The RIP Thread

Former world record holder Dick Quax dies
Grant Chapman
48 mins ago

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Former world 5000 metres record holder and Auckland councillor Dick Quax has died of cancer, aged 70.
Born Theodorus Jacobus Leonardus Quax, he was best known as one of the legendaytrio of 'Flying Kiwis' - along with John Walker and Rod Dixon - through the 1970s.
During that era, his achievements were highlighted by his 5000m silver medal at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, edged by legendary Finn Lasse Viren, and a world record (13m 12.9s) over the same distance the following year.
He also won a silver medal over 1500 metres at the 1970 Edinburgh Commonwealth Games and later in his career, Quax ran 2h 11m 13s in his first marathon attempt at Eugene, Oregon, which was the fastest debut over the 42.195km distance at that time.
Among the first responding to his death was old crony Dixon, who lives in the United States.
"Right now this is the most emotional time," Dixon posted on Facebook. "My great friend and competitor passed away peacefully in New Zealand this morning.
"To his family, my condolences and love at this most difficult time. Peaceful journey my great friend."
Another was former Kiwi running great of that same era, Anne Audain.
"Dick was my NZ teammate many times, and we shared the distinction of being NZ’s male and female 5000m world record holders with same coach John Davies," she posted.
"So sad for his family... his talent lives on!"
After retiring from athletics, Quax turned to politics - both local and national - running unsuccessfully for Parliament as ACT candidate in Pakuranga in 1999. He was ranked 11th on the party list, but only the first nine progressed to Parliament.
He was more successful in local politics, elected to the Manukau City Council in 2001, representing the Pakuranga ward and re-elected in the new Botany-Clevedon ward three years later, after a failed mayoralty bid.
In 2007, he again lost the mayoralty race to Len Brown.
After 'Super City' amalagamation, Quax won an Auckland Council by-election in Howick in 2011 and was re-elected two years later.
He was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2013.
Earlier this year, Quax told NZME that his cancer was caused by the HPV human papilloma virus that most sexually active adults have.
"In about one percent of cases, it turns into cancer," he said. "You get a bit unlucky to have that happen.
"Then, 80 percent of neck and head cancer is cured. For about 5-10 percent, it goes to the lungs, which has happened with me, so percentages mean absolutely nothing to me any more."
In 2015, he achieved infamy with his tweet that no-one in the Western world would shop by means of train or bicycle. Twitter users coined the expression #quaxing, which was voted 'Word of the Year' by The Public Address website.
Quax was outspoken throughout his sporting and political careers, and remained so until the end. One of his most recent 'hot topics' was the blurring of sexuality barriers in sports.
"I definitely will not be watching the womans weightlifting from the Com Games this afternoon which I consider fraudulent due to the inclusion of Laurel Hubbard," he posted on social media, during last month's Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.
Son Theo Quax is following in dad's footsteps - he's national junior 1500m champion and has qualified for the world junior championships later this year.
In pictures: New Zealanders we lost in 2018

 

Former Aberdeen and Rangers player Neale Cooper has died after collapsing at the weekend.
The 54-year-old was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary after he was found in the stairwell of flats in the Bucksburn area of the city early on Sunday morning.
Aberdeen Football Club have confirmed he passed away on Monday.

• 'Cooper a privilege to play with' - McLeish

Cooper was one of the Dons' Gothenburg Greats - part of the team that won the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1983.
His death is not being treated as suspicious but police said their inquiries are continuing.
They have appealed for help in tracing a taxi driver who drove Mr Cooper from the centre of the city shortly before he was found.
Mr Cooper, another man and two women were picked up by a male taxi driver at around 00:30 on Sunday at Union Street, near Chapel Street.
They were all dropped off at Ferguson Court in Bucksburn.
Det Insp David Howieson said: "There are no apparent suspicious circumstances however inquiries are continuing to establish how the man came to be injured.
"We would appeal for the driver of a taxi, described as a black people carrier, which picked the four people up at Union Street in Aberdeen in the early hours of Sunday, to contact us on 101.
"The taxi driver is described as speaking with a local accent and had a beard. Anyone with information which may help our inquiries is asked to get in touch."
During his career Cooper managed Ross County, Peterhead, Hartlepool United and Gillingham and played with Aston Villa, Rangers, Reading, Dunfermline Athletic and Ross County.


