Died 2021

John Hartman (1950–2021), Doobie Brothers drummer

John Hartman was the founding drummer for the Doobie Brothers, who played on hits including “Black Water” and “Listen to the Music.”

Chris Dickerson (1939–2021), first Black Mr. America

Chris Dickerson was a bodybuilder who became the first Black man to win the Mr. America title, in 1970.

Martha Earnhardt (1930–2021), racing family matriarch

Martha Earnhardt was the matriarch of the Earnhardt racing family that includes NASCAR legends Dale Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Sam Jones (1933–2021), Boston Celtics legend

Sam Jones was a legendary shooting guard for the Boston Celtics who helped them win 10 NBA Championships during his career.

Diana Maxwell, Lady Farnham (1931–2021), lady-in-waiting to Queen Elizabeth

Diana Maxwell, Lady Farnham , was a lady-in-waiting to Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom for 34 years.

Tiffini Hale (1975–2021), “All New Mickey Mouse Club” star

Tiffini Hale was one of the stars of “The All New Mickey Mouse Club” in the 1980s and ‘90s.

Betty White (1922–2021), beloved star of “The Golden Girls”

Betty White was a beloved American actress who starred in "The Golden Girls" and “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.”

Harry Reid (1939–2021), former U.S. Senate Majority Leader

Harry Reid was a U.S. Senator from Nevada from 1987 to 2017, including an eight-year tenure as the Senate Majority Leader from 2007 to 2015.

John Madden (1936–2021), legendary NFL coach and broadcaster

John Madden was the former head coach of the Oakland Raiders who went on to a long career as an NFL color commentator.

Richard Marcinko (1940–2021), first commanding officer of SEAL Team Six

Richard Marcinko designed and developed the elite Navy SEAL Team Six in response to the 1979 Iran hostage crisis.

Edward Shames (1922–2021), last surviving “Band of Brothers” officer

Edward Shames was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II and the last surviving officer from Easy Company, profiled in the book and miniseries “Band of Brothers.”

Sarah Weddington (1945–2021), Roe v. Wade attorney

Sarah Weddington was an attorney and pro-choice activist who represented Norma McCorvey in the landmark Roe v. Wade case.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu (1931–2021), who helped end apartheid in South Africa

Desmond Tutu was a South African Anglican cleric, outspoken opponent of apartheid and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.

Joan Didion (1934–2021), award-winning novelist and journalist

Joan Didion was a novelist and journalist who won the National Book Award for Nonfiction for her 2005 book “The Year of Magical Thinking.”

Elfrida von Nardroff (1925–2021), discredited winner in 1950s TV quiz show scandal

Elfrida von Nardroff  was a big winner on the fixed 1950s TV quiz show "Twenty-One."

Sally Ann Howes (1930–2021), “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” star

Sally Ann Howes was a British actress best known for starring as Truly Scrumptious in “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.”

Henry Orenstein (1923–2021), toy developer who helped launch Transformers

Henry Orenstein was a holocaust survivor and successful toy developer who helped launch Transformers.

Marjorie Tallchief (1926–2021), pioneering ballerina

Marjorie Tallchief was a Native American ballerina and the sister of acclaimed ballerina .

Phil Chen (1946–2021), bassist for Rod Stewart and Jeff Beck

Phil Chen  was a prolific session bassist who played with Rod Stewart, Jeff Beck, and and Robby Krieger of the Doors.  

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.

Kangol Kid (1966–2021), pioneering rapper with UTFO

Kangol Kid was a rapper with the old school hip-hop group UTFO, known for their 1984 hit “Roxanne, Roxanne.”

Wanda Young (1943–2021), singer with the Marvelettes

Wanda Young was a singer with the Motown group the Marvelettes, who sang lead vocals on hit singles including “Don’t Mess with Bill.”

Leonard “Hub” Hubbard (2021), longtime bassist for the Roots

Leonard “Hub” Hubbard was the bassist for the acclaimed hip-hop band the Roots from 1992 to 2007.

bell hooks (1952–2021), acclaimed feminist author

Author bell hooks was acclaimed for her writing on race and gender.

Joe Simon (1936–2021), Grammy-winning R&B singer

Joe Simon was an R&B singer known for hit singles including “The Chokin’ Kind,” “Power of Love,” and “Get Down, Get Down (Get on the Floor).”

