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Clay Risen
Posts
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Loretta Ford, ‘Mother’ of the Nurse Practitioner Field, Dies at 104
She transformed nursing by making it an area of clinical practice and research and recasting nurses as colleagues of doctors, not assistants.
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Jean Jennings, Who Wrote With Verve About Cars, Dies at 70
A cabdriver and mechanic before becoming a journalist, she brought personality and adventure to a once-staid genre. She once won a demolition derby and motorcycled...
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James Arthur Ray, Self-Help Guide Whose Retreat Became Deadly, Dies at 67
A rising star among New Age motivational speakers, he was brought down by a disaster during one of his retreats in Arizona, where three people...
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Josh White Jr., Who Built on His Father’s Folk Legacy, Dies at 84
He began performing at 4 alongside his father, the celebrated singer and guitarist Josh White, and later carved out his own career.
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Charles Shyer, Filmmaker Who Focused on Women, Dies at 83
His long collaboration with Nancy Meyers produced a string of hit movies, including “Baby Boom” and “Father of the Bride,” that spoke to the moment.
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Gerd Heidemann, Journalist Duped by Fake Hitler Diaries, Dies at 93
What was supposed to be the crowning scoop of his career became his downfall when a trove of notebooks he acquired in Germany turned out...
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Jim Abrahams, 80, Dies; One of Trio Behind ‘Airplane!’ and ‘Naked Gun’
Along with David and Jerry Zucker, he revolutionized film comedy with a style of straight-faced, fast-paced parody.
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Alice Brock, Restaurant Owner Made Famous by a Song, Dies at 83
Arlo Guthrie’s antiwar staple “Alice’s Restaurant” was inspired by a Thanksgiving Day visit to her diner in western Massachusetts.
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Harold W. Sims Jr., Whose Museum Honored the House Cat, Dies at 89
He displayed some 10,000 cat-themed artifacts at the American Museum of the House Cat in North Carolina, which welcomed several thousand people a year.
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Vardis Vardinoyannis, Greek Tycoon With Ties to the Kennedys, Dies at 90
He built his family’s oil-refining operation into one of the largest companies in the country, and then used his wealth to benefit charitable causes.