RIP Neale.
Another one gone far too soon

 

Jerry Maren: Last Wizard of Oz Munchkin dies aged 98

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Image caption Maren became famous for handing a lollipop to Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz
Jerry Maren, the last surviving actor to play a Munchkin in the original Wizard of Oz film, has died in California at the age of 98.
Maren portrayed one of the 124 members of the Munchkin Lollipop Guild in the classic 1939 film.
The role saw him become known as the "lollipop kid" after handing a lollipop to Dorothy - played by Judy Garland.
His funeral service was held on Saturday at Forest Lawn cemetery in Hollywood Hills.

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Image copyright Getty Images
Image caption The actor also appeared in films and TV shows like Planet of the Apes and Seinfeld
Maren, real name Gerard Marenghi, had been suffering from dementia in recent years, TMZ reported.
Actress Pam Dubois paid tribute to her "close friend" in a post on Facebook.
"Jerry was a kind, and loving man, who never let his stature get in the way of his eternal strive for happiness, and a good life... RIP sweet Jerry," she wrote.
'Greatest fun'
Maren featured alongside 123 fellow actors of restricted growth in the film adaptation of L Frank Baum's children's book, all of whom played characters inhabiting the fictional Munchkinland.
Speaking to The Independent in 2009, Maren described the experience as the "greatest fun I ever had in my life".
The actor also described Garland, who was 16 as the time of filming, as "an angel".
"She was a movie star and I'd figured she'd be a pain in the neck. But she was glad to meet us, and we were glad to meet her," he said.
Marin received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on behalf of the Munchkins in 2007.
Beyond his iconic appearance in Wizard of Oz, Maren continued acting, landing parts in a number of movies and TV shows, including Planet of the Apes and Seinfeld.
He married Elizabeth Barrington, a fellow actor, in 1975. The pair remained together until her death in 2011, aged 69.

 

Dave from Minder. He was also in Zulu. RIP

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https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2018/06/05/glynn-edwards-played-dave-barman-minder-obituary/

 

bloody paywall

 

Peter Springfellow dies of cancer..
I walked passed his club nearly everyday when at college...part of my youth in a funny sort of way
RIP

 

W

what college were you at Beth?

 

UCL at that point

 

On a personal point RIP to my brother in law who died yesterday aged 55, a Spurs fan ( I never held it against him) taken from us to soon

 

PCL for me (now Uni of Westminster), New Cavendish Street, a short hop from Stringfellows

 

Anthony Bourdain dead at 61.....apparently took his own life.
Very sad indeed.

 

Seems to be a lot of it about these past 12 months: Chris Cornell, Chester Bennington, this designer lady (Spade?). Very sad, but not sure there’s an answer to very real depression as many sufferers are sadly reluctant to discuss their demons.

 

Sorry for your loss, thoughts go out to you and your family

 

It seems the black dog of depression caused him to take his own life, we were all unaware that he was suffering,he appeared to be happy and contented but I have just found out he tried to hang himself only a month ago and a combination of alcohol and his partners morphine was used to ease his suffering, I will forever miss the big fella

 

Thanks 999s it's going to be a tough couple of weeks

 

Condolences, Peter.

I think that posts on this thread like yours, relating to personal loss, are much more important than those about the death of some celebrity or other.

 

Terrible place for you and your family to be in Peter, hope you all pull together and help each other through this tough time - so sad

 

Condolences Peter.

 

Very sad news peter, my thoughts are with you & your family.