Retirement and Death
In late September 1996, Messick suffered a stroke while recording voices at Hanna Barbera.
On October 12, 1996, Messick had a "retirement party" at his favorite Chinese restaurant (Joe Barbera personally sent a limo to Messick and his wife, and the two were chauffeured). Many of his companions and peers during his career who had come to pay tribute to him included Henry Corden, Casey Kasem, Lucille Bliss (his co-star from The Smurfs), June Foray (another co-star from The Smurfs) and Gary Owens.
Messick suffered a second stroke and died on October 24, 1997. He was cremated. His ashes were scattered into the Pacific Ocean at the Point Lobos State Reserve.
Since Messick's death, Scott Innes and Frank Welker have both played the role of Scooby-Doo.
A year later in 1998, the film Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island was dedicated to his memory.
Read more about this topic: Don Messick
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