Chuck Norris and Ted Turner

In very short order we lost both Chuck Norris and Ted Turner; both stood tall among other men.

Norris had to overcome a difficult childhood and alcoholic father. In 1958, he made the fortuitous decision to join the US Air Force serving as an Air Policeman. That decision would lead him to studying the martial arts, in which he would excel winning the International Karate Championship and the American Karate Championship in 1967 followed the next year with the Professional Middleweight Karate Championship, All-American Championship, and Karate Tournament of Champions of North America.

His success in martial arts allowed Norris to become associated with notable people such as Steve McQueen, Bob Barker, Priscilla Presley, Donny and Marie Osmond, and fellow martial arts expert Bruce Lee. It would be McQueen who encouraged Norris to pursue acting, and has been said — the rest is history.

Norris starred in quite a number of hit movies but will forever be known for portraying Texas Ranger Cordell Walker in the hit television series “Walker: Texas Ranger”.

But what truly made Chuck Norris was his philanthropy, helping at-risk children through the United Fighting Arts Federation and Kickstart Kids along with significant donations made to numerous charities.

TED Turner was born into money, his father a very successful businessman, and he attended a prestigious boys preparatory school. He would later be expelled from Brown University reportedly for having a female student in his dorm room.

Turner would join the US Coast Guard Reserve which was not surprising as he enjoyed sailing. In fact, Turner was a fierce sailing competitor winning the Southern Ocean Racing Conference in 1966, the America’s Cup in 1977, and Fastnet Race in 1979.

Still a young man after his father’s death, Turner inherited the family business. An eye for business, he expanded and diversified. Along the way he purchased radio stations, bought television stations, and started the superstation WTCG which became WTBS, bought the Atlanta Braves and Hawks, and started the first 24-hour cable news network CNN, later adding other cable channels, founded the Goodwill Games and much more.

Turner was also a philanthropist, though much of his funding was political-based and included United Nations Foundation, Captain Planet Foundation and others.

DASH Crofts, Chip Taylor, Valerie Perrine, Neil Sedaka, Jesse Jackson, Robert Duvall, and Desmond Wilson among others – 2026 had already been a tough year of losing people.

Now Chuck Norris and Ted Turner have been added to that list. Two men, vastly different, yet icons likely to be remembered for a very long time.

But how will they be remembered?

Norris scratched his way upward from a difficult childhood, worked hard to achieve his goals, became incredibly successful yet remained humble and spent considerable time and money helping children and teens.

Turner was born into wealth becoming a shrewd businessman, using his wealth to generate more wealth, power, influence, and notoriety. He was arrogant, bombastic, and often labeled “Captain Outrageous” for things he said. And he will always be known as the man who married “Hanoi” Jane Fonda.

How would you want to be remembered? As a Chuck Norris, or as a Ted Turner.

That’s a rather clear answer for most people.

That’s my opinion.

Andy Kober can be reached at andykober@hotmail.com