Obituaries 2002
- SEPT. 30, 2002: JACK MCGUIRE, 73, the undisputed king of a
band of Irish police reporters who ruled the Philadelphia Roundhouse
during the 1970s and '80s. McGuire, who retired in 1997, was a gruff
but lovable police reporter for The Philadelphia Daily News for
some 30 years and a devoted family man. His sources in City Hall, the
police department (the Roundhouse) and Philadelphia's large Irish community
were legendary. McGuire was often first to crack a police story, phoning
in his notes and quotes to the rewrite desk, sometimes from a bar near
the Roundhouse. Jack was a strong supporter of the reunification of
Ireland; during at least one Christmas season, he sent friends Christmas
cards showing a Santa Claus hauling a sack of guns for the IRA. During
a six-week newspaper strike in 1985, he brought a boom-box to the loading
dock for his nighttime picket duty to play Irish rebel songs for all.
But the colorful, hard-drinking, tough-talking chainsmoker had a heart
of gold, especially for his nine children. Jack's first wife died shortly
after giving birth to their ninth child, and Jack became "Mr. Mom"
in the kitchen for a number of years. Before he showed up for his night
shift, he cooked dinner for all nine kids. In addition to his children,
21 grandchildren and one great-grandchild, he is survived by his wife,
Daily News reporter Gloria Campisi.
- MAY 4, 2002: KEVIN S. BOYLE, 53, an Irish journalist who had
a fondness for bourbon and died too young. Boyle was the sockless City
Hall reporter for WWDB-AM in the 1980s and early '90s and later, a spokesman
for the Philadelphia Gas Works. He had a liver transplant in 1997 and
stopped drinking at that time. Since then, he had been wheelchair bound
and drove a van equipped with hand controls. He and his girlfriend,
Carol, were planning to go to a family function on May 4 when he complained
of a terrible headache. According to Daily News reporter Kitty
Caparella, Carol "told him to lay down and she went back outside
to work in the yard. When she came in 20 minutes later, he had died."
A memorial service was held at the Pen & Pencil Club where he was
a vice president.
- APRIL 28, 2002: JOHNNY MORRIS, 76, the fiery Philadelphia Teamster
leader who organized his first strike while playing on a high school
football team in the coal country of Pennsylvania. Morris schooled Sheehan
World publisher Kathy Sheehan on union organizing, running a strike,
union politics and the political incorrectness of calling him a union
boss. The longtime leader of Teamsters District Council 53 and
Local 115 was ousted from his union posts in 1999 amid a bitter political
feud that he said was instigated by Teamsters International President
James Hoffa, whom Morris opposed. Reports that the Queen song, We
Will Rock You, were blaring from a blue-and-gold Teamsters' semi
at his funeral could not be confirmed.
- MARCH 16, 2002: TAD VINCENT, 87, a former university professor,
union organizer and soul mate to the late Billie Vincent. Tad, who valued
peace, social justice, nature, scientific discovery and family love,
died in the presence of his family in his familiar room at the Mount
Baker Care Center in Bellingham. He was aware that he was leaving on
a journey by himself in the last week of his life. He told his youngest
daughter Lucy that she should make herself comfortable in the house
because he was "going to another room."
- MARCH 7, 2002: TOPE RYAN, a 90-something peacemaker for a long,
long, long time who lived in Sedro-Woolley, Wash.
- MARCH 5, 2002: JOSEPH M. CAPARELLA, 76, the father of Philadelphia
Daily News reporter Kitty Caparella. He owned delicatessens in Trenton
and Camden, N.J., and in Yonkers, N.Y., before working as a licensed
audiologist. "Joe Cap" was also a passionate gardener and
a wonderful Italian cook.
- FEB. 16, 2002: GLEN A. DUFFY, 47, a gifted free-lance writer
who worked at The Press of Atlantic City in the 1970s. Glen became
loose, daring and sometimes incoherent when drinking. He once described
Sammy Davis Jr. in print as "a rare black Jew with a glass eye."
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