Celeb Deaths that have stuck with you

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Originally Posted by Whisperer

Well im sure I would have crossed paths with your old man, I was a regular at Ynysowen boxing gym Troedyrhiw in the 70's and remember Johnny visiting regular, I loved the amateur circuit back then there were some great boxers like John Wall and Martin Galleozzi.

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My old man is Michael Pickett. Good amateur record, pro not so good as we keep reminding him :hehe: Hes a little bit older than John Wall and Martin Galliozzie but boxed from same gym. He boxed for Danny Galliozzie.

My uncle Les Pickett was decent by all accounts. Always involved in good value for money bouts. Micky Duff wanted to sign him up but he wouldn’t move to London and stayed with Eddie Thomas. Had a big following from Merthyr wherever he fought.

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Originally Posted by Jonny London

Some story that. I remember the fight with Lupe Pintor, and heard about him being stretchered off on the radio the following morning. The radio announcer was very sombre. Obviously a very serious matter. And so it proved. Very sad.

RIP The Matchstick Man

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We didn’t have a phone in those days. My grandsha came up to our house to let my dad know. One of few times I seen him cry.

Pinto come to Merthyr about 10 years ago to unveil the Jonny Owen statue and was given a huge welcome by the Owen family and the Merthyr boxing family. Tragic but the family never blamed him.

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Originally Posted by J R Hartley

My old man is Michael Pickett. Good amateur record, pro not so good as we keep reminding him :hehe: Hes a little bit older than John Wall and Martin Galliozzie but boxed from same gym. He boxed for Danny Galliozzie.

My uncle Les Pickett was decent by all accounts. Always involved in good value for money bouts. Micky Duff wanted to sign him up but he wouldn’t move to London and stayed with Eddie Thomas. Had a big following from Merthyr wherever he fought.

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😂😂😂 of course I know the pickets, Les was a bit of class and should have achieved a bit more than he did, I looked up to those guys when I was a kid growing up lots of happy memories.

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Originally Posted by Allez Allez Allez

Prince was a shock.

I remember being in school when Mercury died, but I wasn't too bothered. I hated Queen, and still think he was over-rated. Plus, we knew he was dying.

Bowie was a huge shock. Was driving to work, actually listening to Ziggy Stardust. The CD ended before I got to work, so I put the news on and they were reporting something on Radio 5. Got to work and just didn't feel like doing much because he was such a massive hero of mine.

Harrison dying was another shock, my car-sharing mate used to listen to Red Dragon, and I'd always moan about how crap the music was on the station. One morning they were playing "My Sweet Lord", I guessed it was a quiz question but then they said it was George Harrison dying and it was another day where I didn't do much in work.

I remember my gran coming to our flat to tell us Tommy Cooper had just died, and I also remember feeling sad when Morecambe died too. But, as a kid, all these were "old men" so their time had come. My gran also came to our house to tell us Diana had died.

Wacko Jacko was a shock but I honestly think the world is a better place without him.

Winehouse was a terrible tragedy, and I remember shouting out "No" in disbelief when news came through that Speedo had died.

Whitts is one of those I can't ever get my head around and so is probably the one that "sticks" with me at the moment.

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I recall being gutted about George, he died on my birthday, I just arrived in Amsterdam so we had a few in his memory. Anthony Bordain another, loved watching his no reservations series and everything about the guy. I didn’t know Rik Mayal had died…..how did I miss that one.:frown:

Marty Hopkirk

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Originally Posted by Sunnysideup

Sorry to hear that Cardiff55
It’s not natural for a child to pass away before it’s parents
Heartfelt condolences my friend x

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Thank you Sunnysieup.

Nobody has mentioned Diana , Princess of Wales? :shrug:

A few spring to mind.
The first was probably Tommy Cooper. He was my dads favourite comedian and the nature his death was upsetting. We also lived next door to relatives of his, so they were also affected.
Jock Stein aswell as I was at the game and got home in time to see the story on the news.
More recently i think Prince, Amy Winehouse and Victoria Wood as they were all too young and still had so much more to give.

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Originally Posted by cardiff55

Nobody has mentioned Diana , Princess of Wales? :shrug:

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I'm an anti-royalist and far from being a 'Hello' reader but I think the her death and that of John Lennon were the most shocking for me. Funnily enough, I flew to Austria on holiday the morning after her death and I was surprised at the outporing of grief over there.

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Originally Posted by cardiff55

Nobody has mentioned Diana , Princess of Wales? :shrug:

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Why would they? Another one of the establishment gone, happy days.

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Originally Posted by Armitage Shanks

Stan Ogden, when hilda opened his glasses case that she had back from the hospital

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:hehe:

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Originally Posted by Alan Lung

Roy Hattersley

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He's still alive isn't he?

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Originally Posted by Whisperer

😂😂😂 of course I know the pickets, Les was a bit of class and should have achieved a bit more than he did, I looked up to those guys when I was a kid growing up lots of happy memories.

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👍🏻

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Originally Posted by Madlock

Absolutely this. Horrific following the story over a few days, and the hope that they would be found alive.

Bowie’s death affected me a bit. I wasn’t a massive fan particularly, but it happened around two weeks after my mother passed, and I think I found it a bit overwhelming.

Whitts, Chris Barker and Speedo. Just gone way too soon.

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Same here regarding Bowie. Like you, I think I was sensitive to loss as my mother died just before Xmas 2015.

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Originally Posted by Harry Lime

Same here regarding Bowie. Like you, I think I was sensitive to loss as my mother died just before Xmas 2015.

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Sorry for your loss, mate

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Originally Posted by RichardM

He's still alive isn't he?

