Writer of Celebrity Obituaries to Speak at UAMS
| LITTLE ROCK — Author Marilyn Johnson will present a free lecture on her new book, “The Dead Beat: Lost Souls, Lucky Stiffs, and the Perverse Pleasures of the Obituaries,” at 6 p.m. April 12 at the The event is sponsored by the ReCenter program of the UAMS Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging and will take place in the institute’s Jo Ellen Ford auditorium. For information, call (501) 526-4791. Johnson has been an editor at Esquire, Redbook and Outside magazines, as well as a staff writer for Life. She has written obituaries for such high-profile people as Princess Diana, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Marlon Brando, Bob Hope and Johnny Cash. Her lighthearted and poignant book details the public’s fascination with obituaries and her experiences at writing about the lives and deaths of some of the world’s most celebrated celebrities. Following the lecture, Johnson will be available to sign copies of her book. The event is co-sponsored by the ReCenter is a program of the Institute on Aging that offers lectures, events and educational activities for people of all ages. Topics include traditional health issues such as nutrition and exercise as well as nontraditional approaches to health care, including spirituality and mindfulness. While many of ReCenter’s activities are free of charge, individuals or families may choose to join the program for additional benefits. UAMS is the state’s only comprehensive academic health center, with five colleges, a graduate school, a medical center, five centers of excellence and a statewide network of regional centers. UAMS has about 2,320 students and 690 medical residents. It is one of the state’s largest public employers with almost 9,000 employees, including nearly 1,000 physicians who provide medical care to patients at UAMS, Arkansas Children’s Hospital and the VA Medical Center. UAMS and its affiliates have an economic impact in