Died August 2023

Elizabeth Hoffman (1926–2023), actress in Sisters 

Elizabeth Hoffman was an actress best known for her role as Bea in the 1990s NBC drama “Sisters.”

Curtis Fowlkes (1950–2023), co-leader of the Jazz Passengers 

Curtis Fowlkes was a jazz trombonist and singer who pushed the boundaries of avant-garde jazz as part of the Jazz Passengers.

Sarah Young (1946–2023), Jesus Calling devotional author 

Sarah Young was the author of the bestselling daily devotional “Jesus Calling.”

Douglas Lenat (1950–2023), pioneer in AI development 

Douglas Lenat was a computer scientist and artificial intelligence developer who worked on systems to allow AIs to use “common sense” when parsing data.0

Franne Lee (1941–2023), designer of SNL’s Coneheads

Franne Lee was a costume designer in the early days of “Saturday Night Live” who created the costumes for classic sketches like the Coneheads and the Blues Brothers.

Bill Pinkney (1935–2023), pioneering sailor 

Bill Pinkney was the first Black sailor to make a solo circumnavigation of the globe via the notoriously difficult southern route, around the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Horn.

Gayle Hunnicutt (1943–2023), Dallas star 

Gayle Hunnicutt was an actress best known in the U.S. for her role as Vanessa Beaumont on “Dallas.”

Marilyn Lillie Lovell (1930–2023), wife of astronaut Jim Lovell

Marilyn Lillie Lovell was the wife of NASA astronaut Jim Lovell and an active member of the Astronaut Wives Club.

Jonathan Sheppard (1940–2023), Hall of Fame horse trainer 

Jonathan Sheppard was a thoroughbred trainer whose horses had more steeplechase victories than any other trainer’s in U.S. history.

Tony Roberts (1928–2023), legendary Notre Dame broadcaster 

Tony Roberts was a longtime sports broadcaster who spent 26 years calling games for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team. 

Jack Sonni (1954–2023), guitarist for Dire Straits

Jack Sonni was a musician and writer best known as the second guitarist for Dire Straits during their “Brothers in Arms” era.

August 08 (1992–2023), R&B singer and songwriter 

August 08 was a singer and songwriter who co-wrote the chart-topping hit “I’m the One” for DJ Khaled.

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

Rich Stubler (1949–2023), former Canadian Football League coach 

Rich Stubler was a longtime coach in the Canadian Football League (CFL), known for his defensive genius that resulted in five Grey Cup wins over the course of his career.

Pat Corrales (1941–2023), first Mexican American MLB manager

Pat Corrales spent five decades in Major League Baseball (MLB), beginning as a player before moving on to managing and coaching. He was the first Mexican American MLB manager.

Jacksonville, Florida Shooting (2023) 

Three people were killed in a shooting at a Dollar General store in Jacksonville, Florida, on Saturday, August 26, 2023. Authorities have reported they are investigating the shooting as anti-Black hate crime.

Don Sundquist (1936–2023), former governor of Tennessee  

Don Sundquist was a Tennessee politician and businessman who served in Congress for 12 years before becoming governor of Tennessee, a position he held for two terms.

Samuel Wurzelbacher (1973–2023), Joe the Plumber conservative activist  

Samuel Wurzelbacher was a conservative activist and commentator better known as “Joe the Plumber.” 

Marine Corps Osprey Crash (2023)

Three U.S. Marines were killed on Sunday, August 27, 2023, when a Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey aircraft crashed on Melville Island, Australia. Several others were critically injured.

Alexandra Paul (1991–2023), Olympic ice skater

Alexandra Paul was a competitive ice dancer and figure skater who represented Canada in the 2014 Olympic Games.

Arleen Sorkin (1955–2023), soap star & Batman’s original Harley Quinn

Arleen Sorkin played fan favorite Calliope Jones on the soap opera “Days of Our Lives,” and her personality was the inspiration behind the popular Batman villain Harley Quinn; she was also the first actress to voice the role. 

Bob Barker (1923–2023), longtime host of The Price Is Right

Bob Barker was the Emmy Award-winning host of the long-running game show “The Price Is Right.”

Bernie Marsden (1951–2023), Whitesnake guitarist and songwriter

Bernie Marsden was an English guitarist best known as a co-founder of the hard rock band Whitesnake. 

Hersha Parady (1945–2023), Little House on the Prairie actress

Hersha Parady was an actress best known for playing schoolteacher Alice Garvey in the classic TV drama “Little House on the Prairie.” 

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.

Windham Rotunda (1987–2023), superstar wrestler known as Bray Wyatt

Windham Rotunda was a professional wrestler better known by his ring name, Bray Wyatt, whose creativity in the ring and in promos made him a WWE star.

