Don Larsen (1929–2020), legendary Yankees pitcher

Don Larsen pitched the only perfect game in World Series history. On October 8, 1956, he took the mound in game 5 of the World Series for the Yankees against the Brooklyn Dodgers. Larsen needed only 97 pitches to get every single Dodger out and lead the Yankees to a win in that game. They would go on to win the World Series over the Dodgers in 7 games. He was an unlikely pitcher to get a World Series perfect game, he lost more games than he won in his career and never won more than 11 games in a season but it all came together on that magical day. Larsen pitched for 8 different teams before retiring in 1967.

David Stern (1942–2020), longtime NBA commissioner

David Stern was the commissioner of the NBA for 30 years, from 1984 to 2014. During that time, he helped transform the league, bringing it out of a slump into a period of greatness. Under Stern’s leadership, NBA stars achieved international stardom as he sent recordings of games to China for broadcast there and championed superstar players like Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, and Charles Barkley. It was Stern who lobbied for professional basketball to be allowed in the 1992 Summer Olympics, creating the unstoppable Dream Team. And during his tenure, the average NBA player salary rose steeply to today’s multimillion-dollar levels. Stern famously supported Magic Johnson after the star player was diagnosed with HIV in 1991, and his highly public support helped change the debate about the then-misunderstood disease.

Sam Wyche (1945–2019), head coach took Cincinnati Bengals to Super Bowl

Sam Wyche was the last head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals to take the team to the Super Bowl. Despite a high-powered offense, led by quarterback Boomer Esiason, the Bengals lost Super Bowl XXIII on a thrilling last-minute drive by San Francisco 49ers quarterback Joe Montana. It was a cruel twist of fate for Wyche, who had previously coached Montana as part of the 49ers coaching staff that won Super Bowl XVI, coincidentally also against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Don Howison (1921–2020), oldest remaining survivor of WWII USS Indianapolis disaster

Don Howison was a U.S. Navy veteran who was the last living officer of the USS Indianapolis and the oldest remaining survivor of the World War II torpedo attack and subsequent shipwreck that killed 75% of its crewmembers. Howison served as an ensign aboard the Indianapolis, and decades later, he was among the survivors who were interviewed for the bestselling book Indianapolis: The True Story of the Worst Sea Disaster in U.S. Naval History and the Fifty-Year Fight to Exonerate an Innocent Man.

Elizabeth Wurtzel (1967–2020), bestselling author of “Prozac Nation”

Elizabeth Wurtzel was the author of the bestselling 1994 memoir “Prozac Nation,” which detailed her long-running battle with depression, beginning when she was a child. Published when she was 27, “Prozac Nation” became a sensation for its candid, sometimes funny and sometimes soberly insightful look at Wurtzel’s own heavily medicated life, warts and all. “Prozac Nation” was an early entry in the burgeoning genre of mental health memoirs, and Wurtzel received both high praise and harsh criticism for the book. Critics called it excruciating and luminescent, narcissistic and emotionally powerful. After “Prozac Nation,” Wurtzel continued her writing career as well as later attending law school.

Buck Henry (1930–2020), classic SNL host & "The Graduate" writer

Buck Henry was an actor, director, and screenwriter who co-created “Get Smart” with Mel Brooks, was Oscar-nominated for his screenplay for “The Graduate” (1967) and hosted “Saturday Night Live” 10 times in the show’s early years. Henry co-directed “Heaven Can Wait” (1978) alongside Warren Beatty, earning another Academy Award nomination for Best Director.

Neil Peart (1952–2020), legendary drummer for Rush

Neil Peart was the drummer and primary lyricist for classic progressive rock band Rush. Known for his technical proficiency and his elaborate drum kit, he is considered by many to be one of the greatest rock drummers in history. The youngest person ever inducted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame — he was in his early 30s when he received the honor — Peart inspired deep loyalty from his fans for his intelligent, inventive lyrics and his dedication to his craft. Some of the Rush songs most notable for Peart’s playing are “Tom Sawyer,” “Limelight,” and “YYZ.” Peart was a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with his bandmates, and he was voted Best Rock Drummer by Modern Drummer readers every year from 1980 to 1986, as well as in 2006 and 2008.

