End of an era: Famous people who died in 2025 ...Middle East

By Bernard McGhee | Associated Press

The death of Pope Francis brought change to the Catholic Church, which counts 1.4 billion adherents and is now led — for the first time — by an American pope. The fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk as he spoke before a crowd horrified many and prompted somber conversations about political violence.

And when trafficking victim Virginia Giuffre died by suicide, it brought additional scrutiny to the investigations of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. They were among the noteworthy and influential people who died in 2025 where the deaths themselves had a widespread impact.

RELATED: Obituaries: These Bay Area residents left us in 2025

The deaths of Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman and his wife became a source of both sadness and mystery after their bodies were found in their home in February. Authorities ultimately determined that Hackman, who was in the advanced stages of Alzheimer’s, died of heart disease, likely unaware that Betsy Arakawa had died from hantavirus a week earlier.

Meanwhile, the death of heavy metal icon Ozzy Osbourne, which came just weeks after his farewell concert, marked the end of an era in music. The year also saw the death of boxing great George Foreman, who memorably lost a much-watched match to Muhammad Ali but whose career had inspiring second and third acts as a world champion and successful business owner.

And the world said goodbye this year to Dick Cheney, the hard-charging conservative whose long career in public service included becoming one of the most powerful vice presidents in U.S. history under President George W. Bush.

Here is a roll call of some influential figures who have died this year:

David Lynch died Jan. 15. He was 78. 

JANUARY

David Lodge, 89: The British novelist and critic gently satirized academia, religion and his own loss of hearing in such praised narratives as the Booker Prize finalists “Small World” and “Nice Work”; Jan. 1

Rosita Missoni, 93: She was the matriarch of the iconic Italian fashion house that made colorful zigzag-patterned knitwear high fashion and helped launch Italian ready-to-wear; Jan. 1

Wayne Osmond, 73: The singer and guitarist was a founding member of the family act The Osmonds, who were known for such 1970s teen hits as “One Bad Apple,” “Yo-Yo” and “Down By the Lazy River”; Jan. 1

James Arthur Ray, 67: He was a self-help guru whose multimillion-dollar business toppled after he led a sweat lodge ceremony in Arizona that left three people dead; Jan. 3

Mike Rinder, 69: He was a former spokesperson for Scientology who later became one of the church’s most outspoken critics; Jan. 5

Jean-Marie Le Pen, 96: The founder of France’s far-right National Front was known for fiery rhetoric against immigration and multiculturalism that earned him both staunch supporters and widespread condemnation; Jan. 7

Peter Yarrow, 86: The singer-songwriter best known as one-third of Peter, Paul and Mary, the folk-music trio whose impassioned harmonies transfixed millions as they lifted their voices in favor of civil rights and against war; Jan. 7.

Nancy Leftenant-Colon, 104: She was the first Black woman to join the U.S. Army Nurse Corps after the military was desegregated in the 1940s; Jan. 8

Mike Hynson, 82: The surf icon, who was known for his iconic style, starred in the definitive surf movie “The Endless Summer”; Jan. 10

José “Cha Cha” Jiménez, 76. The prominent civil rights and liberation movement figure was a founder of the Young Lords in Chicago and co-founder of the Rainbow Coalition; Jan. 10

Sam Moore, 89: The surviving half and higher voice of the 1960s duo Sam & Dave that was known for such definitive hits of the era as “Soul Man” and “Hold On, I’m Comin’”; Jan. 10

Leslie Charleson, 79: The film and TV star was best known for playing Dr. Monica Quartermaine on “General Hospital” for nearly 50 years; Jan. 12

David Lynch, 78: The filmmaker was celebrated for his uniquely dark and dreamlike vision in such movies as “Blue Velvet” and “Mulholland Drive” and the TV series “Twin Peaks”; Jan. 16

Bob Uecker, 90: He parlayed a forgettable playing career into a punch line for movie and TV appearances as “Mr. Baseball” and a Hall of Fame broadcasting tenure; Jan. 16

Joan Plowright, 95: She was an award-winning British actor who with her late husband Laurence Olivier did much to revitalize the U.K.’s theatrical scene in the decades after World War II; Jan. 16

Jules Feiffer, 95: He was a Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist whose prolific output ranged from a long-running comic strip to plays, screenplays and children’s books; Jan. 17

Cecile Richards, 67: She was a national leader for abortion access and women’s rights who led Planned Parenthood for 12 tumultuous years; Jan. 20

Mauricio Funes, 65: The former president of El Salvador spent the final years of his life in Nicaragua to avoid various criminal sentences; Jan. 21

