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The International Brotherhood of Magicians

01 Aug

Broken Wand for August 2012 honors 13

Category: Broken Wand   Posted by: I.B.M. Website Editor

The Broken Wand for August, 2012, will be published in the August issue of The Linking RIng. That issue will be available to read in digital form on September 1, or to download in a PDF. The hard copies will follow shortly thereafter in the mail, usually by the tenth of the month. In the September Broken Wand we pay tribute to thirteen magicians, for their lives, and for bringing joy and laughter to many people during those lives. Here are those thirteen obituaries.

WILLIAM C. BLACKFORD, JR.

William “Bill” Carl Blackford, Jr., 73, of Branson, Missouri, died June 9, 2012. His I.B.M. member number was 65692, and he had been a member since 2005. He was a member of Ring 325, the Tri-Lakes Tricksters, in Branson, which he served as president in 2007-08. Born in Detroit, he grew up in Oklahoma. He served four years in the U.S. Air Force. He was a police officer in Santa Barbara, California, and later was sheriff of Santa Barbara County. He loved magic and carried magic tricks with him wherever he went. He performed magic for several resorts in Hawaii, before moving to Branson. His magic style was story-telling magic. Survivors include three sons: Eric, Todd, and Billy; one brother and several nieces and nephews. A Broken Wand Ceremony was held in his honor.

THEO E. BOYD

Theo E. Boyd, 77, of Missouri, died June 4, 2012. Born in Oklahoma, he attended Graceland College and Northeastern Oklahoma State University, and earned a Masters Degree from L.S.U. He was an actor, professor, author, public speaker, and Christian magician.He taught job skills to prisoners as a volunteer. He enjoyed playing Santa Claus for over fifty years. He was best known for his dramatic presentations throughout the country and Canada, of men from scripture and history. Among survivors are his wife, Donna; daughter Viki; two grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Memorials may be made to: www.Outreach-International.org.

JOANN CAMPOBASSO

JoAnn Campobasso, 77, of Las Vegas, Nevada, died June 6, 2012. Her I.B.M. number was 42459, and she had been a member since 1987. She was a member of the Order of Merlin (twenty-five years a continuous member). She was born in Hoxie, Arkansas, and lived in Las Vegas since 1988. She retired after many years of working for the Federal Government Bankruptcy Court, both in California and Nevada. Among her hobbies were sailing, cooking, and bingo. Survivors include her husband of fifty-nine years, John; son Joe (Margie); daughter Toni (Carl); six grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; sister Mary, and brother Charles.

ANTONIO CAPAROSO, JR.

Antonio B. Caparoso, Jr., 82, of Augusta, Georgia, died June 24, 2012. His I.B.M. number was 28276, and he had been a member since 1975. He was a member of Ring 184, the C.S.R.A. Magic Club, and was a past president of the club. He also was a member of the Order of Merlin Shield (thirty-five years a continuous member). He performed in a wide variety of venues as Tony the Great, and Capbo the Clown. He retired after over twenty years in the U.S. Army, having served in Korea and Vietnam. He received a Bronze Star. Survivors include his wife of fifty-seven years, Magdalina, six children, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Memorials may be made to the Children’s Miracle Network, 200 West 700 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84101; American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 1725 Augusta, GA 30903; or Regency Hospice, 2919 Professional Parkway, Augusta, GA 30907.

ELEANOR R. CRISTOL

The I.B.M. Officent recently was notified that Eleanor Rubin Cristol, 73, of Miami, Florida, died November 14, 2010, after a valiant fight against ovarian cancer. Her I.B.M. membership number was 66406 and she had been a member since 2006. Originally she was from Massachusetts.

JACK T. DISBROW

Jack T. Disbrow, 81, of Hamburg, New Jersey, died June 26, 2012 following surgery replacing an aortic valve. He held I.B.M. number 12458, and had been a member since 1950. He was a member of RIng 113, the Audley Walsh/Conrad Bush Ring. He also was a member of the Order of Merlin Excelsior (sixty years a continuous member). He became interested in magic at an early age, and gave his first magic show at age twelve. (He later said his act consisted of seven card tricks, of which four didn’t work.) He entertained children and adults alike, thrilling them with his marvelous stories that enhanced his magic. He put himself through college doing radio shows in Oneonta, New York, and graduated from Hartwick College. He served four years in the Air Force during the Korean War. He made his living as an advertising executive in the insurance industry. In addition to magic, he enjoyed traveling and camping, and did so in all forty-eight contiguous states and five Canadian provinces. He also wrote articles for magic magazines. Survivors include his wife of forty-seven years, Rosemary; daughters Mary and Jane; and seven grandchildren.