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So is Elvis :shrug:

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Originally Posted by Madlock

Sorry for your loss, mate

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Likewise. Hope you remember the good times, for me it took a while. Just kept going over the last days.
All the best 👍

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Originally Posted by MacAdder

So is Elvis :shrug:

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Yes, he works down the chip shop.

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Originally Posted by J R Hartley

My father was his main sparring partner in the build up to the fight and was one of the pallbearers. He still wears a St Christopher that Jonny Owens gave him as a thank you. Very sad.

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BBC Iplayer - I just watched Legends of Welsh Sport it's a good short documentary on him. He sounds a hell of a nice character, it's very sad.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episod...matchstick-man

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Originally Posted by WJ99mobile

Following Sean Locks death there’s a few celebrity deaths that have given me a lump in my throat in Anthony Bordain
& George Michael and even shed a few tears when Whits and Speedo died.

Strange really when you don’t know them.

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Bourdain was a shocker, mainly because he used to put out such positive vibes about dealing with mental health issues, seemed like a really top guy aswell. George Harrison died on my birthday, was in Amsterdam doing something I’m sure he’d approve of…:hehe:
Gary speed, seemed so out of the blue….

One I didn't mention above but has definitely stuck with me is Kirsty McCall. A tragedy.

Eddie Cochran after seeing him at the Gaumont in January 1960 he died in a car accident just outside Chippenham in April.just a few months later. Amazing stage performer.

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Originally Posted by North Cardiff Blue

BBC Iplayer - I just watched Legends of Welsh Sport it's a good short documentary on him. He sounds a hell of a nice character, it's very sad.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episod...matchstick-man

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I watched that a couple of days ago. Well worth a look at if you’ve not done so yet.

I was watching a video of knock outs on You Tube a few weeks ago and was shocked to see the Pintor v Owen fight on there. First time I’d ever seen that twelfth round and, although you can’t accurately gauge what your reaction would have been watching it live, it just seemed so much worse than the other knock outs in the video.

Whitney Houston

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Originally Posted by Dave Blue

Whitney Houston

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That was so surprising considering the states she was getting into though? From church girl to crack….

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Originally Posted by Eric the Half a Bee

I think realising Sala had been killed tragically was one of the worst for me. Hoping for good news, then when it never materialised. I'd heard that Whitts was critically ill in hospital before it was made public and that was a real choker. I admit to sharing a tear over the death of Phil Suarez, even though I never met the guy.

An anecdote about my son and the death of Sala. He wanted a new City shirt with Sala's name on it when it was announced we'd signed him. He printed a photo of Sala and pinned it on his bedroom wall. He was 6 at the time. I remember picking him up from school the day we knew Sala had died, so I wondered how to tell him. In the end I just said what had happened. His reply was "it's ok Dad, we've got other strikers"...

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My brothee was concerned about how he should break the news to his young son that the budgie had died. He worded it as sensitively as possible (the onward journey being heaven) only to be asked if the mirror in the cage was now available.

Elvis, died much too young and wasn’t helped by Parker and the Memphis Mafia.
John Lennon, what an absolute waste
Rory Gallagher, the brilliant Irish guitarist
Gary Speed, such a shock to see the news on tv.
George Best, so sad
Whitts, who I met in the pub where he had his fall. Lovely guy!

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Originally Posted by Harry Paget Flashman

None.

I've admired many from afar and it's sad for their families when they croak but I've never felt sad at the death of someone I watch on telly etc.

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Quite.

Gary Speed is probably the one that sticks. Obviously never knew the guy personally but I remember being in a state of shock at what I was seeing when I switched on SSN that morning. Can still remember the morning and the day vividly yet I can’t remember why I’ve walked to the kitchen some days.

Whitts too. Absolute kick in the guts in hearing he had passed.

Edit: just seen I answered this 4 years ago :hehe:

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Originally Posted by Taunton Blue Genie

My brothee was concerned about how he should break the news to his young son that the budgie had died. He worded it as sensitively as possible (the onward journey being heaven) only to be asked if the mirror in the cage was now available.

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brothee = brother, of course

For me David Bowie, only because when I heard of his passing I remember putting his greatest hits on Spotify whilst at the gym.

I think Bowie was memorable for me in part due to the Black Star mini album he released as a “goodbye, I’m gonna die now” album. It’s quite eerie.

Carrie Fisher, she was the first woman I ever "loved"

I have been saddened by many celebrity deaths, but can't say any of them have stuck with me. I'm sad that Bowie died, but it hasn't impacted my life. And I don't dwell on it.

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Originally Posted by cardiff55

Nobody has mentioned Diana , Princess of Wales? :shrug:

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YeH she is the one who stands out for me. Not as a great fan, but for m generation at least (I don't remember Lennon, JFK etc) she was the stand out "you remember where you were when it happened" death. She seemed old to me at the time, but so young too.

The other stand out one is Michael Jackson, who's music, life and gossip had been around my whole life. Arguably the most famous person o the planet when he died.

On the other side we have Jade Goody. That stuck with me, not because I liked her but because I didnt. Made me realise we are not long on this earth and should try and understand and respect people always.

I'm struggling to think of famous people who have left a deep personal feeling. It tends to be big news events that does that, or films or songs for me. And of course tragedies happening to people I know

Debatable whether their deaths have stuck with me, but those whose talents I miss the most are probably Sean Locke and Rik Mayall.

Rod Hull, and i haven't seen Emu since Rod's passing. And please don't tell me Roger De Courcey is longer with us.

My dad!
Well he was a celebrity in our house!

Mine would be Gene Pitney. I went to his concert in St David Hall, and the next day, I heard he had died overnight and could not believe it

Shane Warne, his passing really upset me. He was a huge reason why I fell in love with cricket and wanted to bowl leg spin