Joe Engle (1932–2024), NASA astronaut and X-15 test pilot

Joe Engle was a pilot and NASA astronaut who was one of just 12 pilots to fly missions on the North American X-15, an experimental spaceplane.

Dom Famularo (1953–2023), worldwide advocate for drumming

Dom Famularo was a drummer and drum teacher who became renowned and respected for his four decades of advocacy for the art.

Alex Collins (1994–2023), running back for the Seahawks, Ravens 

Alex Collins was a former running back for the Seattle Seahawks and Baltimore Ravens whose interest in Irish step dancing drew social media attention. 

Nik Turner (1940–2022), former Hawkwind member

Nik Turner was a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist who was a member of the legendary British space rock band Hawkwind.

Barbara Ehrenreich (1941–2022), bestselling author of “Nickel and Dimed”

Barbara Ehrenreich was the author of books including “Nickel and Dimed,” in which she shared her experiences living on minimum wage.

MatÄ«ss Kivlenieks (1996–2021), NHL goaltender

Mat Ä«ss Kivlenieks was a goaltender with the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets.

Courtney Hall (1968–2021), captain of Chargers’ Super Bowl team

Courtney Hall was an NFL player for the San Diego Chargers, who played center and was team captain for their Super Bowl appearance in the 1994 season.

Tom Heinsohn (1934–2020), Boston Celtics legend

Boston Celtics legend Tom Heinsohn won 10 championships with the franchise as a player and head coach.

Katherine Johnson (1918–2020), NASA's “Hidden Figures” hero

Katherine Johnson was a mathematician who calculated orbital mechanics for the first crewed spaceflights for NASA. The story of her struggles as one of the African American women working as computers at NASA in the 1960s was made famous in the 2016 film “Hidden Figures,” which starred Taraji P. Henson as Johnson. Johnson’s calculations of the trajectory and launch window for Alan Shepard’s historic 1961 spaceflight were crucial to the success of the mission. She later helped calculate the trajectory for Apollo 11’s 1969 Moon landing, and she worked on the Space Shuttle program and on plans for a mission to Mars.

Leon Redbone (1949–2019), singer-guitarist known for his Tin Pan Alley-style

Popular singerappeared many times on c2acSNLe2809d and Johnny Carsone28099s c2acTonight Show.e2809d

Naomi Parker Fraley (1921–2018), inspiration for iconic WWII "We Can Do It" poster

Naomi Parker Fraley was an inspiration for iconic WWII female factory workerRosie the Riveter.

Bill White (1939 - 2017), NHL player and coach

Bill White, a Canadian-born former NHL player who was well-known for his defensive prowess, died Sunday, May 21, 2017, of unknown causes, according to multiple news sources. White was 77.

Francine York (1938 - 2017), played the Bookworm on TV's Batman

Francine York, the prolific actress best known from the “Batman” TV series, died Friday, Jan. 6, 2017, in Van Nuys, California, after a battle with cancer, according to The Hollywood Reporter. She was 78.

Remembering Ben Bradlee

Famed Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee led the newspaper and journalism to new heights.

Dick Buckley, Chicago Jazz Stalwart

Dick Buckleyhosted jazz programs on WBEZ in Chicago for 30 years.