Year in Review: Final goodbye: Roll call of some who died in 2017

By Bernard McGhee
Associated Press

They made music that inspired legions of fans.   

  Rock ’n’ roll founding father Chuck Berry, rockers Tom Petty and Greg Allman, grunge icon Chris Cornell, country superstar Glen Campbell and jazz great Al Jarreau were among the notable figures who died in 2017, leaving a void in virtually every genre of music.

Comedians Jerry Lewis, Don Rickles and Dick Gregory left their own indelible mark with their iconic routines. And the story of the 1960s could not be told without Hugh Hefner and Charles Manson, who were synonymous with the decade in vastly different ways.

Hefner founded Playboy magazine and was credited with helping rev up the sexual revolution in the 1960s. The decade ended with Manson becoming the face of evil across America by orchestrating seven murders that marked the end of the era of peace and love.

Among the political figures who died this year was Helmut Kohl, the German chancellor who reunited a nation divided by the Cold War and helped put Germany at the heart of a unified Europe. Others from the political arena who died in 2017 included former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega.

Entertainers who died in 2017 also included actors Roger Moore of James Bond fame, Bollywood star Reema Lagoo, “Batman” actor Adam West and Mary Tyler Moore. Prominent figures from the sporting world who died included Pittsburgh Steelers chairman Dan Rooney, former Notre Dame coach Ara Parseghian and boxer Jake LaMotta.

Here is a roll call of some of the people who died in 2017. (Cause of death cited for younger people, if available.)

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JANUARY

Sister Frances Carr, 89. One of the last remaining members of a nearly extinct religious society called the Shakers. Jan. 2.

Bud Lilly, 91. Fly fishing legend, conservationist and catch-and-release pioneer. Jan. 4.

Jill Saward, 51. A survivor of rape who became a powerful British campaigner against sexual violence. Jan. 5.

Mario Soares, 92. A former prime minister and president of Portugal who helped steer his country toward democracy after a 1974 military coup and grew into a global statesman through his work with the Socialist International movement. Jan. 7.

Parker Beam, 75. He carried on his family’s historic bourbon-making tradition as longtime master distiller for Kentucky-based Heaven Hill Distilleries. Jan. 9.

Clare Hollingworth, 105. A British war correspondent who was the first to report the Nazi invasion of Poland that marked the beginning of World War II. Jan. 10.

Michael Chamberlain, 72. He waged a decades-long battle to prove his baby daughter was killed by a dingo in Australia’s most notorious case of injustice. Jan. 9.

Steven McDonald, 59. A New York police detective who was paralyzed by a teenage gunman’s bullet in 1986 but publicly forgave the shooter and became an international voice for peace. Jan. 10.

Tommy Allsup, 85. A guitarist best known for losing a coin toss that kept him off a plane that later crashed and killed rock ‘n’ roll stars Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. “Big Bopper” Richardson. Jan. 11.
Complications from a hernia operation.

William Peter Blatty, 89. A former Jesuit school valedictorian who conjured a tale of demonic possession and gave millions the fright of their lives with the best-selling novel and Oscar-winning movie “The Exorcist.” Jan. 12.

Dick Gautier, 85. The actor who gained fame playing an Elvis-like singer in the Broadway musical “Bye Bye Birdie” and went on to play Hymie the Robot on TV’s “Get Smart.” Jan. 13.

Zhou Youguang, 111. A linguist considered the father of modern China’s Pinyin Romanization system. Jan. 14.

Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka, 73. A former pro wrestler who had recently been found not competent to stand trial in the 1983 death of his girlfriend. Jan. 15.

Vlado Trifunovic, 78. A former Yugoslav army general whose treason conviction by Serbia’s wartime nationalist leadership became a symbol of the senselessness of the 1990s’ Balkan conflict. Jan. 15.

Gene Cernan, 82. A former astronaut who was the last person to walk on the moon. Jan. 16.

Charlie Liteky, 85. An Army chaplain in Vietnam who was awarded the Medal of Honor for rescuing more than 20 wounded men but later gave it back in protest and became a peace activist. Jan. 20.

Masaya Nakamura, 91. The “Father of Pac-Man” who founded the Japanese video game company behind the hit creature-gobbling game. Jan. 22.

Butch Trucks, 69. A drummer who was one of the founding members of the Southern rock legend The Allman Brothers Band. Jan. 24. Suicide.

Mary Tyler Moore, 80. The star of TV’s beloved “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” whose comic realism helped revolutionize the depiction of women on the small screen. Jan. 25.

Mike Connors, 91. He starred as a hard-hitting private eye on the long-running television series “Mannix.” Jan. 26.

Barbara Hale, 94. A movie actress who found her most famous role on television as steadfast secretary Della Street in the long-running “Perry Mason” series. Jan. 26.

