Toland-Herzig Famous Endings Museum

Toland-Herzig Famous Endings Museum Famous Endings Museum
It all started back in 1996 when John Herzig's hobby was collecting autographs.

My latest column in August issue of Funeral & Cemetery News publication
08/02/2026

My latest column in August issue of Funeral & Cemetery News publication

50 great folks from Oklahoma visited today. Thanks to Village Travel Tours for including us to their visit to Ohio.
08/01/2026

50 great folks from Oklahoma visited today. Thanks to Village Travel Tours for including us to their visit to Ohio.

REMEMBERING THEM….and sharing their storiesWho was George Foreman?He was born on January 10, 1949 in Marshall, Texas and...
07/30/2026

REMEMBERING THEM….and sharing their stories

Who was George Foreman?

He was born on January 10, 1949 in Marshall, Texas and faced poverty and instability during his youth. During his youth, Foreman took up amateur boxing and earned the nickname “Big George”. He rose to prominence as one of the most powerful and respected heavyweight boxers in history. His boxing career spanned thirty years from 1967-1997. He was a two time world heavyweight champion and was an Olympic Gold Medalist during the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games. His first world title came in 1973 after defeating Joe Frazier in a fight that became a defining moment in boxing. At the age of 45, he recaptured the heavyweight title in 1994 becoming the oldest fighter to ever win a heavyweight championship.

Beyond boxing, he became a highly successful businessman, most notably through his George Foreman Grills, which revolutionized home cooking and made him a household name. He was a gifted boxing commentator, guitar player, wrote a musical, and earned numerous honorary degrees. However, his greatest accomplishments were not solely measured by athletic feats or financial success.

Foreman was a man of deep faith, and his devotion to the church was one of the defining aspects of his life. After a personal spiritual experience in the 1970s, dying and returning, he became an outspoken Christian, using his platform to share the importance of faith and prayer in his life. Foreman served as a pastor at the church he founded in Houston, The Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, where he devoted most of his time to ministry, spreading messages of hope and redemption. He regularly worked with young people, guiding them through life’s challenges with the wisdom and compassion that stemmed from his strong belief in God and His son, Jesus Christ. Philanthropy was an important part of Foreman’s life. He solely funded the George Foreman Youth and Community Center and supported other programs that provided mentorship, education, and resources to children and young adults.

George Foreman died on March 21, 2025 at the age of 76 in Houston, Texas. His family declared he died following complications related to heart failure.

A celebration of his life was held at the Cullen Theater, Wortham Center, in downtown Houston, Texas on April 14, 2025. Attendees included family members, community figures, and several fellow boxers during the 1 1/2 hour memorial service. The service recalled Foreman’s preaching love for others as well as his love of God, family, horses, and cheeseburgers and his desire to help his fellow man. Foreman posthumously addressed the crowd with audio messages he had recorded previously. The Mayor of Houston declared April 14 George Foreman Day.

Foreman was laid to rest nearly a month after his death in the Logan Park Cemetery in Sioux City, Iowa that fulfilled his long held wish to rest there. He fell in love with the beauty of Loess Hills after driving through the area in 1988. His large monument includes his photo after winning the Gold Medal at the 1968 Olympics and includes the words “He gave with grace, loved without limits, and lived a life that lifted others. He fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith.”

REMEMBERING THEM….and sharing their storiesWho was Bea Arthur?She was born Bernice Frankel on May 13, 1922 in Brooklyn, ...
07/28/2026

REMEMBERING THEM….and sharing their stories

Who was Bea Arthur?

She was born Bernice Frankel on May 13, 1922 in Brooklyn, New York to Jewish parents along with two sisters. Her family eventually relocated to Cambridge, Maryland in 1933. Her parents owned a clothing business. At an early age, Bea suffered from a clotting disorder known as Coagulopathy.
She attended an all girls boarding school and later Blackstone College for girls located in Virginia.

During World War II, Bea enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps Women’s Reserve and hers was one of the first generation of women Marines’. She served from 1943-45. During her military service her duties included both typing and a truck driving and earned the rank of Staff Sgt.

On a personal note, she was married twice that included a 30 year marriage to director and producer Gene Saks that ended in a divorce. They had two adopted sons.

Bea began her acting career on the New York Broadway stage where she earned a Tony Award for her performance in the musical, Mame. She became known for her roles as a sarcastic woman on screen, however, people who knew her described her as warm, generous, and compassionate. Her acting career spanned six decades and is most remembered for her roles as Maude in the tv series, Maude and as Dorothy Zbornak one of the Golden Girls. She received Emmy Awards for both. She also made film appearances in Lovers and Other Strangers and the film version of Mame. She will be remembered for her deep voice, perfect comedic timing, and her strong character roles.
She was inducted into the Academy’s Television Hall of Fame in 2008.

In addition to her successful acting career, she was very philanthropic and supported numerous charities. She was especially supportive of the LGBTQ community having established housing for LGBTQ young adults where she provided residencies for people who faced discrimination and other hardships. She also strongly supported animal charities.

Bea Arthur died on April 25, 2009 in her Los Angeles home after battling lung cancer. She was 86 years old.

