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.
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 (cause of death cited, if available):
January
Wayne Osmond, 73. The singer and guitarist was a founding member of The Osmonds, a million-album-selling family act known for such 1970s teen hits as “One Bad Apple,” “Yo-Yo” and “Down By the Lazy River.” 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.
Jean-Marie Le Pen, 96. He was a French nationalist who founded and served as leader of the National Front political party, which represented the main right-wing opposition to the country’s mainstream conservative parties from the 1970s through the early 21st century. Jan. 7.
Founder of France's Front National (FN) party, Jean-Marie Le Pen, poses during a photo session at his home in Saint-Cloud, France, on Jan. 14, 2021. Joel Saget/AFP via Getty Images
Peter Yarrow, 86. The singer-songwriter was 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. The first black woman to join the U.S. Army Nurse Corps after the military was desegregated in the 1940s retired as a major and was remembered by relatives and friends for quietly breaking down racial barriers during her long military career. Jan. 8.
Sam Moore, 89. He was the higher voice of the 1960s duo Sam & Dave, known for such definitive hits of the era as “Soul Man” and “Hold On, I’m Comin'.” Jan. 10.
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.
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 after World War II. Jan. 16.
Garth Hudson, 87. The Band’s virtuoso keyboardist and all-around musician 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.
Richard Williamson, 84. An ultratraditionalist Catholic bishop, he denied the Holocaust, but in 2009 Pope Benedict XVI rehabilitated him and other members of his breakaway society. Jan. 29.
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. The British pop star, muse, libertine, and old soul 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.
February
Horst Köhler, 81. A managing director of the International Monetary Fund, he became a popular German president before stunning the country by resigning abruptly in a flap over comments about its military. Feb. 1.Kultida Woods, 80. Tiger Woods credited his Thai-born mother with instilling his dominant spirit and encouraging him to wear red shirts on Sundays as his power color. Feb. 4.
Irv Gotti, 54. A music mogul who founded Murder Inc. Records, he was behind major hip-hop and R&B artists such as Ashanti and Ja Rule. Feb. 5.
Tony Roberts, 85. The versatile, Tony Award-nominated performer in plays and musicals appeared in several Woody Allen movies—often as Allen’s best friend. Feb. 7.
Gene Hackman, 95. The 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. Feb. 18. Found dead with his wife Betsy Arakawa.
Actor Gene Hackman arrives with his wife Betsy Arakawa for the 60th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Jan. 19, 2003. Mark J. Terrill/AP Photo
Paquita la del Barrio, 77. The Mexican musical legend was known for her powerful voice and fierce defense of women. Feb. 17.
James Harrison, 88. He was credited with saving 2.4 million babies through his record-breaking blood plasma donations over six decades in Australia. Feb. 17.
Mabel Staton, 92. The Black track and field standout broke through barriers as the only woman to compete for the United States in the long jump at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. Feb. 20.
Clint Hill, 93. The Secret Service agent 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.
Joe Fusco, 87. A College Football Hall of Fame coach, he won four NAIA Division II national championships in 19 years at Westminster College. Feb. 22.
Roberta Flack, 88. The Grammy-winning singer and pianist’s intimate vocal and musical style made her one of the top recording artists of the 1970s and an influential performer long after that. Feb. 24.
Michelle Trachtenberg, 39. A former child star in the hit 1996 movie “Harriet the Spy,” she went on to co-star in two buzzy millennial-era TV shows—“Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Gossip Girl.” The cause and manner of her death were officially listed as undetermined. Feb. 26.
Boris Spassky, 88. A Soviet-era world chess champion, he lost his title to American Bobby Fischer in a legendary 1972 match that became a proxy for Cold War rivalries. Feb. 27.
March
Angie Stone, 63. The Grammy-nominated R&B singer, a member of the all-female hip-hop trio The Sequence, who was known for the hit song “Wish I Didn’t Miss You,” died when her van crashed. March 1.Lincoln Diaz-Balart, 70. He was a Cuban American who opposed his uncle Fidel Castro and spent 18 years in the U.S. House of Representatives as a member of a politically powerful South Florida family. March 3.
Carl Dean, 82. Dolly Parton’s devoted husband of nearly 60 years avoided the spotlight and inspired 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 jazz vibraphonist, keyboardist, composer, and vocalist was known for his spacy, funky 1976 hit “Everybody Loves the Sunshine,” 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.