John Hurt, 77. An actor who had a half-century career highlighted with memorable performances, two Oscar nominations, a Golden Globe and four British BAFTA awards. Jan. 27.

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FEBRUARY

Edward Tipper, 95. A World War II paratrooper who was portrayed in the HBO series “Band of Brothers.” Feb. 1.

Etienne Tshisekedi, 84. Congo’s opposition icon who pushed for democratic reforms for decades in the vast Central African nation throughout dictatorship and civil war. Feb 1.

Don McNelly, 96. He was known worldwide for powering through marathon runs and running up record totals into his 70s and 80s. Feb. 5.

Irwin Corey, 102. The wild-haired comedian and actor known for his improvisational riffs and nonsensical style who billed himself as “The World’s Foremost Authority.” Feb. 6.

Alec McCowen, 91. A West End and Broadway star who had global success with a one-man show about the life of Jesus. Feb. 6.

Ljubisa Beara, 77. A former senior Bosnian Serb security officer convicted of genocide by a U.N. war crimes tribunal for the 1995 Srebrenica massacre. Feb. 8.

Peter Mansfield, 83. A physicist who won the Nobel Prize for helping to invent MRI scanners. Feb. 8.

Mike Ilitch, 87. The billionaire businessman who founded the Little Caesars pizza empire before buying the Detroit Red Wings and the Detroit Tigers. Feb. 10.

Harold G. “Hal” Moore, 94. The American hero known for saving most of his men in the first major battle between the U.S. and North Vietnamese armies. Feb. 10.

Al Jarreau, 76. A Grammy-winning jazz singer who transcended genres over a 50-year career. Feb. 12.

Norma McCorvey, 69. Her legal challenge under the pseudonym “Jane Roe” led to the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision that legalized abortion but who later became an outspoken opponent of the procedure. Feb. 18.

Omar Abdel-Rahman, 78. The so-called Blind Sheik convicted of plotting terror attacks in New York City in the decade before 9/11 and spiritual guide to a generation of Islamic militants. Feb. 18. Died in federal prison.

Sofia Imber, 92. She turned a garage into the Caracas Museum of Contemporary Art and became one of Venezuela’s most influential women journalists. Feb. 20.

Kenneth J. Arrow, 95. The youngest-ever winner of a Nobel prize for economics, whose theories on risk, innovation and the basic mathematics of markets have influenced thinking on everything from voting to health insurance to high finance. Feb. 21.

Alan Colmes, 66. The radio and television host and commentator best known as the amiable liberal foil to the hard-right Sean Hannity on the Fox News Channel. Feb. 23.

William “Bud” Liebenow, 97. The WWII Navy officer who guided his warship into Japanese territory to rescue future President John F. Kennedy and his crew. Feb. 24.

Bill Paxton, 61. A prolific and charismatic actor who had memorable roles in such blockbusters as “Apollo 13” and “Titanic” while also cherishing his work in “One False Move” and other low-budget movies and in the HBO series “Big Love.” Feb. 25. Complications due to surgery.

Joseph Wapner, 97. The retired Los Angeles judge who presided over “The People’s Court” with steady force during the heyday of the reality courtroom show. Feb. 26.

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MARCH

Paula Fox, 93. A prize-winning author who created high art out of imagined chaos in such novels as “Poor George” and “Desperate Characters” and out of the real-life upheavals in her memoir “Borrowed Finery.” March 1.

Rene Preval, 74. A low-key technocrat who led Haiti as president during the devastating January 2010 earthquake and a messy and prolonged recovery. March 3.

Miriam Colon, 80. A pioneering actress in U.S. Latino New York theater who starred in films alongside Marlon Brando and Al Pacino. March 3.

Mother Divine, believed to be 92. The widow of Father Divine and leader for decades of a religious movement he founded that advocated racial equality and provided free food to thousands of people. March 4.

Robert Osborne, 84. The genial face of Turner Classic Movies and a walking encyclopedia of classic Hollywood. March 6.

Lynne F. Stewart, 77. A rebellious civil rights lawyer who was sentenced to a decade behind bars for helping a notorious Egyptian terrorist communicate with followers from his U.S. jail cell. March 7. Cancer.
George A. Olah, 89. His work won a Nobel Prize in chemistry and paved the way for more effective oil refining and ways of producing less polluting forms of gasoline. March 8.

Joseph Nicolosi, 70. A psychologist and major figure in the “ex-gay” movement that promotes a therapy designed to “cure” people of their homosexuality. March 8.

Robert James Waller, 77. His best-selling, bittersweet 1992 romance novel “The Bridges of Madison County” was turned into a movie starring Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood and later into a soaring Broadway musical. March 10.

