Obituary Stories category
‘Buck Rogers’ star Gil Gerard dies at 82
Actor Gil Gerard, best known for playing the title character in the popular TV series “Buck Rogers in the 25th Century,” has died. He was 82. Gerard died on Tuesday of “a rare and viciously aggressive form of cancer,” according to a Facebook post from his wife, Janet Gerard. “From...
Anthony Geary, ‘General Hospital’ legend and 8-time Daytime Emmy winner, dies at 78
Anthony Geary, the Daytime Emmy winner who played half of “General Hospital’s” supercouple Luke Spencer and Laura Baldwin, died Sunday. He was 78. “The entire #GeneralHospital family is heartbroken over the news of Tony Geary’s passing. Tony was a brilliant actor and set the bar that we continue to strive...
Rob Reiner, ‘When Harry Met Sally’ director, ‘All in the Family’ actor and political activist, dead at 78
Rob Reiner, the son of a comedy giant who became one himself as one of the preeminent filmmakers of his generation with movies such as “The Princess Bride,” “When Harry Met Sally …” and “This Is Spinal Tap,” has died. He was 78. Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer, were...
Sophie Kinsella, author of the millions-selling ‘Shopaholic’ novels, dies at 55
LONDON — Writer Sophie Kinsella, whose effervescent rom-com “Confessions of a Shopaholic” sparked a millions-selling series, died Wednesday, her family said. She was 55 and had been diagnosed with brain cancer. The family said in a statement on Kinsella’s Instagram account that “she died peacefully, with her final days filled...
Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, actor who performed in ‘Mortal Kombat,’ has died at 75
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, a Tokyo-born actor known for his roles in the film “Mortal Kombat” and TV series “The Man in the High Castle” has died. He was 75. Tagawa died surrounded by his family in Santa Barbara from complications due to a stroke, his manager, Margie...
Steve Cropper, guitarist and member of Stax Records’ Booker T and the M.G.’s, dies at 84Video
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Steve Cropper, the lean, soulful guitarist and songwriter who 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,” has died. He was...
Eugene Hasenfus, key figure in 1980s Iran-Contra affair, dies at 84
MADISON, Wis. — Eugene Hasenfus, who played a key role in unraveling the Iran-Contra affair after his CIA-backed supply plane was shot down over Nicaragua in 1986, has died. Hasenfus died on Nov. 26 in Menominee, Michigan, after a nine-year battle with cancer, according to his obituary from the Hansen-Onion-Martell...
Fuzzy Zoeller, 2-time major champion haunted by racist joke about Tiger Woods, dies at 74
Fuzzy Zoeller, a two-time major champion and one of golf’s most gregarious characters whose career was tainted by a racially insensitive joke about Tiger Woods, has died, according to a longtime colleague. He was 74. A cause of death was not immediately available. Brian Naugle, the tournament director of the...
One of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre’s last survivors, Viola Ford Fletcher, dies at 111Video
DALLAS — Viola Ford Fletcher, who as one of the last survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre in Oklahoma spent her later years seeking justice for the deadly attack by a white mob on the thriving Black community where she lived as a child, has died. She was 111....
Jimmy Cliff, reggae giant and star of landmark film ‘The Harder They Come,’ dead at 81
NEW YORK — Jimmy Cliff, the charismatic reggae pioneer and actor who preached joy, defiance and resilience in such classics as “Many Rivers to Cross,” “You Can Get it If You Really Want” and “Vietnam” and starred in the landmark movie “The Harder They Come,” has died at 81. His...
News industry veteran Robert Hammond remembered for dedication, friendship
Rob Hammond, who rose through the ranks at Trib Total Media to become general manager of The McKeesport Daily News, was remembered by former colleagues this week as much for his leadership as for his passion for the news industry. Hammond, of Elizabeth Township, died Monday at age 75. “Rob...
Former Duquesne journalism professor Maggie Patterson dies
Maggie Jones Patterson, a revered journalism professor who mentored generations of student reporters at Duquesne University, returned to campus in October to help celebrate the student newspaper’s 100th anniversary. Just weeks later, the longtime educator and advocate for young journalists died Monday of a heart attack following surgery, leaving behind...