Garth Hudson, 87: He was The Band’s virtuoso keyboardist and all-around musician who drew from a unique palette of sounds and styles to add a conversational touch to such rock standards as “Up on Cripple Creek,” “The Weight” and “Rag Mama Rag”; Jan. 21

Barry Goldberg, 83: The acclaimed blues-rock musician, who was part of the band that backed Bob Dylan during his electric outing at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965, also performed with such stars as Steve Miller, Muddy Waters and Leonard Cohen; Jan. 22

Dick Button, 95: He was one of the most accomplished men’s figure skaters in history and one of his sport’s great innovators and promoters; Jan. 30

Marianne Faithfull, 78: She was a British pop star, muse, libertine and old soul who inspired and helped write some of the Rolling Stones’ greatest songs and endured as a torch singer and survivor of the lifestyle she once embodied; Jan. 30

Roberta Flack died Feb. 24. She was 88. 

February

Horst Köhler, 81: The onetime head of the International Monetary Fund who became a popular German president before stunning the country by resigning abruptly in a flap over comments about the country’s military; Feb. 1

Fay Vincent, 86: The former Major League Baseball commissioner served his three tumultuous years, and his tenure included the 1989 World Series between the Oakland A’s and San Francisco Giants that was paused due to the Loma Prieta earthquake; Feb. 1

Barbie Hsu, 48: She was a Taiwanese actress who starred in the popular TV drama “Meteor Garden” that once swept Asia; Feb. 2

The Aga Khan, 88: He became the spiritual leader of the world’s millions of Ismaili Muslims at age 20 as a Harvard undergraduate, and poured a material empire built on billions of dollars in tithes into building homes, hospitals and schools in developing countries; Feb. 4

Kultida Woods, 80: She was the Thai-born mother of Tiger Woods, whom he credits with instilling in him a dominant spirit and encouraging him to wear a red shirt on Sunday as his power color; Feb. 4.

Irv Gotti, 54: He was a music mogul who founded Murder Inc. Records and was behind major hip-hop and R&B artists such as Ashanti and Ja Rule; Feb. 5.

Virginia McCaskey, 102: She inherited the Chicago Bears from her father, George Halas, but avoided the spotlight during more than four decades as the team’s principal owner; Feb. 6

Tony Roberts, 85: He was a versatile, Tony Award-nominated theater performer at home in plays and musicals and who appeared in several Woody Allen movies — often as Allen’s best friend; Feb. 7

Sam Nujoma, 95: The fiery, white-bearded freedom fighter led Namibia to independence from apartheid South Africa in 1990 and served as its first president for 15 years, coming to be known as the father of his nation; Feb. 8

Tom Robbins, 92. The novelist and prankster-philosopher who charmed and addled millions of readers with such screwball adventures as “Even Cowgirls Get the Blues” and “Jitterbug Perfume.” Feb. 9.

Paquita la del Barrio, 77: She was a Mexican musical legend known for her powerful voice and fierce defense of women; Feb. 17

Mabel Staton, 92: The Black track and field standout broke through racial barriers and became the only woman to compete for the United States in the long jump at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics; Feb. 20

Clint Hill, 93: He was the Secret Service agent who leaped onto the back of President John F. Kennedy’s limousine after the president was shot, then was forced to retire early because he remained haunted by memories of the assassination; Feb. 21