Ken Kragen (1936–2021), organizer of “We Are the World” and Hands Across America

Ken Kragen was a music manager and TV producer who organized the famous “We Are the World” and Hands Across America charity events in the 1980s.

Les Emmerson (1944–2021), writer of the classic rock anthem "Signs"

Les Emmerson was a Canadian singer-songwriter who wrote the classic rock anthem "Signs," which was a hit song for his band the Five Man Electrical Band.

Larry Sellers (1949–2021), "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman" actor

Larry Sellers was an actor of Osage, Cherokee, and Lakota ancestry who was best known for playing Cloud Dancing on "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman."

Vicente “Chente” Fernández (1940–2021), beloved Mexican singer and actor

Vicente “Chente” Fern ández was an iconic Mexican singer and actor called “The King of Ranchero Music.”

Cara Williams (1925–2021), Oscar nominee for “The Defiant Ones”

Cara Williams was an actress known for her roles in movies including “The Defiant Ones” and on TV in “Pete and Gladys.”

December 2021 Tornado Victims

At least 90 people are confirmed dead after a series of tornadoes across the South and Midwest on Friday and Saturday, December 10 and 11.

Anne Rice (1941–2021), ‘The Vampire Chronicles’ author

Anne Rice , the author of the popular vampire novel series ‘The Vampire Chronicles,’ died Saturday evening, her son Christopher announced on social media.

Carmen Salinas (1939–2021), iconic Mexican actress

Carmen Salinas was a Mexican actress beloved for starring in dozens of telenovelas and movies.

Steve Bronski (1960–2021), Bronski Beat co-founder

Steve Bronski was a co-founder of the British synthpop band Bronski Beat known for their hit song "Smalltown Boy."

Michael Nesmith (1942–2021), member of the Monkees

Michael Nesmith was a singer, guitarist, and songwriter with the Monkees and the First National Band.

Lina Wertmüller (1928–2021), first woman nominated for a Best Director Oscar

Lina Wertm üller was an Italian filmmaker and the first woman nominated for an Academy Award for directing.

Demaryius Thomas (1987–2021), Denver Broncos wide receiver

Demaryius Thomas was a wide receiver who won Super Bowl 50 with the Denver Broncos.

Al Unser Sr. (1939–2021), four-time Indy 500 winner

Al Unser Sr. was a racing driver who became one of only four people to win the Indianapolis 500 four times.

Robbie Shakespeare (1953–2021), Sly and Robbie bassist

Robbie Shakespeare was the bassist in the legendary rhythm section Sly and Robbie.

Jack "Blackjack" Lanza (1935–2021), WWE Hall of Fame wrestler

Jack "Blackjack" Lanza was a WWE Hall of Fame wrestler who was one half of the legendary tag team The Blackjacks.

Marie-Claire Blais (1939–2021), author known for “A Season in the Life of Emmanuel”

Marie-Claire Blais was an acclaimed French-Canadian author known for books including “Une Saison Dans la Vie d’Emmanuel” (“A Season in the Life of Emmanuel”)

Masayuki Uemura (1943–2021), Nintendo NES and Super NES creator

Masayuki Uemura was a Japanese video game producer who created the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and Super NES home gaming systems.

Greg Tate (1957–2021), The Village Voice cultural critic

Greg Tate was a longtime cultural critic for The Village Voice as well as the founder of the band Burnt Sugar.

Claude Humphrey (1944–2021), Hall of Fame defensive end

Claude Humphrey was a Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive end who played with the Atlanta Falcons and Philadelphia Eagles.

Yvonne Wilder (1937–2021), "West Side Story" actor

Yvonne Wilder was an actor known for playing Consuelo in the classic film "West Side Story."

Darlene Hard (1936–2021), 3-time major tennis champion

Darlene Hard was a Hall of Fame tennis player who won 3 major singles championships and 13 major doubles championships.

Stonewall Jackson (1932–2021), Grand Ole Opry star

Stonewall Jackson was a country music singer who was a longtime member of the Grand Ole Opry.

Bob Dole (1923–2021), longtime U.S. senator from Kansas

Bob Dole represented Kansas as a Republican in the U.S. Senate from 1969 to 1996 and ran for president against Democrat Bill Clinton in 1996.

Jonshel Alexander (2021), "Beasts of the Southern Wild" actor

Jonshel Alexander starred as Joy Strong in the 2012 movie "Beasts of the Southern Wild."