PASSINGS

Sheryl Flowers, Producer of ‘Tavis Smiley Show,’ Passes

Sheryl A. Flowers, longtime executive producer of “The Tavis Smiley Show” on public radio, passed away June 8 at Cedar’s-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles after an almost two-year battle with cancer. She was 42.

Flowers was director of communications at The Smiley Group. Flowers was the producer of the radio show for its three years on National Public Radio and was asked by Smiley to take the helm when he moved in 2005 to have the show distributed by Public Radio International.

“Without Sheryl’s particular genius, our company’s capacity to empower listeners and viewers over these years would have been severely diminished,” Smiley said. “We all loved her deeply and we’ll sorely miss her.” 

The family has announced that there will be no funeral service. Plans for a public memorial service in Los Angeles to celebrate her life and lasting contributions will be announced at a later date.

Henry Lucas, Well Known Black Dentist, Succumbs

Dr. Henry Lucas, a renowned dentist, longtime Republican and confidant of President Ronald Reagan, died June 2 after suffering a stroke. He was 77.

Lucas was the second vice chair on Charles Drew University’s board of trustees, serving since 2002. He was also active with Meharry Medical College and the Institute for Advancement of Multicultural & Minority Medicine.

Born on Feb. 27, 1932, in Rahway, N.J., Lucas attended Howard University, where he graduated with a bachelor’s of science in 1957. He studied dentistry at Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry in Nashville, Tenn., in 1960, and later completed post graduate studies in orthodontics at the University of Pacific in 1972.

In San Francisco, he founded the Sutter Place Dental Group, his own private practice. 

Dr. Kim Benton said the family plans to hold a “going home celebration” for her father in August. She asked that in lieu of flowers donations be made to PACT Inc., an organization Lucas co-founded to help students plan for college. The organization’s Web site is: www.pactinc.org.