New York

Lenny Schultz (1933–2025), stand-up comedian

Lenny Schultz was a stand-up comedian whose frenetic physical comedy influenced later comedians like , , and Carrot Top.

Roy Ayers (1940–2025), influential musician and composer

Roy Ayers was a musician and composer whose work on the vibraphone helped push the boundaries of jazz, soul, and funk through works like his 1976 classic, “Everybody Loves the Sunshine.” 

Hazel N. Dukes (1932–2025), longtime civil rights activist

Hazel N. Dukes was a longtime New York-based civil rights activist who once served as president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. 

David Johansen (1950–2025), New York Dolls frontman

David Johansen was the frontman for the glammy proto-punk band the New York Dolls, who ended up being one of the most influential of the era, and also had a solo career under the name Buster Poindexter. 

Dr. Alvin F. Poussaint (1934–2025), psychiatrist who explored racism

Dr. Alvin F. Poussaint was a psychiatrist whose work studying the impact of racism on Black populations filled books and fueled debates about culture and politics. 

Al Trautwig (1956–2025), longtime sports broadcaster 

Al Trautwig was a longtime sports broadcaster whose work ranged from baseball and basketball to the Olympics, hockey, tennis, and auto racing.

Roberta Flack (1937–2025), Killing Me Softly with His Song singer

Roberta Flack was a singer who had No. 1 hits with “Killing Me Softly with His Song,” “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” and “Feel Like Makin’ Love.”

Gerd Stern (1928–2025), Beat Generation multimedia artist

Gerd Stern was an influential poet and multimedia artist of the Beat era, as well as the co-founder of the 1960s art collective, USCO. 

Mort Künstler (1927–2025), acclaimed historical artist 

Mort Künstler was an artist best known for his pulp adventure work and paintings of significant historical events in American history, especially those of the Civil War.

Sal Maida (1948–2025), Roxy Music bassist

Sal Maida was a bassist who lent his talents to a wide array of cutting-edge bands, including Roxy Music, Cracker, Milk ’N’ Cookies, The Runaways, Sparks, and other acts.

Dick Button (1929–2025), Olympic figure skating legend

Dick Button was a two-time U.S. Olympic figure skating gold medal winner who became one of the sport's most well-known commentators.

Nancy Leftenant-Colon (1920–2025), Army Nurse Corps trailblazer

Nancy Leftenant-Colon was a nurse who broke the color barrier when she became the first Black woman to join the U.S. Army Nurse Corps following its desegregation in the 1940s.

Lynn Ban (2025), Bling Empire: New York star

Lynn Ban was a jewelry designer to the stars and owner of Lynn Ban Jewelry, who came to wider attention as a cast member of the reality show “Bling Empire: New York.”

Jules Feiffer (1929–2025), satirical cartoonist

Jules Feiffer was a cartoonist and writer whose satirical wit earned him a Pulitzer Prize in 1986 and made him one of the most influential cartoonists of the 20th century. 

Cecile Richards (1957–2025), former Planned Parenthood president 

Cecile Richards was a women’s rights activist who served as president of both the Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, as well as founding Supermajority, an organization devoted to bringing more women into politics.

Garth Hudson (1937–2025), last surviving member of The Band

Garth Hudson was a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-inducted keyboardist and the last surviving member of The Band.

Gus Williams (1953–2025), Seattle SuperSonics All-Star 

Gus Williams was a 12-year NBA veteran and two-time All-Star with the Seattle SuperSonics who helped lead the team to victory in the 1979 NBA Finals.

Richard Parsons (1948–2024), head of Citigroup, Time Warner

Richard Parsons was a business executive who rose to lead some of the largest organizations in the world, including having tenures at the top of Time Warner and Citigroup.

Peter Yarrow (1938–2025), Peter, Paul and Mary singer

Peter Yarrow was a singer-songwriter and guitarist with the legendary folk music trio Peter, Paul and Mary, known for their song “Puff the Magic Dragon.”

Lorraine O’Grady (1934–2024), conceptual artist and cultural critic

Lorraine O’Grady was a conceptual artist and cultural critic who won acclaim late in life for her mixed-media work, which often explored race and cultural identity, especially from the perspective of a Black woman in the United States.

Art Cashin (1941–2024), New York Stock Exchange veteran

Art Cashin was a Wall Street fixture for six decades, serving as director of floor operations at the New York Stock Exchange, and as a regular commentator on CNBC for over 25 years.

Marshall Brickman (1939–2024), Annie Hall and Jersey Boys cowriter

Marshall Brickman was a screenwriter best known for his collaborations with filmmaker Woody Allen, most notably the Best Picture-winning classic, 1977’s “Annie Hall,” for which the pair won an Oscar.

Lou Carnesecca (1925–2024), legendary St. John’s basketball coach

Lou Carnesecca was the longtime basketball coach for St. John’s University in New York City, reaching the postseason in all of his 24 seasons and racking up 526 career wins.

Peter Westbrook (1952–2024), Olympian who gave back

Peter Westbrook was a pioneering Olympic fencer whose legacy wasn’t just the accolades he won, but also the lives he touched through his nonprofit work.