Marty Grebb (1945–2020), The Buckinghams musician

Marty Grebb was a talented multi-instrumentalist who was a member of the Chicago pop rock band The Buckinghams from 1966 until 1968. The band needed a keyboard player and Grebb was with the band for their biggest hit songs including “Kind of a Drag.” After his Buckinghams stint, Grebb played with Bonnie Raitt for 25 years and worked with major musicians including Eric Clapton and Leon Russell. He also was a member of The Band tribute band, The Weight, which included former members of The Band and Levon Helm’s band.

Qaboos bin Said (1940–2020), peacemaking Sultan of Oman

Qaboos bin Said was the sultan of Oman, who built his country into a developed nation and became known as a peacemaker who helped mediate talks between countries including the U.S. and Iran. When Qaboos took power in 1970 after a bloodless coup against his father, Oman was an impoverished nation, far behind the developed world in education, health care, infrastructure, and other key areas. Qaboos used the country’s oil revenues to modernize it, building schools, hospitals, and roads and creating a thriving economy. As Sultan, Qaboos abolished slavery, gave women the vote, and began appointing women to ministry positions. He was the longest-serving leader in the Arab world.

Rocky Johnson (1944–2020), Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s father

Rocky Johnson was a WWE Hall of Fame professional wrestler and the father of Hollywood star Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. He was part of the first African-American World Tag Team Champions in WWE history as a member of The Soul Patrol with Tony Atlas. Starting out as a wrestler in his native Canada, Johnson moved to the WWE in 1983. Known as the “Soul Man,” he had rivalries with Greg “The Hammer” Valentine and Adrian Adonis before retiring from wrestling in 1991. At his son's request, Johnson trained him in wrestling. Years later, in 2008, The Rock inducted his father into the WWE Hall of Fame.

Chamin Correa (1929–2020), renowned Mexican guitarist

Chamin Correa was a Mexican guitarist known for playing romantic songs on the requinto, a smaller, higher-pitched cousin to the guitar. Performing solo and with the group Los Tres Caballeros, Correa had a decades-long career beginning with his first fame in the 1950s. He recorded with superstars including José José, Dave Brubeck, Gloria Estefan, and Joan Baez. Correa was particularly known for playing boleros, a type of love song.

Christopher Tolkien (1924–2020), J.R.R. Tolkien's son who edited his Middle-Earth legends

Christopher Tolkien was the youngest son of “Lord of the Rings” author J.R.R. Tolkien, who edited and published his father’s work in the years after his death. He has died, the Tolkien Society announced Thursday.

Andrea Arruti (1998–2020), voice of Elsa in Spanish-language “Frozen”

Andrea Arruti was a Mexican voice actress who provided the voice of Elsa in the Spanish-language version of Disney’s “Frozen.” Her other voiceover credits include the Spanish-language versions of Diamond Tiara in “My Little Pony,” Neeko in “League of Legends,” Brigitte in “Phineas and Ferb,” Makini in “The Lion Guard,” and others.

David Olney (1948–2020), acclaimed singer-songwriter

Acclaimed Americana singer-songwriter David Olney died while performing on stage at the 30A Folk Fest in Florida. According to fellow musicians, Olney was in the middle of a song when he said, I
9m sorry, and put his chin to his chest. Musician Scott Miller said on Facebook,"He never dropped his guitar or fell (off) his stool, it was as easy and gentle as he was. Olney had a loyal following and had recorded over 20 albums. His songs were covered by Emmy Lou Harris, Linda Ronstadt, and Steve Earle.

Jimmy Heath (1926–2020), legendary jazz saxophonist

Jimmy Heath was a legendary jazz saxophonist who played with jazz giants John Coltrane and Miles Davis. Heath, who stood 5-foot-3-inches, was called Little Bird, an homage to legendary saxplayer Charlie Bird Parker and a tribute to Heath's skill.Overcoming an addiction to heroin, Heath was a prolific musician for over seven decades and a pioneer of be-bop. He later taught music at Queens College.