Joni Sledge, 60. With her sisters, she recorded the enduring dance anthem “We Are Family.” March 10.

Amy Krouse Rosenthal, 51. A popular author, filmmaker and speaker who brightened lives with her wide-eyed and generous spirit — and broke hearts when she wrote of being terminally ill and leaving behind her husband. March 13.

Royal Robbins, 82. A rock climbing icon who founded the outdoor clothing company bearing his name. March 14.

Carl Clark, 100. A California man who was recognized six decades after his bravery during World War II with a medal of honor that had been denied because he was black. March 16.

Chuck Berry, 90. He was rock ‘n’ roll’s founding guitar hero and storyteller who defined the music’s joy and rebellion in such classics as “Johnny B. Goode,” ‘’Sweet Little Sixteen” and “Roll Over Beethoven.” March 18.

Cardinal Miloslav Vlk, 84. He ministered clandestinely to Catholics for years while officially working as a window-washer during communist rule in Czechoslovakia. March 18.

David Rockefeller, 101. The billionaire businessman and philanthropist who was the last in his generation of one of the country’s most famously philanthropic families. March 20.

Martin McGuinness, 66. The Irish Republican Army commander who led his underground paramilitary movement toward reconciliation with Britain. March 21.

Chuck Barris, 87. His game show empire included “The Dating Game,” ‘’The Newlywed Game” and that infamous factory of cheese, “The Gong Show.” March 21.

Colin Dexter, 86. The unassuming British writer who created curmudgeonly, music-loving Oxford detective Inspector Morse. March 21.

Jerry Krause, 77. The general manager of the Bulls during a 1990s dynasty that included six NBA championships with Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen.

Francine Wilson, 69. Her trial for killing her abusive husband became a landmark spousal abuse case and the subject of the 1984 TV movie “The Burning Bed.” March 22. Complications from pneumonia.

Ahmed Kathrada, 87. An anti-apartheid leader who spent 26 years in prison for opposing South Africa’s white minority government — much of that time alongside the country’s first black president, Nelson Mandela. March 28.

Gilbert Baker, 65. The creator of the rainbow flag that has become a widely recognized symbol of gay rights. March 31.

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APRIL

Yevgeny A. Yevtushenko, 84. An acclaimed Russian poet whose work focused on war atrocities and denounced anti-Semitism and tyrannical dictators. April 1.

Lonnie Brooks, 83. A Chicago blues musician whose relationship with his adopted hometown was cemented by his hit recording of Robert Johnson’s “Sweet Home Chicago.” April 1.

Ikutaro Kakehashi, 87. The Japanese engineer who pioneered digital music and founded synthesizer giant Roland Corp. April 1.

Paul O’Neill, 61. He founded the progressive metal band Trans-Siberian Orchestra that was known for its spectacular holiday concerts filled with theatrics, lasers and pyrotechnics. April 5.

Don Rickles, 90. The big-mouthed, bald-headed comedian whose verbal assaults endeared him to audiences and peers and made him the acknowledged grandmaster of insult comedy. April 6.

J. Geils, 71. He was founder of The J. Geils Band known for such peppy early 80s pop hits as “Love Stinks,” ‘’Freeze Frame” and “Centerfold.” April 11.

Dorothy Mengering, 95. The mother of host David Letterman, she became an unlikely celebrity in her 70s as she baked mystery pies and covered the Olympics for her son’s late-night show. April 11.

Dan Rooney, 84. The powerful and popular Pittsburgh Steelers chairman whose name is attached to the NFL’s landmark initiative in minority hiring. April 13.

Robert W. Taylor, 85. He was instrumental in creating the internet and the modern personal computer. April 13.

Jay Dickey, 77. A four-term Arkansas congressman who sponsored a bill to prevent certain research on gun violence and its effect on public health — and who later said he regretted the law. April 20.

Erin Moran, 56. The former child star who played Joanie Cunningham in the sitcoms “Happy Days” and “Joanie Loves Chachi.” April 22. Cancer.

Robert M. Pirsig, 88. His philosophical novel “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance” became a million-selling classic and cultural touchstone after more than 100 publishers turned it down. April 24.

Jonathan Demme, 73. The eclectic, ever-enthusiastic filmmaker behind the Oscar winners “The Silence of the Lambs” and “Philadelphia,” and the director of one of the most seminal concert films ever made, the Talking Heads’ “Stop Making Sense.” April 26.

Richard “Racehorse” Haynes, 90. A Houston lawyer famed for his flamboyant but successful trial defenses of millionaire and billionaire clients in some of Texas’ most notorious murder cases. April 28.

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MAY

Tony Alamo, 82. A one-time street preacher whose apocalyptic ministry grew into a multimillion-dollar network of businesses and property before he was convicted in Arkansas of sexually abusing young girls he considered his wives. May 2. Died in prison.