Robert G. Clark, 95. He was elected in 1967 as Mississippi’s first Black lawmaker of the 20th century and rose to the second-highest leadership role in the state House of Representatives. March 4.
D’Wayne Wiggins, 64. He co-founded 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. A basketball standout who led Louisville to a Final Four, he starred for the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks and then launched an even more successful career as a business owner with stakes in restaurants, publishing, and the Bucks franchise. March 11.
Alan Simpson, 93. The former U.S. senator 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 and the first woman to chair the powerful House Appropriations Committee. March 15.
Eddie Jordan, 76. He was a Formula 1 team owner and media personality whose humor, strong opinions, and often extravagant dress sense made him a popular TV pundit after selling the team. March 20.
George Foreman, 76. The fearsome heavyweight boxer lost the “Rumble in the Jungle” to Muhammad Ali before his inspiring second and third acts as a 45-year-old world champion and a successful business owner. March 21.
Mia Love, 49. A daughter of Haitian immigrants, the first Black Republican woman elected to Congress died of brain cancer. 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 handsome hero of the 1960s television series “Dr. Kildare” was known as the “king of the miniseries” for his roles in “The Thorn Birds” and “Shogun.” March 29.
Cast member Richard Chamberlain smiles at the premiere of "I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry" at the Gibson amphitheater in Universal City, Calif., on July 12, 2007. Mario Anzuoni/Reuters
April
Val Kilmer, 65. The brooding, versatile actor who played fan favorite Iceman in “Top Gun,” donned a voluminous cape as Batman in “Batman Forever” and portrayed Jim Morrison in “The Doors,” died of pneumonia. April 1.
Val Kilmer poses for a portrait in Nashville, Tenn., on Jan. 9, 2014. Mark Humphrey/AP Photo
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. His versatile drumming propelled the iconic rock group Blondie during its decades performing everything from new-wave punk to disco-infused tunes. April 6.
Rubby Pérez, 69. Known for songs such as “Volveré,” “El Africano,” and “Tu Vas a Volar” during a career devoted to merengue, the signature musical style of the Dominican Republic, he died after a nightclub roof collapsed. April 8.
Octavio Dotel, 51. He pitched for 13 major league teams in a 15-year career and won a World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals, and died in the same roof collapse in 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.
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.
Bob Filner, 82. A 10-term U.S. congressman, his political career ended abruptly after he was elected mayor of San Diego and driven from office amid sexual misconduct allegations. April 20.
Pope Francis, 88. History’s first Latin American pontiff charmed the world with his humble style and concern for poor people. April 21.
Pope Francis arrives for a visit to Saint Theresa's Home, a Catholic nursing home, in Singapore on Sept. 13, 2024. Tiziana Fabi/AFP via Getty Images
Steve McMichael, 67. A star defensive tackle on the Chicago Bears’ 1985 Super Bowl championship team whose larger-than-life personality later made him a natural for professional wrestling as “Ming the Merciless,” he died after battling ALS. 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. An advocate for sex trafficking survivors after emerging as a central figure in Epstein’s downfall, she died by suicide, according to her publicist. April 25.
Dick Barnett, 88. A basketball Hall of Famer, he played on both New York Knicks NBA championship teams after being part of a historic college powerhouse at Tennessee A&I. April 27.
May
Ruth Buzzi, 88. She rose to fame as the frumpy and bitter Gladys Ormphby 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. The award-winning singer-songwriter whose witty and poignant writing attracted widespread attention with the song “I Kissed a Girl,” died in a house fire. May 1.
George Ryan, 91. A tough-on-crime Republican who, as Illinois governor, cleared the state’s death row, he was disgraced by a corruption scandal that landed him in prison. May 2.
David H. Souter, 85. The retired Supreme Court justice was an ascetic bachelor and New Hampshire Republican who became a favorite of liberals during nearly 20 years on the bench. May 8.
Johnny Rodriguez, 73. The country music star was a popular Mexican American singer whose 1970s hits included “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 co-created “Bonnie and Clyde,” and received mainstream validation as the writer-director of “Kramer vs. Kramer” and “Places in the Heart.” May 11.
Christopher “Kit” Bond, 86. The Republican was Missouri’s youngest governor and later brought billions of dollars in federal funding to the state as a four-term U.S. senator. May 13.
George Wendt, 76. An actor with an everyman charm, he played the affable barfly Norm on the hit 1980s TV comedy “Cheers” and performed on Broadway in “Art,” “Hairspray” and “Elf.” May 20.
