame.

Barbour retired in 1977 after 29 years as a ‘freshman’.  He was finally awarded an honory degree from Butler and made it past being a freshman!

He is survived by his wife, three children and four grandchildren.  No details are available about his funeral arrangements at present.

Leiber, who was the words half of the songwriting duo, died yesterday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles of cardiopulmonary failure.

The pair created a repertoire of songs that infused the rock ‘n’ roll scene of the 1950s and 1960s, but will best-remembered for the fun and sassy songs created for the likes of the Coasters and the Drifters.  They are accredited with liberating American teenagers during the rock ‘n’ roll era to enjoy playful lyrics and funky sounds.

One of their most-popularized songs is ‘Kansas City’, which has been sung by a wide array of artists.  Many of the songs the pair created have become iconic covers for musical icons of our time such as The Beatles, Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly, Fats Domino, The Everly Brothers, The Rolling Stones and Aretha Franklin to name but a few.

Leiber and Stoller were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1985 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.

The pair had a long and compatible musical partnership, despite being very different from each other.  Leiber was the more outspoken and extravert character, quoted as “a charming mess – extravagantly verbal, always in a flamboyant dither”.

They had met up in LA as teenagers and their talents fused together so instantly that they jokingly referred to it as a “spontaneous combustion”.

It was Elvis’s rendition of ‘Hound Dog’ in 1956 that charted their songwriting into the mainstream pop charts.

Jerome Leiber was originally from Baltimore and moved to LA as a teenager, first wanting to become an actor, but then learning to write songs.  When he met Stoller a perfect, harmonious partnership was born.

Leiber, who was married and divorced twice, is survived by his two sons, two grandchildren and his sister.  No details are available yet about his funeral arrangements or a memorial service.

R.I.P Jerry Leiber!

Hubbard, who was widely known as ‘Jack’, died on Sunday at his home in Rancho Mirage after a long illness.

Hubbard, also a historian specializing in British Diplomatic history, was president of the University of Southern California [USC] in the 1970s laying the foundations for the school’s rise in rankings.  In 1970 Hubbard became the eighth president of USC and under his tenure applications to the school tripled, 10 new major buildings were added and new programs established.

In 1978 his plans to establish a Middle East Studies Center caused some revolt and objections, largely as the plan was to be supported largely by donations from corporate companies with business interests in Saudi Arabia.

The following year as he prepared to retire there was further furor concerning overseas donations.  Hubbard was committed to the promotion of college football and the Trojans and believed their success was pivotal in the fundraising he pursued.

Hubbard continued to teach part-time at USC until he was 91, even though it sometimes meant he had to use a walker.

Hubbard is survived by his three daughters, six grandchildren and longtime partner, Marcia Adams.  No details are available about his funeral arrangements at present.