27/01/2025
Norwich, GB 7 C
Researching and reporting on the lives of some really interesting people (RIP)

ANDY ROSS, aged 65

Originally in a punk band, he moved into music journalism and then created his own music label. He discovered bands like Blur (and Jesus Jones) and was responsible for the Britpop rivalry with Oasis.

TEKLA JUNIEWICZ, aged 116

Born in 1906 in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, she lived through two world wars and lived in Poland. She became the oldest person ever in Poland and the second oldest in the world.

MICHAEL WILSON, aged 79

A linguist who spoke both German and Russian fluently, he was a noted birdwatcher, writing and translating articles and books on birds, becoming an expert. He was also arrested by the KGB as a spy.

ANDREE GEULEN-HERSCOVICI, aged 100

A teacher in Belgium when the Nazis invaded in 1940, she joined the CDJ, an organisation dedicated to saving Jewish people. Despite extreme danger to herself she saved the life of many children.

MILKHA SINGH, aged 91

Most of his family were killed in the Indian Partition, but he escaped to join the Indian army. He then became the greatest athlete in Indian history.

ROSMARIE TRAPP, aged 93

The last surviving daughter of the Von Trapp family, made famous in the 1965 film ‘The Sound of Music’. All is not what it seems.

GAIL HALVORSEN, aged 101

A USAF pilot he was part of the Berlin Airlift. He started dropping sweets for children and became known as ‘The Candy Bomber’

DAGNY CARLSSON, aged 109

After working all her life in Sweden’s textile industry she started a blog aged 100 and became a social media celebrity – the world’s oldest blogger.

SONNY BARGER, aged 83

A former soldier, he founded the Hells Angels in California. As well as many spells in prison, he clashed with the Rolling Stones at Altamont and advised on films such as Easy Rider.

JULIE GREEN, aged 60

Artist and university lecturer, she started an artistic protest at the death penalty in the United States by painting the last meals chosen by prisoners on Death Row.