This is the Broken Wand which will be published in the September issue of The Linking Ring. We publish it now to give readers advance notice of these deaths, in case they want to be in touch with survivors. A special note: there are TWO (2) obituaries for William (Bill) H. Robinson. These are two different people, with different middle names. Interestingly, they both were members of the Raleigh, North Carolina Ring at one time.
SYDNEY J. ABBOTT
Sydney James Abbott, 75, died July 21, 2012 at his daughter’s home in Austin, Texas. Born in Colon, Michigan, he worked several years in trucking and in Colon, before joining the U.S. Army. He served in Korea, Germany, four tours in Vietnam and elsewhere, retiring after twenty-six years in the military. He and his wife, Eiko, traveled extensively throughout the United States in their motorhome, until she died in 2009. He was a charter member of the Abbott/Watson Ring 386 in Colon. Among survivors are a daughter, Linda Cates; son Mike Taylor; granddaughter Jennifer Marino; sister, Linda Hull; and other relatives.
MARCELO CONTENTO
Marcelo Alejandro Rodolfo Contento, 57, of Watertown, Massachusetts, died July 3, 2012. He was an inactive member of the I.B.M., having been a member 1993-2008. He was a member of Ring 122, the Silent Mora Ring. He was a world-renown percussionist, a master magician, and a legendary hand-shadow artist. He and his brother, Victor, manufactured props and equipment for magicians including a motorized Card Fountain. In 2000 he was diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer and was given only a few months to live. Yet he did live, another dozen years. Survivors include his wife, Maria, and son, Luciano.
CORRADO CORRADIN
Word has come from Ring 223, the Milan, Italy Ring, that one of its members, Corrado Corradin, 64, died recently. His I.B.M. membership number was 61207, and he had been a member since 2000. We have no additional information.
WILLIAM A. GORENSTEIN
William Alan Gorenstein, 73, of Boynton Beach, Florida, died July 19, 2012. Survivors include his wife, Anne; daughter, Sharon (Stacy), son Barry (Sharon); stepsons Michael and Paul Harris; sisters Andrea Bray and Deborah (Robert) Macomber, and Marcia (Aryha) Elkovits, and several nieces, nephews, and grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to the Alexis Agin Memorial Fund at Temple Rodef Shalom, Boynton Beach, Florida.
CECIL E. MCFARLAND
The Rev. Cecil Eugene McFarland, 81, of Richmond, Virginia, died April 19, 2012. His I.B.M. membership number was 26869, and he had been a member since 1980. He was a member of the Order of Merlin (twenty-five years of continuous membership). A graduate of Emory & Henry College and the Candler School of Theology at Emory University, he had three full careers. He was a Naval chaplain; an executive with Goodwill Industries International for twenty-five years; and served the Chaplain Service Prison Ministry of Virginia from 1995 until his death, when he was president. He received numerous awards during his life, including being elected to the Goodwill Industries Hall of Fame. He is survived by his wife of fifty-eight years, Mary; children Bob, and Ann Collins, brothers Horace and Gerald; half-brother Robert Looney; and two granddaughters. Memorial contributions may be made to the Chaplain Service Prison Ministry of Virginia, 2317 Westwood Avenue, Room 103-A, Richmond, VA 23230.
WILLIAM H. ROBINSON (1)
William (Bill) Hardy Robinson, 54, of Las Vegas, Nevada, died July 28, 2012. His I.B.M. membership number was 37875, and he had been a member since 1982. He was a member of Ring 257, the Fantasma Ring, and was a member of the Order of Merlin (twenty-five years a continuous member).
WILLIAM H. ROBINSON (2)
William (Bill) Hilton Robinson, 61, of Raleigh, North Carolna, died August 6, 2012 at his home. He worked at and managed The Magic Corner in Raleigh for many years, and was a gifted magician. He was a graphic artist by training and worked with The Graphic Press, PMW and Poole Printing Co. He is survived by his wife of forty years, Annie; daughter Angela; son William (Wil) II; brother Richard; and several nieces and nephews. Send condolences to www.montlawn.com
JAY W. WRIGHT
Jay Warren Wright, 54, of Chicago, Illinois, died August 5, 2012. He went to the University of Nevada in Las Vegas on a golf scholarship, unusual because he was a Canadian. In addition to being a successful golfer, he was an accomplished magician and hypnotist, appearing in many different cities and venues, including Las Vegas. He was caricaturized by Gary Darwin in his “300 Caricatures of Famous Magicians” book in 1989. Survivors include his wife, Laurie; son Jeremy; parents Morris and Lois; brother Brett (Barbara), and other relatives.
END
