Obituaries Notable

The Mayor sadly reports the passing of several notable personalities of diverse backgrounds, careers, and life paths:
Cesaria Evora, 70, the folk singer from the Cape Verde Is., singer/songstress of a wide variety of material, notably, several of her songs were used in the popular Italian miniseries "Il Meglio Gioventu", " The Best of Youth", a 6 hour family saga that began in the '60s and followed a family/Italy through the post War period of modernization into the new millenium.
She died of heart complications.

Christopher Hitchens, noted writer, author of several books; a Brit who became an American citizen. He wrote for Vanity Fair among others. He was an atheist and often targeted religious groups and icons, such as Mother Theresa. He also attacked, in a variety of publications, Henry Kissinger, for various shortcomings. His wit and engagement with opponents endeared him even to his detractors. He was 62, and died at the Anderson Institute in Texas, of esophageal cancer. He wrote about his illness and its effects on his life, which he noted, was often marked by heavy smoking, drinking, and other dissipating, unhealthy habits.

Andy Varlow, 79, in Marin County. A Greek immigrant, who survived WW II just barely, when Nazis executed 1,000 men from his village and set fire to most of the buildings there in. He emigrated to the US and served in the US Army in Korea, and became a naturalized citizen. He started a number of businesses, including restaurants and taverns. He was a real estate investor, owning significant properties in downtown San Francisco. He was a generous philanthropist, supporting many favorite causes including the National Parks and the Smith Film Center in San Rafael. He was an author of several books, one of which told the story of the Nazi takeover of his village during WW II. He died of complications of leukemia.