Tag Archives: People we lost in 2013

Dec 31 2013

2013 Obits – October

October 27 – Lou Reed, 71 – died from liver disease, after having a transplant earlier this year. Lou Reed brought a mercurial and sometimes aggressive disposition to rock music. He was a singer, songwriter and guitarist whose work with the Velvet Underground in the 1960s had a major influence on generations of rock musicians.

Marcia Wallace

Marcia Wallace

October 25 – Marcia Wallace, 70 – died from complications related to breast cancer as reported from several media outlets. Wallace was the bubbly receptionist for six seasons on The Bob Newhart Show made guest appearances on ALF, Murphy Brown and various game shows and built a second career as a voice-over actress, giving life to Edna Krabappel, Bart Simpson’s cynical fourth grade teacher on “The Simpsons.”

October 25 – Nigel Davenport, 85 – English actor known for Chariots of Fire, A Man for All Seasons, Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan and many others had an imposing build, deep voice, large mustache and gleaming eyes. If you look him up at imdb.com, his body of work is enormous. He was a founding member of the English Stage Company (ESC) at the Royal Court. He was twice married and divorced. He is survived by his children, writer Hugo Davenport and actors Laura Davenport and Jack Davenport and five grandchildren.

Nigel Davenport, left, as the Duke of Norfolk with Paul Scofield as Thomas More in the 1966 film A Man for All Seasons. Photograph: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Nigel Davenport, left, as the Duke of Norfolk with Paul Scofield as Thomas More in the 1966 film A Man for All Seasons. Photograph: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

October 18: Francisco Rafael Arellano Felix, 63 – convicted drug trafficker was shot to seath in the Baja beach resort of Los Cabos by a gunman wearing a clown costume including a wig and a rubber nose. Ha, ha you say. It just so happened to be during an International Clown Convention. The dead man was the eldest brother of Mexico’s once-feared Arellano Felix clan. (This is all the keystrokes and space I plan on wasting on this particular obit.)

October 18: Robert Mazer, 90 – American industrialist, Chicago White Sox owner.

October 17: Tom Foley, 84 – House Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, a one time U.S. ambassador to Japan and a man who took his job seriously, but never himself. He had been in declining health, his wife Heather confirmed.

October 16: Ed Lauter, 74 – veteran character actor, whose long face and stern expression made him instantly recognizable in movies and TV shows died of mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer most commonly caused by exposure to asbestos.

Gummy Bear

Gummy Bear

October 15: Hans Riegel, 90 – German entrepreneur and owner of the Haribo empire that produces 100 million gummi bears every day.

October 10: Scott Carpenter, 88 – one of the last surviving original Mercury 7 astronauts and the second American to orbit the Earth.

October 1: Tom Clancy, 66 – died in a Baltimore hospital. A former insurance broker, he wrote his first book, The Hunt for Red October (1984) in his spare time. It sold more than five million copies. He went on to write a string of best-selling spy and military thrillers. His 17th novel, Command Authority, is due out in December.

Dec 31 2013

2013 Posts – September

Mario-Montez

Mario Montez

Sept. 26: Mario Montez, 78 – died from complications of a stroke in Key West, Florida. Mr. Montez, whose glamour and poise as a drag performer elevated him to the heights of avant-garde theater and cinema in the 1960s, made him a fixture in films by Andy Warhol. The Berlin International Film Festival presented him with a lifetime achievement award in “queer film” in 2012.

Sept. 25: Paul Oliver, 29 – a defensive back for five seasons with the San Diego Chargers was found dead at his home in Marietta, GA of a self-inflicted gun-shot wound.

Sept. 18: Ken Norton Sr., 70 – former heavyweight boxing champion (defeated Muhammad Ali in 1973) and actor, died at a hospital where he had been undergoing rehabilitation since suffering a stroke last year. He had congestive heart failure.

Sept. 16: Patsy Swayze, 86 – the mother of Patrick Swayze died after suffering a stroke at her Simi Valley, California home.

Sept. 12: Omar Hammami (aka al-Amriki aka The American) – killed in an ambush after falling out with Somalia’s al Shabaab group leader. Hammami, originally from Alabama had ascended the ranks of al-Shabaab high enough to attract a $5 million US government bounty was illed in an ambush ordered by that group’s leader, witnesses said.

