In case you missed it, here's a quick recap of the stories readers most clicked on during the month of April 2013.
Here's a look back at the most popular stories on Kent Patch in April: "Like" Kent Patch on Facebook to make sure you don't miss out on the top stories of May.
In this Article:
The 15-year-old affectionately known as "Big Daddy D" passed away on April 17, 2013.
Calling hours are set for the Theodore Roosevelt High School student who died unexpectedly last week during a basketball practice in Twinsburg. Devon Deonta "Big Daddy D" Conwell passed away on April 17, 2013. The 15-year-old sophomore played football and basketball at the high school. Kent City Schools Superintendent Joseph Giancola said Conwell collapsed suddenly at a non-school basketball practice. "Devon Conwell was one of those students who everybody loved," Giancola said. "He had a contagious smile." It's unclear what caused Conwell's sudden death Wednesday evening. Calling hours are from 4 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday at the Theodore Roosevelt High School Auditorium. Funeral services will follow. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may…
In this Article:
Devon Conwell died Wednesday during a basketball event
Editor's note: this story was updated at 6:30 p.m. Students at Theodore Roosevelt High School are struggling with the loss of a fellow student and friend today. Devon Conwell, a sophomore at Theodore Roosevelt, died Wednesday unexpectedly during a basketball practice in Twinsburg. Kent City Schools Superintendent Joseph Giancola said Conwell collapsed suddenly at a non-school basketball practice. "Devon Conwell was one of those students who everybody loved," Giancola said. "He had a contagious smile." It's unclear what caused Conwell's sudden death Wednesday evening. Grief counselors were at the high school and available to students Thursday. Conwell's Facebook page turned into a real-time memorial as friends posted goodbye messages …
In this Article:
A friend is hoping to raise at least $5,000 to help with funeral costs.
A friend started an online fundraiser Monday for the family of a Kent State Student who died in a car crash on Easter Sunday. Kent State Student Joseph "JJ" Marino died on Sunday in Alabama after suffering injuries from a car crash Saturday driving back from a spring break trip with four others. Marino was the passenger in the 2001 Ford. Click here for more details and to find out what people are saying on social media about the student's death. The goal is to raise $5,000 to help with funeral costs. At 1 p.m. Monday, more than $4,000 was donated on GiveForward.com. According to the note on the site, any additional money raised after the $5,000 goal is met will go to a charity that the Marino family chooses. Click here for more …
In this Article:
The death of senior accounting major Joseph “JJ” Marino is the second student casualty in three years.
Update: April 2 at 1:36 p.m. JJ’s college friends and classmates are gathering in his honor tonight (April 2) outside of his off-campus house at 114 Brady St. in Kent at 9 p.m. ———————————— Kent State Student Joseph "JJ" Marino died on Easter in Alabama after suffering injuries from a car crash Saturday driving back from a spring break trip with four others. Marino was the passenger in the 2001 Ford. Nader Hassen, Lamar Washington, Michael Willis and Joseph Noah were all students in the car as well. All were injured in the accident, but Kent Wired is reporting that their conditions are unknown at this time. On Easter, the page "Praying for JJ" was created on Facebook. It had more than 5,500 "likes" in a few hours. For more, read the …
1:53 pm on Tuesday, April 2, 2013
A comment was removed for violating Patch's terms of use. http://kent.patch.com/terms more ›
Kent native spent later years in California
Robert E. Farrell (Bob), age 86, passed away on March 1st in the San Francisco Bay area of California. He lived most of his life in Kent and Cuyahoga Falls before moving to California early in the 21st Century to be near his son. A week after turning 17, Bob enlisted in the U.S. Navy during wartime in February of 1944. Serving as a Torpedoman’s Mate he was awarded two Liberation of the Philippines medals, the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, the American Area Campaign Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal. He later served on board the USS Stack as she was readied for the atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands during Operation Crossroads. Over 31 years Bob worked for B.F. Goodrich Research in Brecksville, and later …
In this Article:
Merle Mollenkopf's personal readings of his favorite poems are preserved on CD
Kent poet Merle Mollenkopf may be gone from this world, but his poetry is not. With help from friend Harry Noden, Mollenkopf recorded about 40 of his favorite pieces and put about an hour of audio on two CDs before his death this week at 78 after a short battle with esophageal cancer. "It was really a beautiful collection of a lot of his favorite poems," Noden said. A retired English teacher, Noden recorded the readings with Mollenkopf about three years ago and put 28 poems on the first CD. About three weeks ago he said Mollenkopf came to him knowing his death was nearing and sought to create a second disc. "Initially we recorded far more than would fit on a CD," Noden said. So they sorted through a few more and put a little more than a …
In this Article:
10:00 pm on Sunday, March 3, 2013
Hi Harry - I really would love to be part of any celebration of Merle's life. I'd love to play or help with organizing - please let me know what I can do. ELLIOTT INGERSOLL more ›
Kent resident dies at home at 78 following battle with cancer
Poet Merle Mollenkopf's name and words are on the lips of many in the Kent art community today. Mollenkopf, 78, died this week after battling esophegeal cancer. Friends have shared images and memories on Facebook the past 24 hours since word of his death started to spread. "He was an encyclopedia of poems," fellow Kent poet Maj Ragain said of his friend. "He was full of poems." Click here to read about how Mollenkopf's poems are preserved on audio recordings. Ragain and Mollenkopf met at the start of open poetry readings in the early 1980s at what then was Brady's Cafe, now Starbucks, at the corner of Lincoln and Main streets. Mollenkopft was a fixture there, recalls Brady's Cafe owner Bonny Graham Esparza. "He was there all the time," …
In this Article:
8:23 pm on Monday, March 4, 2013
My brother was also an artist. There was time when he had his sketch pad and colored pencils with him and if it interested him he would stop &sketch ...Then move on. Merle had a lead role in the ninth grade Christmas operetta and help paint a mural in our junior high cafeteria. Also HE entertained at parties doing his MAGIC. Merle was so special. IF he didn't leave a mark on you...it wasn't … more ›
Adrienne L. Ryba, 19, of Sharon Township, died Saturday in Akron
Gary Locke spent entire 32-year career in Kent
Family, friends and colleagues are mourning the loss of longtime Kent Community Development Department Director Gary Locke today. Locke died over the weekend after a 13-month battle with leukemia. The 32-year employee of the city of Kent spent nearly his entire professional career in the community planning office. Kent Mayor Jerry Fiala said as a senior member of the city's administration Locke played an instrumental role in Kent's more than $100 million downtown redevelopment. "Gary will always live forever in the city of Kent because of that foundation he left behind," Fiala said. "That’s his legacy." Locke was a Ravenna resident and 1974 graduate of Ravenna High School. He graduated from the University of Akron in 1978 with a bachelor's…
In this Article:
3:46 pm on Monday, September 17, 2012
Condolences to the Locke family and to Gary's co-workers and friends. Gary put his heart and sole into the City of Kent and the community is much better for it. more ›
monica joseph
7:46 am on Friday, April 19, 2013
A wonderful and loving soul. Missing you Devon! more ›