Loretta Ford (1920–2025), pioneering nurse practitioner

Loretta Ford was a nurse who co-founded the first nurse practitioner program in the United States.

Chad McQueen (1960–2024), Karate Kid actor, son of Steve McQueen

Chad McQueen was an actor and race car driver best known for his work in “Karate Kid” and for being the son of movie star .

Mary Weiss (1948–2024), Leader of the Pack singer 

Mary Weiss was the lead singer of the 1960s teen girl group the Shangri-Las, who had hits with “Remember (Walking in the Sand),” “Give Him a Great Big Kiss,” and their enduring No. 1 hit, “Leader of the Pack.” 

Lanny Poffo (1954–2023), WWE wrestler and Randy Savage’s brother

Lanny Poffo was a WWE wrestler known as “Leaping Lanny” and “The Genius,” as well as the younger brother of WWE legend and the son of wrestler .

John Y. Brown Jr. (1933–2022), former KFC owner and Kentucky governor

John Y. Brown Jr. was a businessman and politician who built KFC into a fast-food empire and went on to be elected governor of Kentucky.

Nichelle Nichols (1932–2022), starred as Uhura on “Star Trek”

Nichelle Nichols , the actress whose portrayal of Lieutenant Uhura on TV's “Star Trek” inspired countless science fiction fans to envision a peacefully multicultural future, died Saturday night, her son announced on her official website.

Johnny Isakson (1944–2021), U.S. senator from Georgia

Johnny Isakson was a Republican who represented Georgia in the U.S. Senate from 2005 to 2019.

Jack Ingram (1936–2021), NASCAR’s “Iron Man”

Jack Ingram was a NASCAR Hall of Famer known as “The Iron Man,” who won Xfinity Series championships in 1982 and 1985.

Joe Diffie (1958–2020), country music star

Joe Diffie  was a country music star who charted five No. 1 hit country singles in the 1990s. Some of his most popular songs were “Pickup Man,” “Bigger Than the Beatles,” and “Home.” The Tulsa native moved to Nashville to be a country music singer and picked up a job at Gibson Guitars. His demos found his way to CBS Nashville who signed him to a contract. Many of his songs were recorded by other country music artists including Tim McGraw and Alabama.

Bonnie MacLean (1939–2020), pioneering rock poster artist

Bonnie MacLean was a poster artist who created swirling, psychedelic imagery in her concert posters for San Francisco’s Fillmore Auditorium. One of the only women working as a rock poster artist, MacLean was the Fillmore’s in-house artist from 1967 to 1971, creating posters for concerts including the Doors, the Yardbirds, Pink Floyd, and Cream. Some of her posters are worth thousands of dollars to collectors. MacLean was married to Bill Graham, the Fillmore’s concert promoter, during the 1960s and ‘70s.

Pete Frates (1984–2019), popularized the ALS ice bucket challenge

He raised millions for ALS research.

Ray Santos (1928–2019), Latin music legend

Ray Santos wasa legendary Latin musician who arranged the theme song for moviec3a2c280c29cThe Mambo Kings.c3a2c280c29d Known as c3a2c280c29cEl Maestro,c3a2c280c29d the saxophonist started playing in Latin big bands at Catskill Mountain resorts in the 1950s. He worked with many known musicians including Tito Puente. Santos won a Grammy award for working with Linda Ronstadt on her 1992 album c3a2c280c29cFrenesic3a2c280c29d and received the Latin Grammy Trustees Award in 2011. He also taught and directed the Latin band at the City College of New York for over 20 years.

LaShawn Daniels (1977–2019), songwriter for Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Michael Jackson

LaShawn Daniels was an acclaimed songwriter who wrote for superstars Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Beyonce, and Lady Gaga. He won a Grammy Award for co-writing Destiny’s Child’s hit song, “Say My Name.” In 2003, he co-wrote the popular song “Love and War” for Tamar Braxton and he appeared on her reality shows, “Braxton Family Values” and “Tamar & Vince.” He also wrote songs for Brandy and Monica, Jennifer Lopez, and the Spice Girls.

Cedric Benson (1982–2019), former NFL running back

Cedric Benson was a star running back for the University of Texas who was the first draft choice of the Chicago Bears in 2005. Benson was a legendary back in Texas who was a high school superstar at Midland Lee and rushed for over 5,000 yards at the University of Texas. Benson had a tough 3-year stint with the Bears due to injuries and disagreements with coaches. He signed with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2008 and rushed for over 1,000 yards three out of four seasons. He retired from injuries while with the Packers in 2012.

Russ Ewing (1923–2019), fearless Chicago TV news reporter

Russ Ewing was a longtime fearless Chicago TV news reporter who persuaded more than 100 criminal suspects to surrender. Ewing was a Chicago firefighter who then became a TV reporter, first working with Chicago station WMAQ and later with WLS. He became a trusted figure on the Chicago streets, and many criminals trusted Ewing to bring them in safely to the police. In 1975, Ewing and newspaper publisher Gus Savage talked two men into surrendering after they robbed a currency exchange and held two women hostage. Ewing was also an accomplished jazz pianist who performed on “The Tonight Show.”

Stan Lee Showed Me It Was OK to Love Both Art and Politics

Editor's note: This weekend's "Avengers: Endgame" will feature Stan Lee's final posthumous cameo in a Marvel film, . Playwright and Marvel fan Lissa Brennan penned this remembrance for Legacy.

Stan Lee (1922–2018), the great American writer who launched the Marvel Comics universe

Stan Lee, the Marvel Comics giant who created some of the most recognizable comic book heroes in history, died Monday, November 12, 2018, at the age of 95. According to multiple news sources, he died early in the morning at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

Hubert Green (1946 – 2018), Hall of Fame golfer

Won the U.S. Open in 1977…

Charles Neville (1938–2018), saxophonist for the Neville Brothers

Charles Neville, saxophonist and founding member of the Neville Brothers, has died at the age of 79, according to multiple news sources.

Liu Xiaobo (1955 - 2017), Nobel Peace Prize laureate

Nobel laureate was China’s most prominent political prisoner…

Billy Chapin (1943 - 2016), child actor of the 1950s

Billy Chapin, a child actor who was popular in the 1950s, died Dec. 2, 2016, according to multiple news sources. Chapin was 72.

Alex Chilton, Big Star, and Musical Immortality

Alex Chilton isn't a household name. Even if you don't know who he is, though, you probably know at least a few of his songs.