Sept. 6: Alexis Urbina, 17 – national champion boxer is dead after being found severely beaten in his family’s south Phoenix home and police believe it’s a homicide. Alexis Urbina died from his injuries at a hospital after the Phoenix Police found him unconscious and covered in blood at 1:30pm pm Tuesday, Sept. 3. There were no obvious signs of forced entry into the house, but some of his boxing memorabilia was missing.

Sept. 3: Ariel Castro, 52 – the man responsible for holding Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michele Knight captive for over a decade was found dead in his cell at the Correctional Reception Center in Orient, Ohio at 9:20pm. In early October, it was discovered that two correctional officers had doctored some of their daily logs. It was also reported that Castro may have died due to sexual asphyxiation. It was later determined that this was not true.

Dec 24 2013

2013 Obits – August

Blue II

Blue II

August 31: Blue II, 8 – the English bulldog mascot for Butler’s men’s basketball championship games in 2010 and 2011 died from complications from congestive heart failure. Blue appeared on the floor of every Butler’s men’s basketball home game, select away games and at the 2010 and 2011 Final Four games. He’s been succeeded by Blue III, also known as Trip.

August 24: Julie Harris, 87 – unprepossessing anti-diva who, in the guises of Joan of Arc, Mary Todd Lincoln, Emily Dickinson and other characters both fictional and real, became the most decorated performer in the history of Broadway, died of congestive heart failure at her home in Chatham, Mass.

August 23: Stephen Crohn, 66 – known as “The man who can’t catch AIDS, was a man notable for a genetic mutation, causing him to be immune to the HIV virus. Crohn has the “delta 32” mutation on the CCR5 receptor. His sister, Amy Crohn Santagata confirmed his suicide. “My brother saw all his friends around hiim dying, but he didn’t die, she told The New York Times. “He went through a tremendous amount of survivor guilt about that and said to himself, ‘There’s got to be a reason.'”

Sid Bernstein with Paul McCartney

Sid Bernstein with Paul McCartney

August 21: Sid Bernstein, 95 – a soft-spoken impresario whose long career included bring the Beatles to Carnegie Hall in 1964 and Shea Stadium in 1965 died in Manhattan.

August 20: Elmore Leonard, 87 – a prolific crime novelist died at his home in Bloomfield Township, Michigan. His louche characters, deadpan dialogue and immaculate prose style in novels like “Get Shorty,” “Freaky Deaky” and “Glitz” established him as a modern master of American genre writing.

August 20: Charles Pollock, 83 – an industrial designer whose vision of a simple line in space led him to develop sleek, functional chairs that became a hallmark of executive suites in the latter 20th century died in a fire in South Jamaica, Queens.

Lee Thompson Young

Lee Thompson Young

August 19: Lee Thompson Young, 29 – a child star from the Disney Channel and a gifted actor who played Barry Frost on “Rizzoli & Isles” since its debut season in 2010. The cause was suicide.

August 15: Lisa Robin Kelly, 43 – best known for her recurring role on the hit sitcom “That ’70s Show,” died in Los Angeles at a drug rehab center, but the cause had not yet been determined. Her roommate and former boyfriend, John Michas, had taken her there on Monday, August 12.

August 14: Gia Allemand, 29 – Former ‘Bachelor’ contestant who hailed from Queens, NY was found unconscious by her boyfriend, Ryan Anderson, and was rushed to the hospital. She was later taken off life support due to a “critical loss of brain and organ function.”

Eydie Gorme

Eydie Gorme

August 10: Eydie Gorme, 84 – the Voice of Sophisticated Pop, the lively singer with a remarkable range who performed for decades with her husband, Steve Lawrence, died in Las Vegas.

August 7: Margaret Pellegrini, 89 – one of the last three surviving Munchkins from the 1939 film “The Wizard of Oz” died in Phoenix. She had never entirely recovered from a stroke she had several months prior. At 15 she stood 3’4″ and became one of MGM’s 124 Munchkins. She attended the ceremony when the Munchkins collectively received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2007.

August 5: George Duke, 67 – jazz pianist, keyboardist, who crossed genre boundaries died from heat complications after being treated for chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Dixie Evens

Dixie Evens

August 3: Dixie Evens, 86 – who brought ‘Monroe’ to Burlesque Houses and was a popular stage performed, died in Las Vegas. Her death was announced on the web site “the Burlesque Hall of Fame”, of which she was a former curator and director. Ms. Evans was a marquee name in the 50s, mentioned in the same breathe as Gypsy Rose Lee, Sally Rand and Lili St. Cyr. She was featured in newspaper articles and television programs about burlesque and appeared in the 2010 documentary “Behind the Burly Q.”

