What a Life!

Frances Hesselbein, 107, was the former CEO of the Girl Scouts of America. She died December 11, 2022.

Quotable Quotes:

"The purpose of life is to love and be loved. In that order."

"To serve is to live."

"We should be engaged and involved in moving across sectors."

"It's the quality and character of the leader that determines performance and results. All of us lead in our own way, and when we don't see ourselves as categories, we are far more effective."

Anna Mary Roberts, 101, was an American painter who famously took up her crafted at the age of 77. She died December 13, 1961.

Quotable Quotes:

"Life is what you make it."

"I would never sit back in a rocking chair, waiting for someone to help me."

"A strange thing is memory, and hope; one looks backward, and the other forward; one is of today, the other of tomorrow. Memory is history recorded in our brain, memory is a painter, it paints pictures of the past and of the day."

Air Force Colonel Joseph Kittinger, 94, held the world record for decades for freefalling from the edge of space. He died Friday December 9, 2022.

Quotable Quotes:

"Life is an adventure, and I'm an adventurer. You just have to go for it. That's the American way."

"As I jumped, I prayed, 'Lord, take care of me now.' That was the most fervent prayer I ever said in my life."

"Everybody wants coconuts, but nobody has the guts to go up there and get them."

Mills Lane, 85, was a Nevada judge and well-known boxing referee. He died Tuesday December 6, 2022.

Quotable Quotes:

"Let's get it on!"

"My window of time is about a quarter of a second. That's how long I've got to make a lot of decisions. How hurt is the guy? Can he defend himself? Basically is he in real trouble? It's not long."

"We must focus on people as people, regardless of race, creed, color or gender."

"Do you realize marriage is a life sentence, no parole?"

Gary Rasor, 83, was an Army veteran and Home Depot clerk tragically killed trying to stop a shoplifter. He died on November 30, 2022.

The Rasor Family has established a GoFundMe campaign "to help raise funds for medical expenses, funeral expenses, family travel expenses, and some reward money so we can speed up the process of bringing his assailant to justice."

Click here for more information.

Sal Durante, 81, gained fame for catching Roger Maris' 61st home run on October 1, 1960. He died Thursday December 1, 2022.

Quotable Quotes:

"I watched the pitching motion, the release of the ball, and I had my eye on the ball all the way to Roger's bat."

"I thought it was a million-to-one-chance."

Nicholas Bollettieri, 91, was a Hall of Fame tennis coach who ran the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Bradenton, Florida. He died Sunday December 3, 2022.

Quotable Quotes:

"You can't be patient if you're not strong."

"Believe in yourself and never never doubt your ability to do it."

"Only a few, determined individuals possess the resolve and focus to become the best at anything; and I wanted to be one of them."

"With dreams comes responsibility."

Bob McGrath, 90, was a children's television performer who starred for over 50 years on the PBC classic, "Sesame Street." He died December 4, 2022.

Quotable Quotes:

"Bottom line, I got my job from 5-year-olds."

"Not only is it a great job working with great people, but knowing the impact that 'Sesame Street' has had on millions of kids all over the world has to be the most gratifying thing that anyone could possibly hope for. Having the opportunity of doing this has been phenomenal,"

"I'm really very happy to stay home with my wife and children a little bit more. I'd be so greedy if I wanted five minutes more."

Hiroshi Miyamura was the first Japanese American to be awarded the Medal of Honor. He received it for his gallant service in the Korean War, during which time he was a POW for 27 months. He died November 29, 2022. Quotable Quotes:

"I didn't want to see my men killed. I didn't think I was doing anything heroic."

"To me, the flag represents the men and women who defended this country. … Throughout history, it has been the symbol of this country."

"In combat, you have to make decisions, and you don't know whether it's right or wrong. I asked God for guidance, and he helped me make decisions."

Freddie Roman, 86, was a comedian and former dean of the New York Friars Club. He died November 26, 2022.

Quotable Quotes:

"My humor is basically exaggeration of real life."

"I took a cholesterol test. My number came back 911."

"The one thing about the Jewish audiences in the mountains, you had to be good. If you weren't good, they let you know. They didn't boo. They were very respectful. They just got up and walked out. And if you were no good, at the end of the night you were working to 200 chairs."