At her request, there was no formal funeral service. Her wishes were to be cremated and scattered at sea.

A Celebration of Bea Arthur’s life was held on the afternoon of Sept. 14, 2009 at the Majestic Theatre in New York City. Among those who paid tribute to Bea were her great friend, Norman Lear, Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara, Golden Girl, Rue McClanahan, and Rosie O’Donnell. The afternoon was hosted by Angela Lansbury.

Had a great visit from a nice group of folks from Ontario Canada!
07/10/2026

Had a great visit from a nice group of folks from Ontario Canada!

More photos from Paul Newman’s celebration
06/22/2026

More photos from Paul Newman’s celebration

REMEMBERING THEM….and sharing their storiesWho was Paul Newman?He was born in Cleveland Heights, Ohio and grew up in nea...
06/22/2026

REMEMBERING THEM….and sharing their stories

Who was Paul Newman?

He was born in Cleveland Heights, Ohio and grew up in nearby Shaker Heights. His dad owned a sporting goods store and as a child Paul worked there and also developed an interest in acting and at the age of 10 he performed in a stage production of Saint George and the Dragon at the Cleveland Play House. Following high school, Newman attended Kenyon College having received a degree in drama and economics. Paul also served in the U.S. Navy during World War II as a radio operator and rear gunner trainee during the Pacific Theater. When the war ended, Paul returned home and later studied at the Yale School of Drama and the Actors Studio in New York City.

Paul was not an instant success. He disliked one of his first major films, The Silver Chalice produced in the 1950’s. However, audiences quickly recognized his talent in movies like Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, The Hustler, Cool Hand Luke, and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. He became one of those stars who managed to be admired not just for his talent and good looks, but also for the kind of person he appeared to be off-screen. With his piercing blue eyes, easy charm and natural charisma, Newman became one of the defining stars of the twentieth century. However, he never felt entirely comfortable with fame. Beneath the image of the confident leading man was someone who often described himself as insecure, restless, and driven to prove himself.

Newman married actress Joanne Woodward in 1958 whose marriage lasted fifty years-a rarity in Hollywood. He often credited Woodward with grounding him and once famously joked when asked about infidelity, “Why go out for hamburger when you have steak at home?”

One of the most surprising chapters of Newman’s life came through auto racing. After starring in the racing film Winning in 1969, he became genuinely passionate about motorsports and eventually became a highly respected professional driver. Racing was one of the few activities that made him feel completely at peace. He continued competing into his seventies and even became one of the oldest drivers ever to win a professionally sanctioned race.

In his later years, Newman became interested in philanthropy. In 1982, he co-founded Newman’s Own, originally intending it as a fun side project selling salad dressing. Instead, it became a hugely successful food company that donated all after-tax profits to charity. Over the years, the company raised hundreds of millions of dollars for educational programs, children’s camps, ad humanitarian causes. He also founded SeriousFun Children’s Network a group of camps designed for children with serious illnesses, inspired by his belief that sick children deserved joy, friendship, and adventure.

Newman wrote his biography, posthumously, named The Extraordinary Life of An Ordinary Man that revealed a far more complicated and introspective man than his polished public image suggested. He was constantly searching for meaning beyond fame.

Paul Newman died at his home in Westport, Connecticut from lung cancer on September 26, 2008 at the age of 83. His death was handled in much the same way he lived his life-quietly, privately, and without unnecessary spectacle. His request was to be cremated and returned to his family. He chose not to have a public funeral but have a small gathering of friends and family at his “Dressing Room Restaurant” in Westport.

The Hole in the Wall Camps honored Paul at a “Celebration of Paul Newman” on Monday, June 8, 2009 at the Avery Fisher Hall at the Lincoln Center in New York City (program pictured as well as a couple of photos from the celebration attended by John and Joyce Herzig). Among those who celebrated his life were Robert Redford, Julia Roberts, James Taylor, Yo Yo Ma, Bill Clinton and Kristin Chenoweth along with others.

REMEMBERING THEM….and sharing their storiesWho was Margaret Mitchell Marsh?She was born and raised on Jackson Hill in At...
06/12/2026

REMEMBERING THEM….and sharing their stories

Who was Margaret Mitchell Marsh?

She was born and raised on Jackson Hill in Atlanta, Georgia. At an early age, Margaret was fascinated with stories and experiences from the Civil War. Her grandfather fought in the war and was seriously wounded during the battle. During her childhood, Margaret enjoyed writing and bounded and made covers for her own writings. At the age of 11, she started her own publishing company named Urchin Publishing. She attended the Washington Seminary where she got involved in the school’s drama club and became the editor of the high school yearbook. Before the age of 16, Mitchell wrote a short novelette titled, Lost Laysen that was discovered after her death.

Following high school, she attended Smith College in Massachusetts and soon took a job with the Atlanta Journal Sunday magazine for four years where she wrote 129 articles under the name of Peggy Mitchell. The articles included experiences of life in Georgia that were well received from her readers. During that time she married Berrien Upshaw. Their marriage was short-lived.

