Daily Archives: April 17, 2012

Walter V McDonald – Damn Fine Run.

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Susie,

I am sorry to learn of your dad’s passing. Even though I had never met him, I have so many great stories about him from you. I think that is probably the best legacy a person could leave, to have people remember them fondly and tell stories about them and have people they never met mourn their loss.

You were so lucky to know him for so much of your life and to have so many great memories of him and your mother. Such larger than life characters remind us to value our time here and with each other. And hopefully, with a little luck and a lot of bravery, we can create stories that will be told by future generations. To become family lore. To be toasted when two or more people that knew us gather.

Please let us know if there is anything the Anderson side can do for you, Brian, or Amy. You all mean the world to us.
Love
Scott

Feel free to visit his online memorial and sign the guestbook here:  Obituary For: Walter V McDonald | Norvel Owens Mortuary.

Walter V McDonald 
(November 5, 1920 – April 16, 2012) 

Walter Vincent McDonald, of Flagstaff, AZ passed away on April 16th, 2012. He was a beloved father, grandfather, great grandfather, and friend to many. Walt was born on November 5th, 1920 in Lowellville, OH and was raised during the depression era. He was a standout athlete at Struthers High School (where he is a member of the hall of fame) balancing academics, sports, and working at the local steel mill. Walt then attended Tulane University on athletics scholarship for both football and basketball. While maintaining grades that kept him on the Dean’s List, Walt excelled in football where he was named to the All Southeastern Conference for two years, Honorable Mention College All-American, and played in the Blue/Grey college football all-star game. By the end of his career at Tulane he held the record for most receptions in a game and a season, which stood for 10 years. It was at Tulane University where he met Marjorie Siler, from Cottonwood, AZ, and they married on November 2nd, 1943.

After graduation Walt was drafted by the Washington Redskins, but chose to volunteer for the Navy where he served in the Pacific Theatre of WWII as a Lt JG and Commander of a PT boat. While serving he was missing in action in New Guinea. After the war Walt relocated to Flagstaff, AZ to be with his wife Marjorie. He then returned to his career in professional football joining the AAFC/NFL playing for the Miami Seahawks, Brooklyn Dodgers, and the Chicago Hornets where he was one of the last players to go both ways as a blocking back and linebacker. Highlights of his career included playing in the first televised professional football game between the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Yankees, as well as being 2nd overall in Brooklyn Dodgers franchise history for interceptions. After the 1949 season Walt was offered a large contract with the Redskins but decided to retire from football and returned to Flagstaff. Walt continued to receive an NFL pension check until his death.

Walt made his mark in Flagstaff being the first professional football player and a successful businessman. His business endeavors included developing, owning and operating Starlite Lanes bowling alley, as well as owning Club 66, the Pine Hotel, and the Museum Club. Walt was inducted into the Arizona Bowling Hall of Fame and later into the Flagstaff Sports Hall of Fame. He enjoyed spending time with friends and family boating at Lake Powell, fishing, and taking trips with his wife in their motor home.

Walt was preceded in death by his loving wife Marjorie McDonald and son-in-law Aldo Anderson. He is survived by his five children: Susie Anderson Sedona, Choo Choo Walter McDonald Jr Flagstaff, Debbie Mews (Randy) Flagstaff, Dennis McDonald (Susie) Camp Verde, and Randy McDonald (Dana) Tucson, 16 grandchildren, and 10 great grandchildren. Services will be held at Nativity Catholic Church on Thursday, April 19th at 10 A.M. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Hozhoni Foundation, Inc. 2133 N. Walgreen St. Flagstaff, AZ 86004 or Flagstaff Sports Foundation, 114 N. San Francisco St. Suite 17, Flagstaff, AZ 86001. With special thanks and gratitude to the staff and caregivers at The Peaks Senior Living, Heritage Assisted Living, and Hospice Compassus.

As soon as I stop speaking the pearls disappear

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Letters of Note: As soon as I stop speaking the pearls disappear.

It was in 1963 that Diana Vreeland became the highly influential editor-in-chief of Vogue, having previously worked at Harper’s Bazaar for 25 years first as a columnist and then fashion editor. Add to these achievements her “discovery” of both Lauren Bacall and Edie Sedgwick, plus her role as style-advisor to Jaqueline Kennedy whilst First Lady, and you have something of a legend in the world of fashion.

More importantly, she also spent her Vogue-era mornings dictating memos to her staff. From her bathroom. Below are just a few of the thousands she crafted mid-ablution, over a hundred of which were complied in issue #37 of Visionaire back in 2002. Although released as a limited edition nearly a decade ago, copies are available at Amazon as I type.

Apologies for the low quality of the scans, however transcripts can be found below.

From MRS. VREELAND

Date DECEMBER 6, 1966

RE: COVER SITUATION

Our cover situation is drastic…

I do not hear from anyone an idea or a suggestion of either a face or something that would be suitable…

We are on the verge of a drastic emergency.

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From MRS. VREELAND

Date DECEMBER 9, 1966

RE: PEARLS

I am extremely disappointed to see that we have used practically no pearls at all in the past few issues. In fact, many necklines could have been helped by pearls worn inside the dress that show inside the cutaway sides and back of most ordinary dresses on top…

I speak of this very often — and as soon as I stop speaking the pearls disappear.

Nothing gives the luxury of pearls. Please keep them in mind.