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.
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 Korean War surgical unit on the pioneering hit TV series “M.A.S.H.” May 30.
June
Jim Marshall, 87. The former Minnesota Vikings defensive end was one of four members of the famed Purple People Eaters, the backbone of four Super Bowl teams. June 3.Nina Kuscsik, 86. She campaigned for women’s inclusion in long-distance running and then won the Boston Marathon the first year women were officially allowed to run. June 8.
Sly Stone, 82. The revolutionary musician and dynamic showman led Sly and the Family Stone, transforming 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 wrote “The Day of the Jackal” and other bestselling thrillers. June 9.
Brian Wilson, 82. The Beach Boys’ visionary and leader, whose genius for melody, arrangements, and wide-eyed self-expression inspired “Good Vibrations,” “California Girls,” and other summertime anthems, becoming one of the world’s most influential recording artists. June 11.
Ananda Lewis, 52. The former MTV and BET host who became a beloved television personality in the 1990s with her warmth and authenticity died of breast cancer. June 11.
Anne Burrell, 55. The TV chef coached culinary fumblers through hundreds of episodes of “Worst Cooks in America.” June 17.
Anne Burrell visits SiriusXM Studios in New York City on Oct. 16, 2024. Santiago Felipe/Getty Images
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. His winsome smile and shaggy mop top helped make him into 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 served nine terms in Congress after being elected in 1996 as a crusader for gun control following a mass shooting on a New York commuter train that left her husband dead and her son severely wounded. June 26.
D. Wayne Lukas, 89. The Hall of Famer became one of horse racing’s most accomplished trainers and a face of the sport for decades. June 28.
July
Alex Delvecchio, 93. A member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, he helped the Detroit Red Wings win the Stanley Cup three times in the 1950s. July 1.Michael Madsen, 67. The actor 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.
Fauja Singh, 114. An Indian-born runner nicknamed the Turbaned Torpedo, believed to be the world’s oldest marathoner, died after being hit by a car. July 14.
Connie Francis, 87. The wholesome pop star’s 1950s and ’60s hits included “Pretty Little Baby” and “Who’s Sorry Now?”—the latter serving as an ironic title for a personal life filled with heartbreak and tragedy. July 16.
Felix Baumgartner, 56. The extreme athlete stunned the world in 2012 by skydiving faster than the speed of sound during a 24-mile leap from the stratosphere. He died in a paragliding crash. July 17.
Alan Bergman, 99. The Oscar-winning lyricist teamed with his wife, Marilyn, in a loving partnership that produced “How Do You Keep the Music Playing?,” “It Might Be You” and the classic “The Way We Were.” July 17.
Rex White, 95. He was NASCAR’s oldest living champion and a 2015 inductee into its Hall of Fame. July 18.
Malcolm-Jamal Warner, 54. His 40-year career as an actor and director began as the teenage son Theo Huxtable on “The Cosby Show,” a cultural phenomenon that helped define the 1980s. He drowned in the Caribbean Sea. July 20.
Ozzy Osbourne, 76. The gloomy lead singer of the pioneering band Black Sabbath became the godfather of heavy metal and then a doddering dad on reality TV. July 22.
Ozzy Osbourne at home in Los Angeles on Feb. 6, 2018. Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Live Nation
Chuck Mangione, 84. The two-time Grammy Award-winning musician 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.
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. July 24.
Wrestling legend Hulk Hogan greets the crowd during the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Crown Jewel pay-per-view at the King Saud University Stadium in Riyadh on Nov. 2, 2018. Fayez Nureldine/AFP via Getty Images
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 genre. July 24.
Dwight Muhammad Qawi, 72. The Hall of Fame fighter took up boxing in prison and became a two-weight world champion. July 25.
Ryne Sandberg, 65. The Hall of Fame second baseman 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 as he expanded the popularity of conjunto, Tejano, and Tex-Mex music. July 31.
August
Jeannie Seely, 85. She was the soulful country music singer behind such standards as “Don’t Touch Me.” Aug. 1.Stella Rimington, 90. Dame Stella was the first female chief of Britain’s MI5 intelligence agency and later a successful thriller writer. Aug. 3.
Loni Anderson, 79. She played a struggling radio station’s empowered receptionist on the hit TV comedy “WKRP in Cincinnati.” Aug. 3.
James Lovell, 97. The commander of Apollo 13 helped turn a failed moon mission into a triumph of on-the-fly can-do engineering. Aug. 7.
