Obituaries

[Casey Claar]

This one breaks my heart. Doug (thepainterdoug here on Avalon) arranged a meeting in recent years, as we both work with new quartz crystal technology.

Jerry Wills reported today on FB that Dan Willis passed away yesterday.

[grapevine]

Trailblazing investigative reporter Roger Cook dies
Fearless in his pursuit of justice, Roger Cook was injured many times in the course of making The Cook Report, once suffering broken ribs as he confronted an unwilling contributor.

Roger Cook, the pioneering investigative reporter who built a career confronting criminals face-to-face on camera and challenging them on their own doorstep, has died aged 83.

His family said in a statement: "It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Roger Cook, who died peacefully on Saturday after a short illness.

Very short clip of Roger Cook in Africa from 2007:

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=BOJlKaEXgts

"Alongside a distinguished and award-winning career in journalism, Roger was first and foremost a beloved husband and father.

"He will be deeply missed by all of us, and we ask for privacy as we navigate this difficult loss."

[happyuk]

Posted by grapevine (here)
Trailblazing investigative reporter Roger Cook dies
Fearless in his pursuit of justice, Roger Cook was injured many times in the course of making The Cook Report, once suffering broken ribs as he confronted an unwilling contributor.

Roger Cook, the pioneering investigative reporter who built a career confronting criminals face-to-face on camera and challenging them on their own doorstep, has died aged 83.

His family said in a statement: "It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Roger Cook, who died peacefully on Saturday after a short illness.

Very short clip of Roger Cook in Africa from 2007:

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=BOJlKaEXgts

"Alongside a distinguished and award-winning career in journalism, Roger was first and foremost a beloved husband and father.

"He will be deeply missed by all of us, and we ask for privacy as we navigate this difficult loss."

Very sorry to hear of this. I was always a huge fan of his programmes and I cannot think of anyone then or now who would so fearlessly target conmen, the Russian mafia, British crooks on the Costa del Sol, rogue antique dealers, the IRA and all manner of dangerously unstable miscreants. Regrettably the highlight of the show for many was seeing Cook get physically attacked when confronting these people (which he once confided he hated but was a necessary part of the beginning-middle-and-end format of the show).

As a journalist he was trailblazer. What's Wrong with Your Rights? (1988) co-written with Tim Tate, published by Methuen is a brilliant survey of how ordinary people's civil rights in Britain were being undermined in practice, still as much of an issue today.

[Sue (Ayt)]

David Clayton-Thomas, Blood, Sweat & Tears singer-songwriter, dies at 84

David Clayton-Thomas, the lead singer of Blood, Sweat & Tears, whose husky, high-strung tenor on “Spinning Wheel,” “And When I Die” and other hits helped make the so-called brass rock band among the most popular acts of the late 1960s, has died at age 84.

Spokesperson Eric Alper said that Clayton-Thomas died peacefully Wednesday at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto. Alper did not cite a specific cause of death.

Clayton-Thomas was a onetime street fighter and petty thief from Canada who briefly became a rock superstar, the front man of a nine-member group that sold millions of records and won two Grammys for “Blood, Sweat & Tears,” which beat out the Beatles’ “Abbey Road” for best album of 1969. Calling out amid a jazzy parade of horns, keyboards and percussion, Clayton-Thomas’ urgent shout was a signature voice of the era, preaching love on the Motown cover “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy,” a lasting legacy on Laura Nyro’s “And When I Die” and a cool head on his own “Spinning Wheel.” Meanwhile, Blood, Sweat & Tears helped inspire a wave of horn-led bands, among them Chicago, the Electric Flag and Ten Wheel Drive.
(more at link)
https://www.latimes.com/entertainmen...ars-dies-at-84

R.I.P.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=ai0zEogBBFg

[Inversion]

Singer Bonnie Tyler died at age 75.

Dailymail

Bonnie Tyler has died 'unexpectedly' at the age of 75, weeks after going into cardiac arrest following surgery which left her in an induced coma.

The Welsh pop star, whose real name is Gaynor Hopkins, died just months after she was placed in an induced coma following emergency intestinal surgery.

Bonnie's death was announced in a statement by her 'heartbroken' family and team on her website on Thursday, which said she died in hospital in Portugal.