FILE – Wayne Osmond performs during a taping of the Osmonds 50th anniversary show at the Orlean’s casino in Las Vegas on Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2007. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken, File) Peter Yarrow, the former member of Peter, Paul and Mary, made an appearance at Kepler's Books in Menlo Park on Monday.(Erika Goldring/Getty Images Archives)NASHVILLE, TN - JUNE 04: Sam Moore of Sam & Dave performs during Marty Stuart's 13th Annual Late Night Jam at the Ryman Auditorium on June 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Erika Goldring/Getty Images)Mike Hynson. (Toby Ogden) Leslie Charleson starred in "General Hospital." Leslie Charleson, who played popular character Dr. Monica Quartermaine for almost 50 years on “General Hospital,” has died, the program’s executive producer announced on January 12. (Valerie Durant/Disney General Entertainment Con/ABC/Getty Images via CNN Newsource)Milwaukee Brewers broadcaster Bob Uecker speaks to reporters before Game 1 of the NLCS between the Brewers and the Dodgers on Friday in Milwaukee. The 84-year-old has made a fabulous living ridiculing his own playing days. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) English actress Joan Plowright, UK, 17th October 1975. (Photo by Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)Musician Garth Hudson poses in Toronto on Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2010. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP) FILE – Jules Feiffer appears in New York on March 3, 1976. (AP Photo/Jerry Mosey, File) Christopher Furlong/Getty Images ArchivesLIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - APRIL 20: Singer-songwriter Marianne Faithfull poses next to artworks as she opens the Innocence And Experience exhibition at Tate Liverpool on April 20, 2012 in Liverpool, England. Marianne Faithfull is the latest co-curator in the acclaimed DLA Piper Series at Tate Liverpool where she worked with the curatorial team to select works from the Tate Collection for a new display. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group ArchivesDick Button acknowledges the crowd as he is honored during a break during the Championship Men's Short Program for the 2018 US Figure Skating Championships at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)FILE – Former baseball commissioner Fay Vincent offers remarks at the dedication of a plaque honoring 2006 National Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Ulysses Franklin “Frank” Grant in Williamstown, Mass., Aug. 10, 2006. (AP Photo/Tim Roske, File) FILE – Taiwanese singer Barbie Hsu, better known as “Da S” which means “Big S,” smiles as she arrives at the 26th Golden Melody Awards in Taipei, Taiwan on June 27, 2015. (AP Photo/Wally Santana, File) Tom Robbins photographed at home in La Conner, Wash., in July 1981.(Alan Hillyer / Writer Pictures via AP) FILE – Mexican singer Paquita La Del Barrio arrives at the Billboard Latin Music Awards, Sept. 23, 2021, at the Watsco Center in Coral Gables, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier, File) (Joyce Marshall/Star-Telegram via Associated Press Archives)FILE - Clint Hill, a member of the late First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy's secret service detail, speaks to the media after he laid a wreath on the JFK Tribute outside the Hilton Hotel, Friday, Nov. 22, 2013. (Joyce Marshall/Star-Telegram via AP, File)Reigning chess world champion Boris Spassky of the U.S.S. R., left, and international grandmaster Bobby Fischer of the United States, right, are seen during a game at the XIX World Chess Olympiad, in Siegen, Germany, on September 20, 1970. Two years later, their 1972 match in Iceland would captivate the world. (AP Photo/Heinz Ducklau) Carlo Allegri/Getty Images ArchivesPARK CITY, UT - JANUARY 28: Actress Michelle Trachtenberg of the film "Mysterious Skin" poses for portraits during the 2005 Sundance Film Festival January 28, 2005 in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Carlo Allegri/Getty Images)FILE – Actor Gene Hackman arrives with his wife, Betsy Arakawa, for the 60th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, Calif., Sunday, Jan. 19, 2003. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File) FILE - Buster Poindexter is seen at the Grammy Awards in New York's Radio City Music Hall, March 2, 1988. (AP Photo, File)DONALD TRAILL/ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVES Grammy-nominated soul singer Angie Stone returns to Art + Soul Oakland on Aug. 20 to headline the main stage concerts.THEMBA ADEBE/ASSOCIATED PRESS Vibraphonist Roy Ayers brings his quartet to Yoshi’s in Oakland for four shows.Committee Chairman Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., speaks Monday, June 29, 2020, on Capitol Hill in Washington, during the House Natural Resources Committee hearing on the police response in Lafayette Square. (Bonnie Cash/Pool via AP) FILE – Gov Michael Dukakis and his wife Kitty wave the American flag as they are cheered by delegates after Dukakis accepted the nomination as the presidential candidate in July 21, 1988 at the Democratic National Convention in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Charles Tasnadi, File) FILE – This June 27, 2012, photo shows actor Richard Chamberlain in Los Angeles. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP, file) Show Caption1 of 25FILE – Wayne Osmond performs during a taping of the Osmonds 50th anniversary show at the Orlean’s casino in Las Vegas on Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2007. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken, File) Expand

Roberta Flack, 88: The Grammy-winning singer and pianist had an intimate vocal and musical style that made her one of the top recording artists of the 1970s and an influential performer long after that; Feb. 24

Michelle Trachtenberg, 39: She was a former child star who appeared in the 1996 “Harriet the Spy” hit movie and went on to co-star in two buzzy millennial-era TV shows — “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Gossip Girl”; Feb. 26

Boris Spassky, 88: He was a Soviet-era world chess champion who lost his title to American Bobby Fischer in a legendary 1972 match that became a proxy for Cold War rivalries; Feb. 27

David Johansen, 75: The wiry, gravelly-voiced singer was the last surviving member of the glam and protopunk band the New York Dolls who later performed as his campy, pompadoured alter ego, Buster Poindexter; Feb. 28

Joseph Wambaugh, 88: He was a former Los Angeles police officer who drew on his experiences to write the true-crime bestseller “The Onion Field” and numerous gritty but darkly humorous novels; Feb. 28

Betsy Arakawa, 65; She was a concert pianist who was married to actor Gene Hackman, and owned a home furnishing business in Santa Fe, New Mexico

Gene Hackman, 95: He was an Oscar-winning actor whose studied portraits ranged from reluctant heroes to conniving villains and made him one of the industry’s most respected and honored performers

George Foreman died March 21. He was 76. 

