Tiger of the Week: J. Robert Hillier ’59 *61

When architect J. Robert Hillier ’59 *61 and his wife, Barbara, created the online magazine Obit in April 2007, they envisioned a publication that would stretch the boundaries of the standard obituary. "Obit is about life's stories," Hillier explained in a recent press release. "We conceived of it to deal with life, death, and transition, and in doing so brought together some of the best journalists in the country." So while there are plenty of stories about the lives and deaths of celebrities, politicians, and star athletes, the magazine also memorializes less traditional deaths, like the end of GM's Pontiac brand (a farewell to the muscle car).

Two years after its launch, Obit (obit-mag.com) has earned high praise in the online magazine world. Last week, it received two Webby Awards from the International Guild of Web Designers. Obit was one of eight publications selected for the Best Magazines category and one of 12 honored for Best Copy/Writing. Apparently, as one of Obit's taglines proclaims, "Death is only part of the story."

(Photo courtesy J. Robert Hillier ’59 *61)

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