Paul Tagliabue, NFL commissioner who ran league in era of riches and expansion, dies at 84
NEW YORK — Paul Tagliabue, who 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, died Sunday from heart failure. He was 84. NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said Tagliabue’s family informed the league of...
Victor Conte, who sold undetectable steroids to elite athletes in baseball and track, has died at 75
Victor Conte, the architect of a scheme to provide undetectable performance-enhancing drugs to professional athletes including baseball stars Barry Bonds and Jason Giambi and Olympic track champion Marion Jones decades ago, has died. He was 75. Conte died Monday, SNAC System, a sports nutrition company he founded, said in a...
Dick Cheney, one of the most powerful and polarizing vice presidents in U.S. history, dies at 84
Dick Cheney, the hard-charging conservative who became one of the most powerful and polarizing vice presidents in U.S. history and a leading advocate for the invasion of Iraq, has died at age 84. Cheney died Monday night due to complications of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease, his family said...
Diane Ladd, 3-time Oscar nominee, dies at 89
OJAI, Calif. — Diane Ladd, the three-time Academy Award nominee whose roles ranged from the brash waitress in “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore” to the protective mother in “Wild at Heart,” has died at 89. Ladd’s death was announced Monday by daughter Laura Dern, who issued a statement saying her...
Former Jets center Nick Mangold dies at 41, less than 2 weeks after announcing he had kidney diseaseVideo
Nick Mangold’s long, blond hair and bushy beard made him instantly recognizable. His gritty, outstanding performance on the field for the New York Jets made him one of the franchise’s greatest players. Mangold, a two-time All-Pro center who helped lead the Jets to the AFC championship game twice, has died,...
Former Buccaneers standout running back Doug Martin dies at 36
Doug Martin, a two-time Pro Bowl running back for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who played seven seasons in the NFL, died Saturday, according to his family. He was 36. “It is with great sadness to inform you all that Doug Martin passed away Saturday morning,” Martin’s family said in a...
Limp Bizkit shares death of bassist Sam Rivers, 48, in emotional post
Bassist Sam Rivers, a founding member of Limp Bizkit, has died. He was 48. News of Rivers’ death was shared by the band’s official Instagram account, which noted he died on Saturday. A cause of death was not disclosed. The statement signed by Limp Bizkit’s Fred Durst, Wes Borland, John...
Ace Frehley, Kiss’ original lead guitarist and founding member, dies at 74
Ace Frehley, the original lead guitarist and legendary “Spaceman” of KISS, has died. Frehley died Thursday, Oct. 16, after reportedly being on life support following a recent fall at his home. He was 74. The rocker’s family said the musician passed away peacefully, surrounded by family in Morristown, New Jersey,...
Joan Bennett Kennedy, first wife of late Sen. Ted Kennedy, dies at 89
Joan Bennett Kennedy, the first wife of the late Massachusetts Sen. Edward “Ted” Kennedy, has died. She was 89. Kennedy died in her sleep at her Boston home on Oct. 8, according to a family statement provided to the Cape Cod Times, part of the USA Today Network. “Besides being...
Joe Grushecky remembers Houserockers keyboardist Gil Snyder
Gil Snyder, keyboardist for the Iron City Houserockers and collaborator with several other groups, died Sunday. He was 72. The Iron City Houserockers were a legendary Pittsburgh band fronted by Joe Grushecky, who posted the news of Snyder’s death on Facebook. “It is with great sadness that our Houserocker family...
Late Trafford Elementary teacher prioritized connection with students
Shannon Dornauer recalls how Trafford Elementary School teacher Mike Martinelli knew how to make all of his students feel welcome in his classroom. “I just remember him being very friendly and outgoing. He always made everybody feel very included and comfortable,” said Dornauer, 37, of Latrobe. “Back in elementary school,...
Wildlife advocate, primate expert Jane Goodall dies at 91Video
Scientist and global activist Jane Goodall, who turned her childhood love of primates into a lifelong quest for protecting the environment, died on Wednesday at the age of 91, the institute she founded said. Goodall died of natural causes, the Jane Goodall Institute said in a social media post. “Dr....
Russell M. Nelson, oldest-ever president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, dies
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Russell M. Nelson, the oldest-ever president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, died Saturday night at the age of 101, church officials announced. Nelson died at his home in Salt Lake City, the church announced. Nelson, a former heart surgeon, spent four...