March

Angie Stone, 63: The Grammy-nominated R&B singer was a member of the all-female hip-hop trio The Sequence and known for the hit song “Wish I Didn’t Miss You”; March 1

Joey Molland, 77: He was a guitarist with the Welsh pop-rock band Badfinger, which had big hits in the 1970s with “No Matter What” and “Day After Day”; March 1

George Lowe, 67: The performer was best known for providing the voice behind the irreverent animated superhero on Adult Swim’s “Space Ghost Coast to Coast”; March 2.

Carl Dean, 82: He was Dolly Parton’s devoted husband of nearly 60 years, famously avoiding the spotlight, but inspiring her timeless hit “Jolene”; March 3

Oleg Gordievsky, 86: The Soviet KGB officer helped change the course of the Cold War by covertly passing secrets to Britain; March 4

Roy Ayers, 84: The legendary jazz vibraphonist, keyboardist, composer and vocalist was known for his spacy, funky 1976 hit “Everybody Loves the Sunshine,” which has been sampled by such R&B and rap heavyweights as Mary J. Blige, N.W.A., Dr. Dre, 2Pac, Mos Def and Ice Cube; March 4

Sylvester Turner, 70: The longtime Texas lawmaker served as mayor of Houston during Hurricane Harvey in 2017, then became a U.S. congressman who held that job for two months before his death; March 5

D’Wayne Wiggins, 64: He was a founding member of the Grammy-nominated group Tony! Toni! Tone! behind the classic songs “Anniversary,” “It Never Rains (In Southern California)” and (Lay Your Head on My) Pillow”; March 7

Junior Bridgeman, 71: The basketball standout starred for the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks, then launched an even more successful career as a businessman with stakes in restaurants, publishing and the Bucks franchise; March 11

Ron Nessen, 90: He was a veteran broadcast journalist who was press secretary for President Gerald Ford and sought to restore the integrity that the position had lost during the Nixon administration; March 12

John Feinstein, 69; He was the best-selling author of the groundbreaking book “A Season on the Brink,” about college basketball coach Bob Knight, and was considered one of the country’s best sportwriters; March 13

Raúl M. Grijalva, 77: The Democratic congressman from Airzona was a champion of environmental protections and progressive ideals who took on principled but often futile causes during a two-decade career in Congress; March 13

Alan Simpson, 93. The former U.S. senator from Wyoming was a political legend whose quick wit bridged partisan gaps in the years before today’s political acrimony; March 14

Nita Lowey, 87; The former congresswoman was a long-serving New York Democrat who was the first woman to chair the powerful House Appropriations Committee; March 15

Eddie Jordan, 76: He was an ex-Formula 1 team owner and media personality whose humor, strong opinions and often extravagant dress sense made him a popular pundit on TV after selling the team in 2005; March 20

Kitty Dukakis, 88: She was the wife of former Massachusetts governor and Democratic presidential candidate Michael Dukakis, who spoke openly about her struggles with depression and addiction; March 21

George Foreman, 76: The fearsome heavyweight boxer lost the “Rumble in the Jungle” to Muhammad Ali before his inspiring second act as a 45-year-old world champion and a successful businessman; March 21

Mia Love, 49. The Utah lawmaker, who was the daughter of Haitian immigrants, became the first Black Republican woman elected to Congress; March 23

David Childs, 83: He was the lead architect of the One World Trade Center skyscraper that rose from the site where the Twin Towers collapsed in New York City during the 9/11 attacks; March 26

Richard Chamberlain, 90: The actor was the handsome hero of the 1960s television series “Dr. Kildare,” then found a second career as an award-winning “king of the miniseries”; March 29

Pope Francis died April 21. He was 88. (Photo by Vincenzo Pinto/AFP/Getty Images)

April

Val Kilmer, 65: The brooding, versatile actor played fan favorite Iceman in “Top Gun,” donned a voluminous cape as Batman in “Batman Forever” and portrayed Jim Morrison in “The Doors”; April 1

Theodore McCarrick, 94: The once-powerful Catholic cardinal was defrocked by Pope Francis in 2019 after a Vatican investigation determined he had molested adults and children; April 3

