Died September 15

Elias Khoury (1948–2024), Lebanese novelist and activist

Elias Khoury was an award-winning novelist, author of “Gates of the Sun,” and activist from Lebanon best known as an advocate for the Palestinian cause.

Fernando Botero (1932–2023), known for whimsical figure art 

Fernando Botero was a Colombian artist and sculptor best known for his large, exaggerated figurework.0

Billy Miller (1979–2023), The Young and the Restless star

Billy Miller was an actor who won Daytime Emmy Awards for his performance as Billy Abbott in the soap opera “The Young and the Restless.” 

John Stearns (1951–2022), All-Star catcher for the Mets

John Stearns was a four-time All-Star catcher for the New York Mets in the 1970s and ‘80s.

Gavan O’Herlihy (1951–2021), played Chuck on “Happy Days”

Gavan O’Herlihy was an actor known for playing Chuck Cunningham in the first season of “Happy Days.”

Penny Harrington (1942–2021), pioneering female police chief

Penny Harrington was the chief of the Portland, Oregon Police Bureau in the mid-1980s, becoming the first woman to lead a major U.S. city’s police department.

Leonard “Doc” Gibbs (1948–2021), celebrated percussionist and “Emeril Live” bandleader

Leonard “Doc” Gibbs was a master percussionist known for his time as the leader of the house band on “Emeril Live.”

Azellia White (1913–2019), pioneering Black female pilot

Pilot Azellia White (1913–2019)helped pave the way for black women in aviation. White trained in Tuskegee where her husband was stationed during World War II as a mechanic with the famed Tuskegee Airmen. She received her pilotfs license on March 26, 1946.

Mike Stefanik (1958–2019), nine-time NASCAR champion

Mike Stefanikwas a champion of NASCAR whose nine total championship wins made him one of the two drivers with the most championships in NASCAR history.

Ric Ocasek (1944–2019), lead singer of the Cars

Ric Ocasek was the lead singer, songwriter, and rhythm guitarist for The Cars, known for a string of hits in the 1970s and ‘80s including “Just What I Needed,” “Shake it Up,” and “Drive.” Ocasek’s solo career included the hit single “Emotion in Motion.”

Ric Ocasek (1944–2019), lead singer of the Cars

Ric Ocasek was the lead singer, songwriter, and rhythm guitarist of the Cars, who had a string of hits in the 1970s and ‘80s including “Drive,” “Just What I Needed,” and “Shake it Up.” Their 1984 album “Heartbeat City” was a massive success, and the video for lead single “You Might Think” became the first Video of the Year at the first MTV Video Music Awards. Along with the other members of the Cars, Ocasek was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018.

Harry Dean Stanton (1926 – 2017), prolific actor with cult following

Harry Dean Stanton, the actor known for roles in movies including "Repo Man" and "Cool Hand Luke" as well as for the TV show "Big Love," died Friday, Sept. 15, 2017, according to the Associated Press. He was 91.

Rose Mofford (1922 - 2016), first female governor of Arizona

Rose Mofford, Arizona's first female governor, died Sept. 15, 2016, according to multiple news sources. She was 94.

Rick Wright, Wish You Were Here

Richard Wright's richly textured keyboard layers were a vital ingredient of the Pink Floyd sound...