Died June 2023

Evelyn Boyd Granville (1924–2023), NASA mathematician 

Evelyn Boyd Granville was a mathematician who worked with NASA to help safely send some of the first astronauts into space.

Margia Dean (1922–2023), The Quatermass Xperiment star 

Margia Dean was an actress known for such films as “The Quatermass Xperiment” and “The Big Show.”  

Dick Biondi (1932–2023), Chicago DJ who played the Beatles first 

Dick Biondi was a legendary Chicago radio DJ who, in 1963, played the first Beatles song heard on U.S. radio.

David Gilmour (1931–2023), founder of Fiji water 

David Gilmour was a serial entrepreneur who started or was involved in a series of business ventures, most notably the Fiji water brand, which for a time was the number one brand of imported water. 

Jimmy Kim (1967–2023), Olympic taekwondo gold medalist

Jimmy Kim was a gold medalist in the first year that taekwondo was included in the Olympics.

Raymond Cassagnol (1920–2023), Tuskegee Airman from Haiti 

Raymond Cassagnol was a veteran of the Haitian Air Corps who trained with the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II. 

Jo Lindner (1993–2023), Joesthetics social media bodybuilder 

Jo Lindner was a German bodybuilder whose Joesthetics channels on YouTube and other social media were popular.

Lilli Vincenz (1937–2023), pioneering gay rights activist 

Lilli Vincenz was a filmmaker, psychotherapist, and LGBTQIA+ activist among the first lesbians to openly protest for equal treatment in front of the White House.

Anita Wood Brewer (1938–2023), singer and Elvis Presley’s girlfriend 

Anita Wood Brewer was a singer and TV performer who dated before his marriage.

Darren Drozdov (1969–2023), former WWE wrestler

Darren Drozdov was a former NFL football player and WWE wrestler. A 1999 accident in the ring fractured two neck vertebrae, leaving him quadriplegic. 

Sue Johanson (1930–2023), TV host and sex educator 

Sue Johanson was a Canadian sex educator known for her popular TV show, “Sunday Night Sex Show.”

Christine King Farris (1927–2023), Martin Luther King Jr.’s sister 

Christine King Farris was a teacher and author, as well as the sister of the Rev.  

Alan Arkin (1934–2023), Oscar-winning Little Miss Sunshine star

Alan Arkin was an actor known for roles in films including “Wait Until Dark” (1967) “Glengarry Glen Ross” (1992), and “Little Miss Sunshine” (2006), for which he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

Talina Fernández (1944–2023), television host and presenter

Talina Fernández was an actress and television presenter best known for hosting a wide array of shows on Mexican TV, including awards shows, telethons, and reality TV productions.

Homer Hogues (1927–2023), one of the last Tuskegee Airmen 

Homer Hogues was one of the last surviving Tuskegee Airmen, the decorated group of Black pilots who fought for the United States even as they faced discrimination. He served in World War II and worked as an airplane mechanic for the 99th Fighter Squadron.

Lowell Weicker (1931–2023), U.S. senator and Connecticut governor 

Lowell Weicker was a Republican U.S. congressman who later went Independent and served as governor of Connecticut.

Ryan Mallett (1988–2023), former New England Patriots quarterback

Ryan Mallett’s career as a quarterback in professional football included stints with the New England Patriots, Houston Texans, and Baltimore Ravens.

Carmen Sevilla (1930–2023), Golden Age of Hollywood star

Carmen Sevilla, a Spanish-born actress from the Golden Age of Hollywood, portrayed characters in major epics like “King of Kings” and “Antony and Cleopatra.” 

Bobby Osborne (1931–2023), mandolinist with the Osborne Brothers 

Bobby Osborne was a singer and mandolinist with the bluegrass duo the Osborne Brothers, known for their hit song “Rocky Top.” 

Dahrran Diedrick (1979–2023), Big 12-leading Cornhuskers rusher 

Dahrran Diedrick , a Big 12-leading rusher for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, enjoyed a 10-year career in both the NFL and the Canadian Football League (CFL). 

Nicolas Coster (1933–2023), Santa Barbara star 

Nicolas Coster was an actor best known for his role as Lionel Lockridge in the soap opera “Santa Barbara.” 

John Goodenough (1922–2023), Nobel-winning lithium-ion battery creator

John Goodenough was a scientist who won the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work in the creation of the rechargeable lithium-ion battery.

Harry Markowitz (1927–2023), Nobel Prize-winning economist 

Harry Markowitz pioneered “modern portfolio theory,” which examines how diversification contributes to a portfolio’s ratio of risk and reward. His work as an economist earned him a Nobel Prize and numerous other honors.

