Posted on 01/18/2007 7:12:56 AM PST by BulletBobCo
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Art Buchwald, who took humorous jabs at Washington politicians in syndicated columns for decades, has died, a close friend said Thursday. He was 81.
Buchwald died late Wednesday, said CNN anchor Kyra Phillips. Buchwald was her mentor for 18 years, and she became a close friend of the family. The unofficial cause of death, she said, was kidney failure.
She said Buchwald's son and daughter-in-law were at his side, "holding his hand. He passed away peacefully."
"In the last few weeks, he knew it was his time," she said. "He said his good-byes to everybody."
That included his colleagues at the Washington Post, which published his columns after he moved to Washington in the 1960s.
Buchwald suffered a stroke in 2000, and was plagued by kidney and circulation problems, which led doctors to amputate one of his legs below the knee.
He checked into a Washington hospice February 7 after he chose to quit life-prolonging kidney dialysis. His last treatment was February 1. However, Phillips said Thursday that he continued to make hospital visits because of minor infections from the amputation.
He planned his funeral when he went to the hospice.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
IATVPOST (in after the vanity post on similar topic) :O)
Art was featured not long ago on a tv special and he was utterly charming. He said the docs had him on the verge of death many times since his stroke but he kept coming back to continue to amuse his family and friends. RIP dear soul.
May he rest in peace. Prayers for him and his family.
Unique talent - good guy.
And he lasted a year in the hospice after quiting dialysis.
RIP! A man who made me smile many times.
Great comedian, warm person. RIP in the arms of our Heavenly Father.
Rest In Peace.
I could have sword he was already dead.
RIP Art Buchwald
One of the most humorous men who ever lived.
He died on his own terms, with friends constantly visiting, and him holding court.
Was a WWII Marine in the Pacific from 1942 to 1945. Discharged as sergeant.
I saw that. The audience didn't seem to know how to handle it. He showed great courage on his journey into the night.
Our Heavenly Father must have needed a good laugh and a smile. Rest in peace.
Rest in Peace, Art. Funny man!
RIP, Art.
I enjoyed reading your column for many years.
I liked his online audio obit: "Hi, I'm Art Buchwald and I just died."
Not that funny, though. He may have been when he started out, but after twenty years or so, his column was like one of those comic strips that have outlasted their potential (can I say that?).
Maybe you had to be there in his prime ...
He made a deliberate quality-of-life decision not to stay on dialysis and keep on amputating extremities, and given that his "last month" lasted an entire year, I'm guessing he was right. RIP for a fellow I didn't always agree with but did always read.
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