07/09/26 (3:37)

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=GefgxhRppIs

[Inversion]

Randolph Mantooth who starred in the 1970 show Emergency has passed away at age 80. I watched that show when I was a kid. The words Torah, Poland & Month appear in his name as if code. Another interesting thing is one pronunciation of Thoth is Tooth and Elena Danaan said the first human in this galaxy were seeded in the Man system. Morgan Spurlock's name anagrams to Unlock Programs. Story of Harald Bluetooth and the rune symbol. A Blue designation means alien.

Encyclopedia Galactica post#21

P144. The human genome was first seeded in the Nataru Galaxy (Milky Way) in the Man system. It’s visible in the constellation Lyra.

msn

Randolph Mantooth, known for playing paramedic Johnny Gage on the "Emergency!" TV series in the 1970s, died July 9 in Ventura. He was 80.

Mantooth broke out in 1972 when he was cast in "Emergency!," which introduced the profession of paramedics to the public. He co-starred with Kevin Tighe in the popular NBC series which ran for six seasons, and performed most of his own stunts.

His brother said he died in a hospice facility after a long illness, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

He played his “Emergency!” character Johnny Gage on other shows such as "Adam-12," and remained an advocate for firefighters, paramedics and EMTs throughout his life.

After guest starring on shows including "Dallas," "Charlie's Angels" and "The Love Boat," Mantooth had a notable second act appearing in soap operas. He joined "Loving" in 1987 as Clay Alden, then spent two years on "General Hospital" as Richard Halifax. He then returned to "Loving" for two more years. Among the other soaps he appeared on were "The City," "As the World Turns" and "One Life to Live," as well as other shows such as "Criminal Minds," "Ghost Whisperer" and "Sons of Anarchy."

Mantooth was born in Sacramento; his father was of Cherokee and Seminole descent. He studied at Santa Barbara City College and earned a scholarship to New York's American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

TMZ stands for Thirty Mile Zone.


10/24/16 (0:55)

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=egCz5qppicY

[Ascension]

Jon Rappoport passed away peacefully on the evening of Wednesday, July 8, 2026.

https://jonrappoport.substack.com/p/...dRedirect=true

[grapevine]

Man, 26, arrested on suspicion of murder after Ann Widdecombe found dead at home
Devon and Cornwall Police say a white British male is in custody after the 78-year-old was found dead in her home on Thursday having suffered serious injuries. This afternoon, police announced they had launched a murder investigation into the death of Ann Widdecombe, 78-year-old former Conservative minister turned Reform UK spokeswoman.

There is more to come on the whys and wheres of Ann Widdicombe's awful death but for now, here is a short and fitting tribute to Ann Widdicome

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=ydPueu-TmKM

[Tintin]

Posted by Ascension (here)
Jon Rappoport passed away peacefully on the evening of Wednesday, July 8, 2026.

https://jonrappoport.substack.com/p/...dRedirect=true

That's sad, indeed. I used to receive his Substack alerts too; he did a lot of great work

Here's the full final message from Jon:

Jon’s Prerecorded Farewell Message
Tom Kudla
Jul 10, 2026

Dear Readers,

I know many of you have been hoping for more time. So was I.

Today I write with news none of us wanted to receive.

Jon Rappoport passed away peacefully on the evening of Wednesday, July 8, 2026.

One week ago I wrote to let you know that Jon could no longer continue his daily publishing schedule. Two days ago I shared how I intend to steward his work. I now fulfill the final responsibility Jon personally entrusted to me.

Several weeks before his passing, Jon recorded the message you are about to hear and asked me to release it after his death. It is presented exactly as he recorded it.

Transcript

This is Jon Rappoport, and this is June 15th, 2026.

My senior producer, close friend, business associate—Tom Kudla, has strict instructions to play this audio in the event that I pass away. So if you’re hearing it, that means I’m gone. This lifetime is over for me. That could be a few days after I make this, could be a month, a year, five years, who knows? But I want to explain a few things so you understand:

Every choice that I’m making about my health is my own, taken in full awareness and consciousness. Nobody else’s. And the main choice has been, go to the ER or try to work things out at home with friends and family. I’ve chosen the latter course, because I believe that even though the emergency doctors are the best doctors—when they know what they’re doing, and they are in a situation dealing with critically important issues, that there is too much room for mistakes, disagreements, misinterpretations of tests, and so on, for me to feel comfortable physically and spiritually in their hands.