Gary Hargrove worked tirelessly to identify Hurricane Katrina victims

Gary Hargrove’s job was a straightforward one. As , home to Biloxi and Gulfport, he was responsible for determining the details of the county’s deaths — time, cause, manner.

Morgan Wootten (1931–2020), legendary high school basketball coach

Morgan Wootten was a high school basketball coaching legend who coached DeMatha High School in Maryland from 1956 until 2002. Wootten turned the school into a basketball powerhouse winning five national championships and producing many NBA players including Hall of Famer Adrian Dantley and Danny Ferry. He has the second most career wins of any high school coach and is one of four high school coaches in the Basketball Hall of Fame. Most incredibly, for 31 years in a row, every senior on his team won a college scholarship.

Jack Kehoe (1934–2020), acclaimed character actor

Jack Kehoe was an acclaimed character actor who made memorable appearances in “The Sting” and “The Untouchables.” The New York native could also be seen in the movies “Car Wash,” “Midnight Run,” and “Serpico.” In “The Sting,” Kehoe played the “Erie Kid” who teams up with Paul Newman and Robert Redford’s characters to run a con game to take down a crime boss. He also made guest appearances on TV series including “Miami Vice” and “Murder, She Wrote.” Kehoe was in the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division and studied acting after he left the service.

Terry Jones (1942–2020), founding member of the Monty Python team

Terry Jones  was a founding member of the Monty Python comedy team, who brought absurd humor to the world with their “Monty Python’s Flying Circus” TV sketch show and several movies. Jones directed those films — “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” “Monty Python’s Life of Brian,” and “Monty Python’s the Meaning of Life.” He appeared in them too, as well as in non-Python films including “Jabberwocky” and “L.A. Story.” It was Jones who was responsible for a key piece of the tone of “Flying Circus,” the show’s tendency to skip punchlines to sketches in favor of ending abruptly or wandering dreamily to a new story in a stream-of-consciousness way. Jones was also a medieval historian and an author of children’s books.

John Karlen (1933–2020), starred as Willie Loomis on cult favorite “Dark Shadows”

John Karlen played Willie Loomis on the cult favorite TV daytime gothic soap opera “Dark Shadows.” Loomis was the James Dean type that breaks into the Collins family mausoleum and unknowingly releases the vampire Barnabas Collins. Collins attacks Loomis and turns him into his servant. In the 1980s, Karlen played the husband of Tyne Daly’s character Mary Beth Lacey on the crime series “Cagney & Lacey.” He won an Emmy for the role in 1986. Later he played Helen Hunt’s father on “Mad About You.” Karlen served in the Korean War and made his Broadway debut in 1960.

Sonny Grosso (1930–2020), detective inspired Oscar-winning film “The French Connection”

Sonny Grosso was aNew York City detective whose take down of a major heroin trafficking ring was the basis for theacclaimed1971 film cThe French Connection.c8d In 1961, Grosso and other detectives broke up the heroin ring in 1961 and seized a record amount of the drug at the time. Grosso and Egan were technical advisors on the movie, which featured Roy Schneider and Gene Hackman playing characters based on them, and had small roles as well. Grosso retired from the NYPD in 1976 and became a producer on shows including cKojak.c8d

Jim Lehrer (1934–2020), longtime anchor of “PBS NewsHour”

Jim Lehrer was a broadcast journalist well known for hosting “PBS NewsHour” for more than 30 years. Lehrer joined Robert MacNeil to cohost the program in 1976, when it was titled “The MacNeil/Lehrer Report.” When MacNeil left in 1995, it became “The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer,” renamed “PBS NewsHour” in 2009. In the 36 years before his 2011 retirement, Lehrer became a giant of broadcasting known for his directness. He always strove simply to report the news, feeling that opinion and analysis had no place in what he did. Lehrer moderated twelve presidential debates, more than any other moderator in U.S. history, most recently the first presidential general election debate of 2012. He was also a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and an author of plays, novels, memoirs, and screenplays, including the novel “Top Down” about the Kennedy assassination. Lehrer was honored with the National Humanities Medal and the George Foster Peabody Broadcast Award, and he was a member of the Television Hall of Fame.

