Gene Winfield (1927–2025), custom car designer for movies and TV

Gene Winfield was an icon of the custom car community whose designs were seen in such movies and TV shows as “Blade Runner,” “Star Trek,” and “Bewitched.”

Sylvester Turner (1954–2025), freshman congressman from Texas

Sylvester Turner was the mayor of Houston from 2016 to 2024, then briefly served in the U.S. House of Representatives. 

Anthony “Baby Gap” Walker (1963–2024), member of the Gap Band 

Anthony “Baby Gap” Walker was a songwriter, rapper, dancer, and choreographer with the Gap Band.

Max Hardy (1983–2024), Detroit chef known for community advocacy

Max Hardy was a Detroit chef and author who was profiled in The New York Times and was best known for his community advocacy and philanthropic work.

Michael Rhodes (1953–2023), bassist on How Do I Live

Michael Rhodes was a bass player known for his work on Nashville hits including “I Hope You Dance” and “How Do I Live.”

Judy Heumann (1947–2023), disability rights activist

Judy Heumann was an activist who spent her entire adult life advocating for disability rights. Her work helped lead to the Americans with Disabilities Act, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and the Rehabilitation Act. She helped make New York City schools wheelchair accessible, served as an advisor to the World Bank, and was assistant secretary of the U.S. Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services, among many other accomplishments.

Elsa Klensch (1933–2022), fashion journalist for CNN

Elsa Klensch was a fashion journalist who hosted “Style with Elsa Klensch” on CNN for more than 20 years.

John Billings (1923–2022), WWII spy pilot

John Billings was a U.S. Army Air Forces veteran of World War II who flew Allied spies behind enemy lines for the Office of Strategic Services (OSS).

Mitchell Ryan (1934–2022), actor known for “Lethal Weapon,” “Dharma & Greg”

Mitchell Ryan was an actor known for many roles, including the villainous General Peter McAllister in “Lethal Weapon.”

Moses McCormick (1981–2021), multilingual YouTube star

Moses McCormick was a popular YouTuber whose viral videos documented his conversations with people in languages including Mandarin, Arabic, and Japanese.

Mark Pavelich (1958–2021), “Miracle on Ice” star

Mark Pavelich was an NHL player who was a star of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team, who beat the Soviet Union in an upset known as the “Miracle on Ice.”

Javier Pérez de Cuéllar (1920–2020), former secretary-general of the United Nations

Javier Pérez de Cuéllar served as secretary-general of the United Nations for two terms, from 1982 to 1991. During that time, he mediated disputes such as the Falklands War between the United Kingdom and Argentina as well as conflicts in Central America. The end of his term saw the collapse of the Soviet Union, the independence of Namibia in Africa, and a cease-fire in Western Sahara.

Rosalind P. Walter (1924–2020), the original Rosie the Riveter

Rosalind P. Walter was an heiress whose work building fighter planes during World War II inspired the creation of Rosie the Riveter. In later years, she became a philanthropist who supported causes including wildlife conservation, public television, and education opportunities for disadvantaged young people.

Dominick J. Arena (1929–2019), police chief arrested Senator Ted Kennedy after Chappaquiddick

He was the police chief of Edgartown, Massachusetts.

King Kong Bundy (1959–2019), WWE superstar

King Kong Bundy was a professional wrestler, one of the WWE's most legendary heels.

Luke Perry (1966–2019), “Beverly Hills, 90210” and "Riverdale" star

He played first the teen, then the dad, on two iconic high-school drama series.

Ted Lindsay (1925–2019), Detroit Red Wings legend

Hall of Famer was known for his tough play.

Keith Flint (1969–2019), The Prodigy frontman

Energetic frontman sang on hit singles “Firestarter” and “Breathe.”

James Luna (1950 - 2018), Native American performance artist

James Luna, highly regarded Native American performance artist, died Sunday, March 4, 2018, of a heart attack in New Orleans, according to Indian Country Today. He was 68.

Russ Solomon (1925–2018), founder of Tower Records

Tower Records revolutionized music retail.

Davide Astori (1987–2018), captain of Italy's Fiorentina football team

Played 14 times for Italy's national team.

Dr. Thomas Starzl (1926 - 2017), liver transplant pioneer

Dr. Thomas Starzl, a surgeon who was a pioneer of liver transplantation, died early Saturday, March 4, 2017, according to multiple news sources. He was 90. Starzl died at his home in Pittsburgh. His death was announced by officials at the University of Pittsburgh.

Pat Conroy (1945 - 2016), The Prince of Tides author

Author Pat Conroy, whose works include "The Prince of Tides" and "The Great Santini," died Friday evening, March 4, 2016, of pancreatic cancer, according to his publisher. He was 70.

Joey Feek (1975 - 2016), Joey + Rory country singer

Joey Feek, a member of the hit country and bluegrass duo Joey + Rory who shared her cancer fight via social media, died of the disease March 4, 2016. She was 40.

Howdy, Minnie Pearl!

On Minnie Pearl's 100th birthday, we remember her down-home humor.

John Candy's Funniest Movies

John Candy was one of the funniest comedians to come out of The Second City scene in Toronto — and that's really saying something.