"Dead Celebrities Lady"

There is a woman who calls here and wants to know when people have died. It is always the same voice over the phone and there is also a story. The first time I had the priveledge of talking to her was when I had just started here at the libary (see the blog-The Frankie Avalon Question). It was when answering someone's reference question gave me a sense of pride and self-worth. I remember feeling so pleased and helpful after our first rendezvous.

So "Dead Celebrities Lady" as I would like to call her...I like to imagine that she has a list on her wall over her bed and at night she can sleep soundly because she knows that Ethel Waters died in 1977. Her questions always come with the mention that she saw a program on TV or a movie.
Today's Celebrities: Ethel Waters, who was the 2nd African American woman to be nominated for an Oscar, and who was known for her Jazz and gospel singing (among many things). For more info:

http://www.pbs.org/jazz/biography/artist_id_waters_ethel.htm

Very interesting life-after our phone call I read a bit of her bio. I think the program that the woman was watching was the Ken Burn Jazz special, because sure enough, ten minutes later she was calling back and wondering when Duke Ellington, and his son Mercer Ellington died too. For more info:

http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi/aa/ellington

Yeah...she will sleep soundly tonight because of me. :)