As we say goodbye to 2008, let us also take the time to say goodbye to those that have left us in 2008. For better or for worse, the following 43 people changed the world, the way people think, what people valued, what gave people people joy, what gave people sorrow, etc. You can read the full story on any or all of them by clicking here. Without any further ado, let us take the time to say goodbye and reflect on the lives and legacies of these individuals...William F. Buckley, 1925-2008
George Carlin, 1937-2008
Cyd Charisse, 1921-2008
Michael Crichton, 1942-2008
Mahmoud Darwish, 1944-2008
Michael Debakey, 1908-2008
Anne d'Harnoncourt, 1943-2008
Bo Diddley, 1928-2008
Bobby Fischer, 1943-2008
Gary Gygax, 1938-2008
Grace Hartigan, 1922-2008
Isaac Hayes, 1942-2008
Jesse Helms, 1921-2008
Charlton Heston, 1923-2008
Edmund Hillary, 1919-2008
Adrian Kantrowitz, 1918-2008
Heath Ledger, 1979-2008
Sherman Lee, 1918-2008
Mildred Loving, 1939-2008
Bernie Mac, 1957-2008
Miriam Makeba, 1932-2008
Jim McKay, 1921-2008
Anthony Minghella, 1954-2008
Paul Newman, 1925-2008
Odetta, 1930-2008
Bettie Page, 1923-2008
Randy Pausch, 1960-2008
Suzanne Pleshette, 1937-2008
Sydney Pollack, 1934-2008
Robert Rauschenberg, 1925-2008
Tim Russert, 1950-2008
Yves Saint Laurent, 1936-2008
Tony Snow, 1955-2008
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, 1918-2008
Suharto, 1921-2008
Studs Terkel, 1912-2008
Jørn Utzon, 1918-2008
David Foster Wallace, 1962-2008
Arthur C. Clarke, 1917-2008
Jörg Haider, 1950-2008
Imad Mughniyah, 1962-2008
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, 1918-2008
Dith Pran, 1942-2008
I would finally just like to make mention at this time of two people that I love that have also left us in the year 2008, my father's aunt and uncle, Norma and Lou Griffin. My aunt Norma died in the Summer. She was an excellent golfer who won several small tournaments back in her day. I still remember her golf lessons that she gave me when I was a little boy. Aside from being a great golfer she was a wonderful human being. What I'll always remember of my aunt Norma is her infectious smile that lit up a room and her ready-to-do-anything attitude that was contagious. Last week, her husband of many decades, Lou Griffin, followed behind his wife in death. Shortly after his wife's death, he emotionally fell apart. There was no way we was able to live without her. What I will always remember about my uncle Lou is his kind heart. My grandmother (his half-sister) has always been disabled, being born with one leg shorter than the other. She always talks about how when she was younger, people would make fun of her limp, and how her brother Lou would never join in, but always treated her with kindness and dignity. After getting to know my uncle Lou myself, I can honestly say that he never had an angry bone in his body. He was one of the most gentle-hearted individuals I have ever known. He was a good man, but also a good father, and a good husband. Lou and Norma Griffin were truly a happily married couple that truly shared a bond of friendship and love. I look at them as an ideal example of how a marriage should work, and I only hope to be able to follow in their example of kindness. Goodbye to all we have lost in 2008, and goodbye to 2008. On behalf of the entire World History Team at North Gwinnett High School, this is Roger Prill giving a final farewell for 2008 and wishing you all a successful 2009.
3 comments:
an incredible year...
Rest in peace all, and my sympathies, Mr. Prill.
Welcome to a new year!
Awww thats extremely depressing. I hate that this list is so long, it makes me really sad that we lost some pretty tight people in 2008.
Props to Heath Ledger.... I read the article for him, and the one word that stood out to me in the very last sentence was audacious. I definitely agree, and I admire Heath Ledger!
Bye 2008!
Most people would say that Heath Ledger is their most missed(Dark Knight). But for me, the most amazing man is Randy Pausch. The way he went through lifes with no regrets is just incredible. All the ones that left us were incredible though. R.I.P.
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