Born 1919

Warren Upton (1919–2024), oldest living Pearl Harbor survivor

Warren Upton was a U.S. Navy veteran and the last remaining survivor of the bombing of the USS Utah at Pearl Harbor. 

Eleanor Collins (1919–2024), Canada's First Lady of Jazz

Eleanor Collins was a jazz singer widely known as Canada's First Lady of Jazz, who broke ground on television when she became the first woman and first Black artist in Canada to host her own national television series, “The Eleanor Show.” 

Elinor Otto (1919–2023), one of the original Rosie the Riveters

Elinor Otto was one of the original Rosie the Riveters, who continued building airplanes for decades after World War II. 

Vanilla Beane (1919–2022), iconic hatmaker

Vanilla Beane was known as “DC’s Hat Lady” for the ionic hats she made for generations of the capitol’s women.

James Lovelock (1919–2022), ecologist known for Gaia theory

James Lovelock was an English ecologist known for his Gaia theory of the Earth as a living, self-regulating system.

Nehemiah Persoff (1919–2022), character actor known for “Yentl,” “The Twilight Zone”

Nehemiah Persoff was a prolific character actor whose many memorable roles included Rebbe Mendel, the father of Barbra Streisand’s character in “Yentl.”

Jeremiah Stamler (1919–2022), doctor who linked diet and heart disease

Dr. Jeremiah Stamler was a doctor whose research proved that cardiovascular disease was linked to our diet and lifestyle.

Charles E. McGee (1919–2022), Tuskegee Airman who flew in three wars

Charles E. McGee was a Tuskegee Airman who flew combat missions in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.

Marcella LeBeau (1919–2021), decorated WWII combat nurse & Lakota elder

Marcella LeBeau was a nurse who served in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps during World War II and went on to advocate for Native American health.

Sidney Walton (1919–2021), WWII veteran known for “No Regrets” tour

Sidney Walton was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II who became known as he traveled the U.S. to meet state governors in the last three years of his life.

Lawrence Ferlinghetti (1919–2021), poet who owned City Lights bookstore

Lawrence Ferlinghetti was a poet who co-founded and owned the famed City Lights bookstore in San Francisco and championed Beat poets including .

Theodore ‘Ted’ Lumpkin (1919–2020), Tuskegee Airman

Theodore ‘Ted’ Lumpkin was a member of the Tuskegee Airmen, the Black pilots and support staff who served with distinction in World War II. He served as an intelligence officer, giving mission briefings to pilots during a combat tour in Italy. He retired from the Air Force Reserves as a lieutenant colonel.

Helen Jackson (1919–2020), last known widow of a Civil War veteran

Helen Jackson was the last known surviving widow of a Civil War veteran.

Marge Champion (1919–2020), model for Snow White

Marge Champion was a dancer who was known for movie musicals, as well as for being the model for the main character of Disney’s “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.”

Col. Steve dePyssler (1919–2020), only known American to serve in four wars

Col. Steve dePyssler was a U.S. Air Force veteran who was the only known American to have served in four wars.

Vicki Wood (1919–2020), record-setting woman NASCAR driver

Vicki Wood was a NASCAR driver who broke gender barriers in the sport during the 1950s and 1960s. In 1960 she set a speed record of 150.375 mph on a one-way drive down the sand at Daytona Beach. She also set speed records for women at the Daytona International Speedway and Atlanta International Speedway. During her career she claimed to have collected 48 racing trophies. She competed with male drivers until 1963 when some men made it clear they would rather strike than face teasing when they lost to a woman. She retired rather than return to racing exclusively against other women drivers.

Dr. Thomas Freeman (1919–2020), legendary debate coach

Dr. Thomas Freeman was a renowneddebate coach at Texas Southern Universitywho taught Martin Luther King Jr.duringa70-yearcareer.

Cécile Rol-Tanguy (2020), World War II French resistance hero

Cécile Rol-Tanguy was a French resistance hero during World War II who helped liberate Paris from the Nazis.

Edward Feightner (1919–2020), World War II flying ace and Blue Angels pilot

Edward “Whitey” Feightner was a U.S. Navy officer who was a flying ace in World War II, with nine enemy aircraft shot down. He was also a test pilot, and he flew with the Blue Angels flight demonstration squadron.

Margaret Burbidge (1919–2020), astronomer who showed elements form inside stars

Burbidge was a renowned astronomer known for fighting discrimination towards women in the field.

Anne Cox Chambers (1919–2020), media heiress and former ambassador

Anne Cox Chambers was a media heiress and philanthropist who was U.S. ambassador to Belgium during Jimmy Carter’s presidency. The daughter of former Ohio governor and one-time presidential candidate James Middleton Cox, she was heiress to the family business, Cox Enterprises, which includes cable provider Cox Communications, Kelley Blue Book, and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Chambers was a major donor to Carter’s presidential campaign and supported other Democrats including President Barack Obama. A billionaire before giving much of her fortune to her children in recent years, Chambers was a noted Atlanta philanthropist with beneficiaries including the High Museum of Art, the Jimmy Carter Library and Museum, and local animal welfare organizations. She was one of the first women to sit on the boards of companies including Coca-Cola.