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From MRS. VREELAND

Date JUNE 5, 1967

RE: FRECKLES

I am extremely disappointed that no one has taken the slightest interest in freckles on the models…

I heartily suggest that we get going as soon as possible on this delicious coquetery– and that you experiment well before pictures are taken…as the only time we have tried doing this, the spots turned out to look like black moles instead of pale red freckles…

All these suggestions were in my telexes from Paris– and I was hoping to see them throughout the next few issues…and it is high time we get on to this.

Please discuss with Carol Phillips’ department the best stuff to use.

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From MRS. VREELAND

Date SEPTEMBER 16, 1968

RE: SERPENTS

Don’t forget the Serpent…

The serpent should be on every finger and all wrists and all everywhere…

The serpent is the motif of the hours in jewellery…

We cannot see enough of them…

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From MRS. VREELAND

Date OCTOBER 24, 1968

RE: ELSA PERETTI

I have seen several pictures now – one of Avedon which you will see in November and one of Waldeck which you will see in the Arts Department -

This girl I know looks like another generation – her limbs and the way of using her body…

However she is a complete Plisetskaya in my opinion – I think you could do the greatest most fascinating fashion pictures of her…

No-one has fussed with her hair…

No-one has taken trouble with the girl because the photographers are still looking for babies and I have to add, none of them are finding any…

I think to show clothes this girl is superb, but no-one is fussed with her…

She has done her best and I believe – though of course I don’t know – she has always felt unwanted and only used for clothes of a certain proportion…

She has a small bust which with a proper bra can be gotten around – and outside of that her body, legs, arms, wrist, and throat and brow are superb…

I suggest that she is refreshing and that you use her…

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From MRS. VREELAND

Date Monday, 2 November, 70

RE: TONNE GOODMAN

I think Tonne has the makings of a good model – strength and ease in getting “off the ground.”

Tonne has not learned how to smile or to use her eyes or to make herself extraordinary with her face.

This is something you must teach a model and then see to it that she carries it out!

Please do not fail with this girl – though she is not pretty – she pulls together perfect bones and proportion in an aristocrative manner.

See pictures?

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100 Best Songs of the 1970s 90 – 81

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100 Best Songs of the 1970s | NME.COM.

90 Madness – ‘One Step Beyond’

Released: October 1979

Originally a B-side from Jamaican artist Prince Buster, ‘One Step Beyond’ was turned into a hit by Madness, who as pioneers of the British ska scene, remade it as a giddy runaround jam. It remains an effervescent festival favourite to this day.

89 The Specials – ‘A Message To You Rudy’

Released: October 1979

It wasn’t all unemployed grimness in ghost towns round The Specials’ way. Their seminal cover of Dandy Livingstone’s 1967 rocksteady track showed they could skank along gaily with the most light-hearted of them, and as one of the key tracks on their 1979 debut album, this was a turning point for the blooming 2Tone label.

88 The Kinks – ‘Lola’

Released: June 1970

Spending the night flirting with and romancing a lady who turned out to be a man in a dress might be something that most men would try to sweep under the carpet. No such luck for The Kinks manager Robert Wace, who had his unfortunate encounter immortalised in what would become one of the band’s most iconic songs.

87 Roxy Music – ‘Virginia Plain’

Released: August 1972

The ’70s can get tarred with being the decade of glam rock by people who think glam rock must always be naff. But this opening salvo from Bryan Ferry’s crew showed how it should be done; swaggering and stylish, suave and incredibly sexy.

86 Leonard Cohen – ‘Chelsea Hotel No. 2′

Released: August 1974

In which the folkster recounts a sexual encounter at one of the most famous Bohemian hostelries. Rather ungallantly, Cohen revealed that the lady in question had been Janis Joplin, which he lived to regret, saying later, “an indiscretion for which I’m very sorry, and if there is some way of apologising to the ghost, I want to apologise now, for having committed that indiscretion.”

85 Buzzcocks – ‘Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t've)’

Released: September 1978

The sound of caffeine itself, as Manchester’s princes of punk wind themselves up so tightly with panic and sexual frustration that when they finally let it all out, it explodes into one of the most thrilling and anarchic singles in all of punk rock. Just awesome.

84 Joni Mitchell – ‘Big Yellow Taxi‘

Released: July 1970

The decade’s ultimate hippie song, as Joni looks out across the landscapes of Hawaii and just sees just concrete, and her heart sinks. Yet for all the bleakness and doom of the song’s subject matter, the song sounds warm and optimistic. Which was probably misplaced really. Goodness knows how Joni must be feeling now.

83 Althea & Donna – ‘Uptown Top Ranking’

Released: 1978

Being a one-hit wonder isn’t all that bad when your hit is at classy as this. Jamaican teenagers Althea and Donna, thanks to the championship of John Peel, caused a chart surprise by scoring a number one with this sweet and catchy reggae jam. After which time, their work here was done.

82 Giorgio Moroder – ‘Chase’

Released: October 1978

The pioneer of the synthesiser was wildly ahead of his time when he composed this sleek and pulsating throbber. As the classically-influenced theme from Alan Parker’s Midnight Express, the soundtrack would go on to win an Oscar.

81 Chic – ‘Le Freak‘

Released: October 1978

The signature tune of disco’s premiere outfit – so, therefore, the ultimate signature tune of disco itself. It is not physically possible to be in the presence of ‘Le Freak’ without dancing on command, which is ironic considering the song is actually about not being able to get into Studio 54 – so having your own party on the street anyway.