William H. Webster, 101. His troubleshooting skills and integrity helped restore public confidence as director of the FBI from 1978 to 1987 and the CIA from 1987 to 1991. Aug. 8.
Mike Castle, 86. The Republican moderate and former Delaware governor served 18 years in Congress, championing the popular 50 State Quarters Program. Aug. 14.
Tristan Rogers, 79. He played super spy Robert Scorpio on ABC’s “General Hospital.” Aug. 15.
Terence Stamp, 87. The British actor often played the role of a complex villain, including that of General Zod in the early Superman films. Aug. 17.
Humpy Wheeler, 86. He was a pioneering motorsports promoter as president and general manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway. Aug. 20.
Frank Caprio, 88. A retired municipal judge in Rhode Island, he found online fame as a caring jurist and host of “Caught in Providence.” Aug. 20.
Providence Municipal Court Judge Frank Caprio sits on the bench in Providence, R.I., on Aug. 10, 2017. Michelle R. Smith/AP Photo
James Dobson, 89. Founder of the conservative Christian ministry Focus on the Family, the child psychologist was a politically influential campaigner against abortion. Aug. 21.
Ron Turcotte, 84. The Hall of Fame jockey rode Secretariat to the Triple Crown in 1973. Aug. 22.
Angela Mortimer Barrett, 93. She overcame partial deafness and an intestinal infection to win three Grand Slam singles titles, including the 1961 Wimbledon. Aug. 25.
Randy “Duke” Cunningham, 83. His feats as a U.S. Navy flying ace during the Vietnam War catapulted him to Congress, where the Republican served eight House terms. Aug. 27.
September
Graham Greene, 73. A trailblazing Indigenous actor, his long career included an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Kicking Bird in “Dances with Wolves.” Sept. 1.Giorgio Armani, 91. The iconic Italian designer turned the concept of understated elegance into a multibillion-dollar fashion empire. Sept. 4.
Designer Giorgio Armani appears at the end of his Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2025 collection show for Giorgio Armani Prive in Paris, France, on Jan. 28, 2025. Sarah Meyssonnier/Reuters
Joseph McNeil, 83. He was one of four North Carolina college students whose refusal to leave a racially segregated Woolworth’s lunch counter 65 years ago helped spark nonviolent civil rights sit-ins across the South. Sept. 4.
The Duchess of Kent, 92. Born Katharine Lucy Mary Worsley, she famously broke royal protocol to hug a Wimbledon runner-up and stepped away from family duties to teach music in a public school. Sept. 4.
Polly Holliday, 88. The Tony Award-nominated screen and stage actor turned the catchphrase “Kiss my grits!” into a national retort as the gum-chewing, beehive-wearing server on the long-running CBS sitcom “Alice.” Sept. 9.
Charlie Kirk, 31. Rising from a teenage conservative campus activist to a top podcaster and ally of President Donald Trump, he was fatally shot during an appearance at a college in Utah. Sept. 10.
Conservative activist Charlie Kirk speaks on stage at America Fest 2024 in Phoenix on Dec. 22, 2024. Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images
Bobby Hart, 86. The songwriter was a key part of the Monkees’ multimedia empire, teaming with Tommy Boyce on such hits as “Last Train to Clarksville” and “I’m Not Your Steppin’ Stone.” Sept. 10.
Ricky Hatton, 46. The former boxing world champion, who rose to become one of the most popular fighters in the sport, had mental health struggles and was found dead due to hanging. Sept. 14.
Robert Redford, 89. The Hollywood golden boy became an Oscar-winning director, activist, and godfather for independent cinema under the name of one of his best-loved characters. Sept. 16.
Robert Redford received a Golden Lion award for lifetime achievement at the 74th Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, on Sept. 1, 2017. Alessandro Bianchi/Reuters
Brett James, 57. The Grammy award-winning country songwriter whose top hits included “Jesus, Take the Wheel” by Carrie Underwood and “When the Sun Goes Down” by Kenny Chesney died in a plane crash. Sept. 18.
Sonny Curtis, 88. A vintage rock ‘n’ roller, he wrote the raw classic “I Fought the Law” and posed the enduring question “Who can turn the world on with her smile?” as the writer-crooner of the theme song to “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.” Sept. 19.
Bernie Parent, 80. Considered one of the greatest hockey goalies, the Hall of Famer anchored the net for the Philadelphia Flyers’ two Stanley Cup championships in the 1970s. Sept. 21.