Dec 24 2013

2013 Obits – July

Eileen Brennan in the 1971 film "The Last Picture Show." Columbia Pictures, via Photofest

Eileen Brennan in the 1971 film “The Last Picture Show.” Columbia Pictures, via Photofest

July 28: Eileen Brennan, 80 – with her smoky voice, she worked film and stage and was in show business for more than 20 years before gaining her widest attention as a gleefully tough army captain in the film and television versions of Private Benjamin.

July 24: Virginia Johnson Master, 88 – she was a famed researched and helped debunk sexual myths but before she became famous as a pioneering sex researcher, she was a twice-divorced mother of two who came to St. Louis in 1957 looking for secretarial work. It was there she met William Masters, a prominent OB-GYN physician at Washington University School of Medicine. He asked whether helping with sex research would bother her. “But why does anyone need help?” she answered. “Ginie” Johnson went from secretary to assistant to full research partner with Masters. According to her biographer, Masters told Johnson that her job would require having sex with him. They married in 1971 and went on to open the Masters & Johnson Institute in St. Louis and opened the world’s eyes to sexuality.

July 22: Dennis Farina, 69 – Veteran character actor and star of Saving Private Ryan, Manhunter, Unsolved Mysteries, Out of Sight, Get Shorty, Midnight Run, Dennis Farina was best known for playing his fair share of weathered tough guys. A former Chicago police officer, he became Detective Joe Fontana in NBC’s long-running drama series Law & Order. Relegated to supporting roles, he experienced a late career breakthrough in 2011 with the release of Joe Maggio’s solemn character study “The Last Rites of Joe May.” This writer’s favorite — “Manhunter” opposite William Petersen, a Michael Mann directed movie based on the Thomas Harris novel “Red Dragon.” Brian Cox played Hannibal Lecktor and Dennis Farina was Jack Crawford. Petersen played Will Graham. This was in 1986. Edward Norton reprised the role in 2002. He was in high school when this movie was made. Part of it was filmed in the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, Georgia.

July 21: Willie Reed, 76 – American key witness to the killing of Emmett Till in 1955. Willie Reed was just 18 years old when he stood up as a witness in the murder trial of two Mississippi men charged with lynching and killing Emmett Till, a 14-year-old boy who had reportedly flirted with a 21-year-old white woman when he stopped to buy candy at a local grocery store.

July 19: Helen Thomas, 92 – pioneering front-row White House journalist died after a long illness. Ms. Thomas covered 10 presidents over nearly half a century and was a legend in the industry.

July 17: Vaughn Ross, 41 – convicted murderer, was executed by the Texas Dept. of Criminal Justice Huntsville Unit and pronounced dead at 6:38pm. He was convicted of a double murder 12 years ago in Lubbock. The U.S. Supreme Court denied a request to halt the execution. He had been on death row for more than a decade.

July 16: Talia Castellano, 13 – CoverGirl star passed away from neuroblastoma, which she fought for over 6 years. She was also diagnosed with pre-leukemia. The charismatic teen got her first taste of fame after inspiring hundreds of thousands of people with her makeup tutorials on YouTube. In fact, over 15 million views on her candid clips alone. Ellen DeGeneres, who is a representative of CoverGirl surprised her with her own advertisement from the brand.

Cory Monteith

Cory Monteith

July 14: Cory Monteith, 31 – 6′ 3″ Cory Monteith, Canadian actor, drummer, musician, gained worldwide attention when “Glee” made its debut on the Fox network in 2009. Cory played Finn Hudson from Ohio. He was found dead in a hotel room in Vancouver, British Columbia on Saturday around noon after he missed his scheduled checkout time. His death was caused by “a mixed drug toxicity, involving heroin and alcohol,” the British Columbia Coroners Service said.

July 14: Dennis Burkley, 67, the character actor known for his work on TV’s “King of the Hill,” voiced Principal Moss, played Redd Foxx’s junkyard partner, a biker in “Mask” and Sonny Crockett (no, not that Sonny Crockett) died in his sleep at his home in Sherman Oaks, Calif. He had been battling health problems for some time, said his son Shawn.

Chase

Chase

July 8: Chase, 13 – Trenton Thunder passed along news that Chase, their 13-year-old team bat dog, passed away on Monday, July 8. Chase made his debut with the Thunder in 2002 and went on to entertain millions of fans at Arm & Hammer Park. He was also a fixture in the local community, visiting schools and special events throughout the region. Chase was seen worldwide on CNN and Japanese television, nationally on ESPN, FOX and the YES Network as well as numerous local television stations.

