North Carolina

Tom Robbins (1932–2025), Even Cowgirls Get the Blues author

Tom Robbins was a novelist known for quirky cult favorites like “Even Cowgirls Get the Blues” and “Skinny Legs and All.” 

Paul Teal (1989–2024), One Tree Hill actor 

Paul Teal was an actor best known for his performance as Josh Avery on the TV drama “One Tree Hill.”

Bobby Allison (1937–2024), NASCAR Hall of Fame driver

Bobby Allison was a NASCAR Hall of Fame racecar driver whose triumphs include 85 Winston Cup victories and three Daytona 500 wins over the course of his decades-long career.

Elwood Edwards (1949–2024), voice of AOL’s “You’ve got mail” message

Elwood Edwards was a graphics supervisor and production manager for local TV stations who was thrust into distinction when he became the voice of AOL and its iconic “You’ve got mail” greeting.000

Nicholas Pryor (1935–2024), Beverly Hills, 90210 actor

Nicholas Pryor was an actor with over 170 credits to his name, best known for long stints on “Beverly Hills, 90210” and the “General Hospital” spinoff, “Port Charles,” as well as for playing Tom Cruise’s father in “Risky Business.” 

Donnell Thompson (1958–2024), longtime Colts defensive end 

Donnell Thompson was a longtime defensive end for the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts, who later became a community-minded business owner.

Billy Edd Wheeler (1932–2024), co-writer of the country hit Jackson

Billy Edd Wheeler was a songwriter and author whose work earned him induction into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, best known for “Jackson,” the Grammy Award-winning single by and .

Jim Sasser (1936–2024), longtime U.S. senator from Tennessee 

Jim Sasser was a three-term U.S. senator from Tennessee who also served as ambassador to China under former President Bill Clinton.

Lizzy Musi (1991–2024), star of Street Outlaws: No Prep Kings

Lizzy Musi was a professional race car driver and star of the reality series “Street Outlaws: No Prep Kings.” 

Elizabeth MacRae (1936–2024), Gomer Pyle actress 

Elizabeth MacRae was an actress best known for her performance in “Gomer Pyle, USMC” as Lou-Ann Poovie, Gomer’s girlfriend.

Grayson Murray (1993–2024), two-time PGA Tour winner

Grayson Murray was a professional golfer and two-time PGA Tour event winner who was ranked 58th in the world.

Samm-Art Williams (1946–2024), playwright known for Home

Samm-Art Williams was an actor, writer, and producer who worked on shows like “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" and “Martin” whose Tony Award-nominated 1979 play, “Home,” is returning to Broadway this summer.

Malcolm Holcombe (1955–2024), singer-songwriter 

Malcolm Holcombe was a singer and songwriter known for his back-to-basics Americana music. 

Dex Romweber (1966–2024), half of the power duo Flat Duo Jets 

Dexter “Dex” Romweber was a rockabilly musician and one half of the power duo Flat Duo Jets, who were a major influence on back-to-basics rock acts like The White Stripes. 

Joe Dudley Sr. (1937–2024), Black haircare pioneer 

Joe Dudley Sr. was an entrepreneur who founded Dudley Products, Inc., a prominent Black haircare brand.

Herbert “Cowboy” Coward (1938–2024), Toothless Man in Deliverance

Herbert “Cowboy” Coward was an actor best known for his role as “Toothless Man” in the hit 1970s thriller, “Deliverance,” where he delivered the infamous “purty mouth” line.

Eric Montross (1971–2023), Tar Heels legend and NBA player

Eric Montross was an NBA basketball veteran and a member of the 1993 NCAA Championship-winning University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill Tar Heels team who came to be known as Bloody Montross after playing with a bleeding injury during a game against Duke University.

Jack Hogan (1929–2023), star of TV’s Combat! 

Jack Hogan was an actor best known for playing PFC William G. Kirby for five seasons and 112 episodes on television’s “Combat!” a World War II drama that ran from 1962 to 1967.

Walter Davis (1954–2023), Olympic gold medal-winning NBA star

Walter Davis was a basketball star at the University of North Carolina who later had six All-Star NBA appearances and won an Olympic gold medal with the 1976 USA men’s basketball team.  

Lauch Faircloth (1928–2023), U.S. senator from North Carolina 

Lauch Faircloth was a politician who served one term representing North Carolina in the U.S. Senate as a Republican.

Jim Tom Hedrick (1940–2023), star of Moonshiners

Marvin “Jim Tom” Hedrick was a respected Appalachian distiller and fan favorite on the Discovery Channel’s reality television series, “Moonshiners.” 

Clarence Avant (1931–2023), “The Black Godfather” of music

Clarence Avant was a music executive and businessman who advised some of the biggest names in music history.0

Gen. James J. Lindsay (1932–2023), Special Operations Command leader

James J. Lindsay was a retired four-star general in the United States Army who served as Special Operations Command (SOCOM)'s first leader and helped found the Airborne and Special Operations Museum.

Walter Royal (1957–2023), Iron Chef America winner  

Walter Royal was a North Carolina chef who won “Iron Chef America” in 2006 with his dishes made from ostrich.

Jerry Richardson (1936–2023), Carolina Panthers founder

Jerry Richardson was the founder and longtime owner of the Carolina Panthers, the second former NFL player to own a team.

