Atropos Archives - Alex's Asteroid Astrology

June 6th, 2025 at 08:17am by Alex Miller

Aster-Obit: Loretta Swit

On 30 May 2025, American actress Loretta Swift passed away at her home in New York City, at the age of 87. Best remembered for her performance as Major Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan in the smash 1970s TV hit series M*A*S*H, Swit effortlessly grew that character from one-dimensional, strait-laced, traditionalist army nurse having an extramarital affair with an inept doctor, to a married, then divorced, fully emancipated modern woman. The metamorphosis was stunning to behold, and Swit’s character became an icon of feminism for the time. Swit won two Emmy Awards for her portrayal, appearing in all but 11 of the series’ 256 episodes, only one of two actors to appear through the run of the show, from pilot to finale (the other being Alan Alda, Captain Hawkeye Pierce).

April 22nd, 2025 at 10:18am by Alex Miller

Aster-Obit: Pope Francis

At 7:35 AM CEST on Monday, 21 April 2025, Pope Francis passed away, apparently from a stroke, in his apartment at the St Martha House in Vatican City. The notoriously down-to-earth pontiff eschewed the luxurious papal penthouse in the Apostolic Palace, preferring the humbler surroundings of the Vatican’s adjacent guest house. Francis had recently battled bilateral pneumonia and other respiratory complaints during a weeks-long hospital stay, but returned to the Vatican a month ago, where he resumed some of his papal duties. On the day before his death, Francis went out to greet the Easter Sunday crowds in St Peter’s Square, also meeting with US Vice President JD Vance, so, although he was still in ill health, his passing just hours later was unexpected.

April 7th, 2025 at 08:54am by Alex Miller

Asteroid Sleuth: The Case of the Train Track Tragedy

Shortly after 6 PM EDT on Thursday, 3 April 2025, a father and his two adult sons were struck and killed by an Amtrak train in Bristol, PA. Christopher Cramp, 56, and David Cramp, 31, were apparently on the scene attempting to remove Thomas Cramp, 24, from the tracks before the arrival of the oncoming train. Thomas Cramp reportedly suffered from mental health issues and was suicidal, though no specifics of the circumstances surrounding the incident have emerged. Police have ruled the death of Thomas Cramp a suicide, and that of his elder brother and father as accidents.

April 4th, 2025 at 09:51am by Alex Miller

Aster-Obit: Richard Chamberlain

Veteran actor and ‘60s teen idol heartthrob Richard Chamberlain passed away on 29 March 2025, just two days shy of his 91^st birthday. Dubbed “King of the Mini-Series” in the 1980s, Chamberlain made a big splash on TV and film as a dashing leading man, but experienced internal conflict in having to conceal his homosexuality to preserve his swashbuckling image. Chamberlain first made his mark in the 1961 TV series “Dr. Kildare,” garnering legions of female fans, and went on to a successful movie career, starring in the 1970s “The Three Musketeers” franchise, among other action films.

March 26th, 2025 at 08:11am by Alex Miller

Aster-Obit: George Foreman

On March 21, 2025, former world heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman passed away peacefully at a Houston, Texas hospital, surrounded by family and friends. No cause of death has been released. Foreman dominated professional boxing in the 1970s; claiming the championship from the then-undefeated Joe Frazier in 1973, he held the tile for just a year before his loss to Muhammad Ali in “The Rumble in the Jungle.” Foreman retired three years later, but made a brief comeback in 1994, becoming the oldest world heavyweight champion after defeating Michael Moorer. In later life, Foreman became a household name for his endorsement and promotion of the eponymous “George Foreman Grill,” a small double-sided cooking appliance. He is also remembered for his eccentric habit of naming each of his five sons after himself, merely adding regnal numbers to distinguish them.

March 2nd, 2025 at 09:47am by Alex Miller

Aster-Obit: Gene Hackman

On Wednesday, 26 February, 2025, Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman and his wife were found dead at their Santa Fe, New Mexico home, following a wellness check by authorities. Also deceased was a German Shepherd, one of several dogs owned by the couple. Foul play was initially ruled out, but evidence at the scene was inconclusive, and police now classify the deaths as “suspicious.” Search warrants were issued for the property to resolve the cause of death, which could extend to accident or suicide, but reporting indicates that the couple may have been dead for some time before discovery.