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Influential people who died in 2024

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Influential people who died in 2024
December 31, 2024
Article Body Text It was a life that took him from peanut farming to the presidency. While former President Jimmy Carter 's time in the White House lasted only one term, the decades afterward were defined by humanitarian work that affected people all around the world. Founding the Carter Center with his wife, Rosalynn, he became a global champion for democracy, human rights and public health. And he still took time to teach Sunday school at Maranatha Baptist Church in Georgia. Carter was the nation's longest-lived president when he died Sunday at age 100. But he was just one of many noteworthy people who died in 2024. Alexey Navalny, who died in prison in February, was a fierce political foe of Russian President Vladimir Putin, crusading against corruption and staging protests against the Kremlin. He had been jailed since 2021 when he returned to Russia to face certain arrest after recovering in Germany from nerve agent poisoning he blamed on the Kremlin. <figure><img src="https://gdb.voanews.com/0b0d0de2-fd84-4df4-a7c4-f75b66a7b304_w1600_r0_n_s.jpg" /><figcaption>FILE - Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi attends a press conference in New York City, Sept. 20, 2023.</figcaption></figure> Other political figures who died this year include: Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi; former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney; former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh; Vietnamese politician Nguyen Phu Trong; U.S. Representative Sheila Jackson Lee; former Soviet Prime Minister Nikolai Ryzhkov; pundit Lou Dobbs; Greek politician Vasso Papandreou; former U.S. Senators Joe Lieberman, Jim Inhofe, Tim Johnson and Jim Sasser; Namibian President Hage Geingob; and former Lebanese Prime Minister Salim Hoss. The year also brought the deaths of several rights activists, including the Reverends Cecil L. "Chip" Murray and James Lawson Jr.; Dexter Scott King; Hydeia Broadbent; and David Mixner. Business leaders who died this year include Indian industrialist Ratan Tata; Home Depot co-founder Bernard "Bernie" Marcus; financier Jacob Rothschild; and Daiso retail chain founder Hirotake Yano. O.J. Simpson's "trial of the century" over the 1994 killings of his ex-wife and her friend exposed divisions over race and law enforcement and brought an intersection of sports, crime, entertainment and class that was hard to turn away from. His death in April ended a life that had become defined by scrutiny of the killings. Other noteworthy sports figures who died include basketball players Jerry West and Dikembe Mutombo; baseball players Willie Mays and Fernando Valenzuela; and gymnastics coach Bela Karolyi. The music industry lost a titan in producer Quincy Jones, who died in November. His many contributions included producing Michael Jackson's "Thriller" album and working with hundreds of other musicians over a long and storied career. Other artists and entertainers who died this year include: actors James Earl Jones, Chita Rivera, Donald Sutherland, Gena Rowlands, Louis Gossett Jr., Shelley Duvall, Kris Kristofferson, Linda Lavin, Sandra Milo, Anouk Aimee, Carl Weathers, Joyce Randolph, Maggie Smith, Tony Todd, Shannen Doherty and Song Jae-lim; musicians Sergio Mendes, Toby Keith, Phil Lesh, Melanie, Dickey Betts, Françoise Hardy, Fatman Scoop, Duane Eddy and Frankie Beverly; filmmakers Roger Corman and Morgan Spurlock; authors Faith Ringgold, Nikki Giovanni and N. Scott Momaday; TV fitness guru Richard Simmons; sex therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer; talk show host Phil Donahue; and poets Shuntaro Tanikawa, John Sinclair and Kazuko Shiraishi. Here is a roll call of some noteworthy figures who died in 2024. ___ JANUARY ___ Hinton Battle, 67. The three-time Tony Award-winning actor, dancer and choreographer was the first to portray the Scarecrow in the Broadway production of “The Wiz.” Jan. 30. Zvi Zamir, 98. A former director of Israel's Mossad spy service who warned that Israel was about to be attacked on the eve of the 1973 Mideast War. Jan. 2. <figure><img src="https://gdb.voanews.com/01000000-c0a8-0242-f534-08dc0dc606bb_cx0_cy11_cw88_w1600_r1_n_s.jpg" /><figcaption>FILE - Actress Glynis Johns is pictured Sept. 11, 1982.</figcaption></figure> Glynis Johns, 100. A Tony Award-winning stage and screen star who played the mother opposite Julie Andrews in the classic movie "Mary Poppins" and introduced the world to the bittersweet standard-to-be "Send in the Clowns" by Stephen Sondheim. Jan. 4. David Soul, 80. The actor-singer was a 1970s heartthrob who co-starred as the blond half of the crime-fighting duo "Starsky & Hutch" and topped the music charts with the ballad "Don't Give Up on Us." Jan. 4. Franz Beckenbauer, 78. He won the World Cup both as a player and coach and became one of Germany's most beloved personalities with his easygoing charm. Jan. 7. Joyce Randolph, 99. A veteran stage and television actor whose role as the savvy Trixie Norton on "The Honeymooners" provided the perfect foil to her dimwitted TV husband. Jan. 13. Jack Burke Jr., 100. He was the oldest living Masters champion and staged the greatest comeback ever at Augusta National for one of his two majors. Jan. 19. Marlena Shaw, 81. The jazz and R&B vocalist whose "California Soul" was one of the defining soul songs of the late 1960s. Jan. 19. Mary Weiss, 75. The lead singer of the 1960s pop group the Shangri-Las, whose hits included "Leader of the Pack." Jan. 19. Gigi Riva, 79. The all-time leading goal scorer for Italy's men's national team was known as the "Rombo di Tuono" (Rumble of Thunder). Jan. 22. Dexter Scott King, 62. He dedicated much of his life to shepherding the civil rights legacy of his parents, the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King. Jan. 22. Charles Osgood, 