Tributes

Rest In Peace

November 12, 2016

Charles Reeder

Sad to report that one of Hollywood’s most popular leading men, Robert Vaughn, has died at 83. He’s best remembered as the star of the iconic ‘60s spy series, “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” which is enjoying a revival thanks to the vogue for cool midcentury pop culture. But he also appeared in countless other classic movies and TV shows, including one of the most-watched movies of all time, “The Magnificent Seven.” Vaughn once revealed that the cast assumed it would be “the bomb of all time,” and they spent much of the location shoot in Mexico drinking margaritas, smoking marijuana and sitting on the toilet with food poisoning. Well, magnificence sometimes arises from humble sources.

And in case you’re wondering: yes, Vaughn’s partner on “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.,” David McCallum (“Illya Kuryakin”) is alive and well and still acting. You can see him just about every week as medical examiner as Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard on “NCIS.” Apparently, he only takes roles with weird names on shows with acronyms in the title.

http://pagesix.com/2016/11/11/robert-vaughn-star-of-the-man-from-u-n-c-l-e-dies-at-83/

Arnold Palmer

September 26, 2016

By Mike Huckabee

There are only a handful of athletes so good at what they do that their names become synonymous with excellence in their sport. When it comes to golf, even Tiger Woods will tell you that that the “king,” the man whose name will forever stand for greatness on the links, is Arnold Palmer. Palmer died Sunday in Pittsburgh at 87, ending an astounding 52-year career as a professional golfer that encompassed 95 professional wins and 62 PGA Tour wins.

But Arnold Palmer was more than just a great golfer. Even more important, he was also a great human being. In the 1980s, he and his wife were given a tour of the small neonatal ICU and pediatrics unit of the Orlando Regional Medical Center. Deciding that the city could do better, he lend his name and his fundraising efforts to the Arnold Palmer Hospital for children. He urged the staff always to strive to make it one of the best hospitals in the world. Today, the hospital’s website cites his legacy of caring by recalling how he said that none of his achievements in golf compared to being a part of saving the life of a child.

Arnold Palmer may be gone, but his name will live on, in golf, on the children’s hospital that bears it, and let’s hope, as a sorely-needed sports role model for current and future generations.

Senator Bob Bennett Passes Away

May 5, 2016

My prayers and condolences today for the family of former Utah Sen. Bob Bennett, who passed away Wednesday at 82 from complications of pancreatic cancer and a stroke. Praise is flooding in from virtually every political figure who ever worked with Bennett. He’s being remembered as wise, kind, a fighter for his constituents and small businesses, a pro-life and pro-family conservative and a true gentlemen, even to his opponents. His votes for the bank bailout and immigration reform made him one of the first Senators to fall to a Tea Party challenger, but even the man who replaced him, Sen. Mike Lee, expressed his condolences and respect for Bennett for his courage in fighting cancer and for spending his life “in service to others.”

In an age when politics has become blood sport and debate has degenerated into character assassination, let’s hope more politicians will be inspired by Bob Bennett’s example. He showed us that it is possible to be an effective politician and still be a fine and decent human being.

Click here to read this Washington Times story about Senator Bennett.

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