Jay North, 73: He starred as the towheaded mischief-maker on TV’s “Dennis the Menace” for four seasons starting in 1959; April 6

Clem Burke, 70: He was a versatile drummer who propelled the iconic rock group Blondie during its decades performing everything from new-wave punk to disco-infused tunes; April 6

Octavio Dotel, 51. He pitched for 13 major league teams in a 15-year career, including the Oakland Athletics, and won a World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals; April 8

Rubby Pérez, 69: Known for songs such as “Volveré,” “El Africano” and “Tu Vas a Volar,” the musician was considered an icon of merengue, the signature musical style of the Dominican Republic; April 8

Mario Vargas Llosa, 89: The Peruvian author was a Nobel literature laureate and a giant of Latin American letters; April 13

Sophie Nyweide, 24: She was a child actor who was best known for her co-starring roles in the films “Mammoth” and “Noah”; April 14

Wink Martindale, 91: The genial host of such hit game shows as “Gambit” and “Tic-Tac-Dough” also did one of the first recorded television interviews with a young Elvis Presley; April 15

Nora Aunor, 71: She became one of the biggest stars of Philippine cinema during a career that spanned seven decades; April 16

Bob Filner, 82: He was a 10-term U.S. congressman from Southern California whose long political career ended abruptly after he was elected mayor of San Diego and driven from office amid sexual misconduct allegations; April 20

Mike Patrick, 80: The longtime sportscaster was the original play-by-play voice of ESPN’s NFL coverage, and was best known for his work on “Sunday Night Football”; April 20

Pope Francis, 88: He was history’s first Latin American pontiff, charming the world with his humble style and concern for the poor but alienating conservatives with critiques of capitalism and climate change; April 21

Steve McMichael, 67: He was a star defensive tackle on the Chicago Bears’ famed 1985 Super Bowl championship team and his larger-than-life personality made him a fixture in the Windy City for decades; April 23

Virginia Giuffre, 41. She accused Britain’s Prince Andrew and other influential men of sexually exploiting her as a teenager trafficked by financier Jeffrey Epstein; April 25

Jiggly Caliente, 44: The drag performer came to fame as a contestant on “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” then later became a judge on “Drag Race Philippines”; April 27

Sister Inah Canabarro, 116: The Brazilian nun was the world’s oldest living person at the time of her death; April 30

Loretta Swit died May 30. She was 87. 

May

Ruth Buzzi, 88: The actress rose to fame on the groundbreaking sketch comedy series “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In” and made more than 200 television appearances during a 45-year career; May 1

Jill Sobule, 66: She was an award-winning singer-songwriter whose witty and poignant writing first attracted widespread attention with the gay-themed song “I Kissed a Girl”; May 1

George Ryan, 91: The former Illinois governor was disgraced by a corruption scandal that landed him in prison yet heralded by some for clearing the state’s death row; May 2.

David H. Souter, 85: The retired Supreme Court justice who was the ascetic bachelor and New Hampshire Republican who became a favorite of liberals during his nearly 20 years on the bench. May 8.

Johnny Rodriguez, 73: The country music star was a popular Mexican American singer best known for chart-topping hits in the 1970s such as “I Just Can’t Get Her Out of My Mind,” “Ridin’ My Thumb to Mexico” and “That’s the Way Love Goes”; May 9

Robert Benton, 92: The Oscar-winning filmmaker helped reset the rules in Hollywood as the co-creator of “Bonnie and Clyde,” and later received mainstream validation as the writer-director of “Kramer vs. Kramer” and “Places in the Heart”; May 11

José Mujica, 89. The former Uruguayan president was a onetime Marxist guerilla and flower farmer whose radical brand of democracy, plain-spoken philosophy and simple lifestyle fascinated people around the world; May 13

Charles Strouse, 96: The three-time Tony Award-winner was Broadway’s industrious, master melody-maker who composed the music for such classic musical theater hits as “Annie,” “Bye Bye Birdie” and “Applause”; May 15

George Wendt, 76. An actor with an Everyman charm, he played the affable, beer-loving barfly Norm on the hit 1980s TV comedy “Cheers” and later crafted a stage career that took him to Broadway; May 20

Gerald “Gerry” Connolly, 75. The congressman was an outspoken Democrat who sought key reforms in the federal government while bringing transformational development to his populous Virginia district. May 21

Jim Irsay, 65: The colorful owner of the Indianapolis Colts turned the franchise into a perennial title contender, while he also was famed for his ever-expanding musical collection and his purchase of original manuscripts; May 21

Susan Brownmiller, 90: She was a prominent feminist and author of the 1960s and ’70s whose “Against Our Will” was a landmark and intensely debated bestseller about sexual assault; May 24