Heinz Kessler, 97. A former East German defense minister who was later convicted of incitement to manslaughter for upholding the shoot-to-kill policy at the communist country’s border. May 2.

Leo K. Thorsness, 85. The retired Air Force colonel was a highly decorated Vietnam War pilot who was shot down and held for six years at the notorious “Hanoi Hilton” prisoner camp, where he shared a cell with U.S. Sen. John McCain. May 4.

Allan H. Meltzer, 89. A distinguished economist and one of the country’s leading experts on the Federal Reserve. May 8.

Mauno Koivisto, 93. Finland’s last president during the Cold War who led the Nordic nation out of the shadow of its huge eastern neighbor, the Soviet Union, and into the European Union. May 12.

Powers Boothe, 68. The character actor known for his villain roles in TV’s “Deadwood,” and in the movies “Tombstone,” ‘’Sin City” and “The Avengers.” May 14.

Ian Brady, 79. A killer of five children whose role in the 1960s “Moors Murders” made him one of Britain’s most reviled criminals. May 15.

Oleg Vidov, 73. A matinee idol in the Soviet Union who defected to the United States at the height of the Cold War and then enjoyed a long film and TV career in Hollywood. May 15.

Chris Cornell, 52. A rocker who gained fame as the lead singer of the bands Soundgarden and Audioslave and was one of the leading voices of the 1990s grunge movement. May 17. Suspected suicide.

Roger Ailes, 77. He transformed TV news by creating Fox News Channel, only to be ousted at the height of his reign for alleged sexual harassment. May 18.

Reema Lagoo, 59. The Bollywood actress was the ever-smiling screen mother to some of India’s top actors. May 18. Cardiac arrest.

Stanislav Petrov, 77. A former Soviet military officer known in the West as “the man who saved the world” for his role in averting a nuclear war over a false missile warning at the height of the Cold War. May 19.

Dina Merrill, 93. The rebellious heiress who defied her super-rich parents to become a movie star, often portraying stylish wives or “the other woman.” May 22.

Roger Moore, 89. The suavely insouciant star of seven James Bond films. May 23.

Patti Upton, 79. She founded the multimillion-dollar home fragrance company Aromatique thanks to a popular homemade mix of pine cones, oils and spices she concocted to help a friend’s shop “smell like Christmas.” May 23.

Cortez Kennedy, 48. The Hall of Fame defensive tackle was a dominating force for the Seattle Seahawks in the 1990s. May 23.

Laura Biagiotti, 73. An Italian fashion designer who conquered global markets with her soft, loose women’s clothes and luxurious knits that won her the nickname “Queen of Cashmere.” May 26.

Jim Bunning, 85. A Hall of Fame pitcher who went on to serve in Congress. May 26.

Gregg Allman, 69. A music legend whose bluesy vocals and soulful touch on the Hammond B-3 organ helped propel The Allman Brothers Band to superstardom and spawn Southern rock. May 27. Cancer.
Manuel Noriega, 83. A former Panamanian dictator and onetime U.S. ally who was ousted as Panama’s dictator by an American invasion in 1989. May 29.

Constantine Mitsotakis, 98. A former conservative prime minister remembered for fierce confrontations with Greece’s liberal and socialist parties as well as early free-market reforms during a 60-year political career. May 29.

Reinhold Hanning, 95. A former SS sergeant whose 2016 conviction on 170,000 counts of accessory to murder for serving as an Auschwitz guard was hailed as a long-overdue victory for Holocaust victims. May 30.

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JUNE

Jim Piersall, 87. A former major leaguer who bared his soul about his struggles with mental illness in his book “Fear Strikes Out.” June 3.

Peter Sallis, 96. A British actor who played irrepressible, cheese-loving inventor Wallace in the “Wallace and Gromit” cartoons. June 2.

Donald Vidrine, 69. One of two BP supervisors on the Deepwater Horizon when the drilling rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. June 3.

Roger Smith, 84. He brought glamour to the TV detective genre as a hip private eye on “77 Sunset Strip.” June 4.

Adnan Khashoggi, 81. A Saudi arms dealer who was once one of the world’s richest men and was implicated in the Iran-Contra affair. June 6.

Glenne Headly, 62. An early member of the acclaimed Steppenwolf Theatre Company who went on to star in films and on TV. June 8.

Adam West, 88. His straight-faced portrayal of Batman in a campy 1960s TV series lifted the tight-clad Caped Crusader into the national consciousness. June 9.

Jerry Nelson, 73. An astronomer who designed advanced telescopes that help scientists glimpse far reaches of the universe. June 10.