91. He anchored "CBS Sunday Morning" for more than two decades, was host of the long-running radio program "The Osgood File" and was referred to as CBS News' poet-in-residence. Jan. 23. Melanie, 76. The singer-songwriter who rose through the New York folk scene performed at Woodstock and had a series of 1970s hits, including the enduring cultural phenomenon "Brand New Key." Jan. 23. N. Scott Momaday, 89. A Pulitzer Prize-winning storyteller, poet, educator and folklorist whose debut novel "House Made of Dawn" is widely credited as the starting point for contemporary Native American literature. Jan. 24. Herbert Coward, 85. He was known for his "Toothless Man" role in the movie "Deliverance." Jan. 24. Sandra Milo, 90. An icon of Italian cinema who played a key role in Federico Fellini's "8½" and later became his muse. Jan. 29. Jean Carnahan, 90. She became the first female senator to represent Missouri when she was appointed to replace her husband following his death. Jan. 30. Chita Rivera, 91. The dynamic dancer, singer and actress who garnered 10 Tony nominations, winning twice, in a long Broadway career that forged a path for Latina artists. Jan. 30. ___ FEBRUARY ___ Carl Weathers, 76. A former NFL linebacker who became a Hollywood action movie and comedy star playing nemesis-turned-ally Apollo Creed in the "Rocky" movies, starring with Arnold Schwarzenegger in "Predator" and teaching golf in "Happy Gilmore." Feb. 1. Ian Lavender, 77. An actor who played a hapless Home Guard soldier in the classic British sitcom "Dad's Army." Feb. 2. Hage Geingob, 82. Namibia's president and founding prime minister who played a central role in what has become one of Africa's most stable democracies after returning from a long exile in Botswana and the United States as an anti-apartheid activist. Feb. 4. Bob Beckwith, 91. A retired firefighter whose chance encounter with President George W. Bush amid the rubble of ground zero became part of an iconic image of American unity after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Feb. 4. Toby Keith, 62. A hit country crafter of pro-American anthems who riled up critics and was loved by millions of fans. Feb. 5. John Bruton, 76. A former Irish prime minister who played a key role in bringing peace to Northern Ireland. Feb. 6. Sebastian Pinera, 74. The two-time former president of Chile faced social upheaval followed by a pandemic in his second term. Feb. 6. <figure><img src="https://gdb.voanews.com/01000000-0a00-0242-82a0-08dc296ea1fa_w1600_r0_n_s.jpg" /><figcaption>FILE - Seiji Ozawa conducts the Boston Symphony Orchestra during a rehearsal of Berlioz's "Symphonie Fantastique," at Symphony Hall, Boston, Massachusetts, Nov. 26, 2008.</figcaption></figure> Seiji Ozawa, 88. The Japanese conductor amazed audiences with the lithe physicality of his performances during three decades at the helm of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Feb. 6. Henry Fambrough, 85. The last surviving original member of the iconic R&B group the Spinners, whose hits included "It's a Shame," "Could It Be I'm Falling in Love" and "The Rubberband Man." Feb. 7. Robert Badinter, 95. He spearheaded the drive to abolish France's death penalty, campaigned against antisemitism and Holocaust denial, and led a European body dealing with the legal fallout of Yugoslavia's breakup. Feb. 9. Bob Edwards, 76. He anchored National Public Radio's "Morning Edition" for just under 25 years and was the baritone voice who told many Americans what had happened while they slept. Feb. 10. Hirotake Yano, 80. He founded the retail chain Daiso, known for its 100-yen shops, Japan's equivalent of the dollar store. Feb. 12. Alexey Navalny, 47. The fiercest foe of Russian President Vladimir Putin who crusaded against official corruption and staged massive anti-Kremlin protests. Feb. 16. Lefty Driesell, 92. The Hall of Fame coach whose folksy drawl belied a fiery on-court demeanor that put Maryland on the college basketball map and enabled him to rebuild several struggling programs. Feb. 17. Hydeia Broadbent, 39. The HIV/AIDS activist came to national prominence in the 1990s as a young child for her inspirational talks to reduce the stigma surrounding the virus she was born with. Feb. 20. Jacob Rothschild, 87. The financier and philanthropist was part of the renowned Rothschild banking dynasty. Feb. 26. Richard Lewis, 76. An acclaimed comedian known for exploring his neuroses in frantic, stream-of-consciousness diatribes while dressed in all-black, leading to his nickname "The Prince of Pain." Feb. 27. Nikolai Ryzhkov, 94. A former Soviet prime minister who presided over botched efforts to shore up the crumbling national economy in the final years of the USSR. Feb. 28. Brian Mulroney, 84. The former Canadian prime minister forged close ties with two Republican U.S. presidents through a sweeping free-trade agreement. Feb. 29. ___ MARCH ___ Iris Apfel, 102. A textile expert, interior designer and fashion celebrity known for her eccentric style. March 1. Akira Toriyama, 68. The creator of the bestselling Dragon Ball and other popular anime who influenced Japanese comics. March 1. Chris Mortensen, 72. The award-winning journalist covered the NFL for close to four decades, including 32 as a senior analyst at ESPN. March 3. David E. Harris, 89. He flew bombers for the U.S. military and broke barriers in 1964 when he became the first Black pilot hired at a major U.S. airline. March 8. Eric Carmen, 74. The singer-songwriter fronted the power-pop 1970s band the Raspberries and later had soaring pop hits like "All by Myself" and "Hungry Eyes" from the hit "Dirty Dancing" soundtrack. March 11. Paul Alexander, 78. A Texas man who spent most of his life using an iron lung chamber and built a large following on social media, recounting his life from contracting polio in the 1940s to earning a law degree. March 11. David Mixner, 77. A longtime LGBTQ+ activist who was an adviser to Bill Clinton during his presidential campaign and later called him out