Phil Robertson, 79: The “Duck Dynasty” patriarch turned his small duck calling interest in the sportsman’s paradise of northern Louisiana into a big business and conservative cultural phenomenon; May 25

Harrison Ruffin Tyler, 96: He was the last living grandson of U.S. President John Tyler, born 83 years after his grandfather left the White House, and was known for preserving his grandfather’s plantation in Virginia; May 25

Charles Rangel, 94: The former New York congressman was an outspoken, gravel-voiced Harlem Democrat who spent nearly five decades on Capitol Hill and was a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus; May 26

TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 12: Actor Val Kilmer speaks onstage at the "Twixt" press conference during the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival at TIFF Bell Lightbox on September 12, 2011 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)FILE – In this March 4, 2015, file photo, Cardinal Theodore McCarrick speaks during a memorial service in South Bend, Ind. (Robert Franklin/South Bend Tribune via AP, Pool, File) Clem Burke, the acclaimed drummer for Blondie and a New Wave icon, has died at age 70 of cancer, the band announced Monday. (Charles Sykes/Associated Press archives)FILE – Host Wink Martindale indicates a correct answer to a contestant during the taping of the television game show “Debt,” in Los Angeles, May 22, 1997. (AP Photo/Nick Ut, File) FILE – Philippine actress Nora Aunor poses with her trophy after winning the Best Actress Award for her movie “Thy Womb” at the Asian Film Awards during the 37th Hong Kong International Film Festival in Hong Kong on March 18, 2013. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File) Hunter Martin/Getty Images Archives via TNSESPN announcer Mike Patrick at dinner after Booz Allen Classic Pro Am, Congressional Country club in Bethesda, Maryland, on June 8, 2005. (Hunter Martin/Getty Images/TNS)Virginia Roberts Giuffre speaks at a press conference following a hearing where Jeffrey Epstein victims made statements at Manhattan Federal Court Tuesday, August 27, 2019 in Manhattan, New York. (Barry Williams for New York Daily News) Monica Schipper/Getty Images for Paramount+NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 26: Jiggly Caliente attends Paramount+ & RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars Cast Celebrate The S6 Premiere At Drive n' Drag at Randall’s Island Park on June 26, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images for Paramount+)In this photo released by LongeviQuest, Sister Inah Canabarro, 115, puts her hands together in prayer, in Porto Alegre, Brazil, Friday, February 16, 2024. (Carlos Macedo/LongeviQuest, via AP) Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images ArchivesPASADENA, CA - JANUARY 08: Actress Ruth Buzzi speaks during the 'The Best of Laugh-In' panel at the PBS portion of the 2011 Winter TCA press tour held at the Langham Hotel on January 8, 2011 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)FILE – Gov. George Ryan speaks with reporters at the Capitol in Springfield, Ill, on May 22, 2002. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman) FILE – In this July 9, 2008 file photo, Supreme Court Justice David Souter, reacts after speaking at a dedication ceremony at the State Supreme Courthouse in Concord, N.H. (AP Photo/Jim Cole, File) Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for TurnerNEW YORK, NY - MAY 14: George Wendt attends the TBS / TNT Upfront 2014 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden on May 14, 2014 in New York City. 24674_002_0135.JPG (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Turner)FILE – Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay talks during the Hall of Fame ring ceremony for Peyton Manning and Edgerrin James during an NFL football game, Sept. 19, 2021, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Zach Bolinger, File) FILE – Congressman Charles Rangel leaves a rally for airport workers at LaGuardia Airport in the Queens borough of New York, June 26, 2014. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File) FILE – Phil Robertson of the Duck Dynasty reality television program speaks at a Republican presidential candidate, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, campaign stop, Feb. 19, 2016, in Myrtle Beach, S.C. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File) FILE – Guitarist Rick Derringer performs at Radio City Music Hall in New York on July 7, 2010. (AP Photo/Evan Agostini, File) This 2010 image released by UC Irvine shows Kenyan author Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o. (Daniel A. Anderson/UC Irvine via AP) FILE – Susan Brownmiller poses on the streets of lower Manhattan in New York, Oct. 18, 1975. (AP Photo/Suzanne Vlamis, File) (Sherwood Forest Plantation via Associated Press)This undated photo provided by Annique Dunning, executive director of Sherwood Forest Plantation, shows Harrison Ruffin Tyler, grandson of U.S. President John Tyler, who died on May 25, 2025, at 96 years old. (Sherwood Forest Plantation via AP) FILE – Renee Victor appears at the premiere of “Coco” in Los Angeles on Nov. 8, 2017. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File) In this image taken from video, Jonathan Joss, an actor best known for his voice work on the animated television series “King of the Hill,” talks to reporters following a fire at his San Antonio, Texas, home on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. (KSAT via AP) FILE – Author Edmund White appears at his home in New York, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2019. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, file) FILE – British author Frederick Forsyth poses for a photograph in Hertford, England, Aug. 17, 2006. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File) Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images via CNN NewsourceAnne Burrell makes a culinary presentation during the Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival in October 2022 in New York City. Burrell has died at the age of 55. (Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images via CNN Newsource)GettyJERSEY CITY, NJ – DECEMBER 02: Actress Lynn Hamilton attends the 40th Anniversary Reunion Of ”The Waltons” at Landmark Loew’s – Jersey City on December 2, 2011 in Jersey City, New Jersey. (Photo by Bennett Raglin/Getty Images) FILE – Singer Bobby Sherman appears in Los Angeles on Dec. 21, 1972. (AP Photo/George Brich, File) FILE – Bill Moyers speaks during the wake for R. Sargent Shriver in Washington on Jan. 21, 2011. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File) FILE – Grammy Award winning composer Lalo Schifrin appears at his studio in Beverly Hills, Calif., on May 10, 2006. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File) Show Caption1 of 29TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 12: Actor Val Kilmer speaks onstage at the "Twixt" press conference during the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival at TIFF Bell Lightbox on September 12, 2011 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)Expand