In 1925, Margaret got remarried to a gentleman by the name of John Robert Marsh. Marsh worked for the Georgia Railway and Power Company as the Director of the Publicity Department. The two resided in a small apartment they referred to as “The Dump.” The following year, Margaret had an accident and broke her ankle that caused a period of inactivity and she became bored. Her husband, John bought a Re*****on typewriter and Margaret decided to attempt to write a novel. During her writing, she wouldn’t allow anyone to read it. Her husband continued to encourage her to complete it. Her works took three years to write and the book had nearly 30 chapters.

An editor by the name of Harold Latham from Macmillan Publishing Company heard about the book and was searching for new manuscripts. After reading it, he offered Martha a contract of $500 down and 10% of the royalties from the book.

Margaret had a difficult name picking out a title. A few of her choices included Tomorrow Is Another Day, Not In Our Stars, Bugles Sung True, and Ba! Ba! Black sheep. She finally decided to title it from a phrase from a favorite poem of hers by Ernest Dowson “Gone With The Wind.” It was her one and only novel and was published in 1936. It included 1037 pages and sold for $3.00. The novel is one of the most successful in history. She won a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and won the National Book Award. It was soon adapted into the 1939 film that featured Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh.

On August 11, 1949, Mitchell and her husband were walking to a movie theater to see the film, A Canterbury Tale. While crossing Peachtree Street in Atlanta, Margaret was hit by a speeding car driven by an off duty taxi cab driver. She suffered internal injuries along with a skull fracture. She died five days later on August 16, 1949 at the age of 48.

Margaret Mitchell’s funeral was held at H.M. Patterson’s Spring Hill location on August 18, 1949 at 10am (original invitation pictured). In keeping with Margaret’s lifelong insistence on privacy, attendance inside the church was limited to family and close friends. The city, however, mourned her in its own way. Outside the funeral home and along the route to Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta, thousands of people gathered in silence, lining the sidewalks, and pausing their daily routines as her funeral procession passed.

Famous Endings displays the original invitation as well as a signed letter from Margaret Mitchell.

“Every stone has a story”
05/25/2026

“Every stone has a story”

REMEMBERING THEM….and sharing their storiesWho was Lou Holtz?He was born in Follansbee, West Virginia and he, along with...
04/16/2026

REMEMBERING THEM….and sharing their stories

Who was Lou Holtz?

He was born in Follansbee, West Virginia and he, along with his parents and older sister resided in a one bedroom home without a bathtub or shower. At the beginning of World War II, Lou’s father joined the United States Navy and was stationed in the Pacific while the rest of the family relocated to East Liverpool, Ohio and resided with his maternal grandparents. Even though growing up poor, Lou was taught to believe that if you make good choices and showed respect to others good things would happen to you. He helped support his family during his childhood years by working a paper route and other small jobs. After graduating from East Liverpool High School, with his family’s help, he attended Kent State University and was a member of the KSU football team. During his college years, Lou was also affiliated with the ROTC program and graduated with a degree in history. Following college, Lou was given a graduate assistantship with the athletic program at the University of Iowa where he also earned a Masters degree. During that same time, he married the love of his life, Beth who was also from East Liverpool.

Lou began his coaching career when he was selected as Assistant coach at William & Mary University in Williamsburg, Virginia followed by assistant coaching positions at Connecticut, South Carolina and Ohio State University. He eventually returned to William & Mary for his first head coaching job in 1969 leading his team to the Tangerine Bowl. In 1972, Lou moved to North Carolina State and won the ACC conference championship. He then took the coaching job for the New York Jets that didn’t go well. He returned to college football by joining the University of Arkansas Razorbacks where he compiled a record of 60-21-2 and led them to six consecutive bowl appearances and four Top 10 Rankings. He is most remembered for his football career at the University of Notre Dame (1986-96) and then South Carolina (1999-2004). He led Notre Dame to nine consecutive bowl games and a record of 100-30-2. He was named National Coach of the Year in both 1977 and 1988. His final coaching record totaled 249 wins, 132 losses and 7 ties. Following his coaching career, Holtz became a college football analyst for CBS sports and ESPN.

In addition to his successful coaching career, Holtz became a popular motivational speaker and authored 14 books. He was known for his many quotes. His highest honor came in 2020 when President Donald Trump awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

The legendary coach died on March 4, 2026 at the age of 89 in Orlando, Florida where he resided.

Hundreds of people gathered on Sunday evening, March 15 at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on the Notre Dame campus to show support to his family and pay their respects to Coach Holtz. He was wearing his Presidential Medal for the viewing. The following day, March 16, beginning at 1pm his funeral mass was held in the Basilica that included a tribute by his son, Coach “Skip” Holtz. Following the funeral mass, fans, supporters, players and family lined North Notre Dame Avenue as the hearse followed by family processed to the Cedar Grove Cemetery located on the Notre Dame campus where he was laid to rest beside his beloved Beth. The committal service included a performance by the Notre Dame Trumpet Band.

Address

803 N Wooster Avenue
Dover, OH
44622

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 4am
Tuesday 9am - 4pm
Wednesday 9am - 4pm
Thursday 9am - 4pm
Friday 9am - 4pm

Telephone

+13303436132

Website

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