Jack Van Impe (1931–2020), popular televangelist who preached about the rapture

Jack Van Impe was a televangelist known for his weekly program “Jack Van Impe Presents,” appearing on the Trinity Broadcasting Network for more than 20 years. An evangelical Christian, he commonly spoke about a coming apocalypse that he believed would happen soon. Van Impe co-hosted the program alongside his wife, Rexella, who read recent news while Van Impe interpreted the stories to bolster his vision of the impending end times. Van Impe was active until his recent illness, with his final broadcast coming earlier in January.

Frieda Caplan (1923–2020), pioneering produce marketer who named the kiwifruit

Frieda Caplan  was the “Kiwi Queen,” the founder and owner of Frieda’s Inc., the specialty produce company that introduced exotic fruits and vegetables including the kiwifruit, sugar snap peas, and mango to the U.S. Other unusual produce introduced or popularized by Caplan: alfalfa sprouts, habanero peppers, blood oranges, starfruit, turmeric, and hundreds more. Caplan was the first woman in the U.S. to own and operate a produce company. She wasn’t intimidated by the gender imbalance she experienced in her early days in the business: When she won an industry award for “Produce Man of the Year,” she refused to accept it until it was renamed “Produce Marketer of the Year.”

Kobe Bryant (1978–2020), basketball legend

Kobe Bryant wasone of the greatest players to put on an NBA uniform.Bryant played all 20 of his seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, leading them to five NBA titles.Wearing his familiar number 24, the shooting guard was an 18-time All-Star and a two-time NBA finals MVP.An unstoppable scorer from outside and inside, he averaged 25 points a game in his career. Bryant was the NBA's fourth highest scorer of all time and the league's first guard to play 20 seasons. When he started with the Lakers in 1996, Bryant was the youngest person ever to play in an NBA game mdash he skipped college in favor of going pro, and he was just 17 when he signed with the Lakers and a little over 18 when he played his first game. Bryant won two gold medals for Team USA in the Olympics, in 2008 and 2012.

Wes Wilson (1937–2020), leading 1960s rock concert poster artist

Wes Wilson was a pioneering rock concert poster artist who created posters for leading 1960s San Francisco psychedelic rock bands including the Grateful Dead and the Jefferson Airplane. He created a recognizable concert poster style with a psychedelic font that made it appear as if the letters were moving. Based in San Francisco during the flower power movement, he designed posters for Bill Graham’s famous Fillmore and for many local bands such as the Quicksilver Messenger Service. Wilson designed the poster for the Beatles' final concert held at Candlestick Park on August 29, 1966.

Calabasas Helicopter Crash Victims (2020)

Nine people were killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, on the morning of Sunday, January 26, 2020. There were no survivors.

Marsha Kramer (1945–2020), actress known for “Modern Family,” “Peter Pan”

Marsha Kramer was an actress whose notable roles included Margaret, Jay’s assistant on “Modern Family.” Kramer appeared in that role in 14 episodes over seven seasons of the long-running series. She was also known for her Broadway performance as Wendy in the 1979 revival of “Peter Pan,” against Sandy Duncan as the title character. Kramer had a recurring role on “Frasier” and also made appearances on TV shows including “Touched by an Angel,” “Cheers,” “Malcolm in the Middle,” and “Newhart.”

Reed Mullin (1966–2020), Corrosion of Conformity drummer

Reed Mullin was the drummer and co-founder of the North Carolina based metal band Corrosion of Conformity.Mullin, guitarist Woody Weatherman, and bassist Mike Dean started the band in 1982. They were originally a hardcore punk band but found greater success after they moved to an alternative metal sound. The band signed with Columbia Records in the '90s and released their biggest commercial record, Deliverance, in 1994.Mullin left the band for a while but returned in 2010.