Rick Derringer, 77: The guitarist and singer shot to fame at 17 when his band The McCoys recorded “Hang On Sloopy,” had a hit with “Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo” and earned a Grammy Award for producing “Weird Al” Yankovic’s debut album; May 26

Presley Chweneyagae, 40: The South African actor gained international recognition for his leading role in the 2005 film “Tsotsi”, which won South Africa’s first-ever Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film; May 27

Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, 87: The revered Kenyan man of letters and voice of dissent who in dozens of fiction and nonfiction books traced his country’s history from British imperialism to home-ruled tyranny. May 28

Bernard Kerik, 69: He served as New York City’s police commissioner on 9/11 and later pleaded guilty to tax fraud before being pardoned; May 29

Loretta Swit, 87. She won two Emmy Awards playing Maj. Margaret Houlihan, the demanding head nurse of a behind-the-lines surgical unit during the Korean War on the pioneering hit TV series “M.A.S.H.”; May 30

Etienne-Emile Baulieu, 98: The French scientist was best known as the inventor of the abortion pill; May 30

Renée Victor, 86: She voiced the no-nonsense, sandal-throwing Abuelita in Disney’s animated hit “Coco” and played the wisecracking Lupita on Showtime’s “Weeds”; May 30

Brian Wilson died June 11. He was 82. 

June

Jonathan Joss, 59: The Native American actor had scores of TV, film and voice roles, including “King of the Hill” and “Parks and Recreation”; June 1

Jim Marshall, 87: The former Minnesota Vikings defensive end was one of the four members of the famed Purple People Eaters front that formed the backbone of four Super Bowl teams; June 3

Shigeo Nagashima, 89: He was known in Japan as “Mr. Pro Baseball” and was one of the most famous people in the country during his playing days; June 3

Edmund White, 85; The author of best-selling novel “A Boy’s Own Story” was a pioneer of gay literature; June 3

Niède Guidon, 92: The Brazilian archaeologist was known for discovering hundreds of prehistoric cave paintings in Brazil and for her research challenging theories of ancient human presence in the Americas; June 4

Nina Kuscsik, 86: She campaigned for women’s inclusion in long-distance running and won the Boston Marathon the first year women were officially allowed to enter the race; June 8

Sly Stone, 82: He was a revolutionary musician whose Sly and the Family Stone transformed popular music in the 1960s and ’70s and beyond with such hits as “Everyday People,” “Stand!” and “Family Affair”; June 9

Frederick Forsyth, 86: The British author of “The Day of the Jackal” wrote several bestselling thrillers; June 9

Brian Wilson, 82: He was the Beach Boys’ visionary leader whose genius inspired such songs as “Good Vibrations,” “California Girls” and other summertime anthems, and made him one of the world’s most influential recording artists; June 11

Ananda Lewis, 52: The former MTV and BET host became a beloved television personality in the 1990s with her warmth and authenticity; June 11

Anne Burrell, 55: She was a TV chef who coached culinary fumblers through hundreds of episodes of “Worst Cooks in America”; June 17

Lynn Hamilton, 95: The actress had a long theatrical, film and TV career, including roles on the shows “Sanford and Son” and “The Waltons”; June 19