over the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy regarding gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or queer personnel in the military. March 11. Kevin Toney, 70. The jazz pianist and composer was an original member of the popular fusion band the Blackbyrds, with hits such as “Rock Creek Park” and “Walking in Rhythm.” March 18. M. Emmet Walsh, 88. The character actor brought his unmistakable face and unsettling presence to films including "Blood Simple" and "Blade Runner." March 19. Lou Whittaker, 95. A legendary American mountaineer who helped lead ascents of Mount Everest, K2 and Denali, and who taught generations of climbers during his more than 250 trips up Mount Rainier, the tallest peak in Washington state. March 24. Joe Lieberman, 82. The former U.S. senator from Connecticut nearly won the vice presidency on the Democratic ticket with Al Gore in the disputed 2000 election and almost became Republican John McCain's running mate eight years later. March 27. Louis Gossett Jr., 87. The first Black man to win a supporting actor Oscar and an Emmy winner for his role in the seminal TV miniseries "Roots." March 28. William D. Delahunt, 82. The longtime Massachusetts congressman was a Democratic stalwart who postponed his retirement from Washington to help pass former President Barack Obama's legislative agenda. March 30. Chance Perdomo, 27. An actor who rose to fame as a star of "Chilling Adventures of Sabrina" and "Gen V." March 29. Barbara Rush, 97. A popular leading actor in the 1950s and 1960s who co-starred with Frank Sinatra, Paul Newman and other top film performers and later had a thriving TV career. March 31. ___ APRIL ___ Lou Conter, 102. The last living survivor of the USS Arizona battleship that exploded and sank during the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor. April 1. John Sinclair, 82. A poet, music producer and counterculture figure whose lengthy prison sentence after a series of small-time pot busts inspired a John Lennon song and a star-studded 1971 concert to free him. April 2. The Reverend Cecil L. "Chip" Murray, 94. An influential pastor and civil rights leader who used his tenure at one of Los Angeles' oldest churches to uplift predominantly Black neighborhoods following one of the country's worst race riots. April 5. Peter Higgs, 94. The Nobel Prize-winning physicist proposed the existence of the so-called "God particle" that helped explain how matter formed after the Big Bang. April 8. Ralph Puckett Jr., 97. A retired Army colonel who was awarded the Medal of Honor seven decades after he was wounded while leading a company of outnumbered Army Rangers in battle during the Korean War. April 8. <figure><img src="https://gdb.voanews.com/a3bb86e3-8e21-4e5c-9624-8557e75a1b66_w1600_r0_n_s.jpg" /><figcaption>FILE - O.J. Simpson reacts during his parole hearing at Lovelock Correctional Center in Lovelock, Nevada, July 20, 2017.</figcaption></figure> O.J. Simpson, 76. The decorated football superstar and Hollywood actor who was acquitted of charges that he killed his former wife and her friend but was later found liable in a separate civil trial. April 10. William Strickland, 87. A longtime civil rights activist and supporter of the Black Power movement who worked with Malcolm X and other prominent leaders in the 1960s. April 10. Robert MacNeil, 93. He created the evenhanded, no-frills PBS newscast "The MacNeil-Lehrer NewsHour" in the 1970s and co-anchored the show with his late partner, Jim Lehrer, for two decades. April 12. Faith Ringgold, 93. An award-winning author and artist who broke down barriers for Black female artists and became famous for her richly colored and detailed quilts combining painting, textiles and storytelling. April 12. Carl Erskine, 97. He pitched two no-hitters as a mainstay on the Brooklyn Dodgers and was a 20-game winner in 1953 when he struck out a then-record 14 in the World Series. April 16. Bob Graham, 87. A former U.S. senator and two-term Florida governor who gained national prominence as chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee in the aftermath of the 2001 terrorist attacks and as an early critic of the Iraq war. April 16. Dickey Betts, 80. The guitar legend who co-founded the Allman Brothers Band and wrote its biggest hit, "Ramblin' Man." April 18. Roman Gabriel, 83. The first Filipino American quarterback in the NFL and the league MVP in 1969. April 20. Terry Anderson, 76. The globe-trotting Associated Press correspondent became one of America's longest-held hostages after he was snatched from a street in war-torn Lebanon in 1985 and held for nearly seven years. April 21. William Laws Calley Jr., 80. As an Army lieutenant, he led the U.S. soldiers who killed hundreds of Vietnamese civilians in the My Lai massacre, the most notorious war crime in modern American military history. April 28. Duane Eddy, 86. A pioneering guitar hero whose reverberating electric sound on instrumentals such as "Rebel Rouser" and "Peter Gunn" helped put the twang in early rock 'n' roll and influenced George Harrison, Bruce Springsteen and countless others. April 30. ___ MAY ___ Dick Rutan, 85. He, along with co-pilot Jeana Yeager, completed one of the greatest milestones in aviation history: the first round-the-world flight with no stops or refueling. May 3. Jeannie Epper, 83. A groundbreaking performer who did stunts for many of the most important women of film and television action of the 1970s and '80s, including star Lynda Carter on TV's "Wonder Woman." May 5. Bernard Hill, 79. An actor who delivered a rousing cry before leading his people into battle in "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" and went down with the ship as the captain in "Titanic." May 5. Steve Albini, 61. An alternative rock pioneer and legendary producer who shaped the musical landscape through his work with Nirvana, the Pixies, PJ Harvey and more. May 7. Kim Ki Nam, 94. A North Korean propaganda chief who helped build personality cults around the