Our say: As ’13 ends, a salute to some who’ve left us

If New Year's Eve is an occasion for optimism, it's also a time for a last look over our shoulder at the rapidly receding old year. Whatever our gains in 2013, we've had losses -- often in the loss of people who made big contributions to the community.

As always, we don't have space to do more than briefly mention a few such people. But those we lost in 2013 included:

Joseph W. Alton Jr., the Eastport native who, as a state senator, formulated charter government for Anne Arundel County -- and then became the first county executive.

Luca Assante, 6, of Annapolis, whose battle with cancer inspired the community to raise more than $170,000 for pediatric cancer research.

Don Backe of Annapolis, the educator who was robbed of the ability to walk by a car crash -- and then founded Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating, a nonprofit that brings boating within the reach of the physically and developmentally challenged.

Marita Carroll of Annapolis, the longtime schoolteacher who was the last surviving member of the Annapolis Five -- the group that in 1960 staged a sit-in to desegregate a restaurant at the city's bus terminal.

Tom Clancy of Calvert County, the one-time insurance agent who became the founding father of the "techno-thriller" -- and whose first bestseller (of many), "The Hunt for Red October," was published by Annapolis'Naval Institute Press.

Patricia "Trish" Cunningham, an assistant coach of the Annapolis High School cross-country team and a beloved figure in the area running community.

Richard Henry "Dick" Duden Jr., one of the Naval Academy's athletic greats, who later returned to lead the academy's freshman football team for 16 seasons, compiling a 95-23-2 record.

Betty Hallmark of Severna Park, the high school teacher, college professor, head coach, official and tireless advocate of women in sports who was "the first lady of Anne Arundel County athletics."

James A. Hoage of Severna Park, the history teacher who founded the 33rd Democratic Club and was an energetic grass-roots leader of the party in Anne Arundel.

Richard E. "Dick" Hug, the local businessman and civic leader who was one of the best fundraisers the Maryland Republican Party ever had, serving as finance chairman for three Maryland gubernatorial campaigns.

Bert Jabin of Annapolis, the legendary local sailor who built Bert Jabin's Yacht Yard from nothing into a major enterprise.

Lester Jones, the congenial wizard at oyster shucking long known as the "Mayor of the Market House."

Raimondo Lubrano of Crownsville, who jumped ship from an Italian freighter in 1970, started as a dishwasher and built a multimillion- dollar regional restaurant empire.

John "Jock" Menzies of Arnold, the business logistics expert who launched the American Logistics Aid Network, transforming the way relief groups respond to natural disasters.

Steuart L. Pittman, the champion of the environment who was also a war hero, an assistant secretary of defense, and the patriarch of the family that has been at Dodon Farm in Davidsonville for nine generations.

Gilbert Renaut of Annapolis, the two-time mayoral candidate and civic activist who at various times headed the Ward One Residents Association, the Historic Preservation Commission and the Chesapeake Bay Yacht Racing Association.

Sarah Shannon of Jessup, the longtime community activist who led the effort that got the badly needed Jessup Elementary School built.

George C. Shenk Jr., who co-owned the Whitmore Group printing company, helped found the Cultural Arts Foundation.

George Moran, founder of Moran Insurance in Severna Park and a leader of Anne Arundel Health Systems and the Providence Center.

Joseph "Zastrow" Simms, the flamboyant community activist who helped prevent rioting in Annapolis after the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968, was director of the Stanton Center, and devoted his life to helping others.

Jerome "Jerry" Smith of Annapolis, the former Annapolis fire chief whose career lasted more than 40 years.

Lance Cpl. William "Taylor" Wild IV, a Severna Park High graduate who came through a tour of duty in Afghanistan only to die with six other Marines in a mortar accident in Nevada.

Finally, we want to mention the passing of four men we're proud to say were associated with The Capital: Joe Gross, who spent 34 years here as a sportswriter, sports editor and columnist; Scott Harper, who is his four years here became the only Pulitzer Prize finalist in the newspaper's history; William Jabine II of Annapolis, who briefly wrote a column for this newspaper during a long and distinguished journalistic career; and Bob Slaff, who wrote a boating column for The Sunday Capital for 21 years -- just part of decades of passionate advocacy of the bay and the maritime community.

All these accomplishments prompt us to invoke Longfellow:

Lives of great men all remind us

We can make our lives sublime,

And, departing, leave behind us

Footprints on the sands of time.

That's a nice reminder with which to conclude a busy year. As always, we wish our readers a safe and happy New Year.