Helen Gallagher (1926–2024), award-winning star of Ryan’s Hope

Helen Gallagher was an award-winning actress, decorated with two Tony Awards for her stage work and best known for her three-time Daytime Emmy Award-winning turn as Maeve Ryan on “Ryan’s Hope.”

Arthur Frommer (1929–2024), creator of top-selling travel guides

Arthur Frommer was a travel writer best known for creating the Frommer’s brand of affordable-travel guidebooks.0

Clifton R. Wharton Jr. (1926–2024), former president of MSU

Clifton R. Wharton Jr. was a former Michigan State University president and deputy secretary of state who broke racial barriers when he took the MSU post in 1970.

Al Ferrara (1939–2024), L.A. Dodgers outfielder

Al Ferrara was Major League Baseball player for the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, and Cincinnati Reds in the 1960s and ‘70s.0

Roy Haynes (1925–2024), legendary jazz drummer

Roy Haynes was a Grammy Award-winning drummer whose career spanned more than 70 years and covered most major forms of jazz.

Bruce Degen (1945–2024), The Magic School Bus illustrator

Bruce Degen was an artist and writer best known for illustrating dozens of books for young readers, including the beloved children’s book series “The Magic School Bus.”

Judith Jamison (1943–2024), leader of Alvin Ailey dance troupe

Judith Jamison was an acclaimed dancer and choreographer who eventually became artistic director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, the famed modern dance company based in New York City.

Don Bosseler (1936–2024), College Football Hall of Famer

Don Bosseler was a fullback for the Washington Redskins in the 1950s and ‘60s after an All-American college career at the University of Miami.

Paul Morrissey (1938–2024), Andy Warhol collaborator

Paul Morrissey was a filmmaker best known for his collaborations with artist Andy Warhol and for briefly managing the Velvet Underground.

David Harris (1949–2024), played Cochise in The Warriors

David Harris was an actor best known for his performance as gang member Cochise in the cult classic 1979 film “The Warriors.” 

DJ Clark Kent (1966–2024), producer who helped discover Jay-Z

DJ Clark Kent was a music insider and hip-hop producer who played a role in the rise of some of the genre’s biggest stars, including Jay-Z and Notorious B.I.G.

Lillian Schwartz (1927–2024), pioneer of computer-generated art

Lillian Schwartz was a groundbreaking digital artist whose computer-assisted work in the 1960s and ‘70s pre-dated personal home computers and mainstream digital art by many years.

Ka (1972–2024), Brooklyn rapper and NYC firefighter 

Ka was a prolific Brooklyn-based rapper whose lyrically-rich albums earned him accolades, and who was also known for his two-decade career as an FDNY firefighter, where he rose to captain.

Lore Segal (1928–2024), Pulitzer Prize-finalist author

Lore Segal was an author and Holocaust survivor whose 2007 novel, “Shakespeare's Kitchen,” was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in fiction.

Adrian Bailey (1956–2024), Broadway performer who survived fall

Adrian Bailey was a Broadway singer, actor, and dancer whose career was tragically cut short by an onstage fall before a performance of “The Little Mermaid.” 

Benny Golson (1929–2024), jazz saxophonist and composer

Benny Golson was a tenor saxophonist and composer whose work helped define the sound of hard bop and whose compositions have since become standards in the world of jazz.

Nelson DeMille (1943–2024), best-selling thriller author

Nelson DeMille was a best-selling author of thriller and suspense novels, best known for his John Corey and Joe Ryker series, published under the name Jack Cannon. 

Mary McFadden (1938–2024), fashion designer known for pleated gowns

Mary McFadden was a fashion designer known for her pleated goddess gowns and the special fabric she created to achieve a draped effect. 

Michaela DePrince (1995–2024), ballerina who danced with Beyonce

Michaela DePrince was a ballerina who rose from a war-torn childhood to become a rising international star of the dance world.

James Earl Jones (1931–2024), the voice of Darth Vader and Mufasa

James Earl Jones was the acclaimed actor whose deep, rich voice was featured as Darth Vader in several “Star Wars” films and as Mufasa in “The Lion King.”

Simon Verity (1945–2024), master stone carver known for cathedrals

Simon Verity was a British master stone carver whose detailed work graces such buildings as New York City’s Cathedral of St. John the Divine and England’s Canterbury Cathedral.

Fatman Scoop (1968–2024), rap star and hype man 

Fatman Scoop was a DJ, rapper, and hype man best known for his booming voice, which appeared on hits by Missy Elliott and Mariah Carey, as well as his own club mainstay, “Be Faithful.” 

Betty Halbreich (1927–2024), famed Bergdorf Goodman personal shopper 

Betty Halbreich was a New York City style icon as the longtime director of solutions at the city’s Bergdorf Goodman department store, where she was a personal shopper for celebrities and styled TV shows.

Leonard Riggio (1941–2024), turned Barnes & Noble into a giant

Leonard Riggio was a businessman who, starting in 1971, expanded Barnes & Noble from a single Manhattan store into a nationwide book giant. 

Phil Donahue (1935–2024), TV talk show icon

Phil Donahue was a longtime talk-show host whose signature program all but created the template that daytime TV would follow for years to come.