Claudia Cardinale, 87. The acclaimed Italian actor starred in some of the most celebrated European films of the 1960s and 1970s. Sept. 23.
October
Jane Goodall, 91. The conservationist was renowned for her groundbreaking chimpanzee field research and globe-spanning environmental advocacy. Oct. 1.
World-renowned primatologist and chimpanzee expert Jane Goodall visits Sydney's Taronga Zoo to observe an extended family of 19 chimpanzees, on July 14, 2006. Greg Wood/AFP via Getty Images
Joan B. Kennedy, 89. The former wife of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy endured family tragedies. Oct. 8.
Diane Keaton, 79. The Oscar-winning star’s quirky manner and emotional depth enthralled fans in movies including “Annie Hall,” “The Godfather” films, and “Father of the Bride.” Oct. 11.
Diane Keaton attends the Ralph Lauren SS23 Runway Show at The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, Calif., on Oct. 13, 2022. Amy Sussman/Getty Images
D’Angelo, 51. The Grammy-winning R&B singer recognized by his raspy yet smooth voice and for garnering mainstream attention with the shirtless “Untitled (How Does It Feel)” music video died of cancer. Oct. 14.
Ace Frehley, 74. The original lead guitarist and founding member of the glam-rock band Kiss captivated audiences with his elaborate galactic makeup and smoking guitar. Oct. 16.
Susan Stamberg, 87. The “founding mother” of National Public Radio was the first female broadcaster to host a national news program. Oct. 16.
Daniel Naroditsky, 29. The chess grandmaster who started as a child prodigy quickly became one of the most influential American voices in the sport. His cause of death was not made public. Oct. 20.
June Lockhart, 100. She became a mother figure for a generation of television viewers, whether at home in “Lassie” or “Lost in Space.” Oct. 23.
Nick Mangold, 41. As a New York Jets center he was one of the franchise’s greatest players, twice helping lead the team to the AFC championship game. He died of complications of kidney disease. Oct. 25.
November
Martha Layne Collins, 88. She was the first and only woman elected governor of Kentucky. Nov. 1.Dick Cheney, 84. The hard-charging conservative was a leading advocate for invading Iraq as one of the most powerful and polarizing vice presidents in U.S. history. Nov. 3.
Former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney attends the Conservative Political Action conference (CPAC) in Washington on Feb. 10, 2011. Mark Wilson/Getty Images
Diane Ladd, 89. The actor was nominated three times for Academy Awards, as the brash waitress in “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore,” the scheming parent in “Wild at Heart” and her role with daughter Laura Dern in “Rambling Rose.” Nov. 3.
James D. Watson, 97. His co-discovery of the twisted-ladder structure of DNA in 1953 helped light the long fuse on a revolution in medicine, crimefighting, genealogy, and ethics. Nov. 6.
Paul Tagliabue, 84. He helped bring labor peace and riches to the NFL during his 17 years as commissioner, but was criticized for not taking stronger action on concussions. Nov. 9.
Sally Kirkland, 84. The stage, film, and TV actor was best known for sharing the screen with Paul Newman and Robert Redford in “The Sting” and her Oscar-nominated title role in the 1987 movie “Anna.” Nov. 11.
Todd Snider, 59. The singer’s thoughtfully freewheeling tunes and cosmic-stoner songwriting made him a beloved figure in American roots music. Nov. 14.
Jimmy Cliff, 81. The charismatic reggae pioneer and actor starred in the landmark movie “The Harder They Come” and preached joy, defiance, and resilience in such classics as “Many Rivers to Cross,” “You Can Get it If You Really Want” and “Vietnam.” Nov. 24.
Tom Stoppard, 88. The British playwright was a playful, probing dramatist who won an Academy Award for his screenplay for 1998’s “Shakespeare In Love.” Nov. 29.
December
Charles Shay, 101. The decorated Native American veteran was a 19-year-old U.S. Army medic when he landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day and helped save lives. Dec. 3.Steve Cropper, 84. A lean, soulful guitarist and songwriter, he helped anchor the celebrated Memphis backing band Booker T. and the M.G.’s at Stax Records and co-wrote the classics “Green Onions,” ”(Sittin’ on) the Dock of the Bay” and “In the Midnight Hour.” Dec. 3.
This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org. Helplines outside the U.S. can be found at www.iasp.info/suicidalthoughts.