Godspeed, Annette

Annette Funicello, one of the original Mickey Mouse Club Mouseketeers, died this morning of complications of multiple sclerosis. She was 70.

Here she is with fellow Mouseketeers Cheryl Holdridge (center) and Doreen Tracey. Cheryl died in January, 2009 but Doreen is healthy and happy and living in Simi Valley, Calif. with her son. Doreen will be 70 on Saturday.

Doreen tells me that the last several years of Annette’s life were miserable because of the ravages of M.S.

Multiple sclerosis is a horrible and cruel disease. It claimed my Aunt Ruth in November, 1967 after more than 20 years of suffering.