Carole D’Andrea (1937–2025), West Side Story actress 

Carole D’Andrea was an actress who originated the role of Velma in “West Side Story” on Broadway, then also played her in the 1961 film adaptation.

Larry Buendorf (1937–2025), agent who saved President Ford

Larry Buendorf was a Secret Service agent who wrestled a gun away from a would-be assassin intent on killing . 

Joseph Wambaugh (1937–2025), author who explored police work 

Joseph Wambaugh was an award-winning writer and author whose work explored the harsh realities of police and detective work, both as fiction (“The Glitter Dome,” “The New Centurions”) and in non-fiction (“The Onion Field,” “The Blooding”).

Boris Spassky (1937–2025), Russian chess grandmaster 

Boris Spassky was a Russian chess grandmaster and world champion who famously lost to Bobby Fischer in the so-called “Match of the Century” in 1972.

Roberta Flack (1937–2025), Killing Me Softly with His Song singer

Roberta Flack was a singer who had No. 1 hits with “Killing Me Softly with His Song,” “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” and “Feel Like Makin’ Love.”

Garth Hudson (1937–2025), last surviving member of The Band

Garth Hudson was a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-inducted keyboardist and the last surviving member of The Band.

Linda Lavin (1937–2024), star of Alice

Linda Lavin was a Tony Award-winning Broadway actress and singer who starred on TV in the hit sitcom “Alice.” 

Bobby Allison (1937–2024), NASCAR Hall of Fame driver

Bobby Allison was a NASCAR Hall of Fame racecar driver whose triumphs include 85 Winston Cup victories and three Daytona 500 wins over the course of his decades-long career.

Bill Pascrell Jr. (1937–2024), longtime New Jersey congressman

Bill Pascrell Jr. was a former mayor of Paterson, New Jersey and longstanding New Jersey congressman, serving over 25 years in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Peggy Moffitt (1937–2024), ‘60s fashion model

Peggy Moffitt was a model and actress best known for helping define the makeup-heavy, chopped-hair look of ‘60s fashion.

Robin Warren (1937–2024), discovered cause of gastric ulcers

Robin Warren was a pathologist and researcher who won the Nobel Prize for his work in uncovering the cause of peptic ulcers, rewriting our understanding of gut health in the process.

Gail Lumet Buckley (1937–2024), author of Black family histories

Gail Lumet Buckley was an author and journalist whose work chronicled her family’s experiences from slavery to middle class America.

Abner Haynes (1937–2024), Kansas City Chiefs legend

Abner Haynes was a star running back who was the first-ever Player of the Year in the AFL and a Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame inductee.

Peter Buxtun (1937–2024), Tuskegee syphilis experiment whistleblower 

Peter Buxtun was a United States Public Health Service employee who revealed that the U.S. government had been experimenting on Black men without their knowledge, a “study” which came to be known as the Tuskegee syphilis experiment. 

Orlando Cepeda (1937–2024), famed slugger for the Giants

Orlando Cepeda was a Hall of Fame baseball player who was an 11-time All-Star, MVP winner, and a longtime teammate of on the San Francisco Giants.

Jewel Brown (1937–2024), Houston jazz legend

Jewel Brown was a Houston jazz legend who for years performed with the band of jazz icon Louis Armstrong.

Spencer Milligan (1937–2024), dad Rick Marshall on Land of the Lost

Spencer Milligan was an actor best known for playing Rick Marshall, the park ranger and widowed father on the popular Saturday morning adventure show, “Land of the Lost.” 

Bob Schul (1937–2024), America’s sole 5,000m Olympic champion

Bob Schul was a renowned long-distance runner who was the U.S.’ only ever 5,000m Olympic champion, winning the gold in 1964.

Marian Robinson (1937–2024), mother of First Lady Michelle Obama

Marian Robinson was the mother of former First Lady Michelle Obama and basketball executive Craig Robinson, instilling in both the importance of education. 

Richard Foronjy (1937–2024), real crook turned actor 

Richard Foronjy was a former criminal and prison inmate at Sing Sing and Attica who became a character actor, playing cops and criminals in films like “Carlito’s Way,” “Serpico,” “Once Upon a Time in America,” and “Repo Man.” 

Aaron Thomas (1937–2024), all-time great NY Giants tight end

Aaron Thomas was a tight end for the New York Giants and one of the team’s elite players in the 1960s, tied for sixth in all-time TD receptions for the team. 

Sonja Christopher (1937–2024), original Survivor contestant

Sonja Christopher was a contestant on the first season of “Survivor” in 2000 and the first person ever voted off the show.

Clarence “Frogman” Henry (1937–2024), Ain’t Got No Home singer

Clarence “Frogman” Henry was a New Orleans-based rhythm & blues singer best known for his songs, the novelty hit “Ain’t Got No Home” and “(I Don’t Know Why) But I Do.” 

David Seidler (1937–2024), screenwriter of The King’s Speech 

David Seidler was the Academy Award-winning screenwriter of “The King’s Speech” and the credited co-writer of the Francis Ford Coppola film “Tucker: The Man and His Dream.”