Jack Burns (1933–2020), comedy partner of George Carlin and Avery Schreiber

Jack Burns was a comedian and actor who was in popular comic duos with George Carlin and Avery Schreiber in the 1960s. Burns and Carlin had a popular album titled “Burns and Carlin: At the Playboy Club Tonight.” Burns and Schreiber were popular guests on TV variety shows. When Don Knotts left “The Andy Griffith Show” after season 5, Burns joined the cast as the inept deputy sheriff Warren. Barney Fife was a tough act to follow, and Burns's character was not popular with fans. He was fired midway through season 6. Later Burns was a head writer for “The Muppet Show” and co-wrote “The Muppet Movie.” He also appeared on the comedy sketch show “Fridays” and was a voice actor for many animation series.

Bob Shane (1934–2020), founding member of the Kingston Trio

Bob Shane was one of the founding members of folk revival group the Kingston Trio, and he was the last of the group’s original three members to survive. The Kingston Trio were among the most important drivers of the folk revival in the late 1950s and 1960s, beloved for hits including “Tom Dooley” and “Scotch and Soda.” Shane played guitar and supplied baritone vocals, typically singing lead alongside his bandmates’ smooth harmonies. As original trio members Dave Guard and Nick Reynolds left the group, it was Shane who kept it alive for decades, continuing to tour and record with the Kingston Trio — sometimes going by the name the New Kingston Trio — until his 2004 retirement.

Larry Eisenhauer (1940–2020), former Patriots defensive star

Larry Eisenhauer was one of the Boston Patriots first defensive stars. He made four AFL all-star teams during his nine years in the AFL, all with Boston. He was voted to the Patriots All-1960s team. His teammates nicknamed Eisenhauer “Wildman” for his crazy antics. According to the book “The 50 Greatest Players in New England Patriots History” by Robert Cohen, he ran out onto the field before a game in freezing weather wearing only his helmet and athletic supporter. He was also known to ram his forearm through locker room walls before a game to get himself psyched to play. After retiring, he owned a computer hardware business.

Marj Dusay (1936–2020), soap opera regular

Marj Dusay was a soap opera veteran who starred on five different soaps including “Capitol, “All My Children” and “Guiding Light.” She played an alien named Kara on the original “Star Trek” in an episode titled “Spock’s Brain” in which she steals his brain to take back to her planet. Dusay also played Blair’s mother on the sitcom “Facts of Life.” She made her big screen debut in the 1967 Elvis movie “Clambake” and appeared on many television shows including “The Odd Couple,” “Mod Squad,” and “Get Smart.”

Monique van Vooren (1927–2020), actress who appeared in “Tarzan and the She-Devil” and “Batman”

Monique van Vooren was a Belgian-American actress known for roles as the she-devil in “Tarzan and the She-Devil” and as the Penguin’s moll, Miss Clean, on TV’s “Batman.” Dressed in purple and white, van Vooren appeared with Burgess Meredith the last time he starred as the Penguin on “Batman,” in the 1968 episode “Penguin’s Clean Sweep.” In the Dean Martin film “Ten Thousand Bedrooms,” van Vooren made a brief but memorable appearance in the title sequence, and she starred as Baroness Katrin Frankenstein in Andy Warhol’s X-rated 3D “Flesh for Frankenstein.” She appeared on TV in game shows including “To Tell the Truth” and “I’ve Got a Secret,” and as a guest of talk show hosts including Johnny Carson.

Lina Ben Mhenni (1983–2020), Tunisian activist blogger who helped inspire Arab Spring

Lina Ben Mhenni  was a Tunisian internet activist who maintained the blog “A Tunisian Girl,” where she documented a revolt against an oppressive regime and police violence. The images and articles Ben Mhenni shared helped drive the Tunisian Revolution of 2010–2011 and the Arab Spring that it jumpstarted. Ben Mhenni used her blog, as well as social media, to post photos of people who had been injured and killed by the police, as well as reporting news of a man who set himself on fire to protest police harassment as the revolution began. Her posts broke through the government media blackout, spreading information that enraged and inspired fellow Tunisians to demand an end to human rights abuses. Ben Mhenni’s reporting was also used by journalists abroad to gain information on the revolution.

