@JamesRHagerty

Freelance writer. 40-year veteran of Wall Street Journal on 3 continents. Author of Yours Truly, a guide to writing your own story.

 Pittsburgh, PA, USA
yours-truly.jamesrhagerty.com/
Joined September 2009
  • Tweets4.8K
  • Following1.3K
  • Followers5.8K
440Media
Write your own obituary while you can. Don’t leave it to family members, who are almost certain to make a hash of it wsj.com/articles/an-obituary… via @WSJ

An Obituary Writer Writes One for Himself

Summing up other people’s lives has given me a sense of what I want to say—and how to say it.

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When he arrived in New York in 1948 as a 19-year-old immigrant, his most notable work experience was as a Jewish resistance fighter, blowing up train tracks to stall Nazi troop movements. wsj.com/tech/paul-strassmann…

Paul A. Strassmann, World War II Resistance Fighter Turned Computer Guru, Dies at 96

He decried the “technology arms race” of the 1980s and ‘90s, arguing that companies first needed to figure out what they really needed.

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The trust-fund baby who grew up to be a 6-foot-6 scourge of plutocrats nytimes.com/2025/05/09/busin…

Robert A.G. Monks, Crusader Against ‘Imperial’ C.E.O.s, Dies at 91 (Published 2025)

A descendant of American wealth, he used his success in business to push for social responsibility in corporate leadership and encouraged shareholders to push back.

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Meet Else, the 100-year-old tax preparer in (where else?) Grand Forks, ND. wsj.com/lifestyle/taxes-acco… via @WSJ

They’re 100 Years Old—and Still Doing People’s Taxes

Some tax professionals keep crunching numbers into their 90s and beyond

wsj.com
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Long before Elon Musk, he ignored the established rules of CEO etiquette wsj.com/business/paul-oreffi… via @WSJ

Paul Oreffice, Outspoken Former CEO of Dow Chemical, Dies at 97

Among other things, he called environmentalists “professional merchants of doom.”

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Alton Thacker started his Tiny Tim’s Foundation for Kids because he wanted to provide toys to children. He ended up donating more than 1.7 million wooden toy cars. wsj.com/business/alton-thack… via @WSJ

Alton Thacker, Who Gave More Than a Million Toys to Children, Dies at 89

A retired barber and “year-round Santa Claus,” he co-founded a foundation that makes wooden cars for children around the world.

wsj.com
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Top 20 Albums of 2024 rockandbluesmuse.com/2024/12…

Top 20 Albums of 2024

Just when we thought last year's blues rock and roots albums couldn’t be topped, 2024 arrives with more than its fair share of outstanding releases. We were bowled over by each of these albums,...

rockandbluesmuse.com
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Review: Dom Martin ‘Buried Alive’ rockandbluesmuse.com/2024/12…

Review: Dom Martin ‘Buried Alive’

Review: Dom Martin ‘Buried Alive’ By Hal Horowitz If you hear traces of Rory Gallagher or Gary Moore in the guitar playing of Irish blues rocker Dom Martin, that’s no accident. Growing up in Ireland,...

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A bookselling titan, a computer pioneer, and a pathbreaking neurosurgeon mck.co/414Cg3O via @McKinsey

A bookselling titan, a computer pioneer, and a pathbreaking neurosurgeon

Our November obituaries include a visionary architect, a digital arts innovator, and a Holocaust survivor whose story became a New York Times bestseller.

mckinsey.com
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She had a plan to save the planet—and didn't let Parkinson's disease stop her wsj.com/science/environment/… via @WSJ

Joanne Chory, Who Enlisted Plants to Fight Climate Change, Dies at 69

Biologist sought to breed crops that could store more carbon safely underground in their roots.

wsj.com
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Hello in There (feat. Lauren Morrow) youtu.be/TmmXRFbG8a0?feature… via @YouTube

Hello in There (feat. Lauren Morrow)

Provided to YouTube by MNRK Music GroupHello in There (feat. Laur...

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Jimmy Lai’s brave stand wsj.com/opinion/jimmy-lai-tr… via @WSJopinion

Opinion | Jimmy Lai Stands Up for Freedom

Hong Kong tells Donald Trump to shut up about the jailed publisher.

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Your best bet in an AI world? Learn how to deal with people, including jerks. wsj.com/tech/ai/students-ai-… via @WSJ

How Students Can AI-Proof Their Careers

Artificial intelligence is going to eliminate a lot of jobs in the future. It’s possible to reduce the risk that it will be yours.

wsj.com
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Charles Sporck was an early advocate of overseas assembly in semiconductors wsj.com/tech/charles-sporck-… via @WSJ

Charles Sporck, an Early Champion of Moving Microchip Manufacturing to Asia, Dies at 96

He argued that moving manufacturing allowed the U.S. semiconductor industry to create more high-paying jobs at home. “We beat the Japanese,” he said.

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Getting fired was one of the best things that ever happened to Bernie Marcus, who went on to co-found Home Depot wsj.com/business/retail/bern… via @WSJ

Bernard Marcus, Co-Founder of Home Depot, Dies at 95

His chain of warehouse-style stores used cavernous interiors and low prices to lure customers.

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Among households that put up Christmas trees, about three-quarters opt for artificial ones. Here’s how one seller of real Christmas trees tries to compete. wsj.com/lifestyle/travel/chr… via @WSJ

The Economics of Selling Christmas Trees

The key is to make buying an experience, rather than just something to be done as quickly as possible.

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“The Holocaust didn’t start with actions,” she said. “It started with words." wsj.com/arts-culture/lily-eb… via @WSJ

Lily Ebert, Holocaust Survivor Who Found Fame on TikTok, Dies at 100

Hungarian-born Jewish woman hesitated to tell her story. Then a great-grandson introduced her to social media.

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A corporate visionary, a retail CEO, and a fashion designer mck.co/40pSILZ via @McKinsey

A corporate visionary, a retail CEO, and a fashion designer

Our October 2024 obituaries include a corporate visionary, an advocate for older adults, a surgical innovator, a retail CEO, and an award-winning photographer.

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John McQuown led a team that launched one of the first index funds, in 1971. With indexing, he said, “you never apologize for anything.” wsj.com/finance/investing/jo… via @WSJ

John McQuown, Who Pioneered Index Funds and Transformed Investing, Dies at Age 90

The Illinois native jumped from family farm to mechanical engineering and then led a ‘Manhattan Project’ of finance.

wsj.com
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Ethel Kennedy drew on her faith to endure and rise above a relentless series of family tragedies. wsj.com/us-news/ethel-kenned… via @WSJ

Ethel Kennedy, Who Drew on Faith to Endure Family Tragedies, Dies at 96

Traumas occurred often, including her husband’s assassination as he sought the presidency in 1968.

wsj.com
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Diagnosed with Alzheimer's, he funded research and sang "Rhinestone Cowboy" with Glen Campbell. wsj.com/business/entrepreneu… via @WSJ

Mel Goodes, Who Was Determined to Help Defeat Alzheimer’s, Dies at 89

The former head of Warner-Lambert established a prize to promote research after being diagnosed himself—and sang a duet with Glen Campbell.

wsj.com
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