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Former KRLD anchor Clarissa Douglas dead?

M

MikeShannon914

Guest
A couple of Facebookers are reporting it, most notably Rafael McDonald, who worked with her at KRLD. Clarissa's been with ABC News the last few years, alongside former KRLD co-worker Brad Wheelis. Web shows that she filed a news report as recently as Dec. 10. Hope this is not true.
 
Just saw where ABC's Pam Coulter confirmed it. Clarissa died yesterday (Friday) but no one can seem to get any details. Surf for Coulter's Facebook page for quite a few remembrances. One of those gave me the impression that Clarissa knew her passing was imminent, so I'd assume it was illness. Best I can tell from public records, she was 49.

Here's a photo of Clarissa with the late Douglas Fairbanks from 1988: http://www.flickr.com/photos/eyeonbooks/5269906708/
 
Hi Mike,
I worked with Clarissa in the 90's at United Stations/Unistar Radio. I dont have additional particulars of her death, I know a lot of people here in DC are shocked and saddened by this news and several are working to get more information.
I'm sure Clarissa would appreciate your comment that she was 49... she was at least 62.
When I learn more, I'll post it.
 
Thanks @jaiken for the details and info. Much appreciated.

Latest from Rafael McDonnell: "All: Brad (Wheelis) is still trying to get more information. He says Clarissa's ex- husband was notified of her death and he was trying to find if she had any other kin. Todd Dennehy says she had a nephew who went to school with him at Cistercian in Irving in the early 1980's, and in an e-mail to me from '03 she mentioned having some local relatives. She was living in the Washington D.C. area, moving there in '06 after her mom's death. She left ABC full-time in late '06, according to an e-mail she sent me. I think the last time I heard from her was in a Christmas card that year."

So the mystery kinda lingers on. Can anyone else help?
 
Mike, Pam Coulter, who worked with Clarissa at both WTOP in Washington and at ABC Radio News in New York, has been pretty tenacious on this, and finally was able to provide some details. This is what she posted on FB at 5:05p on Tuesday, Dec. 23

"Friends of Clarissa- after speaking to her friend and neighbor in Virginia, I found out Clarissa died Nov. 28th after a 2 year battle with breast cancer. She apparently was tough and independent until the end. She is a model of strength for all of us. And perhaps one of her legacies will be reminding all of us how precious our friends are."

Her remains are currently at a funeral home in Northern Virginia. No services have been held, pending action by the "curator" of her estate (no executor, by VA law, because she left no immediate, surviving family) who will act on her wishes.

There's been some talk about some kind of Memorial Service here in the DC area after the first of the year, but nothing definite.
I also offer this comment that appeared on FB the other day from another one of her colleagues, Gil Gross. "I''m beginning to think we may not learn what happened, and given Clarissa's apparent decision to be more private in these recent years, maybe that's exactly what she wanted despite our caring about how we lost her and our reporter's instincts. I don't think anything will get us over the shock."

That's all I have. When I get more info, I'll pass it along to you.
Jonathan
 
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