I'm sorry to pass on this death notice of
whitewater writer/artist/paddler William Neeley
(from paddler magazine):

Paddlesports cartoonist William Nealy, known for
his satirical approach toward portraying kayakers 
and canoeists, was found dead in his hometown of
Durham, N.C., at the end of July. With
countless
cartoon books to his credit, each portraying the
lighter side of paddling's ups and downs, Nealy
inspired readers since the early 1980s. "He
will
definitely be missed," says Bud Zehmer of Menasha 
Ridge Press, which published Nealy's books. "He
was one of our best selling authors." Services
were held in Birmingham, Ala., and Durham, N.C.
He is survived by his wife, Holland Wallace.