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.

Lawrence H Pfaff, Sr., 81, got the obituary he apparently deserved

Lawrence, Sr.'s passing proves that evil does eventually die, and it marks a time of healing, which will allow his children to get the closure they deserve. Lawrence, Sr. can be remembered for being a father to many, and a dad to none. (H/T Peter Elikann)

Eric Sauser, 43, now at every Red Sox spring game

Eric hated sad stories, beets, romantic comedies, a snow packed driveway and turning off the garage light. That's it. Eric was content with most everything else.

Rick Stein, 71, flew plane into the ocean ... or not

Rick Stein, 71, of Wilmington was reported missing and presumed dead on September 27, 2018 when investigators say the single-engine plane he was piloting, The Northrop, suddenly lost communication with air traffic control and disappeared over the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Rehoboth Beach.(H/T Carol Snyder Foltz)

Kevin James Patrick Casey, 69, "the consummate postmodernist"

As the consummate postmodernist, he was inordinately vexed; possibly by a broken home, transcontinental train hopping, demoralizing encounters with politicos and literati, Viet Nam service (mostly in the brig) and younger brother Jeff's premature death. (H/T to Claudia Hearn)

Stig Kernell, 92, writes short, sweet obit

A Swedish man elected to keep the news of his death short and sweet, instructing a funeral agency to publish an obituary containing only the words 'I am dead', grabbing national headlines in the process. (H/T to Tanya Irwin