Sydell Miller (1937–2024), founder of beauty brands Matrix, Ardell 

Sydell Miller was the entrepreneur behind the successful and influential beauty brands Matrix and Ardell, co-founding them with her husband, the late Arnold Miller.

Terry Everett (1937–2024), U.S. Rep. from Alabama

Terry Everett was a Republican who represented southeast Alabama in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1993 to 2009.

Richard Truly (1937–2024), former astronaut who led NASA

Richard Truly was an astronaut and vice admiral in the U.S. Navy who became the first former astronaut to lead the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and was head of NASA when the famous “Pale Blue Dot” photo was captured.

Jimmy Van Eaton (1937–2024), drummer for Jerry Lee Lewis and others

Jimmy Van Eaton was a drummer in the early days of rock ‘n roll, recording with the likes of , , and others at Sun Records in Memphis, Tennessee.

Joe Dudley Sr. (1937–2024), Black haircare pioneer 

Joe Dudley Sr. was an entrepreneur who founded Dudley Products, Inc., a prominent Black haircare brand.

Sidney M. Wolfe (1937–2024), physician who challenged drug companies 

Sidney M. Wolfe was a consumer health watchdog and physician who challenged both drug companies and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and he campaigned to have unsafe drugs taken off the market.

Tom Smothers (1937–2023), half of the Smothers Brothers

Tom Smothers was one-half of the innovative comedy-folk duo the Smothers Brothers along with his brother Dick.

George Cohon (1937–2023), founder of McDonald’s Canada

George Cohon was the founder of McDonald’s Canada who later brought the iconic hamburger chain to Russia.

Marty Krofft (1937–2023), co-created H.R. Pufnstuf, Land of the Lost 

Marty Krofft was a writer, puppeteer, and television producer who co-created an array of popular children’s shows with his brother, Sid Krofft, including “H.R. Pufnstuf” and “Land of the Lost.”

David Del Tredici (1937–2023), Pulitzer Prize-winning composer

David Del Tredici was a Pulitzer Prize-winning composer for the stage whose work was inspired by “Alice in Wonderland,” including his 1976 breakthrough work, “Final Alice,” which made him renowned as an “outsider” composer.

Peter White (1937–2023), actor in All My Children, Dallas

Peter White was an actor known for a longtime recurring role on “All My Children,” as well as for roles in such TV shows as “Sisters” and “Dallas.”

Sir Bobby Charlton (1937–2023), English soccer legend 

Sir Bobby Charlton was an English soccer legend who played for the 1966 FIFA World Cup-winning team and is considered among the best players of all time.

Martti Ahtisaari (1937–2023), Nobel-winning Finnish president

Martti Ahtisaari was the former president of Finland and the recipient of the 2008 Nobel Peace Prize.

Brooks Robinson (1937–2023), Baltimore Orioles Hall of Famer 

Brooks Robinson was a third baseman with the Baltimore Orioles in the 1950s through ‘70s who won 16 consecutive Gold Gloves Awards and became a Major League Baseball (MLB) legend.

Tina Howe (1937–2023), Coastal Disturbances playwright 

Tina Howe was a playwright whose “Coastal Disturbances” was nominated for the 1987 Tony Award for Best Play.0

Karol Bobko (1937–2023), first Challenger space shuttle pilot

Karol Bobko , aerospace engineer, test pilot, and NASA astronaut, was the first person to fly three different space shuttle missions, as well as the first pilot of both the Atlantis and the ill-fated Challenger.

Biff Rose (1937–2023), Fill Your Heart singer and songwriter 

Biff Rose was a singer and songwriter whose songs were covered by such artists as , Pat Boone, and . 

Paxton Whitehead (1937–2023), actor in Friends, Mad About You 

Paxton Whitehead was an English actor who worked widely on Broadway and in movies, as well as playing memorable recurring roles on “Friends” and “Mad About You.” 

Michael Norell (1937–2023), actor on Emergency!

Michael Norell was an actor and screenwriter who starred as Captain Henry “Hank” Stanley on the TV drama “Emergency!”

Bill Saluga (1937–2023), You-Can-Call-Me-Ray comedian 

Bill Saluga was a comedian known for his schtick that began “You can call me Ray….”

Pamela Turnure Timmins (1937–2023), Jackie Kennedy’s press secretary

Pamela Turnure Timmins was the press secretary for during her years as first lady.0

Denny Crum (1937–2023), Hall of Fame Louisville basketball coach 

Denny Crum was the longtime head basketball coach for the University of Louisville, leading the Cardinals to two NCAA championships.

Grace Bumbry (1937–2023), pioneering opera star 

Grace Bumbry was an operatic mezzo-soprano who became one of the first Black superstars of the genre. 

Craig Breedlove (1937–2023), first driver to reach 600 mph

Craig Breedlove was a race car driver who wowed the world in 1965 when he set a world land speed record of 600 mph.

Tom Love (1937–2023), founder of Love's Travel Stops

Tom Love was the founder of Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores, a sprawling roadside empire with over 600 locations in 42 states. Though founded in 1964, it would take decades for Love to grow his brand into the billion-dollar behemoth it is today. Love’s is the 10th-largest privately owned company in the United States. Love was also involved in charitable work throughout his life and has been praised as a pioneer in roadside services.