Sargent Shriver dies at 95 *

Sargent Shriver, a close confidante of brother-in-law John F. Kennedy and first director of the Peace Corps, died today in Bethesda, Maryland after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Shriver was a leading force in the War on Poverty during the presidency of Lyndon Johnson in the 1960s, and ran for VP as George McGovern's stand-in running mate in 1972. Shriver was the father of Maria Shriver, California's former First Lady, and of Santa Monica mayor Bobby Shriver.

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• Dale Fetherling, a former Los Angeles Times reporter and editor, died this morning of complications following heart surgery on Dec. 14. He was 69. A memorial service is set for Sat. Jan. 29 at 2 p.m. at St. Paul's Cathedral on Fifth Avenue in San Diego.
• Tom Ferguson, described as a "B-movie character actor," died at age 65. Close friend Tina DuPuy has penned a very nice tribute at her website.