Deaths That Fell Through the Cracks

Patrick Swayze just lost his battle with pancreatic cancer.  Having been a former bouncer at a night club, this took a particular toll on me.  Road House is like the 'Bouncer's Bible'.  Unfortunately, notable figures in our society die everyday and don't get the recognition that they deserve.  Here are a few from this past year that you may not have heard about.

Jimmy Bedford (1940-2009)

Jimmy Bedford was Jack Daniel's sixth master distiller.  For 20 years, Bedford was soley responseable for making sure Old No. 7 tasted the same it did in 1866.  In 2007, Whiskey magazine presented him with the Icons of Whiskey Lifetime Achievement Award for his hard work.  Later, in 2008, Bedford stepped down from his post due to a $3.5 million sexual harrassment lawsuit.  Jeff Arnett took his place as the seventh master distiller.  In August of 2009 Jimmy Bedford died of a myocardial infarction at his farm near Lynchburg.

John Hughes (1950-2009)

 

John Hughes was a cinematic heavyweight, penning such classics as National Lampoon's Vacation, Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Weird Science, Pretty in Pink, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Home Alone 1, 2 and 3, and Uncle Buck.  Having made Macaulay Culkin's entire career and a handful of America's best teen movies, Hughes ducked out with a heart attack while taking a walk in Manhattan.

Socks the Cat (1989-2009)

Socks was adopted by the Clintons in 1991 after jumping into Chelsea's arms while she was leaving her piano teacher's house.  Socks followed the Clintons from the governer's manson to the White House after Bill became President.  In 1997, the Clintons adopted a dog, Buddy.  Socks and Buddy faught until the Clintons left the White House in 2001.  Buddy and Socks went seperate ways, Buddy with the Clintons and Socks with Bill's secratary, Betty Currie.  Socks was put down in February of 2009 due to jaw cancer.

Jeremy Lusk (1984-2009)

 

Jeremy Lusk's career highlights include gold and silver medals at the 2008 X Games, a bronze helmet at the 2008 Moto X World Championships and 3rd place at the 2008 Red Bull X Fighters.  In Feburary of 2009 at a motocross cometition, Lusk attempted a "Hart Attack lookback indian air backflip" and undershot the rotation.  The front wheel struck the landing and threw Lusk, head first, off his bike.  Jeremy sustained severe head and brain damage and died in a Costa Rica hospital three days later.