Nancy Frangione (1953–2023), soap opera star villain

Nancy Frangione was a soap opera star whose 20-year-long career included shows like “All My Children” and “One Life to Live,” and is best known for playing the villainous Cecile de Poulignac on “Another World.”

Terry Funk (1944–2023), professional wrestling legend

Terry Funk was a professional wrestler who helped pioneer a more "hardcore” style of wrestling during a career that spanned more than 50 years.

David Jacobs (1939–2023), creator of Dallas, Knots Landing 

David Jacobs was a TV writer and producer who created the hit series “Dallas” and “Knots Landing.” 

Sliman Bensmaia (1973–2023), pioneer of touch-enabled prosthetics

Sliman Bensmaia was a neuroscientist and leading expert on the sense of touch who developed technology that allows prosthetic limbs to sense temperature and touch in a realistic way.

Tom Courtney (1933–2023), Olympic gold medal-winning sprinter 

Tom Courtney was an Olympic sprinter known for a last-second victory in the 800-meter race at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia.

Carol Robles-Román (1962–2023), former Deputy Mayor of New York City 

Carol Robles-Román was an attorney and one of the longest serving deputy mayors in New York City's history.

Al Quie (1923–2023), former congressman and Governor of Minnesota 

Al Quie was a Republican who served in Congress for more than 20 years and as Governor of Minnesota, in addition to being considered twice as a potential vice-presidential running mate in a U.S. presidential election.

Ashlea Albertson (1998–2023), 24-year-old racing driver

Ashlea Albertson was a talented young car racing driver from Indianapolis sponsored by the Tony Stewart Racing team.

James Buckley (1923–2023), oldest former U.S. senator 

James Buckley was a U.S. senator from New York who served in the 1970s and later became a federal judge.

John Warnock (1940–2023), tech giant and co-creator of the PDF 

John Warnock was a computer scientist and tech businessman who co-founded Adobe Systems, makers of software mainstays like Illustrator, Photoshop, and the ubiquitous PDF file format.

Patricia Bragg (1929–2023), Bragg Live Food Products CEO

Patricia Bragg was the longtime CEO of Bragg Live Food Products, known for their apple cider vinegar and other health food staples.

Ray Hildebrand (1940–2023), Paul & Paula singer 

Ray Hildebrand was a singer and songwriter better known as “Paul” in the 1960s pop duo Paul & Paula, who had a hit with “Hey Paula.”

Maxie Baughan (1938–2023), Philadelphia Eagles Hall of Famer 

Maxie Baughan was an NFL linebacker who made the Pro Bowl nine times and was inducted into the Philadelphia Eagles Hall of Fame.

Ron Cephas Jones (1957–2023), Emmy-winning This Is Us actor 

Ron Cephas Jones was an actor who won two Emmy Awards for his portrayal of William Hill on the hit NBC drama “This Is Us.”

Chris Peluso (2023), Broadway star of Wicked, Mamma Mia! 

Chris Peluso was a Broadway actor whose starring roles included Sky in “Mamma Mia!” 

Bobby Eli (1946–2023), Philadelphia musician, producer, and songwriter

Bobby Eli was a Philadelphia musician, producer, and songwriter known for his work with the studio band MFSB, as well as with artists like The Jacksons, , Jay-Z, and Elton John.

Rick Jeanneret (1942–2023), Hall of Fame NHL broadcaster 

Rick Jeanneret was a Hall of Fame broadcaster for the Buffalo Sabres, the longest serving play-by-play announcer in NHL history. 

Ada Deer (1935–2023), Menominee leader and advocate 

Ada Deer was a leader of the Menominee Nation who advocated for the rollback of “Termination Era” policies and was later appointed as the first woman to head the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA).

Dorothy Casterline (1928–2023), deaf linguist and ASL advocate 

Dorothy Casterline was a deaf linguist and contributor to the Dictionary of American Sign Language (ASL) on Linguistic Principles whose innovative treatment of ASL as a distinct language led to greater mainstream acceptance.

Jerry Moss (1935–2023), co-founder of A&M Records 

Jerry Moss was a record executive who co-founded A&M Records, for a time the world’s largest independent record company, and was later inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Renata Scotto (1934–2023), operatic soprano icon

Renata Scotto was a singer, teacher, and opera director who was widely considered one of the greatest sopranos of her generation.

Darren Kent (1987–2023), Game of Thrones, Dungeons & Dragons actor

Darren Kent was a British actor who had roles in such TV shows and movies as “Game of Thrones” and “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.” 

Bobby Baun (1936–2023), Toronto Maple Leafs hockey legend

Bobby Baun was a professional hockey player with the Toronto Maple Leafs who scored a game-winning goal in the 1964 Stanley Cup finals while skating on a broken ankle.