country's three dynastic leaders. May 7. Pete McCloskey, 96. A pro-environment, anti-war California Republican who co-wrote the Endangered Species Act and co-founded Earth Day. May 8. Ralph Kennedy Frasier, 85. The last surviving member of a trio of Black youths who were the first to desegregate the undergraduate student body at North Carolina's flagship public university in the 1950s. May 8. Roger Corman, 98. The "King of the B's" helped turn out such low-budget classics as "Little Shop of Horrors" and "Attack of the Crab Monsters" and gave many of Hollywood's most famous actors and directors early breaks. May 9. David Sanborn, 78. The Grammy Award-winning saxophonist worked in several musical genres with numerous artists including Eric Clapton, James Brown, Carly Simon and Bob James. May 12. Alice Munro, 92. The Nobel laureate was a Canadian literary giant who became one of the world's most esteemed contemporary authors and one of history's most honored short story writers. May 13. Dabney Coleman, 92. The mustachioed character actor who specialized in smarmy villains like the chauvinist boss in "9 to 5" and the nasty TV director in "Tootsie." May 16. Peter Buxtun, 86. The whistleblower who revealed that the U.S. government allowed hundreds of Black men in rural Alabama to go untreated for syphilis in what became known as the Tuskegee study. May 18. Ebrahim Raisi, 63. The Iranian president was a hard-line protege of the country's supreme leader who helped oversee the mass executions of thousands in 1988 and later led the country as it enriched uranium to near weapons-grade levels, launched a major attack on Israel, and experienced mass protests. May 19. Hossein Amirabdollahian, 60. Iran's foreign minister and a hard-liner close to the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard who confronted the West while also overseeing indirect talks with the U.S. over the country's nuclear program. May 19. Ivan F. Boesky, 87. The flamboyant stock trader whose cooperation with the government cracked open one of the largest insider trading scandals in the history of Wall Street. May 20. Morgan Spurlock, 53. The documentary filmmaker and Oscar nominee whose most famous works skewered America's food industry and who notably ate only at McDonald's for a month to illustrate the dangers of a fast-food diet. May 23. Bill Walton, 71. He starred for John Wooden's UCLA Bruins before becoming a Hall of Fame center for his NBA career and one of the biggest stars in basketball broadcasting. May 27. Robert Pickton, 74. A Canadian serial killer who took female victims to his pig farm during a crime spree near Vancouver in the late 1990s and early 2000s. May 31. ___ JUNE ___ Tin Oo, 97. One of the closest associates of Myanmar's ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi, as well as a co-founder of her National League for Democracy party. June 1. Janis Paige, 101. A popular actor in Hollywood and in Broadway musicals and comedies who danced with Fred Astaire, toured with Bob Hope, and continued to perform into her 90s. June 2. David Levy, 86. An Israeli politician born in Morocco who fought tirelessly against deep-seated racism against Jews from North Africa and went on to serve as foreign minister and hold other senior governmental posts. June 2. Brigitte Bierlein, 74. The former head of Austria's Constitutional Court became the country's first female chancellor in an interim government in 2019. June 3. Paul Pressler, 94. A leading figure of the Southern Baptist Convention who was accused of sexually abusing boys and young men and later settled a lawsuit over the allegations. June 7. The Reverend James Lawson Jr., 95. An apostle of nonviolent protest who schooled activists to withstand brutal reactions from white authorities as the Civil Rights Movement gained traction. June 9. Lynn Conway, 86. A pioneer in the design of microchips that are at the heart of consumer electronics who overcame discrimination as a transgender person. June 9. Françoise Hardy, 80. A French singing legend and pop icon since the 1960s. June 11. Jerry West, 86. Selected to the Basketball Hall of Fame three times in a storied career as a player and executive, his silhouette is considered to be the basis of the NBA logo. June 12. Angela Bofill, 70. The R&B singer, songwriter and composer performed such hits as “This Time I’ll Be Sweeter,” “Angel of the Night” and “I Try.” June 13. George Nethercutt, 79. The former U.S. congressman was a Spokane, Washington, lawyer with limited political experience when he ousted Democratic Speaker of the House Tom Foley as part of a stunning GOP wave that shifted national politics to the right in 1994. June 14. Kazuko Shiraishi, 93. A leading name in modern Japanese "beat" poetry, she was known for her dramatic readings — at times with jazz music. June 14. Willie Mays, 93. The electrifying "Say Hey Kid" whose singular combination of talent, drive and exuberance made him one of baseball's greatest and most beloved players. June 18. <figure><img src="https://gdb.voanews.com/0C7B0AAB-850C-42C3-BECE-850A26EB800E_w1600_r1_n_s.jpg" /><figcaption>FILE - In this 1970 file photo, British actor Albert Finney embraces his bride, French Actress Anouk Aimee, after their registry office wedding in London.