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Obituaries of the famous… and the not so famous…
July 21, 2023 by Laura Heilenman · Leave a Comment
We often receive requests from our collecting friends for death announcements of the rich and famous. Searching for these provides us with a sense of nostalgia as memories flood in of summer blockbusters or oldies-but-goodies from our grandparent’s era. Today, however, I wasn’t even looking for an obituary as I paged through a LA Times from August 18, 2005, but as I came across a death report a name leapt from the page and caught my attention. It wasn’t James Dougherty, the one who had just passed away at the ripe age of 84; rather, it was the name of his lovely 16 year old bride, Norma Jean. James was fortunate to have been the 1st man to marry the future star Marilyn Monroe before anyone else gave her a thought. He was quoted as saying, “I never knew Marilyn Monroe… I knew and loved Norma Jean.” Apparently, Norma’s wasn’t the only sad candle in the wind. 