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UPDATED: 8:00 p.m. ET., Jan. 12, 2024
As we’ve come to understand year after year, day after day even, death is unfortunately an inevitable part of life. Still, as much of a fact as that may be, the blow of experiencing loss never gets any easier, nor does reporting on the subject in Black culture.
That sentiment was felt following the unfortunate passing recently of Reggie Wells, Emmy-winning stylist to the likes of Michelle Obama, Beyoncé, Halle Berry and most notably Oprah Winfrey on a personal level for over 30 years.
He was 76 years old.
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More on the illustrious life of the late Reggie Wells below, via The Hollywood Reporter:
“Wells received five Daytime Emmy nominations for his work on ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show,’ winning in 1995. He also appeared on her talk show and traveled all around the world with her, including to South Africa when she opened a school for girls.
‘Reggie Wells was an artist who used his palette of talent to create beauty no matter the canvas,’ Winfrey said in a statement. ‘For many years he was my makeup artist. He called me and everyone he considered a friend ‘Mary.’ He always made me feel beautiful. Ooh my, how we’d laugh and laugh during the process. He was an astute observer of human behavior and could see humor in the most unlikely experiences.’
One of seven children, Wells was born on Dec. 2, 1947. His father, John, was a bus driver and his mother, Ada, a nurse. He graduated from Baltimore City College and Maryland Institute College of Art and taught art before moving to New York City in 1976.
He worked at makeup counters in department store before landing magazine gigs at ‘Glamour,’ ‘Life,’ ‘Harper’s Bazaar’ and ‘Essence,’ where he did Winfrey’s makeup for a cover shoot. It wasn’t long before she relocated him to Chicago to be her full-time makeup artist in 1990.”
May his legacy in the world of Black beauty care and fashion in general live on forever.
Learn more below about who in our culture passed away so far this year in 2024:
1. Reggie Wells
via PEOPLE:
“On Jan. 9, the local publication revealed that Wells — who worked with Oprah Winfrey for 30 years, among other A-list stars such as Beyoncé, Aretha Franklin, Michelle Obama, Diahann Carroll and Halle Berry — died in Baltimore, his hometown, “after [battling] a long illness.” He was 76. Before becoming the makeup artist he was known to be, Wells graduated from Baltimore City College and Maryland Institute College of Art and became a city art teacher, according to the Banner.”
2. Jerry Wade aka “The Ultimate Loverman”
Source:n/a
Indianapolis disc jockey Jerry Wade, host of WTLC’s The Quiet Storm with The Loverman Jerry Wade for over 40 years, died at the age 61. his death was confirmed by family on Monday, January 8, 2024.
via WTLC:
“While on the air, Jerry was ‘Mr. Loverman,’ a charismatic, deep voiced, radio disc-jockey, gracing the airwaves Sunday through Thursday with ‘sexiest show in the city.’ But off-air, Jerry made everyone else feel like they were the super star. ‘The Loverman’ was the personality, but if there he had an alter-ego it was just ‘Jerry.’ An ego-less man who loved Indianapolis and wanted to see people smile. What most listeners didn’t know, was Jerry’s giving heart. Jerry was also the Executive Director of ‘Quality of Life,’ an Adult Day Center on the east side of Indianapolis. If that wasn’t enough Jerry was also a entrepreneur, as the owner of several salons known as ‘Hot Cuts’ and of course ‘Jerry Wade Live’ his mobile DJ service. And a real life ‘Hitch’ as through his date coach services he connected and reconnected countless relationship.”
3. Josephine Wright
The The 94-year-old Hilton Head Island woman gained viral appeal in her legal battle to keep hold of her family’s ancestral land. She passed away on January 7 “surrounded by family, loved ones, and prayers” as per CNN.
More via CNN:
“Wright remained committed to protecting her property, filing multiple counterclaims, accusing the developer of harassing her and trashing her property.
‘I want to be left alone,’ Wright told CNN in July. ‘I want to live on my property like I have always in peace and quiet.’
Media mogul Tyler Perry, who had been a fierce champion of Wright in her fight against developers, said he was ‘heartbroken’ to learn of her death in a tribute on Instagram.
‘Ms. Josephine Wright, even though we spoke by phone, I was so looking forward to meeting you in person next month to hand you the keys to your new house, but God had other plans,’ Perry said.”