</figcaption></figure> Anouk Aimee, 92. The radiant French star and dark-eyed beauty of classic films including Federico Fellini's "La Dolce Vita" and Claude Lelouch's "A Man and a Woman." June 18. Donald Sutherland, 88. The Canadian actor whose wry, arresting screen presence spanned more than half a century of films from "M*A*S*H" to "The Hunger Games." June 20. Bill Cobbs, 90. The veteran character actor became a ubiquitous and sage screen presence as an older man. June 25. Martin Mull, 80. His droll, esoteric comedy and acting made him a hip sensation in the 1970s and later a beloved guest star on sitcoms including "Roseanne" and "Arrested Development." June 27. Pal Enger, 57. A talented Norwegian soccer player-turned-celebrity art thief who pulled off the sensational 1994 heist of Edvard Munch's famed "The Scream" painting from the National Gallery in Oslo. June 29. ___ JULY ___ Jim Inhofe, 89. A powerful fixture in Oklahoma politics for over six decades, the Republican U.S. senator was a conservative known for his strong support of defense spending and his denial that human activity is responsible for the bulk of climate change. July 9. Joe Bonsall, 76. A Grammy Award winner and celebrated tenor of the country and gospel group the Oak Ridge Boys. July 9. Tommy Robinson, 82. A former U.S. congressman who gained notoriety as an Arkansas sheriff for tactics that included chaining inmates outside a state prison to protest overcrowding. July 10. Shelley Duvall, 75. The intrepid, Texas-born movie star whose wide-eyed, winsome presence was a mainstay in the films of Robert Altman and who co-starred in Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining." July 11. Dr. Ruth Westheimer, 96. The diminutive sex therapist became a pop icon, media star and bestselling author through her frank talk about once-taboo bedroom topics. July 12. Shannen Doherty, 53. The "Beverly Hills, 90210" star whose life and career were roiled by illness and tabloid stories. July 13. Richard Simmons, 76. He was television's hyperactive court jester of physical fitness who built a mini-empire in his trademark tank tops and short shorts by urging the overweight to exercise and eat better. July 13. James Sikking, 90. He starred as a hardened police lieutenant on "Hill Street Blues" and as the titular character's kindhearted dad on "Doogie Howser, M.D." July 13. Jacoby Jones, 40. A former NFL receiver whose 108-yard kickoff return in 2013 remains the longest touchdown in Super Bowl history. July 14. Bernice Johnson Reagon, 81. The composer and civil rights activist was a founder of the a cappella group Sweet Honey in the Rock. July 16. Cheng Pei-pei, 78. A Chinese-born martial arts film actor who starred in Ang Lee's "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." July 17. Bob Newhart, 94. The deadpan accountant-turned-comedian became one of the most popular TV stars of his time after striking gold with a classic comedy album. July 18. Lou Dobbs, 78. The conservative political pundit and veteran cable TV host was a founding anchor for CNN and later was a nightly presence on Fox Business Network for more than a decade. July 18. Nguyen Phu Trong, 80. He was general secretary of Vietnam's ruling Communist Party and the country's most powerful politician. July 19. <figure><img src="https://gdb.voanews.com/e5add696-11fb-4c83-803a-39d5ecb916c1_w1600_r0_n_s.jpg" /><figcaption>FILE - Representative Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas speaks during the March on Washington at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, Aug. 28, 2020.</figcaption></figure> Sheila Jackson Lee, 74. The longtime congresswoman from Texas helped lead federal efforts to protect women from domestic violence and recognize Juneteenth as a national holiday. July 19. Abdul "Duke" Fakir, 88. The last surviving original member of the beloved Motown group the Four Tops, which was known for such hits as "Reach Out, I'll Be There" and "Standing in the Shadows of Love." July 22. Edna O'Brien, 93. Ireland's literary pride and outlaw scandalized her native land with her debut novel "The Country Girls" before gaining international acclaim as a storyteller and iconoclast, welcomed everywhere from Dublin to the White House. July 27. Francine Pascal, 92. A onetime soap opera writer whose "Sweet Valley High" novels and the ongoing adventures of twins Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield and other teens captivated millions of young readers. July 28. Betty Prashker, 99. A pioneering editor of the 20th century who, as one of the first women with the power to acquire books, published such classics as Kate Millett's "Sexual Politics" and Susan Faludi's "Backlash" and helped oversee the careers of Jean Auel, Dominick Dunne and Erik Larson, among others. July 30. Ismail Haniyeh, 62. Hamas' top leader in exile landed on Israel's hit list after the militant group staged its surprise October 7 attacks. July 31. ___ AUGUST ___ Jack Russell, 63. The lead singer of the bluesy '80s metal band Great White, whose hits included "Once Bitten Twice Shy" and "Rock Me," and who was fronting his band the night 100 people died in a 2003 nightclub fire in Rhode Island. Aug. 7. Juan "Chi Chi" Rodriguez, 88. A Hall of Fame golfer whose antics on the greens and inspiring life story made him among the sport's most popular players during a long professional career. Aug. 8. Susan Wojcicki, 56. A pioneering tech executive who helped shape Google and YouTube. Aug. 9. Wallace "Wally" Amos, 88. The creator of the Famous Amos cookie empire went on to become a children's literacy advocate. Aug. 13. Gena Rowlands, 94. She was hailed as one of the greatest actors to ever practice the craft and a guiding light in independent cinema as a star in groundbreaking movies by her director husband, John Cassavetes. She later charmed audiences in her son's tear-jerker "The Notebook." Aug. 14. Peter Marshall, 98. The actor and singer-turned-game show host who played straight man to the stars for 16 years on "The Hollywood Squares." Aug. 15. Alain Delon, 88. The internationally acclaimed French actor embodied both the bad guy and the policeman and made hearts throb around the world. Aug. 18. Phil Donahue, 88. His pioneering daytime talk show launched an indelible television genre that brought success to Oprah Winfrey, Montel Williams, Ellen DeGeneres and many others. Aug. 18. Ruth Johnson Colvin, 107. She founded Literacy Volunteers of America, was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame and received the nation's highest civilian award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Aug. 18. Al Attles, 87. A Hall of Famer who coached the 1975 NBA champion Golden State Warriors and spent more than six