"Curly, Moe, Larry, Shemp..." How They Died; or, Necrologue: Shuffling Off This Mortal Coil

Curly, Moe, Larry, Shemp: all devolv'd to room temp.
"First Cartoonist" Thom Nast wound up breathing his last.
Colin's Granddaddy Firth has departed this earth.
When will you and/or me shuffle off this m.c....?

Codicologist Morse rides -- behold! -- a pale horse.
Culture icon Joan Quarm, late last year, bought the farm.
Mogul Friedrich ("Fritz") Krupp watch'd his number come up.
When will you and/or me shuffle off this m.c....?

Mr. John Albert Macy's now pushing up daisies.
One Solomon Phipps fin'lly cash'd in his chips.
Justice Morrison Waite simply slipp'd off the plate.
When will you and/or me shuffle off this m.c....? 

All (or most) of the Bysshes now sleep with the fishes.
St. Christopher Wade...? Made to drink the Kool Aid.
Herr Hermanus van't Hoff softly exited off.
When will you and/or me shuffle off this m.c....?

Rudi (jazz critic) Blesh went the way of all flesh.
Ms. Elizabeth Baker en fin met her Maker.
Li'l Abner's Al Capp took a final dirt nap.
When will you and/or me shuffle off this m.c....?

Couple Carl and Blanch Jost gravely gave up the ghost.
Poet Julia Ward Howe waved, then took her last bow.
Joseph Smith and his wives...? All of them lost their lives.
when will you and/or me shuffle off this m.c....? 

Right-winger John Birch veer'd...then fell off his perch.
Charles Caldwell McCabe...? In the bosom of Abe.
Messrs E. and K. Wynn (pop 'n' son) packed it in.
When will you and/or me shuffle off this m.c....?

Rufus, Tom and John Choates all donn'd pine overcoats.
Kicked the bucket did Boggs: Ephraim popp'd his clogs.
Even "Prosp" Merimee, in the end, pass'd away.
When will you and/or me shuffle off this m.c....?