Paul Farnes (1918–2020), last surviving WWII Battle of Britain flying ace

Paul Farnes was a fighter pilot for the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force, the last of the flying aces who fought the Battle of Britain during World War II. The fighter pilots who flew in the Battle of Britain were known as “The Few,” recalling Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s famous speech praising them: “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.” Farnes was a sergeant during the battle, later promoted several times until he was wing commander as the war ended, and his eight kills merited him the title of ace. Two other Battle of Britain fighter pilots survive, neither of them aces. In addition to the Battle of Britain, Farnes fought in the Battle of France as well as in North Africa.

John Andretti (1963–2020), NASCAR and IndyCar racer

John Andretti  was a professional racer who was a member of the famous Andretti racing family. Andretti’s uncle is former Indy 500 winner Mario Andretti, and he is the cousin of former racers Michael and Jeff Andretti. He won two NASCAR races and finished fifth at the 1991 Indianapolis 500 before retiring in 2010. He was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer in 2017 and had clean scans a year later after treatment, but the cancer returned earlier this year. After his original diagnosis, he used the hashtag #CheckIt4Andretti to urge people to get regular colonoscopies, something he had not done.

Leila Janah (1982–2020), Samasource CEO who employed the poor

Leila Janah was an entrepreneur who founded Samasource with the goal of raising up deeply impoverished people in Africa and India by giving them jobs. Janah had been working as a consultant for an outsourcing firm, which employed middle-class Indian workers to do digital jobs like tagging and annotating images. She wondered why those jobs couldn’t be done by the poor, who desperately needed the employment — so she founded Samasource, providing training and living wages to thousands of women and others in poverty. The work they do generates data used for video game technology, self-driving car research, and more. Janah later founded the luxury cosmetics line LXMI, which also employs the poor to harvest and process ingredients.

Lucien Barbarin (1956–2020), Harry Connick Jr. trombonist

Lucien Barbarin was a trombonist for Harry Connick Jr. and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. Barbarin was a New Orleans jazz legend who showcased his charismatic personality during Harry Connick Jr. concerts. The pair created comic routines that were fan favorites. Barbarin had been playing with Connick Jr. At least since the early 1990s. Barbarin released a few of his own albums, the last in 2007.

Anne Cox Chambers (1919–2020), media heiress and former ambassador

Anne Cox Chambers was a media heiress and philanthropist who was U.S. ambassador to Belgium during Jimmy Carter’s presidency. The daughter of former Ohio governor and one-time presidential candidate James Middleton Cox, she was heiress to the family business, Cox Enterprises, which includes cable provider Cox Communications, Kelley Blue Book, and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Chambers was a major donor to Carter’s presidential campaign and supported other Democrats including President Barack Obama. A billionaire before giving much of her fortune to her children in recent years, Chambers was a noted Atlanta philanthropist with beneficiaries including the High Museum of Art, the Jimmy Carter Library and Museum, and local animal welfare organizations. She was one of the first women to sit on the boards of companies including Coca-Cola.

Nathaniel Jones (1926–2020), civil rights activist

Nathaniel Jones was a prominent civil rights activist who led important desegregation suits as chief counsel for the NAACP from 1969 until 1979. In 1979, President Jimmy Carter appointed Jones to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit in Cincinnati, where he served until his retirement in 2002. In the 1980s, he traveled to Africa to assist developing countries in creating judicial systems.

Mary Higgins Clark (1927–2020), bestselling author was the “Queen of Suspense”

Mary Higgins Clark was the prolific and best-selling “Queen of Suspense.” Her dozens of suspense novels include “A Stranger Is Watching,” “While My Pretty One Sleeps,” and “Loves Music, Loves to Dance.”  

Joe Vandever Sr. (1923–2020), one of the last living WWII Navajo code talkers

Joe Vandever Sr.  was one of the Navajo code talkers who transmitted top secret messages during World War II using Native American languages. A veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, Vandever was among about 400 to 500 code talkers whose expertise in little-known languages has been credited with making the victory at Iwo Jima possible, among other accomplishments. Vandever’s death reportedly leaves just four Navajo code talkers still living. Vandever also served in combat in World War II, fighting in the Pacific.