In Passing

Phillip Matthew Hannan, longtime New Orleans archbishop

New Orleans – Phillip Matthew Hannan, the former New Orleans archbishop who sought to console a grieving nation with his eulogy for John F. Kennedy and who served more than three decades as the popular leader of his Roman Catholic archdiocese, died on the 46th anniversary of his appointment to New Orleans.

The 98-year-old clergyman died peacefully before dawn Thursday.

Hannan’s body will lie in state at New Orleans Notre Dame seminary for three days starting Monday, followed by a funeral Mass on Thursday afternoon at St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans.

Claude Kirk, former Florida governor

Tallahassee, Fla. – Claude Kirk, a flamboyant self-promoter who became Florida’s first Republican governor of the 20th century even though he never held prior public office, died Wednesday. He was 85.

Rural Democrats dominated Florida politics when Kirk was elected in 1966, but his victory over Robert King High cracked open the door for what eventually became the Republicans’ mastery of Tallahassee.

“He woke up every morning with 30 new ideas, 28 of which weren’t the best in the world, but two were absolutely genius,” said Nat Reed, who was Kirk’s environmental adviser.