Bill Dana, 92. A comedy writer and performer who won stardom in the 1950s and ‘60s with his character Jose Jimenez. June 15.

Helmut Kohl, 87. The physically imposing German chancellor whose reunification of a nation divided by the Cold War put Germany at the heart of a united Europe. June 16.

Venus Ramey, 92. A former Miss America who helped rally the nation during World War II and found renewed fame later in life by shooting out the tires of intruders at her Kentucky farm. June 17.

Otto Warmbier, 22. An American college student who was released by North Korea in a coma after almost a year and a half in captivity. June 19.

Carla Fendi, 79. One of the five sisters who transformed the family leather goods business into a global luxury fashion house long known for its furs. June 19.

Yuri Drozdov, 91. The Soviet spymaster who oversaw a sprawling network of KGB agents abroad. June 21.

Michael Bond, 91. He was creator of marmalade-loving children’s favorite Paddington bear. June 27.

Simone Veil, 89. A French survivor of Nazi death camps and European Parliament president who spearheaded abortion rights as one of France’s most prominent woman politicians. June 30.

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JULY

Joaquin Navarro-Valls, 80. A suave, silver-haired Spaniard who was a close confidant of Pope John Paul II, serving for more than two decades as chief Vatican spokesman. July 5.

Betty Dukes, 67. The Walmart greeter who took the retail giant all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court in the largest gender bias class-action lawsuit in U.S. history. July 10.

Chuck Blazer, 72. The disgraced American soccer executive whose admissions of corruption set off a global scandal that ultimately toppled FIFA President Sepp Blatter. July 12.

Christopher Wong Won, 53. Known as Fresh Kid Ice, he was a founding member of the Miami hip-hop group 2 Live Crew whose sexually explicit lyrics triggered a national debate over the legal limits of artistic freedom. July 13.

Hootie Johnson, 86. The South Carolina banker and Augusta National chairman who stubbornly stood his ground amid pressure for the club to invite female members. July 14.

Martin Landau, 89. The chameleon-like actor who gained fame as the crafty master of disguise in the 1960s TV show “Mission: Impossible,” then capped a long and versatile career with an Oscar for his poignant portrayal of aging horror movie star Bela Lugosi in 1994’s “Ed Wood.” July 15.

George Romero, 77. His classic “Night of the Living Dead” and other horror films turned zombie movies into social commentaries and he saw his flesh-devouring undead spawn countless imitators, remakes and homages. July 16.

Chester Bennington, 41. The Linkin Park lead singer whose screeching vocals helped the rock-rap band become one of the most commercially successful acts in the 2000s. July 20. Apparent suicide.

John Heard, 71. An actor whose many roles included the father in the “Home Alone” series and a corrupt detective in “The Sopranos.” July 21.

Barbara Sinatra, 90. The fourth wife of legendary singer Frank Sinatra and a prominent children’s advocate and philanthropist who raised millions of dollars to help abused youngsters. July 25.

Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, 46. A blind Aboriginal musician renowned for singing in his native Yolngu language with a heart-rending voice and a unique guitar-playing style. July 25.

Marian Cleeves Diamond, 90. She was a neuroscientist who studied Albert Einstein’s brain and was one of the first to show that the brain can improve with enrichment. July 25.

June Foray, 99. An actress who gave voice to Rocky the Flying Squirrel and hundreds of other cartoon characters. July 26.

Jeanne Moreau, 89. She was the smoky-voiced femme fatale of the French New Wave who starred in Francois Truffaut’s love triangle film “Jules and Jim” and worked with many other acclaimed directors during a decades-long career. July 31.

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AUGUST

Ara Parseghian, 94. He took over a foundering Notre Dame football program and restored it to glory with two national championships in 11 seasons. Aug. 2.

Ty Hardin, 87. A popular film and television actor who starred as the gunman Bronco Layne in the TV Western series “Bronco” and worked with Henry Fonda and Kirk Douglas among others. Aug. 3.

Haruo Nakajima, 88. He portrayed Godzilla in the original 1954 classic. Aug. 7. Pneumonia.

Glen Campbell, 81. The affable superstar singer of “Rhinestone Cowboy” and “Wichita Lineman” whose appeal spanned country, pop, television and movies. Aug. 8.

Barbara Cook, 89. Her shimmering soprano made her one of Broadway’s leading ingenues and later a major cabaret and concert interpreter of popular American song. Aug. 8.

Fadwa Suleiman, 46. An outspoken Syrian actress who took center stage at anti-government protests in the early days of the uprising against President Bashar Assad. Aug. 17.

Bruce Forsyth, 89. A legendary entertainer, host and quizmaster on English television whose career spanned the history of TV. Aug. 18.

