For the past couple years, I have found it centering to go through and list the people who died who somehow touched my life and briefly note why here. Its been quite a year, actually. Packed house this year. Here is 2016's List (Sorted by last name):
Cassius Clay/Muhammad Ali: Conscientious objector extraordinaire. Social Activist. Oh yea, and boxer, too.
David Bowie: aka Ziggy Stardust. He was only 69. Cancer.
Fidel Castro: Revolutionist. America nose-thumber.
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| Muhammad Ali. Had trouble picking between this picture and the one with him standing with Malcom X. |
Leonard Cohen: Hallelujah. Singer of his own style.
Natalie Cole: Singer. Daughter of Nat King Cole. She was really sick, generally stemming from drug addiction issues, but heart failure finally got her.
Pat Conroy: Awesome author from South Carolina who wrote about his screwed up childhood.
Umberto Eco: Author.
Keith Emerson: ...as in "Emerson, Lake and Palmer." Not a good year for ELP, see below.
Glenn Frey: Lead Singer of the Eagles. I loved his 1993 Live Album. He was only 67. He had a messy death caused by medication to help rheumatoid arthritis.
Ron Glass: Harris on Barney Miller. The second Millerite to die this year. Also famous for other things.
Dan Haggerty: Actor. Grizzly Adams.
Pat Harrington: Actor. The janitor on One Day At a Time.
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| Bad-ass white dude |
D. A. Henderson: Bad-ass white dude who didn't do much - oh yea, well there was that whole "eradicate small pox" thing, but aside from that, not much.
Gordie Howe: Hockey player. Unfortunately, a Red Wing, but we'll let that slide for now. Father of Mark Howe, an NHL Hall of Famer as well.
David Huddleston: Actor. Most notably, the Big Lebowski.
Gwen Ifill: News person. Awesome news person.
Sharon Jones: Singer with a big voice
Paul Kanter: Founding member of Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship.
Paul Kanter: Founding member of Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship.
Greg Lake: ...as in "Emerson, Lake and Palmer." Not a good year for ELP, see above.
Garry Marshall: Creator of just about every sit-com in the 1970's. Laverne Fazio's fathah.
Garry Marshall: Creator of just about every sit-com in the 1970's. Laverne Fazio's fathah.
George Martin: Produced the Beatles records.
George Michael: One of several who tried to step in for Freddy Mercury. One of the more successful attempts.
Bill Nunn: was an actor who did a lot of work with Denis Leary. I especially liked his character in the TV show "The Job".
Bill Nunn: was an actor who did a lot of work with Denis Leary. I especially liked his character in the TV show "The Job".
Shimon Peres: one of the last reasonable Prime Ministers of Isreal
Prince: Also formerly known as the Artist Formerly Known as Prince. Also awesome. Overdose on prescription medication.
Janet Reno: First female Attorney General, appointed by President Clinton. Parkinson's disease.
Alan Rickman: Actor. Remember that German bastard in Die Hard. Him.Doris Roberts: Actor. Ray Barone's mother.
Leon Russell: Singer and songwriter.
Morley Safer: One of the last old-school reporters.
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| Maurice White - Earth, Wind and Fire |
Antonin Scalia: Supreme Court Justice. Died to make way for the even more crazies.
Garry Shandling: Comedian. Actor.Pat Summitt: Women's Basketball Coach at UT. Not without her baggage, I just love successful coaches of women's athletics. Alzheimers.
Abe Vigoda: Fish on Barney Miller. Seriously. Just now. He was 94.
Elie Wiesel: Author. Holocaust survivor. If you haven't read "Night", you should.
Bernie Worrell: Member of Parliament and Funkadelic. Give up the Funk, man.Maurice White: Founder of Earth, Wind and Fire.
Gene Wilder: Actor. If you don't know who he is, well, I probably can't help you.
Buckwheat Zydeco: The last professional accordionist, unless you consider Weird Al to be an accordionist. From a former professional accordionist.
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