July 7: Michael Mastromarino, 49 – a former dental surgeon who was charged with running a $4.6 million enterprise that plundered tissue and bone from corpses and sold them for transplants and research. He was still serving a prison term. The cause of death was complications of metastatic liver cancer.

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Dec 24 2013

2013 Obit – June

June 30: Jim Kelly, 67 – the afro, street swagger and memorable one-liners of martial arts movies in the 70s in the prominent role alongside Bruce Lee in Enter the Dragon died in San Diego from cancer.

June 26: Kimberly McCarthy, 52 – was the 500th death inmate to be executed by the state of Texas. She was put to death using lethal injection for the 1997 murder of her 71-year old neighbor.

June 26: Marc Rich, 78 – Commodities trader and Glencore founder who received a pardon from former President Bill Clinton on his final day in office, died in Lucerne, Switzerland from a stroke. In 1983 he was indicted on 65 criminal counts that included tax fraud and trading with Iran when it was holding American hostages.

June 26: Justin Miller, 35 – a pitcher for four teams during a major league career that spanned seven seasons was found dead but the cause of death has not been released by the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office.

June 23: Bobby Blue Bland, 83 – a distinguished singer who blended Southern blues and soul in songs died due to complications from an ongoing illness at his Memphis, Tenn. home, surrounded by relatives. He was known as the “Sinatra of the blues” and was heavily influenced by Nat King Cole. He was a contemporary of B.B. King and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1992.

June 23: Richard Matheson, 87 – Known as R.C., Richard Matheson’s novels, short stories, screenplays and teleplays drew the blueprints for dozens of science fiction and horror movies and television shows. He died at his home in Calabasas, CA. He had a prolific imagination for the “what if?” story and got his ideas from actual events and other stories. He wrote the short story “Due” after being tailgated by a truck drive; the story became the basis for Steven Spielberg’s first feature film.

Actor James Gandolfini at the Regency Hotel in New York, Oct. 18, 2010. (Fred R. Conrad/The New York Times)

Actor James Gandolfini at the Regency Hotel in New York, Oct. 18, 2010. (Fred R. Conrad/The New York Times)

June 19: James Gandolfini, 51 – died of cardiac arrest while on vacation in Rome, leaving behind his wife Deborah and two children. An Italian-American raised in New Jersey, he was successful in television, movies and theatre.

June 19: Slim Whitman, 90 – died of heart failure at Orange Park Medical Center, Miami, Florida. He was the country singer, the high-pitched yodeler who sold millions of records through ever-present TV ads in the 1980s and 1990s and whose song saved the world in the film comedy “Mars Attacks!.”

June 18: Michael Hastings, 33 – One of the great reporters of his generation, Michael Hastings died in an early morning car accident in Los Angeles. Hastings was a BuzzFeed writer at the time. He wrote for Newsweek, Rolling Stone, Los Angeles Times (Andi Leadership Institute – I Lost My Love in Baghdad, The Operators, Panic 2012)

June 12: Jason Leffler, 37 – died after an accident in a heat race at a dirt car event at Bridgeport Speedway in New Jersey.

June 8: Arturo Vega, 65 – the artist behind The Ramones’ iconic logo. A native of Mexico, Vega served as the band’s artistic director for 22 years, opened his home to Joey and Dee Dee during their formative years and later served as the band’s archivist.

Richard Ramirez

Richard Ramirez

June 7: Richard Ramirez, 53 – known as the “Night Stalker,” Ramirez claimed to be inspired by Satan when he killed 14 people and terrorized California during 1985.

June 6: Esther Williams, swimming champion-turned-movie star.

Jiah Khan

Jiah Khan

June 4: Jiah Khan, 25 – Bollywood actor hung herself in her home, allegedly ruled as suicide. Sources close to the actor said she had been depressed for some time due to personal issues.

June 3: David “Deacon” Jones, 74 – Hall of Fame defensive end, the original “sack master” and credited with terming the word sack for how he knocked down quarterbacks. The Washington Redskins said that Jones died of natural causes at his home in Southern California.

June 3: Frank R. Lautenberg, 89 – died in Manhattan due to complications of viral pneumonia. In 2010 he was diagnosed with stomach cancer. He was a New Jersey Senator in his 5th Term who fought the alcohol and tobacco industries and promoted Amtrak.

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