Billy Packer (1940–2023), Emmy-winning college basketball announcer

Billy Packer was a longtime college basketball announcer who covered the NCAA tournament for decades.

Anton Walkes (1997–2023), soccer player with Charlotte FC

Anton Walkes was an English soccer player with the U.S. Major League Soccer (MLS) clubs Charlotte FC and Atlanta United.

University of Virginia shooting (2022)

Three students were killed, and two others were injured, in a shooting at the University of Virginia Sunday night.

Charles Johnson (1972–2022), Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver

Charles Johnson was a wide receiver with NFL teams including the Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots.

Ron Rice (1940–2022), Hawaiian Tropic founder

Ron Rice was the founder of the iconic sunscreen brand Hawaiian Tropic.

Henry Darrow (1933–2021), “The High Chaparral” star

Henry Darrow was an actor known for roles in TV shows including “The High Chaparral,” “Santa Barbara,” and “Zorro.”

Lance Waldroup (1990–2021), star of “Moonshiners” reality show

Lance Waldroup was a star of the Discovery reality series “Moonshiners.”

Margaret Maron (1938–2021), award-winning mystery novelist

Margaret Maron was a mystery novelist known for books including her Sigrid Harald series.

Dorothy “Dot” Cole (1913–2021), oldest living U.S. Marine

Dorothy “Dot” Cole was a U.S. Marines veteran of World War II who was the oldest living Marine.

Constance Weldon (1932–2020), pioneering tuba player

Constance Weldon was a pioneering tuba player believed to be the first woman to play the tuba in a major American orchestra when she joined the Boston Pops in 1955.

Maurice Petty (1939–2020), legendary race car engine builder

Maurice Petty was a NASCAR Hall of Fame engine builder and the brother of racing legend Richard Petty.

George Floyd (1973–2020), whose death in Minneapolis sparked U.S. protests

George Floyd, a resident of St. Louis Park, Minnesota, died Monday, May 25, 2020 at the age of 46 while in the custody of Minneapolis police officers, which sparked nationwide protests against police brutality. He was born in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and grew up in Houston, Texas, where he graduated from Jack Yates High School in 1992. He was a member of the basketball team and the state title-winning football team there. At the time of his death, he worked as a security guard at Conga Latin Bistro.

Reed Mullin (1966–2020), Corrosion of Conformity drummer

Reed Mullin was the drummer and co-founder of the North Carolina based metal band Corrosion of Conformity.Mullin, guitarist Woody Weatherman, and bassist Mike Dean started the band in 1982. They were originally a hardcore punk band but found greater success after they moved to an alternative metal sound. The band signed with Columbia Records in the '90s and released their biggest commercial record, Deliverance, in 1994.Mullin left the band for a while but returned in 2010.

Junior Johnson (1931–2019), NASCAR legend

Junior Johnson  was a NASCAR legend who won 50 races during his Hall of Fame career including the 1960 Daytona 500. Growing up in the hills of Western North Carolina, Johnson was a bootlegger, outrunning authorities while transporting moonshine in his car. He became a NASCAR driver with his first major race coming in 1953 at the Southern 500. Johnson is credited with inventing the drafting technique during his Daytona 500 victory when he used the slipstream of faster cars in front of him to slingshot to first place on the last lap. He was in the first class to be inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Johnson later became a team owner with his drivers winning over 100 races.

Kay Hagan (1953–2019), former North Carolina senator

Kay Hagan was the first Democratic woman elected to the U.S. Senate from North Carolina. In 2008 she was a state senator when she beat Republican Elizabeth Dole. She lost her seat in 2014 to Republican Thom Tillis in a close contest that was one of the most expensive Senate races ever. In the Senate, Hagan was a strong advocate for women and a prominent backer of the Affordable Care Act. After discovering that the U.S. Senate swimming pool was for men only, she worked with Senator Chuck Schumer to end that practice.

Hurricane Dorian Victims (2019)

At least fifty people have died from the storm.

UNC Charlotte Shooting Victims (2019)

Two people were killed in a shooting on the Charlotte campus of the University of North Carolina.

Bishop Joseph Howze (1923–2019), pioneering African-American bishop

The first black bishop in the 20th century to head a U.S. diocese.

Hurricane Florence Victims (2018)

At least 37 people died as a result of Hurricane Florence, a dangerous tropical storm that made landfall in North Carolina in September 2018.

Dorothy Cotton (1930–2018), civil rights pioneer

ATLANTA (AP) — Dorothy Cotton, a civil rights pioneer who worked closely with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., has died.

Harry Anderson (1952 – 2018), “Night Court” star

Played the quirky Judge Harry T. Stone on the popular sitcom…

Woody Durham (1941–2018), former "Voice of the Tar Heels"

North Carolina football and basketball announcer for four decades…

Barbara Ann Alston (1943–2018), co-founder of girl group the Crystals

Barbara Ann Alston, co-founder of the girl group the Crystals, died Friday, Feb. 16, 2018, in Charlotte, following a battle with the flu, according to multiple news sources. She was 74.

Rev. Billy Graham (1918–2018), preacher who counseled U.S. presidents

MONTREAT, N.C. (AP) — The Rev. Billy Graham, who transformed American religious life through his preaching and activism, becoming a counselor to presidents and the most widely heard Christian evangelist in history, died Wednesday. He was 99.