Mick Ralphs, 81: The guitarist, singer and songwriter was a founding member of the classic British rock bands Bad Company and Mott the Hoople; June 23

Bobby Sherman, 81: He was a teen idol in the 1960s and ’70s with bubblegum pop hits like “Little Woman” and “Julie, Do Ya Love Me”; June 24

Carolyn McCarthy, 81: She successfully ran for Congress in 1996 as a crusader for gun control after a mass shooting on a New York commuter train left her husband dead and her son severely wounded; June 26

Bill Moyers, 91: He was a former White House press secretary who became one of television’s most honored journalists, masterfully using a visual medium to illuminate a world of ideas; June 26

Lalo Schifrin, 93. He was an award-winning composer who wrote the catchy theme for “Mission: Impossible” and more than 100 other arrangements for film and TV; June 26

Ozzy Osbourne died July 22. He was 76. 

July

Alex Delvecchio, 93: He was a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame who helped the Detroit Red Wings win the Stanley Cup three times in the 1950s; July 1

Jimmy Swaggart, 90: He was a televangelist who became a household name, amassing an enormous following and multimillion-dollar ministry, only to be undone by his penchant for prostitutes; July 1

Julian McMahon, 56: The Australia-born actor had dozens of roles in his career, including in the “Fantastic Four” films and the TV show “Nip/Tuck”; July 2

Diogo Jota, 28: The Portuguese soccer star played for his national team as well as with Liverpool FC in the English Premier League; July 2

Michael Madsen, 67: The actor was best known for his coolly menacing, steely-eyed, often sadistic characters in the films of Quentin Tarantino, including “Reservoir Dogs” and “Kill Bill: Vol. 2”; July 3

David Gergen, 83: The veteran of Washington politics served as an adviser to four presidents in a career spanning decades in government, academia and media. July 10.

Andrea Gibson, 49: The celebrated poet and performance artist who, through their verse, explored gender identity, politics and their 4-year battle with terminal ovarian cancer; July 14

Rev. John MacArthur, 86: He was an influential and exacting evangelical preacher. July 14

Fauja Singh, 114: The Indian-born runner, nicknamed the Turbaned Torpedo, was believed to be the world’s oldest marathon runner; July 14

Connie Francis, 87: She was a wholesome pop star of the 1950s and ’60s whose hits included “Pretty Little Baby” and “Who’s Sorry Now?” — the latter would serve as an ironic title for a personal life filled with heartbreak and tragedy; July 16

Felix Baumgartner, 56: The extreme athlete was the first skydiver to fall faster than the speed of sound during a 24-mile leap through the stratosphere more than a decade ago; July 17

Alan Bergman, 99: He was an Oscar-winning lyricist who teamed with his wife, Marilyn, for an enduring and loving partnership that produced such old-fashioned hits as “How Do You Keep the Music Playing?,” “It Might Be You” and “The Way We Were”; July 17

Malcolm-Jamal Warner, 54: As teenage son Theo Huxtable on “The Cosby Show,” he was central to a cultural phenomenon that helped define the 1980s; July 20

Thomas Anthony Durkin, 78: He was a nationally prominent criminal defense attorney who, for five decades, was a fixture in Chicago’s courthouses and who was known for his relentless advocacy for a roster of notorious clients; July 21

Chuck Mangione, 84: He was a two-time Grammy Award-winning musician who achieved international success in 1977 with his jazz-flavored single “Feels So Good” and later became a voice actor on the animated TV comedy “King of the Hill”; July 22

Ozzy Osbourne, 76: The gloomy, demon-invoking lead singer of the pioneering band Black Sabbath became the godfather of heavy metal, then gained a new generation in the reality TV show “The Osbournes”; July 22

Hulk Hogan, 71: The mustachioed, headscarf-wearing, bicep-busting icon of professional wrestling turned the sport into a massive business and stretched his influence into TV, pop culture and conservative politics during a long and scandal-plagued second act; July 24

Cleo Laine, 97: Her husky contralto was one of the most distinctive voices in jazz, and she was regarded by many as Britain’s greatest contribution to the quintessentially American music; July 24

Wallis Annenberg, 86: She was billionaire philanthropist who backed arts, science and other causes in the Los Angeles area; July 28

Ryne Sandberg, 65: He was a Hall of Fame second baseman who became one of baseball’s best all-around players while starring for the Chicago Cubs; July 28

Flaco Jimenez, 86: The legendary accordionist from San Antonio won multiple Grammys and helped expand the popularity of conjunto, Tejano and Tex-Mex music; July 31

Loni Anderson died Aug. 3. She was 79. 

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