decades with the organization as a player, general manager and most recently team ambassador. Aug. 20. John Amos, 84. He starred as the family patriarch on the hit 1970s sitcom "Good Times" and earned an Emmy nomination for his role in the seminal 1977 miniseries "Roots." Aug. 21. Salim Hoss, 94. The five-time former Lebanese prime minister served during some of the most tumultuous years of his country's modern history. Aug. 25. Leonard Riggio, 83. A brash, self-styled underdog who transformed the publishing industry by building Barnes & Noble into the country's most powerful bookseller before it was overtaken by the rise of Amazon.com. Aug. 27. Edward B. Johnson, 81. As a CIA officer, he traveled into Iran with a colleague to rescue six American diplomats who fled the 1979 U.S. Embassy takeover in Tehran. Aug. 27. Johnny Gaudreau, 31. An NHL player known as "Johnny Hockey," he played 10 full seasons in the league. Aug. 29. Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII, 69. As New Zealand's Maori king, he was the seventh monarch in the Kiingitanga movement. Aug. 30. Fatman Scoop, 56. The hip-hop artist topped charts in Europe with "Be Faithful" in the early 2000s and later lent his distinctive voice and ebullient vibe to hits by artists including Missy Elliott and Ciara. Aug. 30. ___ SEPTEMBER ___ Linda Deutsch, 80. A special correspondent for The Associated Press who for nearly 50 years wrote glittering first drafts of history from many of the nation's most significant criminal and civil trials, including Charles Manson, O.J. Simpson and Michael Jackson. Sept. 1. James Darren, 88. A teen idol who helped ignite the 1960s surfing craze as a charismatic beach boy paired off with Sandra Dee in the hit film "Gidget." Sept. 2. Sergio Mendes, 83. The Grammy Award-winning Brazilian musician whose hit "Mas Que Nada" made him a global legend. Sept. 5. James Earl Jones, 93. He overcame racial prejudice and a severe stutter to become a celebrated icon of stage and screen, eventually lending his deep, commanding voice to CNN, "The Lion King" and Darth Vader. Sept. 9. Frankie Beverly, 77. With his band Maze, he inspired generations of fans with his smooth, soulful voice and lasting anthems including "Before I Let Go." Sept. 10. Jim Sasser, 87. He served 18 years in the U.S. Senate and six years as ambassador to China. Sept. 10. Alberto Fujimori, 86. His decade-long presidency began with triumphs righting Peru's economy and defeating a brutal insurgency, only to end in autocratic excess that later sent him to prison. Sept. 11. Joe Schmidt, 92. The Hall of Fame linebacker who helped the Detroit Lions win NFL championships in 1953 and 1957 and later coached the team. Sept. 11. Tito Jackson, 70. One of the brothers who made up the beloved pop group the Jackson 5. Sept. 15. John David "JD" Souther, 78. A prolific songwriter and musician who helped shape the country-rock sound that took root in Southern California in the 1970s with his collaborations with the Eagles and Linda Ronstadt. Sept. 17. Kathryn Crosby, 90. She appeared in such movies as "The 7th Voyage of Sinbad," "Anatomy of a Murder" and "Operation Mad Ball" before marrying famed singer and Oscar-winning actor Bing Crosby. Sept. 20. John Ashton, 76. The veteran character actor who memorably played the gruff but lovable police detective John Taggart in the "Beverly Hills Cop" films. Sept. 26. <figure><img src="https://gdb.voanews.com/d9b0a684-c2ee-4efa-bb91-ac15209356f7_w1600_r0_n_s.jpg" /><figcaption>FILE - British actress Dame Maggie Smith is pictured in London, Dec. 16, 2015.</figcaption></figure> Maggie Smith, 89. The masterful, scene-stealing actor who won an Oscar for the 1969 film "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" and gained new fans in the 21st century as the dowager Countess of Grantham in "Downton Abbey" and Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter films. Sept. 27. Hassan Nasrallah, 64. The Hezbollah leader who transformed the Lebanese militant group into a potent paramilitary and political force in the Middle East. Sept. 27. Kris Kristofferson, 88. A Rhodes scholar with a deft writing style and rough charisma who became a country music superstar and an A-list Hollywood actor. Sept. 28. Drake Hogestyn, 70. The "Days of Our Lives" star appeared on the show for 38 years. Sept. 28. Pete Rose, 83. Baseball's career hits leader and fallen idol who undermined his historic achievements and Hall of Fame dreams by gambling on the game he loved and once embodied. Sept. 30. Dikembe Mutombo, 58. A Basketball Hall of Famer who was one of the best defensive players in NBA history and a longtime global ambassador for the game. Sept. 30. Gavin Creel, 48. A Broadway musical theater veteran who won a Tony Award for "Hello, Dolly!" opposite Bette Midler and earned nominations for "Hair" and "Thoroughly Modern Millie." Sept. 30. Humberto Ortega, 77. The Nicaraguan guerrilla fighter and a Sandinista defense minister who later in life became a critic of his older brother, President Daniel Ortega. Sept. 30. Ken Page, 70. A stage and screen actor who starred alongside Beyonce in "Dreamgirls," introduced Broadway audiences to Old Deuteronomy in "Cats" and scared generations of kids as the voice of Oogie Boogie, the villain of the 1993 animated holiday film "The Nightmare Before Christmas." Sept. 30. ___ OCTOBER ___ Megan Marshack, 70. An aide to Nelson Rockefeller who was with the former New York governor and vice president when he died under circumstances that spurred intense speculation. Oct. 2. Mimis Plessas, 99. A beloved Greek composer whose music was featured in scores of films, television shows and theatrical productions and who provided the soundtrack to millions of Greeks' lives. Oct. 5. Cissy Houston, 91. A two-time Grammy Award-winning soul and gospel artist who sang with Aretha Franklin, Elvis Presley and other stars and knew triumph and heartbreak as the mother of singer Whitney Houston. Oct. 7. Tim Johnson, 77. The former U.S. senator was the last Democrat to hold statewide office in South Dakota and was adept at securing federal funding for projects back home during his nearly three decades in Washington. Oct. 8. <figure><img src="https://gdb.voanews.com/98D516F6-3812-45E8-9FD3-C14044AFDA87_w1600_r0_n_s.jpg" /><figcaption>FILE - Ratan Tata is pictured with Jaguar's newly launched C-X16 car during India's Auto Expo, in New Delhi, Jan. 5, 2012.