The 2024 Noteworthy Deaths Thread

Sad to see Alan Minshaw passing , RIP. I first visited Tweeks when it was a small shop in Tattenhall, bought a pile of stuff that day. A fantastic business and source of car items.

RIP

Billionaire philanthropist Hans Rausing's second wife, Julia Rausing.

63. Cancer

Well, I have learnt something new this morning.

I met her briefly in a Land Rover dealership. We were both looking at the new L460 Range Rover at launch and were sharing our thoughts on it: what they got right and some of the downsides. She seemed lovely: very chatty and charming. Hans looked remarkably shabby and had dreadful tremors which I presumed (perhaps incorrectly) were some sort of withdrawal symptom. He didn't seem happy that I was talking to his wife, so I left them to it.

Billionaire philanthropist is a clue....

Perhaps first google her/him? Well documented troubled pair. Don't bother, even at my age I can still hit the keyboard fast...

Because, 'wealth' doesn't mean 'health'. Personally, give me 'health' over 'wealth' ...any day of the week!

Julia married the troubled Hans after his first wife died (addicted to crack cocaine). He'd hid her body for nigh on two months in their home after she'd died - the man was extremely troubled and got a prison sentence ...but suspended (rightly).

When Julia met Hans she wasn't without her own problems, having lost two siblings in very tragic circumstances: she was also battling cancer - she probably saved him - her idea was to dedicate herself to a life of philanthropy getting him on board, dedicating their main satisfaction in life simply to giving money to good causes. And they did.

Both were also discreetly social while she also for many years continued to battle her cancer until it saw her off at just 63. Without a doubt, she was responsible for bringing him back from his appalling grief and helping him find joy in life again.

One paper yesterday reported the two of them 'were palpably in love and affectionate towards each other and were a very touching couple who focused most of their time on how to give away money to those in need.'

Just a few words more:
The pair of them donated £330million in more than 1,000 grants, including £50million to UK charities 'every year', all through their Julia and Hans Rausing Trust they'd co-founded together.

Recently they provided a £18million 'lifeline' for small and medium charities under the Charity Survival Fund in 2020, as well as a £16.5million emergency donation for other Covid causes, including a £1million donation for the Mail Force campaign.

The 'filthy rich' eh?
Might as well argue the other side of the coin, those out of work are 'all benefit scroungers'. Very obviously not.

I bought some bits from Demon Tweeks back in 1978 (may have been 1977 or 1979) or so when it was single small building for my Hillman Avenger, and latterly from thjeir big wharehouse showroom for my MX5. Always enjoyed the catalogues.

There'd be a fair overlap in the Venn diagram of people who think in terms of the filthy rich being, well filthy rich and whatever than means and the "out of work" being all benefit scroungers. That'll be the people in the middle who toil to pay for it all.

Leighton James. One of John Toshack's legendary Swansea City squad from the early 80s, and Wales International association football player. Apparently he also served as a lollipop man at a local school in his later years, after a management career mainly in the non-league game. Aged 71.