Yes he did of an apparent freak accident. The below has since been taken down from radiobanter.com but it was in google's cache.
SK - AC2NZ John T. Arthur
It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that we announce the passing of
AC2NZ, John T. Arthur, of Belfast, NY.
An avid amateur radio enthusiast and SWL, he provided valuable cycling of
oxygen into carbon dioxide and ample generation of fecal matter.
John died after being admitted to Cuba Memorial Hospital for removal of a
rectally-lodged rabbit. Refusing to be extracted, the animal's panicked
biting and scratching ultimately led to massive and uncontrollable
internal hemorrhaging.
A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, March 18 at 11am at
Treusdell Funeral Home, 65 Main St., Belfast, NY. The FCC has requested
pirate transmitter location details in lieu of flowers.
With our most sincere condolences,
The FRN Silent Key Bot.