Died October 2023

Fritz Peterson (1942–2023), Yankees all-star who traded families

Fritz Peterson was an all-star pitcher for the New York Yankees known both for his control on the mound and for a headline-grabbing “family swap” with his teammate, Mike Kekich.

Shirley Jo Finney (1949–2023), Wilma star and theatre director

Shirley Jo Finney was an actress who starred in the TV movie “Wilma” and worked widely in regional theatre as a director.

Peter S. Fischer (1935–2023), co-creator of Murder, She Wrote 

Peter S. Fischer was an author and television producer who is best known for co-creating the popular mystery show, “Murder, She Wrote,” starring , and for writing the “Hollywood Murder Mysteries” book series. 

Wanda PóÅ‚tawska (1921–2023), Holocaust survivor befriended the Pope

Wanda PóÅ‚tawska was a Polish doctor and author who was tortured in medical experiments by the Nazis, and later went on to befriend the future .

Taraja Ramsess (1982–2023), stuntman in Black Panther 

Taraja Ramsess was a stunt performer known for his work in such movies as “Black Panther” and “Avengers: Endgame.” 

Oleg Protopopov (1932–2023), gold medal-winning Olympic figure skater

Oleg Protopopov was a two-time Olympic gold medal winner who, along with his wife, Ludmila Belousova, defected from the Soviet Union and became an international figure skating icon. 

Robbin Bain (1936–2023), “Today Girl” on NBC

Robbin Bain was a former beauty pageant winner who became a “Today Girl” on television, offering fashion and beauty tips in segments for NBC’s “Today” in the 1960s.

Ken Mattingly (1936–2023), astronaut who assisted Apollo 13 from Earth

Ken Mattingly was an aviator and astronaut who took part in three Apollo missions, including a ground role during the ill-fated Apollo 13 mission.

Thierry Rautureau (2023), “The Chef in the Hat” 

Thierry Rautureau was a celebrity chef known for his Seattle restaurants and his appearances on “Top Chef Masters” and other TV shows.

Tyler Christopher (1972–2023), played Nikolas on General Hospital

Tyler Christopher was an actor known for his soap opera roles, starring as Nikolas Cassadine on “General Hospital” and Stefan Di Mera on “Days of Our Lives.” 

Dr. David Shaffer (1936–2023), expert in child and teen suicide 

Dr. David Shaffer was a psychiatrist who did pioneering studies on child and teen suicide that led to more effective prevention methods. 

Robert Brustein (1927–2023), independent theater defender

Robert Brustein was a critic, professor, and writer who was a fierce proponent of independent theater and who advocated for theater to value art over commerce.

Ryan Smolkin (1973–2023), founder of Smoke's Poutinerie

Ryan Smolkin was a restaurateur, entrepreneur, and social media personality who founded the restaurant chain Smoke's Poutinerie, with over 100 locations in Canada.

Frank Howard (1936–2023), Washington Senators slugger 

Frank Howard was a power hitting slugger who hit 382 home runs over the course of his MLB career playing for the Washington Senators and Los Angeles Dodgers.

Aaron Spears (1976–2023), drummer for Ariana Grande, Usher

Aaron Spears was a Grammy Award-nominated drummer and producer who worked with such notable artists as Ariana Grande and Usher. 

Li Keqiang (1955–2023), former premier of China

Li Keqiang was a former premier of China and the country’s top economic official for a decade, prior to his retirement in 2023 as the second ranking leader of the country.

Bobby “Bingo” Smith (1946–2023), Cleveland Cavaliers all-time great

Bobby “Bingo” Smith was an all-time great for the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers who was part of the Miracle of Richfield squad and had his number retired.

Hurricane Otis (2023) 

At least 48 people have died, and dozens more are missing, after Hurricane Otis struck Mexico in Acapulco and surrounding areas.

Ida Applebroog (1929–2023), political multimedia artist 

Ida Applebroog was a multimedia artist whose work confronted gender, depression, sexual identity, mental health, and social politics. 

Richard Moll (1943–2023), Night Court star

Richard Moll was an actor best known for starring as courtroom bailiff Bull Shannon on the sitcom “Night Court.” 

Matthew Perry (1969–2023), star of Friends

Matthew Perry was an actor best known for playing Chandler Bing on the hit sitcom “Friends.”

Bertie Bowman (1931–2023), long-serving Congressional aide 

Bertie Bowman was a long-serving Congressional aide on Capitol Hill who got his start sweeping steps and ended his career as the longtime hearings manager for the Foreign Relations Committee.

Arnold Díaz (1949–2023), Shame on You consumer watchdog

Arnold Díaz was a reporter and consumer watchdog whose news segments “Shame on You,” “Shame Shame Shame,” and “What a Shame” made him an icon in the New York City news scene and the bane of bad businesses everywhere.

Lewiston, Maine Shootings (2023) 

At least 18 people have died, and others are injured, in a series of shootings that took place across multiple locations in Lewiston, Maine, on Wednesday, October 25, 2023. 