Dick Gregory, 84. The comedian and activist and who broke racial barriers in the 1960s and used his humor to spread messages of social justice and nutritional health. Aug. 19.

Brian Aldiss, 92. One of the most prolific and influential science fiction writers of the 20th century. Aug. 19.

Jerry Lewis, 91. The manic, rubber-faced showman who rose to fame in a lucrative partnership with Dean Martin, settled down to become a self-conscious screen auteur and found an even greater following as the host of the annual muscular dystrophy telethons. Aug. 20.

Rafael “Felo” Ramirez, 94. A Hall of Fame baseball radio broadcaster who was the signature voice for millions of Spanish-speaking sports fans over three decades. Aug. 21.

Thomas Meehan, 88. A three-time Tony Award-winning book writer best known for transforming the Little Orphan Annie cartoon strip into the smash Broadway musical “Annie.” Aug. 21.

Tony de Brum, 72. He saw the effects of rising seas from his home in the Marshall Islands and became a leading advocate for the landmark Paris Agreement and an internationally recognized voice in the fight against climate change. Aug. 22.

Charlie Robertson, 83. A former Pennsylvania mayor who was acquitted of murder in the killing of a black woman during racial unrest in 1969. Aug. 24.

Cecil D. Andrus, 85. A former interior secretary who engineered the conservation of millions of acres of Alaska land during the Carter administration. Aug. 24. Complications from lung cancer.

Tobe Hooper, 74. The horror-movie pioneer whose low-budget sensation “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” took a buzz saw to audiences with its brutally frightful vision. Aug. 26.

David Tang, 63. A flamboyant and outspoken socialite and entrepreneur who founded the Shanghai Tang fashion brand. Aug. 29.

Sumiteru Taniguchi, 88. He devoted his life to seeking to abolish nuclear weapons after he was burned severely in the 1945 atomic bomb attack on his hometown of Nagasaki, Japan. Aug. 30.

Rollie Massimino, 82. The college basketball coach led Villanova’s storied run to the 1985 NCAA championship and won more than 800 games in his coaching career. Aug. 30. Cancer.

Richard Anderson, 91. The tall, handsome actor best known for costarring simultaneously in the popular 1970s television shows “The Six Million Dollar Man” and “The Bionic Woman.” Aug. 31.

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SEPTEMBER

Shelley Berman, 92. A comedian who won gold records and appeared on top television shows in the 1950s and 1960s delivering wry monologues about the annoyances of everyday life. Sept. 1.

Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, 85. The former Roman Catholic archbishop of Westminster in England. Sept. 1.

Walter Becker, 67. The guitarist, bassist and co-founder of the 1970s rock group Steely Dan, which sold more than 40 million albums and produced such hit singles as “Reelin’ In the Years,” ‘’Rikki Don’t Lose that Number” and “Deacon Blues.” Sept. 3.

John Ashbery, 90. An enigmatic giant of modern poetry whose energy, daring and boundless command of language raised American verse to brilliant and baffling heights. Sept. 3.

Sugar Ramos, 75. The Cuban featherweight champion whose fists led to two ring deaths — one inspiring a Bob Dylan song. Sept. 3. Complications from cancer.

Simeon Wright, 74. He was with his cousin Emmett Till when the Chicago boy was kidnapped in 1955 after whistling at a white woman in Mississippi. Sept. 4. Cancer.

Kate Millett, 82. The activist, artist and educator whose best-selling “Sexual Politics” was a landmark of cultural criticism and a manifesto for the modern feminist movement. Sept. 6.

Pierre Berge, 86. An influential French businessman, philanthropist and gay rights activist who helped build the fashion empire of his longtime lover Yves Saint Laurent. Sept. 8.

Troy Gentry, 50. As one half of Montgomery Gentry, he helped the country music duo become a successful act in the genre, launching countless hits, winning multiple awards and reaching platinum status throughout the 2000s. Sept. 8.

Don Williams, 78. An award-winning country singer with love ballads like “I Believe in You.” Sept. 8.

Peter Hall, 86. A visionary theater director and impresario who founded the Royal Shakespeare Company and helped build Britain’s National Theatre into a producing powerhouse. Sept. 11.

J.P. Donleavy, 91. An incorrigible Irish-American author and playwright whose ribald debut novel “The Ginger Man” met scorn, censorship and eventually celebration as a groundbreaking classic. Sept. 11.

Frank Vincent, 80. A veteran character actor known for playing gangster roles, including in “The Sopranos,” ‘’Goodfellas” and “Casino.”

Edith Windsor, 88. A gay rights pioneer whose landmark Supreme Court case struck down parts of a federal anti-gay-marriage law and paved a path toward legalizing same-sex nuptials nationwide. Sept. 12.

