{"id":12282,"date":"2021-12-29T10:52:35","date_gmt":"2021-12-29T15:52:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/intramuralist.com\/?p=12282"},"modified":"2021-12-29T10:55:55","modified_gmt":"2021-12-29T15:55:55","slug":"some-insightful-goodbyes-to-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/intramuralist.com\/?p=12282","title":{"rendered":"some insightful goodbyes to 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As is no secret, lots of thoughts go through my head lots of hours of the day. Some are random. Some are huge\u2026 What\u2019s my purpose? \u2026 how can I grow? \u2026 how can I be a positive influence in my every interaction this day?\u2026 <\/em>One \u201cbig life\u201d question that often permeates my thinking is what will people say about us when we\u2019re no longer around. Hence, we remember ten who passed away in 2021\u2026 and what a few select people had to say\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About Hank Aaron,<\/strong> baseball\u2019s home run king who strong as he was, long shared how God was the source of his strength \u2014 from Terry McGuirk, Chairman of the Atlanta Braves: \u201cWe are absolutely devastated by the passing of our beloved Hank. He was a beacon for our organization first as a player, then with player development, and always with our community efforts. His incredible talent and resolve helped him achieve the highest accomplishments, yet he never lost his humble nature\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

About F. Lee Bailey,<\/strong> who as an attorney represented some of history\u2019s most controversial defendants, once sharing how his profession was filled with \u201ca tremendous collection of egos\u201d \u2014 from one-time client, O.J. Simpson: \u201cToday I found out that I lost a great friend\u2026 one of the great lawyers of our time\u2026 He was great; he was smart \u2014 sharp as ever\u2026 maybe the best lawyer of our time, of his generation, but a great guy\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

About Beverly Cleary,<\/strong> one of America\u2019s most beloved and successful children\u2019s book authors \u2014 from HarperCollins Children\u2019s Books President Suzanne Murphy: \u201cLooking back, she\u2019d often say, \u2018I\u2019ve had a lucky life,\u2019 and generations of children count themselves lucky too\u2014lucky to have the very real characters Beverly Cleary created, including Henry Huggins, Ramona and Beezus Quimby, and Ralph S. Mouse, as true friends who helped shape their growing-up years\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

About Lee Elder,<\/strong> who in 1975 became the first black American to compete in The Masters <\/em>\u2014 from fellow professional golfer, Gary Player: “Lee was truly a titan in the world of golf and a great contributor to society. He overcame a tremendous number of obstacles throughout his life, yet always remained gracious. His courage and determination were inspiring \u2014 a fighter in every sense of the word\u2026 Lee\u2019s impact on the sport, and on my life, will never be forgotten\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

About Edgar Harrell,<\/strong> who was the last surviving Marine of the USS Indianapolis, the Navy ship that sank during WW II, hit by torpedoes from a Japanese submarine, surviving for 4 days in shark-infested waters \u2014 from the administrators of the ship\u2019s public Facebook page: “During his time aboard ship, he helped guard components of the atomic bomb. After the torpedoing, he was a hero amongst his shipmates.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

About Tommy Lasorda,<\/strong> the legendary LA Dodgers manager \u2014 from former Dodger and current broadcaster Orel Hershiser: \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of special people in my life. But if you think of baseball and making a significant impact, Tommy Lasorda made the most impact on my life in baseball. He was my baseball father. He taught me baseball on the field and off the field\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

About Cloris Leachman,<\/strong> the versatile, comedic actress, whose decorated screen, stage and television career spanned 7 decades \u2014 from actress Maureen McCormick: \u201cRest In Peace Beautiful Cloris\u2026 I became a fan of yours the first time I saw you on tv. And then years later I was lucky enough to work with you and I fell in love with who you are as a person. I will never forget our talks and the time we shared\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

About Larry King,<\/strong> the iconic TV and radio host, who interviewed all sorts of celebrities and politicians for 25 years on CNN \u2014 from fellow TV host, Meghan McCain: \u201cThere are \u2018friends\u2019 in this industry and then there are real friends for whom I can count on one hand. Larry was one of those people. From the beginning of my career when I first appeared on his show when I was 23 and no one took me seriously, he gave me a platform, opportunities, guidance, support and always treated me with the utmost respect. He did so throughout my entire career\u2026 I am grateful for the years of friendship and all of the stories you shared Larry. You are an institution, a broadcast legend, will never be replaced and truly missed. TV is less interesting without you\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

About South Africa\u2019s Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu,<\/strong> known for his nonviolent pursuit of equality for all people, who passed away just this week \u2014 from English journalist and TV host Piers Morgan: \u201cA magnificently charismatic & heroic figure who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for his relentless campaign against Apartheid in South Africa. Love his quote: \u2018If you want peace, you don\u2019t talk to your friends. You talk to your enemies.\u2019\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And about Cicely Tyson,<\/strong> the talented and no doubt groundbreaking actress as a black woman cast in multiple starring roles \u2014 from director and producer Tyler Perry: \u201cShe was the grandmother I never had and the wisdom tree that I could always sit under to fill my cup\u2026 She called me son. Well, today your son grieves your loss and will miss our long talks, your laughter from your belly, and your very presence. Always so regal, always so classy, always a lady, always a queen. Every time we would talk I would ask, \u2018How are you?\u2019 and you would say, \u2018I\u2019m still here. He must have something he wants me to do.\u2019 Well, I think it\u2019s safe to say you have done all you were put here to do, and we are all better for it.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

… we are all better for it…<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are certainly more of note than we can count who passed away this past year \u2014 Bob Dole, Colin Powell and Anne Rice\u2026 Prince Phillip, Norm MacDonald and Rush Limbaugh\u2026 DMX, Stephen Sondheim and The Supremes<\/em> Mary Wilson\u2026 John Madden and Harry Reid, for example.\u00a0What a variety of people… what a variety of gifts… what a variety of reactions…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s always insightful to see what people say\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Respectfully\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AR<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As is no secret, lots of thoughts go through my head lots of hours of the day. Some are random. Some are huge\u2026 What\u2019s my purpose? \u2026 how can I grow? \u2026 how can I be a positive influence in my every interaction this day?\u2026 One \u201cbig life\u201d question that often permeates my thinking is … <\/p>\n

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