Jesse McReynolds (1929–2023), singer for bluegrass duo Jim and Jesse 

Jesse McReynolds was a singer and mandolin player who was one half of the long-running bluegrass duo, Jim and Jesse, and the oldest cast member of the Grand Ole Opry.

Dean Smith (1932–2023), Olympic sprinter and Hollywood stuntman

Dean Smith was a gold medal-winning Olympic sprinter and notable Hollywood stuntman. He doubled for stars like John Wayne, Roy Rogers, and Paul Newman in films like “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” and “The Towering Inferno.”

Frederic Forrest (1936–2023), The Rose, Apocalypse Now star

Frederic Forrest was an actor who received an Oscar nomination for his supporting role in “The Rose” and had memorable roles in “Apocalypse Now” and “Lonesome Dove.”

Firouz Naderi (1946–2023), NASA Mars mission director 

Firouz Naderi was a scientist with NASA who led several missions to Mars.

Sheldon Harnick (1924–2023), Fiddler on the Roof lyricist 

Sheldon Harnick was a lyricist best known for his Broadway collaborations with composer , including the hit musicals “Fiddler on the Roof” and “Fiorello!”

Titan Submersible Implosion (2023) 

Five people are presumed dead after the Titan submersible went missing while en route to view the wreck of the Titanic. The submersible later imploded.

George Winterling (1931–2023), meteorologist who created heat index

George Winterling was the longtime chief meteorologist at Jacksonville, Florida’s WJXT, where he developed the concept of the heat index. 

George Frazier (1954–2023), Twins pitcher and Rockies broadcaster 

George Frazier was a Major League Baseball pitcher who helped the Minnesota Twins to victory at the 1987 World Series.

Julie Garwood (1944–2023), bestselling romance novelist 

Julie Garwood was a bestselling author known for historical and suspense romance novels.

Clark Haggans (1977–2023), former Steelers linebacker 

Clark Haggans was an NFL linebacker who helped lead the Pittsburgh Steelers to victory against the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XL.

Ben Helfgott (1929–2023), Holocaust survivor and Olympian

Ben Helfgott was a Holocaust survivor who went on to compete in the Olympics as a weightlifter, then spent his life advocating for and supporting his fellow survivors.

Jim Tweto (1954–2023), Flying Wild Alaska star 

Jim Tweto was a bush pilot who starred in the Discovery Channel reality series “Flying Wild Alaska.”

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.” 

Big Pokey (1974–2023), longtime Houston rapper

Big Pokey was a longtime rapper in the “chopped and screwed” scene out of Houston and a founding member of the Screwed Up Click collective.

Bob Brown (1941–2023), NFL Hall of Famer 

Bob Brown was an offensive tackle for the Philadelphia Eagles, Los Angeles Rams, and Oakland Raiders in the 1960s and ’70s.

Teresa Taylor (1962–2023), drummer for Butthole Surfers

Teresa Taylor was a drummer for Butthole Surfers, an influential underground rock band out of Texas, best known for their wild experiments and their crossover hit, “Pepper.” 

Carol Higgins Clark (1956–2023), bestselling mystery novelist

Carol Higgins Clark followed in the footsteps of her mother, , writing bestselling mystery novels.

Daniel Ellsberg (1931–2023), Pentagon Papers whistleblower

Daniel Ellsberg was a political activist who exposed the Pentagon Papers, top-secret documents that analyzed U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.

Donald Triplett (1933–2023), first person diagnosed with autism

Donald Triplett was the first person ever diagnosed with autism.

Brett Hadley (1930–2023), The Young and the Restless actor 

Brett Hadley was an actor best known for playing police detective Carl Williams on the soap opera “The Young and the Restless.”

Manitoba Highway Collision (2023) 

At least 16 people died in a highway collision near Carberry, Manitoba, Canada, on Thursday afternoon. Ten others were injured.0

Blackie Onassis (1965–2023), drummer for Urge Overkill 

Blackie Onassis was a drummer for Chicago-based alternative rock band Urge Overkill during their most successful period. 

Homer Jones (1941–2023), inventor of touchdown spike 

Homer Jones was a Pro Bowl wide receiver for the New York Giants widely credited as the inventor of the NFL touchdown spike, one of the most recognizable celebrations in sports.

Glenda Jackson (1936–2023), Oscar-winning actress and politician 

Glenda Jackson was a British actress who won Academy Awards for Best Actress for her performances in “Women in Love” and “A Touch of Class” before being elected to Parliament.

Roger Payne (1935–2023), scientist who discovered whale song

Roger Payne was a biologist who discovered whale song and released a popular album featuring his recordings. 

Patrick Gasienica (1998–2023), Olympic ski jumper 

Patrick Gasienica was an Olympic ski jumper who competed at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.