</figcaption></figure> Ratan Tata, 86. One of India's most influential business leaders, the veteran industrialist was former chairman of the $100 billion conglomerate Tata Group. Oct. 9. Leif Segerstam, 80. The prolific Finnish conductor and composer was one of the most colorful personalities in the Nordic country's classical music scene. Oct. 9. Ethel Kennedy, 96. The wife of Senator Robert F. Kennedy raised their 11 children after he was assassinated and remained dedicated to social causes and the family's legacy for decades thereafter. Oct. 10. Lilly Ledbetter, 86. A former Alabama factory manager whose lawsuit against her employer made her an icon of the equal pay movement and led to landmark wage discrimination legislation. Oct. 12. Philip G. Zimbardo, 91. The psychologist behind the controversial "Stanford Prison Experiment" that was intended to examine the psychological experiences of imprisonment. Oct. 14. Liam Payne, 31. A former One Direction singer whose chart-topping British boy band generated a global following of swooning fans. Oct. 16. Yahya Sinwar, 61. The Hamas leader who masterminded the surprise October 7, 2023, attack into southern Israel that shocked the world and triggered the longest, deadliest and most destructive war in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Oct. 16. Mitzi Gaynor, 93. The effervescent dancer and actor starred as Nellie Forbush in the 1958 film "South Pacific" and appeared in other musicals with Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly. Oct. 17. Vasso Papandreou, 79. A trailblazing Greek politician who served as a government minister, European commissioner and leading advocate for women's representation in politics. Oct. 17. Thelma Mothershed Wair, 83. One of nine Black students who integrated a high school in Arkansas' capital of Little Rock in 1957 while a mob of white segregationists yelled threats and insults. Oct. 19. Fethullah Gulen, 83. A reclusive U.S.-based Islamic cleric who inspired a global social movement while facing unproven accusations that he masterminded a failed 2016 coup in his native Turkey. Oct. 20. Fernando Valenzuela, 63. The Mexican-born phenom for the Los Angeles Dodgers who inspired "Fernandomania" while winning the National League's Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year in 1981. Oct. 22. The Reverend Gustavo Gutierrez, 96. The Peruvian theologian was the father of the social justice-centered liberation theology that the Vatican once criticized for its Marxist undercurrents. Oct. 22. Phil Lesh, 84. A classically trained violinist and jazz trumpeter who found his true calling by reinventing the role of rock bass guitar as a founding member of the Grateful Dead. Oct. 25. Teri Garr, 79. The quirky comedy actor rose from background dancer in Elvis Presley movies to co-star in such favorites as "Young Frankenstein" and "Tootsie." Oct. 29. Colm McLoughlin, 81. An Irishman who landed in the deserts of the United Arab Emirates and helped lead Dubai Duty Free into becoming an airport retail behemoth generating billions of dollars. Oct. 30. ___ NOVEMBER ___ Quincy Jones, 91. The multitalented music titan whose vast legacy ranged from producing Michael Jackson's historic "Thriller" album to writing prize-winning film and television scores and collaborating with Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles and hundreds of other recording artists. Nov. 3. Bernard "Bernie" Marcus, 95. The co-founder of Home Depot, a billionaire philanthropist and a big Republican donor. Nov. 4. Murray Sinclair, 73. A former First Nation judge, senator and chair of the commission that delved into Canada's troubled history of residential schools for First Nations students. Nov. 4. Elwood Edwards, 74. He voiced America Online's ever-present "You've got mail" greeting. Nov. 5. Tony Todd, 69. An actor known for his haunting portrayal of a killer in the horror film "Candyman" and for roles in many other films and television shows. Nov. 6. Bobby Allison, 86. He was founder of racing's "Alabama Gang" and a NASCAR Hall of Famer. Nov. 9. Lou Donaldson, 98. The legendary master of the alto saxophone was both a leader and sideman in bebop who was influenced by jazz great Charlie Parker. Nov. 9. Reg Murphy, 90. A renowned journalist whose newsgathering career included stints as an editor and top executive at newspapers in Atlanta, Georgia; San Francisco, California; and Baltimore, Maryland — and who found himself the subject of national headlines when he survived a politically motivated kidnapping. Nov. 9. Judith Jamison, 81. The dancer and choreographer danced with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater from 1965 to 1980. Nov. 9. Vardis J. Vardinoyannis, 90. A powerful and pivotal figure in Greek shipping and energy who survived a terrorist attack and cultivated close ties with the Kennedy family. Nov. 12. Timothy West, 90. A British actor who played the classic Shakespeare roles of King Lear and Macbeth and who in recent years along with his wife, Prunella Scales, enchanted millions of people with their boating exploits on Britain's waterways. Nov. 12. Song Jae-lim, 39. A South Korean actor known for his roles in K-dramas "Moon Embracing the Sun" and "Queen Woo." Nov. 12. Shuntaro Tanikawa, 92. He pioneered modern Japanese poetry — poignant but conversational in its divergence from haiku and other traditions. Nov. 13. Bela Karolyi, 82. The charismatic if polarizing gymnastics coach turned young women into champions and the United States into an international power in the sport. Nov. 15. Olav Thon, 101. A billionaire