Now that may change at the last minute. I may decide, “Okay, the hell with it, let’s go to Emergency.” But as of right now, my decision has been to try to regain as much health as possible, at the highest level of understanding possible, for me, here at home. Because that calls on everything that I’ve got that I can marshal at the moment and in the future. And that’s the way I want it to be.

Now, when I do pass, I feel very confident that Tom—who is inheriting all my writings—published and unpublished, will continue to do a fine job in presenting those materials to you. There are many articles that I have written that have never been published, that can be now. I’m not hiding them or anything. It’s just that there’s a certain limit, and my ability to turn out research, exceeded that limit. So, we had to save some pieces. The other factor is, there’s a great deal of my work that was published only once by me, and that should be refreshed from time-to-time, because it’s vitally important information. So you can feel secure that my writing is in very good hands with Tom Kudla.

Okay, I’m not going into details about the ‘end game’, and exactly what’s going on with my health, because as you know all along, I minimize the personal, because I’m writing about public issues for the most part. And so I don’t feel compelled or interested in going into a long song and dance, here, about health issues—what I’m doing to deal with them, what I’m not doing, all of that. Just be assured I’ve done everything I possibly can.

So in closing, I want thank every one of you, with a huge thank you for your continuing support all these years. It means the world to me, and I truly appreciate it. And who knows, maybe around the bend in the eternal road, we will meet again.

This is your friend with love, Jon Rappoport, signing off.

A Closing Note

Thank you for taking the time to listen to Jon’s own words.

Nothing I could say is more important than hearing directly from Jon.

In the days ahead I will continue carrying out the responsibility Jon entrusted to me: caring for his work and presenting it faithfully. As I mentioned previously, I will soon publish the Stewardship Charter and Reader Support & Stewardship Principles. Together they explain the public promises by which my stewardship should be judged.

I believe the greatest way to honor Jon is to continue reading his work, studying it carefully, asking difficult questions, and thinking independently—the qualities that defined both his work and his life. Those of us who had the privilege of knowing him personally also knew his generosity, humor, curiosity, and unwavering commitment to following evidence wherever it led.

Thank you for the trust you placed in Jon over so many years. I will do everything I can to prove worthy of the responsibility he placed in me.

[Bill Ryan]

Here's the audio of Jon Rappoport's Farewell Message, now in the Avalon Library for posterity.

https://avalonlibrary.net/2026-06-15...ll_Message.mp3

[Tintin]

Posted by Bill Ryan (here)
Here's the audio of Jon Rappoport's Farewell Message, now in the Avalon Library for posterity.

https://avalonlibrary.net/2026-06-15...ll_Message.mp3

Many thanks

[onawah]

He certainly did, and will be missed.

Posted by Tintin (here)
That's sad, indeed. I used to receive his Substack alerts too; he did a lot of great work

[Hym]

U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, Dead at 71

From TMZ.com:
July 11, 2026 11:38 PM PDT
"United States Senator Lindsey Graham has died at the age of 71, his office announced late Saturday night.

The official social media page for senator Graham posted the statement on X, saying "On the evening of Saturday, July 11, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham passed away from a brief and sudden illness."

If this report is true, the combination of Senator Graham's passing and the very absent U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell will likely dramatically alter the political party dynamic in the states.

[DNA]

Posted by Hym (here)
U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, Dead at 71

From TMZ.com:
July 11, 2026 11:38 PM PDT
"United States Senator Lindsey Graham has died at the age of 71, his office announced late Saturday night.

The official social media page for senator Graham posted the statement on X, saying "On the evening of Saturday, July 11, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham passed away from a brief and sudden illness."

If this report is true, the combination of Senator Graham's passing and the very absent U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell will likely dramatically alter the political party dynamic in the states.

This is going to get the Q people clamoring.
I'm not a fan of these politicians, something may have happened
But I'm not going to give the Q folks credit for taking these two guys to a military tribunal
In Quantanimo Bay for a reservation in front of a firing squad.

Enter Kerry Cassidy.

