Obituaries
Pope Francis, who reached out to the margins of society, has died at 88
The pope was a strong advocate for the poor and the environment and a towering figure on the world stage, addressing not just Catholics but the men and women of our time.
Francis Davis, a figurehead of jazz criticism, has died
His wife, Fresh Air host Terry Gross, said the longtime contributor to The Village Voice and NPR had been living with emphysema and Parkinson's disease.
Wink Martindale, the genial game show host and early interviewer of Elvis, dies at 91
The legendary TV host of game shows "Tic-Tac-Dough" and "Gambit" died at his home in Rancho Mirage, California. He had been battling lymphoma for a year.
Jay North, TV’s mischievous ‘Dennis the Menace,’ dies at 73
Jay North, who starred as the towheaded mischief maker on TV's Dennis the Menace for four seasons starting in 1959, has died. He was 73.
Amadou Bagayoko, one half of Malian duo Amadou & Mariam, dies at 70
Bagayoko, an acclaimed guitarist and half of the Grammy-nominated blind duo Amadou & Mariam, died in his hometown of Bamako on Friday.
‘Oliver and Amanda Pig’ series author Jean Van Leeuwen dies at 87
The children's book author best known for her Oliver and Amanda Pig series has died at 87. Van Leeuwen wrote nearly 60 books, some of which sold millions of copies.
Defrocked former D.C. Cardinal Theodore McCarrick dies at 94
Theodore McCarrick, a once-powerful Catholic cardinal who was defrocked by Pope Francis in 2019 after a Vatican investigation determined he had molested adults and children, has died.
Remembering Michael Hurley, a godfather of folk music’s underground
Sometimes called the father of freak-folk, the 83-year-old singer-songwriter lived, worked and died on his own terms.
Appreciating the many onscreen moods of Val Kilmer
More than a hundred roles in a nearly four-decade career let Val Kilmer explore a wealth of human experience.
Max Frankel, former New York Times top editor, dies at 94
Frankel was The New York Times' executive editor from 1986 to 1994. He remained with the newspaper for nearly half a century, ushering it through different eras.
George Foreman, the fearsome heavyweight who became a beloved champion, dies at 76
The heavyweight who lost the "Rumble in the Jungle" to Muhammad Ali before authoring an inspiring second act as a 45-year-old champion and a successful businessman was 76.
Ex-F1 team owner and media personality Eddie Jordan has died at 76
Jordan ran his own team in the 1990s and 2000s in Formula 1. He became a popular pundit on TV after selling the team in 2005.
Aurelio Martínez, ambassador of Garifuna music, has died
The Honduran musician, one of the most recognized proponents of a Caribbean culture dating to the 17th century, died Monday in an airplane crash.
Jesse Colin Young, singer of The Youngbloods’ ‘Get Together,’ dies at 83
Prolific musician Jesse Colin Young, best known for being the voice of the '60s folk-rock anthem "Get Together," died on Sunday at age 83.
John Feinstein, sports writer and author of ‘A Season on the Brink,’ dies at 69
Feinstein was comfortable writing fiction and nonfiction, and took on an array of sports, including golf and tennis, but he was known most for his connection to college basketball
Sofia Gubaidulina, the composer who fused sound and spirituality, has died at age 93
One of the first modern women composers to reach international acclaim, Gubaidulina wrote bold music, inspired by Eastern and Western philosophies, and the joy of sound itself.
Playwright Athol Fugard, who chronicled apartheid and its aftermath, dies at 92
The celebrated South African playwright was known for Blood Knot, The Road to Mecca and "Master Harold"...and the Boys. He said his job was to make "leaps out of my reality and into other realities."
D’Wayne Wiggins, founding member of the R&B group Tony! Toni! Tone!, has died at 64
Wiggins died Friday morning after battling bladder cancer for over the past year, according to a statement released by his family on social media.
Roy Ayers, whose ‘Everybody Loves The Sunshine’ charmed generations, dies at 84
The vibraphonist, composer and jazz-funk pioneer helped inspire the neo-soul movement, and his best-known song was sampled over 100 times.
Carl Dean, Dolly Parton’s husband of nearly 60 years who inspired ‘Jolene,’ dies at 82
"Words can't do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years," Parton wrote in a statement.
James Harrison, whose blood donations saved over 2 million babies, has died
Harrison, whose plasma contained a rare antibody, rolled up his sleeve 1,173 times from 1954 to 2018. The Australian is credited with helping 2.4 million babies and advancing scientific research.
Angie Stone, soul singer who broke ground in hip-hop, dies at 63
Stone, a Grammy-nominated R&B singer who rose to fame in the late 1970s, was known for hits like "No More Rain" and "Wish I Didn't Miss You. She was killed in a road collision in Alabama on Saturday.
David Johansen, who fronted the New York Dolls, dies at 75
Johansen, a pioneer in punk music who found solo success under the moniker Buster Poindexter, died on Friday. His family announced last month that he had been in treatment for advanced stage cancer.
Martin Marty, leading scholar of American religion, dies at 97
Martin Marty, one of the foremost interpreters of religion in American public life, died on Tuesday. He was 97 years old.
Gene Hackman, who thrived playing the tough guy, dies at 95
Hackman epitomized a 1970s, edgy, tightly wound masculinity. He appeared in more than 100 movies and TV shows, and won Oscars for his performances in The French Connection and Unforgiven.
Actress Michelle Trachtenberg, of ‘Harriet the Spy’ and ‘Gossip Girl’ dies at 39
The actress was found dead in an apartment in Manhattan on Wednesday, police said.
Clint Hill, the Secret Service agent who tried to shield the Kennedys, dies at 93
Hill received Secret Service awards and was promoted for his actions that day, but for decades blamed himself for Kennedy's death, saying he would gladly have given his life to save the president.
Roberta Flack, singer of ‘Killing Me Softly,’ has died at age 88
The Grammy Award-winning artist and educator had shared an ALS diagnosis in 2022. She was best known for ballads such as "Killing Me Softly With His Song" and "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face."
Bestselling novelist Tom Robbins dies at 92
Robbins dazzled readers with the whimsy and imagination in his books, including Jitterbug Perfume, Skinny Legs and All and Even Cowgirls Get the Blues.
Birmingham Public Library Honors Civil Rights Leader Shelly Millender Jr.
The Board of Trustees at the Birmingham Public Library honored Shelly Millender Jr. who helped integrate the city’s libraries in 1963.
A Remembrance of John Floyd, Former Southern Living Editor-in-Chief
The former editor of Southern Living died this week from cancer.
Bernard Lockhart’s Work Ethic Fueled His Passion For Jazz And Community-Building
Bernard Lockhart, founder of Avondale's Jazz in the Park, died last month from complications related to COVID-19.