entrepreneur recognizable for his bright red cap who went from selling leather and fox hides in his youth to building one of Norway's biggest real estate empires. Nov. 16. Arthur Frommer, 95. His "Europe on 5 Dollars a Day" guidebooks revolutionized leisure travel by persuading average Americans to take budget vacations abroad. Nov. 18. Alice Brock, 83. Her Massachusetts-based eatery helped inspire Arlo Guthrie's deadpan Thanksgiving standard "Alice's Restaurant Massacree." Nov. 21. Fred Harris, 94. A former U.S. senator from Oklahoma, presidential hopeful and populist who championed Democratic Party reforms in the turbulent 1960s. Nov. 23. Chuck Woolery, 83. The affable, smooth-talking game show host of "Wheel of Fortune," "Love Connection" and "Scrabble" who later became a right-wing podcaster, skewering liberals and accusing the government of lying about COVID-19. Nov. 23. Barbara Taylor Bradford, 91. A British journalist who became a publishing sensation in her 40s with the saga "A Woman of Substance" and wrote more than a dozen other novels that sold tens of millions of copies. Nov. 24. Mary McGee, 87. A female racing pioneer and subject profiled in the Oscar-contending documentary "Motorcycle Mary." Nov. 27. Prince Johnson, 72. The Liberian former warlord and senator whose brutal tactics shocked the world. Nov. 28. Ananda Krishnan, 86. One of Malaysia's richest tycoons with a vast business empire including telecommunications, media, petroleum and real estate. Nov. 28. Lou Carnesecca, 99. The excitable St. John's coach whose outlandish sweaters became an emblem of his team's rousing Final Four run in 1985 and who was a treasured figure in New York sports. Nov. 30. ___ DECEMBER ___ Debbie Nelson, 69. The single mother of rapper Eminem whose rocky relationship with her son was known widely through his hit song lyrics. Dec. 2. Nikki Giovanni, 81. The poet, author, educator and public speaker who rose from borrowing money to release her first book to decades as a literary celebrity sharing her blunt and conversational takes on everything from racism and love to space travel and mortality. Dec. 9. George Joseph Kresge Jr., 89. He was known to generations of TV watchers as the mesmerizing entertainer and mentalist The Amazing Kreskin. Dec. 10. Michael Cole, 84. Best-known for his portrayal of Pete Cochran, one of three young hippie detectives on the ABC hit show “The Mod Squad.” Dec. 10. Jim Leach, 82. A former congressman who served 30 years as a politician from eastern Iowa and later headed the National Endowment for the Humanities. Dec. 11. John Spratt, 82. A former longtime Democratic congressman from South Carolina who successfully pushed for a balanced budget deal in the 1990s but was unseated decades later when his district turned Republican. Dec. 14. Zakir Hussain, 73. One of India's most accomplished classical musicians who defied genres and introduced tabla to global audiences. Dec. 15. Fred Lorenzen, 89. A NASCAR Hall of Famer and the 1965 Daytona 500 champion. Dec. 18. Tsuneo Watanabe, 98. The powerful head of the Yomiuri Shimbun, Japan's largest newspaper, who had close ties with the country's powerful conservative leaders. Dec. 19. Rickey Henderson, 65. The baseball Hall of Famer was the brash speedster who shattered stolen base records and redefined baseball's leadoff position. Dec. 20. Shyam Benegal, 90. A renowned Indian filmmaker known for pioneering a new-wave cinema movement that tackled social issues in the 1970s. Dec. 23. Desi Bouterse, 79. A military strongman who led a 1980 coup in the former Dutch colony of Suriname then returned to power by election three decades later despite charges of drug smuggling and murder. Dec. 24. Richard Perry, 82. The prolific record producer of superstar artists Carly Simon, Rod Stewart and Ringo Starr. Dec. 24. Osamu Suzuki, 94. The charismatic former boss of Suzuki Motor Corp. helped turn the Japanese mini-vehicle maker into a globally competitive company. Dec. 25. Warren Upton, 105. The oldest living survivor of the 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the last remaining survivor of the USS Utah. Dec. 25. Manmohan Singh, 92. India's former prime minister who was widely regarded as the architect of India's economic reform program and a landmark nuclear deal with the United States. Dec. 26. Richard Parsons, 76. One of corporate America's most prominent Black executives who held top posts at Time Warner and Citigroup. Dec. 26. Greg Gumbel, 78. The longtime CBS sportscaster who became the first Black announcer in the U.S. to call play-by-play of a major sports championship. Dec. 27. <figure><img src="https://gdb.voanews.com/e8ff85f5-68de-4071-99b1-22fabcd29293_w1600_r0_n_s.jpg" /><figcaption>FILE - "Romeo and Juliet" movie director Franco Zeffirelli, left, and actors Olivia Hussey, center, and Leonard Whiting are seen after the premiere of the film in Paris, Sept. 25, 1968.</figcaption></figure> Olivia Hussey, 73. The actor won a Golden Globe for her role as a teenage Juliet in the 1968 film "Romeo and Juliet," and later brought a lawsuit against Paramount Pictures over nude scenes in the film. Dec. 27. Dayle Haddon, 76. The actor, activist and trailblazing former "Sports Illustrated" model who pushed back against age discrimination by reentering the industry as a widow. Dec. 27. Jimmy Carter, 100. The peanut farmer — who won the U.S. presidency in the wake of the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War — endured humbling defeat after one tumultuous term and then redefined life after the White House as a global humanitarian. Dec. 29. Linda Lavin, 87. The Tony Award-winning actress best-known for her portrayal of a waitress at Mel’s Diner on the hit TV comedy “Alice.” Dec. 29.
Content Type Text
Language English
NewsML Media Topics Arts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
Subtitles / Dubbing Available No
Network VOA
Embargo Date December 31, 2024 01:05 EST
Byline Associated Press
Brand / Language Service Voice of America - English