Grant Hart, 56. The drummer and vocalist for pioneering indie rock band Husker Du, which was seen as a major influence for Nirvana, the Pixies and other bands. Sept. 13. Cancer.

Jake LaMotta, 95. An iron-fisted battler who brawled his way to a middleweight title and was later memorialized by Robert De Niro in the film “Raging Bull.” Sept. 19.

Liliane Bettencourt, 94. The L’Oreal cosmetics heiress and the world’s richest woman. Sept. 20.

Liz Dawn, 77. The actress who played tart-tongued Vera Duckworth in the British soap opera “Coronation Street” for more than 30 years. Sept. 25.

Hugh M. Hefner, 91. The Playboy magazine founder who revved up the sexual revolution in the 1950s and built a multimedia empire of clubs, mansions, movies and television. Sept. 27.

Anne Jeffreys, 94. The actress and opera singer who likely had her greatest impact on TV audiences as Marion Kerby “the ghostess with the mostess” in the 1950s TV series “Topper.” Sept. 27.

Tom Alter, 67. A well-known Indian theater, television and Bollywood actor of American descent. Sept. 29. Cancer.

Monty Hall, 96. The genial TV game show host whose long-running “Let’s Make a Deal” traded on love of money and merchandise and the mystery of which door had the car behind it. Sept. 30.

Donald Malarkey, 96. A World War II paratrooper who was awarded the Bronze Star after parachuting behind enemy lines at Normandy to destroy German artillery on D-Day. Sept. 30.

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OCTOBER

S.I. Newhouse Jr., 89. The low-profile billionaire media mogul who ran the parent company of some of the nation’s most prestigious magazines. Oct. 1.

Robert D. Hales, 85. A top-ranking Mormon leader who left a successful career as a businessman to help guide the church. Oct. 1.

Dave Strader, 62. The hockey broadcaster known affectionately as “The Voice.” Oct. 1.

Arthur Janov, 93. A psychotherapist whose “primal therapy” had celebrities screaming to release their childhood traumas and spawned a best-selling book in the 1970s. Oct. 1.

Tom Petty, 66. An old-fashioned rock superstar and everyman who drew upon the Byrds, the Beatles and other bands he worshipped as a boy and produced new classics such as “Free Fallin,’ “Refugee” and “American Girl.” Oct. 2.

Jalal Talabani, 83. The Kurdish guerrilla leader who became Iraq’s president after the U.S. toppled Saddam Hussein and who embodied hopes for a unified, peaceful future. Oct. 3.

Connie Hawkins, 75. Basketball’s dazzling New York playground great who soared and swooped his way to the Hall of Fame. Oct. 6.

Jimmy Beaumont, 76. The lead singer of the doo-wop group the Skyliners and a co-writer of the iconic ballad “Since I Don’t Have You.” Oct. 7.

David Patterson Sr., 94. A Navajo Code Talker who used his native language to outsmart the Japanese in World War II. Oct. 8.

Jean Rochefort, 87. A French actor who starred in more than 100 movies over a half-century and was much loved by the French public. Oct. 9.

Y.A. Tittle, 90. The Hall of Fame quarterback played 17 years in pro football, including a memorable run for the New York Giants at the end of his career. Oct. 8.

Gord Downie, 53. He made himself part of Canada’s national identity with songs about hockey and small towns as lead singer and songwriter of iconic rock band The Tragically Hip. Oct. 17.

Paul Weitz, 85. A retired NASA astronaut who commanded the first flight of the space shuttle Challenger and also piloted the Skylab in the early 1970s. Oct. 23.

Fats Domino, 89. The amiable rock ‘n’ roll pioneer whose steady, pounding piano and easy baritone helped change popular music while honoring the traditions of New Orleans. Oct. 24.

Robert Guillaume, 89. He rose from squalid beginnings in St. Louis slums to become a star in stage musicals and win Emmy Awards for his portrayal of the sharp-tongued butler in the TV sitcoms “Soap” and “Benson.” Oct. 24.

Jane Juska, 84. Her chronicle of searching for sex as a woman in her 60s became a best-selling memoir and later a stage show. Oct. 24.

Dennis Banks, 80. He helped found the American Indian Movement and engaged in sometimes-violent uprisings against the U.S. government, including the armed occupation of Wounded Knee in 1973. Oct. 29.

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NOVEMBER

Richard “Dick” F. Gordon Jr., 88. The Apollo 12 astronaut was one of a dozen men who flew around the moon but didn’t land there. Nov. 6.

Roy Halladay, 40. A two-time Cy Young Award winner who pitched a perfect game and a playoff no-hitter for the Philadelphia Phillies. Nov. 7. Plane crash.

John Hillerman, 84. He played stuffed-shirt Higgins to Tom Selleck’s freewheeling detective Thomas Magnum in the 1980s TV series “Magnum, P.I.” Nov. 9.

