The Monitor From The Week Of Oct. 3-9, 1999

In passing

Marilyn Silverstone, a news photographer who left her career to become a Buddhist nun, died Sept. 29 at a monastery in Nepal. She was 70.

Akio Morita, co-founder of the Sony Corp., died Oct. 3 in Tokyo. He was 78.

Art Farmer, a be-bop master of the trumpet, the fluegelhorn and an instrument he invented, the flumpet, died of cardiac arrest Monday. He was 71.

Leonard S. Shoen, who transformed the moving industry when he founded U-Haul International Inc. more than five decades ago, died Monday when he drove his car into a power pole. He was 83.

Bernard Buffett, one of France’s major contemporary painters, killed himself Monday at his home in southern France, police said. He was 71.

Alex Lowe, of Bozeman, Mont., described by Outside magazine as the best mountain climber in the world, was swept to his death along with another climber in an avalanche Tuesday on the world’s 14th-highest mountain, the 26,291-foot Shishapangma in Tibet. He was 40.

Decisions

The Supremem Court cleared the way Monday for mandatory drug testing for school teachers, rejecting a constitutional challenge of a Knox County, Tenn., school district policy requiring urine screening for all new teachers.

This week

Monday: Columbus Day holiday.

Tuesday: Dalai Lama receives American Buddhist Congress’ first annual Bodhi Award in Los Angeles.

Thursday: Billy Graham crusade in St. Louis. Through Oct. 17.