Richard Roundtree (1942–2023), star of Shaft 

Richard Roundtree was an actor who became the first Black action star when he played an ultra-cool private detective in “Shaft.” 

Louisiana I-55 Car Crash (2023)

At least seven people have died, and dozens more are injured, after more than 150 cars crashed on Monday, October 23, amidst heavy fog on Interstate 55 in southeast Louisiana.

Tasha Butts (1982–2023), Georgetown women’s basketball head coach

Tasha Butts was a former WNBA player who had recently been named the head coach of Georgetown University’s women’s basketball team.

Sir Bobby Charlton (1937–2023), English soccer legend 

Sir Bobby Charlton was an English soccer legend who played for the 1966 FIFA World Cup-winning team and is considered among the best players of all time.

Dusty Street (1946–2023), pioneering female rock DJ 

Dusty Street was one of the first women to work as a rock and roll DJ, most famously at Los Angeles’ KROQ-FM.

Don Laughlin (1931–2023), Nevada resort town namesake

Don Laughlin was a developer, casino operator, and hotelier who built the Nevada resort town of Laughlin, named after himself and now the third largest casino destination in the state.

Betsy Rawls (1928–2023), LPGA champion

Betsy Rawls was a professional golfer who won the U.S. Women’s Open four times, among dozens of other career wins on the LPGA Tour.

Hubert Reeves (1932–2023), celebrated astrophysicist and science icon 

Hubert Reeves was a Canadian astrophysicist who became a science icon thanks to his appearances on television shows and science documentaries, as well as his work discussing ecological issues. 

Edward Bleier (1929–2023), brought Looney Tunes to TV 

Edward Bleier was a former Warner Bros. executive and past president who introduced Looney Tunes to television, and who later helped pioneer cable television services and special interest channels. 

Dwight Twilley (1951–2023), I’m on Fire singer 

Dwight Twilley was a singer and songwriter who had power pop hits in the 1970s and ‘80s with the Dwight Twilley Band and as a solo artist.

The 45 King (1961–2023), producer for Jay-Z, Eminem 

Mark Howard James , better known by his stage name The 45 King , was a hip-hop producer who worked with greats like Jay-Z, Queen Latifah, and Eminem. 

Steven Lutvak (1959–2023), Tony Award-nominated composer

Steven Lutvak was a composer for stage and screen best known for his work on the Tony Award-winning musical “A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder.” 

Burt Young (1940–2023), played Paulie in the Rocky series

Burt Young was an Oscar-nominated movie and television actor best known for playing Paulie, Rocky’s best friend and brother-in-law in the “Rocky” film series.

Roland Griffiths (1946–2023), psychedelic-assisted therapies pioneer 

Roland Griffiths was a psychopharmacologist and psychedelics researcher who helped pioneer the study of psychedelic-assisted therapy for depression, anxiety, addiction, and PTSD.

Carla Bley (1936–2023), influential free jazz composer 

Carla Bley was an influential figure in the free jazz movement who became a staunch advocate of artists’ rights and the creation of independent record labels so musicians would have greater control over their own music.

Ivor Robson (1940–2023), golf’s Voice of the Open 

Ivor Robson was a golf announcer best known for his long association with the British Open. 

Eve Bunting (1928–2023), bestselling children’s author

Eve Bunting was the author of bestselling and award-winning books for children, including “The Wall” and “Smoky Night.” 

Florine Mark (1933–2023), former Weight Watchers president and CEO

Florine Mark was a businesswoman, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and a former president and CEO of Weight Watchers. 

Joanna Merlin (1931–2023), Law & Order judge

Joanna Merlin was the original Tzeitel in the first Broadway production of “Fiddler on the Roof,” and later became a familiar face to television audiences for her recurring role as Judge Lena Petrovsky on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.” 

Lara Parker (1938–2023), Dark Shadows star 

Lara Parker was an actress best known for her starring role on the gothic soap opera “Dark Shadows” as the witch Angelique.

Martti Ahtisaari (1937–2023), Nobel-winning Finnish president

Martti Ahtisaari was the former president of Finland and the recipient of the 2008 Nobel Peace Prize.

Andy Bean (1953–2023), 11-time PGA Tour winner 

Andy Bean was a professional golfer who won 11 PGA tour events and was inducted into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame.

Louise Glück (1943–2023), Nobel- and Pulitzer-winning poet 

Louise Glück was a poet and essayist whose exploration of trauma, death, loss, and struggle earned her the Nobel Prize, Pulitzer Prize, a National Book Award, and many others.

Piper Laurie (1932–2023), Carrie, Twin Peaks actress

Piper Laurie was an Oscar-nominated and Golden Globe-winning actress known for her work in “Carrie,” “Twin Peaks,” “The Hustler,” and “Children of a Lesser God.” 

Suzanne Somers (1946–2023), Three’s Company star

Suzanne Somers was an actress best known for her starring role as Chrissy Snow on the 1970s and ‘80s sitcom “Three’s Company.”