/news/obituaries - latimes.com

Charles Burford dies at 81; inventor created equipment for baking industry

McClatchy Newspapers — Wed, 22 May 2013 19:05:00 PDT

The Oklahoma farm boy became a prolific inventor whose patents included the machinery that puts twist ties on bread bags.

Charles E. Burford, a prolific inventor whose patents included the equipment that puts twist ties on bread bags, has died. He was 81.

Newton R. Russell dies at 85; veteran California legislator

By Elaine Woo, Los Angeles Times — Tue, 21 May 2013 16:10:00 PDT

A longtime Republican state senator and assemblyman, Newton R. Russell was admired on both sides of the aisle for his fairness and knowledge of the arcane rules of the state pension system.

Newton R. Russell, a veteran state senator known as an expert on California's complex public pension system and a stickler for upholding legislative rules, died Saturday of lung cancer at his La Cañada Flintridge home, his family said. He was 85.

John Goddard dies at 88; adventurer fulfilled most of childhood goals

By Rebecca Trounson, Los Angeles Times — Tue, 21 May 2013 00:00:00 PDT

As a boy growing up in L.A., Goddard dreamed of adventures in faraway lands: climbing the world's most perilous peaks, navigating its major rivers and exploring its most remote regions.

Indiana Jones, the swashbuckling fictional adventurer, would seem to have nothing on John Goddard.

PASSINGS: Bernard Waber

Tue, 21 May 2013 22:04:00 PDT

Bernard Waber, author of popular children's books, dies at 91

Bernard Waber, 91, the author of such children's favorites as "The House on East 88th Street" and "Lyle, Lyle Crocodile," died Thursday at his Long Island, N.Y., home after a long illness, according to a statement from his publisher, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Boruch Spiegel dies at 93; survivor of Warsaw ghetto uprising

Associated Press — Tue, 21 May 2013 17:45:00 PDT

One of the few remaining survivors of the Warsaw ghetto uprising, Boruch Spiegel fought against Nazi troops during the 1943 revolt.

Boruch Spiegel, one of the last survivors of the 1943 Warsaw ghetto uprising by poorly armed Jewish insurgents against the powerful Nazi German force that occupied Poland, has died. He was 93.

Ray Manzarek dies at 74; keyboardist for the Doors

By Randy Lewis, Los Angeles Times — Mon, 20 May 2013 20:29:00 PDT

Manzarek, who was influenced by John Coltrane, added a jazz component to the band's rock sound and filled the role of bassist. The band charted 15 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 starting in 1967.

When the Doors were still a fledgling quartet, and the band members were honing their chops playing five sets a night at the London Fog club in Hollywood, it wasn't rock stardom on keyboardist Ray Manzarek's mind as he and his three band mates laid down an extended jam for their debut album that ran more than seven minutes.

PASSINGS: Alan O'Day

Mon, 20 May 2013 00:00:00 PDT

The songwriter wrote for other artists and had his own hit recording with 'Undercover Angel' in 1977

Hedda Bolgar dies at 103; renowned psychoanalyst

By Steve Chawkins, Los Angeles Times — Sat, 18 May 2013 14:04:00 PDT

Hedda Bolgar, known for her energy and optimism, began her studies in Vienna in Sigmund Freud's day. She fled the Nazis and eventually settled in Southern California, where she was chief of psychology at Mt. Sinai Hospital and helped found several local institutions devoted to the field.

Hedda Bolgar, a psychologist old enough to have attended Sigmund Freud's lectures in Vienna but youthful enough to have treated patients until just a few weeks ago, has died. She was 103.

Ken Venturi dies at 82; golfer had dramatic win in 1964 U.S. Open

By Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times — Fri, 17 May 2013 22:02:00 PDT

Suffering dehydration and exhaustion in 100-degree heat, he rallied to win by four strokes. He won 14 tournaments as a pro and was also a longtime TV commentator for CBS Sports.

Ken Venturi, who won the 1964 U.S. Open golf championship in dramatic fashion and became a longtime television commentator, died Friday in Rancho Mirage. He was 82.

Jorge Rafael Videla dies at 87; Argentine dictator

By Andres D'Alessandro and Chris Kraul, Special to the Los Angeles Times — Fri, 17 May 2013 11:46:00 PDT

Jorge Rafael Videla led a rebellion that overthrew Isabel Peron in 1976 and then oversaw a seven-year reign of terror known as the dirty war.

BUENOS AIRES — Former Argentine dictator Jorge Rafael Videla, who presided over that country's so-called dirty war in which up to 30,000 dissidents were murdered or disappeared, died Friday while serving a 50-year prison sentence. He was 87.