MALCOLM G. HASTINGS

The I.B.M. Office recently was notified that Malcolm G. Hastings, 72, of Roseland, Louisiana, died November 1, 2010. His member number was 43060, and he had been a member since 1988. He also was a member of the Society of American Magicians, and the Fellowship of Christian Magicians. A native of New Orleans, he was a long-time teacher and coach. Survivors at the time of his death were his wife, Sylvia; five children; twelve grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.

EDWARD J. KELLY

Edward J. Kelly, 65, of Bayside, New York, died April 20, 2012, of Parkinson’s Disease. His I.B.M. number was 36684, and he had been a member since 1988. He was a member of Ring 244, the Frank Garcia Ring. He had been a practicing magician for over fifty years. He performed close-up magic, comedy magic, mentalism, parlor, and stage magic. Not only did he readily share his magic with fellow magicians, he also taught magic at Tannen’s Camp. One of his specialties was his amazing “Dice Stacking.” Ed was a member of seven magic clubs, including “Fechter’s Finger Flinging Frolic.” Among survivors is his long-time companion, Ivy Spencer.

GUY B. LANPHERE

Guy B. Lanphere, 91, of Seal Beach, California, died June 24, 2012. His I.B.M. membership number was 34340, and he had been a member since 1979. He was a member of the Order of Merlin (twenty-five years a continuous member). According to his wife, he started out as a magician’s assistant at the Shriner’s Hospital in San Francisco in 1947. He also taught his youngest daughter magic. Survivors include his wife of thirty-four years, Joyce.

WALTER W. PHARR

The I.B.M. Office recently learned that Walter Wellington Pharr, 76, of Finksburg, Maryland, died December 12, 2011. His I.B.M. member number was 17529, and he had been a member since 1982. He was a member of the Order of Merlin (twenty-five years a continuous member). Born in West Virginia, he was a retired computer programmer for the Social Security Administration. In addition to performing magic, he enjoyed reading, walking, photography, and playing chess. Survivors include his wife, Mary Ann.

DEAN PONTON

Howell Dean Ponton, 74, of Lubbock, Texas, died June 18, 2012, of cancer. His I.B.M number was 17757, and he had been a member from 1982 to 2004, when he went inactive. Born in San Saba, Texas, he was bitten by the magic bug as a child upon seeing a performance by Harry Blackstone, Sr. Later, he discovered Fred and Ann Story’s magic shop in Lubbock. Later, in the 1940s, he even worked and traveled extensively throughout the United States with the Story Magic Show. In the 1950s, along with his life-long business partner, Don Yelvington, Dean performed with his “Magic of Christmas” fund-raising show. Dean performed over a dozen shows per year as “The Magic of Sebastian.” Later, that grew to over thirty shows per year. Dean was president of the Texas Association of Magicians in 2003. Dean retired in Lubbock, and later moved to the small farming town of Slaton. Dean is survived by his sister, Barnell Wilson.

JOSEPH W. SHELSKI

The I.B.M. Office was just made aware that Joseph William Shelski, 79, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, died July 3, 2010. His I.B.M. member number was 28343, and he had been a member since 1975. He was a member of Ring 30, the Wilkes-Barre Ring. He was a member of Order of Merlin (twenty-five years a continuous member). He also was a member of the Society of American Magicians. He retired from the U.S. Army, serving with the 101st Airborne Division. He received numerous military awards, including the Bronze Star. After retiring from the Army, he worked for the Scranton Hobby Center, performed as Magic by Ski, and was Santa Claus at the Globe Department Store for many years. Surviving him are three brothers, two sisters, and many nieces and nephews.

ROBERT O. UTTER

Robert “Bob” O. Utter, 89, of Fort Worth, Texas, died June 29, 2012. His I.B.M. number was 16261, and he had been a member since 1961. He was a member of Ring 15, the Ren Clark Ring. He was a member of the Order of Merlin Excalibur (fifty years a continuous member). He also was a member of the Society of American Magicians. Born in Iowa, he moved to Dallas, and served in the U.S. Air Force, earning three Air Medals and a Distinguished Flying Cross, as a member of the 2nd Air Commandos Group. During a furlough in Calcutta, India, he purchased a book on rope and coin tricks to help pass the down time of flying. He learned the tricks and entertained his fellow troops. His family’s business was in Memphis, so he returned there, attending both Rhodes College and Texas Christian University. He even used his magic as an emcee at a local night club. He married his college sweetheart and went to work for American Hospital & Life Insurance Company. He convinced one of his clients, Channel 5, to air a live television magic show, and “Tricks and Treats” lasted over two years. Survivors include his son, Steven, and grandson, Nick.


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