Bill Schmidt, 90, 'loved carving Christmas goose'

Bill was big-hearted, sentimental, enthusiastic and often blunt. His favorite song was "Something," by the Beatles. He enjoyed history, international affairs, and could have taught courses on World War II from memory. ... Bill loved dogs, gardening and putting on a tuxedo for formal occasions. He was old school. His hero was Winston Churchill. He loved classical music, the tango, and carving Christmas goose with his trusty electric knife.

Cathie Cortina died; poets everywhere sighed

PROSPECT – Cathie knew that it was her time, And would have wanted her obituary in rhyme. “Be creative,” she would tell us in jest, “I don’t want it to be like all the rest.”

Peter Worthington: The Life of a Reporter

I regret, too, the nuisance for them of a funeral which they may hope will be well attended, but which I know won’t be, because I tend to be a loner who treated most people decently, but who never encouraged intimacy. My reservations are meaningless and will be ignored. Pity I wasn’t a drinker, then everyone could feel superior and forgive a weakness. (H/T: Peter Elikann)