Two notable deaths this week that should be at least mentioned in passing. First, Reagan aide and friend Lyn Nofziger has died:
Lyn Nofziger, a longtime adviser and strategist to U.S. President Ronald Reagan, has died at his Falls Church, Va., home at the age of 81.
Nofziger began his time at Reagan’s side to the 1966 California gubernatorial campaign. After serving as press secretary in Reagan’s 1980 presidential campaign, Nofziger stayed on in the White House as assistant for political affairs until Jan. 22, 1982.
***He reportedly irked first lady Nancy Reagan with his appearance, which often featured shirts that appeared to be too small, and Mickey Mouse ties with the knot pulled down, the newspaper said.
A little closer to home, Sen. Byrd’s wife of 69 years (that is not a typo) has died after an extended illness:
Erma Ora James Byrd, the wife of Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.), died Saturday after struggling with a long illness. The couple had been married for 69 years.
Erma was a coal miner’s daughter who met her future husband at Mark Twain Grade School in Raleigh County. They were married in a simple ceremony when they were 19.
The Byrds came from humble beginnings. Their first refrigerator was half of an orange crate nailed to the side of their home.
Although I am not sure how an orange crate refrigerates anything (how did that pass by the Hill editors?), my condolences to both families. Erma Byrd, btw, was one of the political spouses from a bygone era- she was completely out of the limelight, and I know nothing about her other than that she was Robert Byrd’s wife. I don’t know if that is an artifact of the changing roles of women in society or the changing role of spouses in general in politics (I don’t remember Dennis Thatcher getting much media attention, either). Most likely, a little bit of both.
RIP.
norbizness
Well, the refrigeration probably came from the block of ice you’d drop in it. That’s how George Gervin got his name.
But, you can check out the Erma Byrd gallery at WVU, and a more extensive bio can be found here.
Alexandra
Maybe it’s a refrigerator that only worked in the winter?
69 years. That’s impressive.
John Cole
Aha- an actual “icebox.”
I was wondering what the hell they meant by that. I bet I had the same look on my face that my students have when I try to explain to them that at one point in time there were these things called rotary phones.
Walker
Didn’t you ever see the “Three Stooges” episodes where they delivered ice blocks door-to-door for antique refridgerators?
My family used to have an antique refridgerator in the 1970s. We used it to store the record player and stereo. The ice-block area was used to store all the LPs.
Krista
That’s marvellous, where she’s always been so fastidious with her appearance. I bet he just delighted in annoying her.
Gold Star for Robot Boy
You mean, the “hi-fi?”
J. S.
The second comment about the refrigerator was correct. The outside was likely to be cooler than the inside so the crate was fixed on the side of the house over a window for convenience and for protection from dogs,cats etc.
tzs
My heartfelt sympathies to both families.
tzs
Actually, not politics related, but the science-fiction author Stanislaw Lem has also just died. I think he was in his 80s as well.
norbizness
And don’t forget Richard Fleischer, director of some of the most magnificent, schlockiest schlock ever green-lit by the schlockmeisters.
ET
Many years ago, I used to work at a place where Nofziger dropped by often – that picture drawn of him about his shirts/ties is so true.
ET
I see that Caspar Weinberger died as well…..
cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/03/28/weinberger.obit.reut/index.html
rilkefan
Damn, 69 years. If I get 40 years with my wife I’ll consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth.
Mac Buckets
Someone dropped a block of ice on George Gervin? That would account for the odd form on his jump shot.
Krista
Say things like that to her, and you will.