[Bill Ryan]

Posted by Hym (here)
If this report is true, the combination of Senator Graham's passing and the very absent U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell will likely dramatically alter the political party dynamic in the states.

Wow. I had to check this wasn't fake news, but indeed it is true.

And yes, this might change things quite a bit in Washington. I don't want to dance on anyone's grave, whoever they are, but if there is a significant change that might really be a good thing.

[Bill Ryan]

https://x.com/JamieBonkiewicz/status...11536897769512

The Flag at Grindr is at half-mast.

(Grindr is the world's largest social networking organization for LGBTQ. Lindsey Graham was gay.)

[JackMcThorn]

2 LE agencies noted no foul play in the death of Sen. Graham.

Also the following taken from wikipedia as it was the first I heard of it and frankly was surprised. I genuinely liked him as a good and hard working republican. S. Carolina is quite conservative. Any deviation in orientation seems certainly suspect for such a staunch conservative with this many decades of service in the house and senate. I'm guessing probably not true. Lifelong bachelor's dedicated to their vocation do exist without the backing of a woman or partner.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lindsey_Graham

Personal life
Graham helped raise his sister, Darline Graham Nordone, after his parents' deaths, which occurred within 15 months of each other,[365] leaving the two without parents when Graham was 22 and she was 13. Graham said that his parents' early deaths made him mature more quickly, and Nordone, who introduced her brother at his 2016 announcement of his candidacy for president, said she hoped to be with him on the campaign trail frequently to show voters his softer side. "He's kind of like a brother, a father and a mother rolled into one," she said. "I've always looked up to Lindsey."[366]

Having never married or had children,[31] Graham said, "I never found time to meet the right girl, or the right girl was smart enough not to have time for me." According to his memoir, he had a girlfriend in law school named Debbie, and two more during his time in the Air Force in Germany: a JAG officer named Carol, who later served on Colin Powell's staff, and a flight attendant named Sylvia, to whom he considered proposing.[367]

Graham's lifelong bachelorhood prompted speculation about his sexual orientation. Graham denied being gay.[368] During a 2025 deposition, Laura Loomer testified under oath that Graham was gay, saying that members of President Trump's staff had told her this in confidence.[369][370]

Besides a residence in Washington, DC, Graham's residence was in Seneca, South Carolina. A Southern Baptist, he was a member of Seneca's Corinth Baptist Church.[18]

[leavesoftrees]

Sam Neill actor dies at 78. https://www.theguardian.com/film/202...r-dies-aged-78 [URL="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/jul/13/sam-neill-death-actor-dies-aged-78"]

[rgray222]

Sam Neill - The New Zealand actor who appeared in more than 150 roles including memorable turns in Jurassic Park films, Peaky Blinders and the Piano Man dead at 78.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=8ta5MDCfPzk

[Bill Ryan]

This came as quite a shock, announced yesterday. Everyone in the cricketing world thought he was immortal.

There are obituaries all over the sporting press in the UK, the West Indies, India, Pakistan, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. (But maybe not in the US, where he was less well known.)

Here's just one of hundreds:

https://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/articles/c2xx42dle4go

The ultimate all-round sportsman - Garry Sobers could do it all





Sir Garfield Sobers, who has died aged 89, was rightly chosen as one of the leading five cricketers of the 20th century - and will be remembered as arguably the best all-rounder in the history of the game.

A national hero of Barbados, he was a legend in the West Indies on the back of a Test career that spanned 20 years, and was knighted soon after his retirement.

But he will also be fondly remembered in England after playing for county side Nottinghamshire - for whom he wrote his name into the record books when he became the first man to hit six sixes in an over in a professional game.

Decades before coaches began to insist their players be 'multi-dimensional' cricketers rather than only contributing in one facet of the game, Sobers was the ultimate all-round sportsman.

A hard-hitting left-handed middle-order batter, he was capable of bowling in three distinct styles, as well as being an athletic fielder and a fine close catcher.

Indeed, he would often take the new ball, bowling left-arm fast-medium - and then return later in the innings having switched to orthodox left-arm spin, or even left-arm wrist-spin. When added to his batting and fielding, he was a captain's dream - effectively five cricketers in one.

(...the long article continues)