Milestones: May 23, 1969

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Died. Mrs. John Foster Dulles, 77, widow of the late Secretary of State, whose devotion to her husband's career and acceptance of public life ("I never know whom my husband will bring to breakfast, lunch or dinner, but it's sure to be someone interesting") exemplified the best characteristics of a Washington wife; in Washington.

Died. W. Lee ("Pappy") O'Daniel, 79, Texas Governor (1939-41) and U.S. Senator (1941-49) whose raucous hill billy campaigns amused a generation of Texans; in Dallas. A flour salesman and radio singer, O'Daniel entered politics in 1938 by running for Governor on a platform that included the Ten Commandments and mother love; he stumped the state singing his theme song, Pass the Biscuits, Pappy — and won by a landslide. Though he was inept as Governor, Texans gave him a second term, then sent him to the Senate after a primary battle in which he defeated Congressman Lyndon B. Johnson.

Died. Josef Cardinal Beran, 80, exiled archbishop of Prague, whose life symbolized the Catholic church's struggles in Eastern Europe; of lung cancer; in Rome. Beran was appointed arch bishop of Prague in 1946 and ran head on into the Communists during their 1948 takeover of Czechoslovakia. For publicly protesting the infringement of religious freedom, he was shorn of power, imprisoned for 14 years, and eventually sent into exile. His death occurred during negotiations that might have led to his return to the country he loved.

Died. Raoul H. Fleischmann, 83, publisher and co-founder with Harold Ross of The New Yorker magazine; of a stroke; in Manhattan. A scion of the yeast family, Fleischmann seemed an unlikely partner for the mercurial Ross.Yet he was witty and urbane, and when Ross broached his plan for The New Yorker, Fleischmann joined him. The idea was for a magazine written by friends for friends and, in its first years, that was about the size of it. As the losses piled up, Fleischmann poured his entire fortune into the venture, at one point gave up virtually all hope of success. Finally, in 1928, The New Yorker turned the corner, and Fleischmann's 55,309 shares of stock are today worth an estimated $5,530,900.

Died. Sir Lewis Casson, 93, dean of Britain's theatrical knights who joined his wife, Dame Sybil Thorndike, in one of the great partnerships of the stage; of kidney disease; in London. Al ready well known when they married in 1908, Sir Lewis and Dame Sybil greatly enhanced their stature in hundreds of performances together, notably in Saint Joan and Eighty in the Shade.