Garth Reeves Sr. (1919–2019), longtime publisher of the Miami Times

Garth Reeves Sr. was the longtime publisher of the Miami Times, the voice of the Black community in Miami. Reeves started working for the paper started by his father when he was in his teens and it was the only job he ever had. His only time away was when he served in the Army during World War II. Reeves was the publisher emeritus for the paper after he retired and gave the reins to his daughter Rachel, who died two months ago. The Miami Times is the oldest and largest Black-owned newspaper in the Southeastern United States.

Frances Crowe (1919–2019), prominent peace activist

Arrested about 100 times for her activism and protests, she said 100 times was "Not enough."

Robert Morgenthau (1919–2019), NYC district attorney prosecuted high-profile cases

Robert Morgenthau was the district attorney of Manhattan from 1975 to 2009, the borough’s longest-serving DA who presided over cases that made nationwide news.

Norma Miller (1919–2019), the “Queen of Swing”

Dancer helped popularize the Lindy Hop.

Betty Ballantine (1919–2019), paperback pioneer

Publisher popularized the paperback and science fiction through Ballantine books.

Joachim Roenneberg (1919–2018), Norwegian World War II hero

Leader of a daring raid that crippled Nazis’ nuclear ambitions.

Celebrating Jackie Robinson Day (video)

Jackie Robinson changed baseball when he stepped onto the field on April 15, 1947 for the Brooklyn Dodgers. The first Black player in the major leagues since the 1880s, he was under tremendous pressure to succeed—and succeed he did. His talent and ability as a ballplayer was undeniable and he maintained his composure in the face of racist taunts both on field and off. Before the end of the 1947, other African Americans would join him in the big leagues, including fellow future Hall of Famer Larry Doby.

Joe Rogers Sr. (1919 - 2017), Waffle House cofounder

Joe Rogers Sr., the Georgia businessman who co-founded the venerable Waffle House franchise restaurant chain, died Friday, March 3, 2017, according to multiple news sources. He was 97.

Joseph Wapner (1919–2017), The People's Court judge

"The People's Court" judge launched the courtroom-reality TV genre.

Jackie Robinson's Firsts

Jackie Robinson was one of the greatest trailblazers in sports history. He’s well known for a certain iconic “first”—but his entry into Major League Baseball was just one of many things Robinson did before anyone else. As we celebrate Robinson by remembering all of his historic firsts, we’ll start with one very famous fact.

Dan Akee (1919 - 2016), Navajo Code Talker

Dan Akee, a World War II veteran and Navajo Code Talker, died Friday, Oct. 14, 2016, according to The Associated Press. He was 96.

Chief David Bald Eagle (1919 - 2016), Dances With Wolves actor

David W. Bald Eagle, a Lakota chief and actor whose film credits include "Dances With Wolves," died July 22 at the age of 97.

Janet Waldo (1919 - 2016), voice of Judy Jetson

Janet Waldo, the voice actress behind characters including Judy Jetson of "The Jetsons" and Josie of "Josie and the Pussycats," died June 12, 2016. She was 96.

Alan Young (1919 - 2016), Mister Ed star

Correction: After the publication of this obituary, Alan Young's date of death was determined to be May 19, 2016.

Al Molinaro (1919-2015), diner owner on Happy Days

Al Molinaro, the actor known best for playing diner owner Al Delvecchio on TV's "Happy Days," died Friday of gall stone complications. He was 96.

Remembering Sir Edmund Hillary

In 1953 Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay became the first to climb to the summit of Mt Everest.

Jennifer Jones: Acting and Art

Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Jones made a name for herself in the 1940s and '50s with successful films such as The Song of Bernadette, Duel in the Sun and Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing.

Nat King Cole: Unforgettable

Nat King Cole died Feb. 15, 1965. On the anniversary of his death, here are 25 facts about the life and legacy of the legendary singer.

Terrific Tennessee Ernie Ford

The 1950s loved Tennessee Ernie Ford, and we love him, too.

Andy Rooney: Our Favorite Curmudgeon

For more than 40 years, Andy Rooney spared few punches as he skewered pretty much anything that had ever annoyed him.

Kitty Wells, Queen of Country Music

Kitty Wells was a pioneering country musician who skyrocketed into the spotlight, becoming country's first female superstar. But her fame and fortune almost didn't happen.

Glamorous Eva Gabor

When people think ofEva Gabor, there's one memorable role that probably comes to mind. Get ready for an earworm that's going to stay with you all day.

Like Liberace

From the marvelous costumes to the silly banter to the grandiose and bombastic playing style, everything about Liberace was beloved by his fans...

Anita O'Day: The Essence of Cool

On the fifth anniversary of Anita O’Day’s death, we look back on the career of this atypical “girl singer.”

New J.D. Salinger Book? Maybe Next Year

When J.D. Salinger died, some readers believed we’d see a flood of posthumous releases. A year after his death, can we still hope for them?

The Films of Dino De Laurentiis

Prolific film producer Dino De Laurentiis had a hand in making nearly 150 movies during a career that spanned over six decades. Here's a look at 6 of our favorites.