Liz Smith, 94. A syndicated gossip columnist whose mixture of banter, barbs, and bon mots about the glitterati helped her climb the A-list as high as many of the celebrities she covered. Nov. 12.

Jeremy Hutchinson, 102. A towering legal figure who helped liberalize British laws around sex and freedom of expression. Nov. 13.

Lil Peep, 21. The rapper was a budding star whose emotional, downtrodden lyrics gained a cult following online. Nov. 15. Suspected drug overdose.

Ann Wedgeworth, 83. An actress who gained fame on film and Broadway before taking on the role of a flirty divorcee on “Three’s Company.” Nov. 16.

Salvatore ‘Toto’ Riina, 87. The Mafia “boss of bosses” who was serving 26 life sentences as the mastermind of a bloody strategy to assassinate both rivals and Italian prosecutors and law enforcement trying to bring down Cosa Nostra. Nov. 17.

Naim Suleymanoglu, 50. The Turkish weightlifter who won three Olympic gold medals and was known as “Pocket Hercules.” Nov. 18.

Malcolm Young, 64. The rhythm guitarist and guiding force behind the bawdy hard rock band AC/DC who helped create such head-banging anthems as “Highway to Hell,” ‘’Hells Bells” and “Back in Black.” Nov. 18.

Charles Manson, 83. The hippie cult leader who became the hypnotic-eyed face of evil across America after orchestrating the gruesome murders of pregnant actress Sharon Tate and six others in Los Angeles during the summer of 1969. Nov. 19.

Mel Tillis, 85. The affable longtime country music star who wrote hits for Kenny Rogers, Ricky Skaggs and many others, and overcame a stutter to sing on dozens of his own singles. Nov. 19.

Della Reese, 86. The actress and gospel-influenced singer who in middle age found her greatest fame as Tess, the wise angel in the long-running television drama “Touched by an Angel.” Nov. 19.

David Cassidy, 67. The teen and pre-teen idol who starred in the 1970s sitcom “The Partridge Family” and sold millions of records as the musical group’s lead singer. Nov. 21.

Joseph L. White, 84. A psychologist, social activist and teacher who helped pioneer the field of black psychology to counter what he saw as rampant ignorance and prejudice in the profession. Nov. 21. Heart attack.

Terry Glenn, 43. Standout wide receiver for the New England Patriots and Dallas Cowboys who caught Tom Brady’s first career touchdown pass. Nov. 21.

Dmitri Hvorostovsky, 55. The Russian baritone known for his velvety voice, dashing looks and shock of flowing white hair. Nov. 22.

Jon Hendricks, 96. The pioneering jazz singer and lyricist who with the trio Lambert, Hendricks & Ross popularized the “vocalese” singing style in which words were added to instrumental songs. Nov. 22.

Shadia, 86. An Egyptian actress and singer who captivated millions for decades with memorable singles and iconic film roles. Nov. 28.

Jim Nabors, 87. The Alabama-born comic actor who starred as TV’s dim but good-hearted Southern rube Gomer Pyle and constantly surprised audiences with his twang-free operatic singing voice. Nov. 30.
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DECEMBER

Perry Wallace, 69. He broke down a racial barrier in the Deep South by becoming the first black varsity basketball player in the Southeastern Conference. Dec. 1.

Ali Abdullah Saleh, age uncertain. A strongman and master of shifting alliances, he was Yemen’s president for 33 years until he stepped down in 2012 amid an Arab Spring uprising. Dec. 4. Killed by rebels.
Christine Keeler, 75. The central figure in the sex-and-espionage Profumo scandal that rocked Cold War Britain. Dec. 4.

Jean d’Ormesson, 92. A very public face among the usually discreet “immortals” of the prestigious Academie Francaise, whom French President Emmanuel Macron called a “prince of letters.” Dec. 5.

King Michael I, 96. Romania’s former monarch, who was forced to abdicate by the communists in the aftermath of World War II. Dec. 5.

Johnny Hallyday, 74. France’s biggest rock star for more than half a century and an icon who packed sports stadiums and all but lit up the Eiffel Tower with his pumping pelvis and high-voltage tunes. Dec. 6.

Bruce Brown, 80. He molded the modern image of surfer as seeker and transformed the sport with his 1966 surfing documentary “The Endless Summer.” Dec. 10.

Charles Jenkins, 77. A U.S. Army deserter to North Korea who married a Japanese abductee and lived in Japan after their release. Dec. 11.

Rabbi Aharon Leib Shteinman, 104. The spiritual leader of Israel’s non-Hasidic ultra-Orthodox Jews of European descent and one of the country’s most influential and powerful rabbis. Dec. 12