What a Life!

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Steven Carl Tucker, 64, was president of Circle Y Saddlery. He died on January 17, 2023.

04Melinda Dillon, 83, was an actress best known for her role as "Mother Parker" in "A Christmas Story."

Quotable Quotes: "I was offered a lot of shows that I didn't do—musicals, the part of Eve in 'Applause,' and 'Beekman Place' and others; Irwin Shaw wrote a play for me that I didn't do—I didn't want to. In my life, at that time, I wasn't ready for a career; 1 wanted to be protected and married, so that's what I did.''

"I had had the American dream—to go to New York and study with Lee Strasberg. I guess I just wasn't prepared for it all to happen so quickly in New York. I'm not sophisticated; hadn't had any kind of cultural education, at all, so when it came to meeting people, and presenting any kind of ideas I might have to Offer, I would be terrified."

"I think that says 'Fragile,' honey."

"I promise you, Daddy is not going to kill Ralphie!"

"BB guns are dangerous. I don't want anyone shooting his eye out."

Dr. Dennis O'Leary, 85, was the Dean of Clinical Affairs at George Washington University Hospital, and who became the spokesperson following the assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan. He died January 29, 2023.

Quotable Quotes:

"It was blinding. They put me at the podium from which microphones of every imaginable size and shape extended in every direction. It was definitely showtime."

"I looked out over that classroom where I had many times put medical students to sleep, and it was blinding. They put me at the podium from which microphones of every imaginable size and shape extended in every direction. It was definitely showtime. I was matter-of-fact about telling what I knew."

"I could only relay what I knew. There was no intent to suggest anything different."

John Adams was a diehard Cleveland baseball fan whose drumming at games became a fixture for the Indians and Guardians for nearly 50 years. He was 71.

Quotable Quotes:

"God didn't give me the reflexes to play on the field. Every time I swing, I get a hit, so it's like instant gratification."

"There's nothing like being down at the ballpark. Because it's more than just the game; it's all the people around you and all the people you see. It makes the experience of a baseball game way above just sitting at home."

Irv "Bob" Born was "the Father of Peeps" and the owner of "Just Born Quality Confections." He was 98.

Quotable Quotes: "He was a kind person, he was generous with his talents, sharing his abilities. He was very fair minded: he wanted to embrace differences rather than just tolerate them." – Ross Born, son and CEO. "The candy business was kind of catchy. It was interesting to him. He enjoyed the science, the technology, the processing. He was very much into the equipment." – Ross Born

"Bob will be remembered as a tireless and passionate advocate for the candy industry and a wonderful supporter of our community." – David Shaffer, company executive

Cindy Williams, 75, was an actress best known for her role of Shirley Feeney in the hit sitcom, "Laverne and Shirley." She died January 30, 2023.

Quotable Quotes:

"He [God] was always present. So, if it was imbued in my spirit; I mean, it gets really heady."

"If it was Sunday, I was in church."

"I learned all of my Bible stories. I loved all of the powerful images and escaped into them. Jesus and Moses and the great people of the Bible … For that hour in Sunday school, I was safe."

Gregory Allen Howard, 70, was a Hollywood screenwriter best known for "Remember the Titans." He died January 27, 2023.

Quotable Quotes:

"At Princeton, I fell in love with history, American history. I didn't know what my path would be, but it had to involve reading and writing history."

''For a lot of people, high school was the apex of their lives. It was when everything worked. There was an innocence about it, a sense of community. So anytime you get back into that realm, it's fine.'' ''Remember the Titans'' strike a nerve simply because ''a lot of guys played high school football, and before that, Pop Warner football.'' ''You're talking about millions of guys. It's a bonding experience like you can't believe, and for a lot of men it was the last time they were important or heroic. It touches a nerve of a time when I was last innocent.''

Billy Packer, 82, was a longtime college basketball television analyst. He died January 26, 2023.

Quotable Quotes:

"Look, I'm abrasive. I've always pushed the edge, but the positions I've taken are not off the top of my head.''

"It's time to emphasize the facts concerning the academic accomplishments of the athletic departments in relationship to the general student body. The perception of the dumb jock is not a reality."

"In life, you gotta have some fun,"

Lloyd Morrisett, 93, was co-creator of "Sesame Street." He died January 15, 2023.

Quotable Quotes:

"My dissertation [at Yale] was on whether or not it was possible to improve performance by thinking about it."

"I said, 'Joan, do you think television could be used to teach young children?' Her answer was, 'I don't know, but I'd like to talk about it.'"

"It was a lot of to do. Everybody was committed, excited, we worked well together. We were involved in something new, and it was really fun."