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Tag: Lewis Katz

  • Bill Cosby Adds Humor To Lewis Katz’s Memorial

    His T-shirt read “Self-Made, Philly Made, Temple Made.” His sweatpants were red, and he hadn’t bothered to shave.

    Instead of the typical black attire most associated with funerals, Bill Cosby opted to wear a pair of blazing red Temple University sweatpants and a tucked in black T-shirt to his friend’s memorial service on Wednesday.

    The 76-year-old comedian actually went to Temple with Lewis Katz, and to pay homage to the Philadelphia Inquirer co-owner and avid philanthropist, Cosby sported the attire of a typical college student. Katz and six other people died in a private jet crash during takeoff late Saturday night in Bedford, Massachusetts.

    The memorial service took place at the Temple Performing Arts Center in the heart of Philly. About 1,400 people were in attendance. Bill Cosby spoke at the service, his speech geared towards Katz’s generosity and how his friends and family need to continue his philanthropy.

    Cosby was concerned that without Katz’s contributions to the Boys & Girls Club of Camden and other community organizations that need financial help, that they would fall apart, “I’m not challenging you, I’m telling you, you better not let it drop, you better not let it fall, you better not let stains, graffiti, touch these buildings without it being washed off immediately. Am I clear? He gave it to you.”

    “So c’mon Camden. That Boys & Girls club has to stay, it has to be there, so that all who come and pass by it will know it’s worth keeping. … His life lives, not in the name that was put on the wall, but in the gift that was given to you.”

    Also speaking at the service was former Philadelphia mayor Ed Rendell, who also discussed Katz’s generosity, “He was a champion to thousands who never knew his name, doing things that would never make the paper.”

    Former President Bill Clinton also had an opportunity to speak. “Thank you, Lew Katz, for what you did for me. For never giving up in the darkest hours. For making sure we had a good time trying.” He added, “His life force was such, I thought he’d be around forever.”

    Katz grew up in a poor household in Camden, New Jersey. The businessman became a billionaire via sound investments like the Kinney Parking Company and the Yankee Entertainment and Sports Network (YES). He also previously owned the New Jersey Devils and the New Jersey Nets.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Bill Cosby Among Speakers at Memorial for Lewis Katz

    Bill Cosby was one of the speakers at a memorial service for Lewis Katz held on Wednesday. Katz died when the plane he was on crashed during takeoff at Hanscom Field in Bedford, Massachusetts on Saturday evening. His service was held just a day after a National Transportation Safety Board official said data from the flight recorder showed the plane reached minimum takeoff speed but never lifted off the ground before plunging into a ravine and bursting into flames.

    Cosby defied typical dress decorum at the service, donning Temple University sweatpants and a school t-shirt unlike his fellow speakers–including former President Bill Clinton–who wore suits and ties. The comedian was determined to honor his late classmate in the way he saw fit instead. At one point during the service Cosby appeared to almost fall off the stage. He later told those who asked about the near miss that he simply didn’t know where the stairs were, although that sounded kind of strange.

    Bill Cosby urged those who mourned Lewis Katz–who was a known philanthropist–to help carry out his legacy of supporting schools and school projects, insisting that one needn’t be wealthy in order to do so.

    “You don’t have to have big money. All you have to have is yourself,” he said.

    It was only a few days before his passing that Lewis Katz acquired the Philadelphia Inquirer. Those at the paper were shocked to hear of his untimely death.

    Six other people died in the plane crash along with Lewis Katz. It is likely they were remembered at his memorial, too.

    Hopefully having Bill Cosby speak lightened up a somber event. Sometimes laughter can be the very best medicine when dealing with situations that are simply beyond everyone’s control. Remembering better days–such as college days with an old friend–can sometimes help to brighten a very sad occasion.

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  • Hanscom Plane Crash: Two Victims Identified

    The Hanscom plane crash that occurred in Bedford, Massachusetts on Saturday night tragically claimed the lives of seven people. Two of those people have now been positively identified. The plane was a private Gulfstream IV jet. It crashed as it took off from Hanscom Field for Atlantic City, New Jersey.

    Lewis Katz, 72, was among those killed. He was the owner of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Katz had just taken ownership of the publication on May 27th when he and H.F. “Gerry” Lenfest won a private bid for it and its parent company for $88 million. He had been in Massachusetts to attend the Concord River Institute’s spring fundraiser on Saturday. He was heading home when the plane crashed.

    Katz’s children issued a written statement saying their father, “never forgot where and how he grew up, and he worked tirelessly to support his community in countless ways that were seen and unseen.”

    Anne Leeds, 74, was also killed in the Hanscom plane crash. She was the wife of Longport, New Jersey Commissioner James P. Leeds. The remaining five victims have yet to be positively identified.

    Tara Harding was staying with her family at the Quality Inn in Bedford on Saturday night. She both heard the explosion and saw the plane burst into flames. Harding told Boston.com she immediately called 911 to report the crash.

    “When we originally heard it, it was so loud. I thought it was closer than it was,” she said. “My 4-year-old son was even startled by the noise.”

    “We were panicked, because we thought ‘what could we do other than call 911,’” Harding added. ”It sounded like the plane was shutting down, like that engine-failure sound you hear in movies.”

    An investigation into the reason for the crash is underway and being conducted by the Massachusetts State Police and the NTSB.

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