Teachers

Carole D’Andrea (1937–2025), West Side Story actress 

Carole D’Andrea was an actress who originated the role of Velma in “West Side Story” on Broadway, then also played her in the 1961 film adaptation.

Slick Watts (1951–2025), beloved Seattle SuperSonics player

Slick Watts was a fan-favorite basketball player of the 1970s best known for his tenure with the Seattle SuperSonics, his skills on the court, and his distinctive headbands.

Alfa Anderson (1946–2024), legend of disco with Chic

Alfa Anderson was a singer best known for her work with the disco icons Chic, who created enduring dance hits with songs like “Le Freak” and “Good Times.” 

John Marsden (1950–2024), Tomorrow, When the War Began author

John Marsden was an Australian author and educator best known for his 1993 young adult novel “Tomorrow, When the War Began.” 

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.

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.”

Julia Hawkins (1916–2024), 108-year-old record-setting sprinter

Julia Hawkins was a senior cyclist who, at age 100, became a competitive sprinter and eventually set multiple records in her age group.

Thelma Mothershed Wair (1940–2024), Little Rock Nine member

Thelma Mothershed Wair was the oldest of the Little Rock Nine, a group of Black students who integrated Little Rock Central High School in 1957, prompting one of the most important civil rights clashes in American history. 

Betty A. Bridges (1941–2024), prolific actress and Todd Bridges’ mom

Betty A. Bridges was a teacher and actress known for guest spots on such TV shows as “Diff’rent Strokes,” on which she appeared alongside her son, Todd Bridges.

Bill Pascrell Jr. (1937–2024), longtime New Jersey congressman

Bill Pascrell Jr. was a former mayor of Paterson, New Jersey and longstanding New Jersey congressman, serving over 25 years in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Kim Johnson (1944–2024), Survivor: Africa runner-up

Kim Johnson was a noted runner-up in “Survivor: Africa,” the 2001 third season of the popular reality competition TV show.

Sonja Christopher (1937–2024), original Survivor contestant

Sonja Christopher was a contestant on the first season of “Survivor” in 2000 and the first person ever voted off the show.

Margo Smith (1939–2024), 1970s country music star 

Margo Smith was a country singer and songwriter who had No. 1 hits with “Don’t Break the Heart That Loves You” and “It Only Hurts a Little While.” 

Guy Stern (1922–2023), Holocaust refugee and WWII intel operative

Guy Stern was a German refugee who fled the Nazis in the 1930s and became a military intelligence operative for the U.S. during World War II as part of the elite group known as the Ritchie Boys.

Colette Maze (1914–2023), world’s oldest recording pianist 

Colette Maze was a French pianist whose recording career began in her 80s and continued throughout her life, with her most recent album released just this year.

Andrea Fay Friedman (1970–2023), Life Goes On actress

Andrea Fay Friedman was an actress with Down syndrome who appeared on “Life Goes On” and the drama “Carol of the Bells,” and did voice work on “Family Guy.” 

Lt. Gen. Claudius “Bud” Watts III (1936–2023), past president of The Citadel 

Lt. Gen. Claudius “Bud” Watts III was a United States Air Force veteran who served as president of The Citadel, a military college in South Carolina, from 1989 to 1996.

Dom Famularo (1953–2023), worldwide advocate for drumming

Dom Famularo was a drummer and drum teacher who became renowned and respected for his four decades of advocacy for the art.

Dr. Richard Moriarty (1939–2023), Mr. Yuk poison symbol creator

Dr. Richard Moriarty was a pediatrician, a professor at the University of Pittsburgh, and the director of the Pittsburgh Poison Center, arguably best known as the creator of Mr. Yuk, a widely used symbol to alert people – especially kids – that a substance is poisonous.

Renata Scotto (1934–2023), operatic soprano icon

Renata Scotto was a singer, teacher, and opera director who was widely considered one of the greatest sopranos of her generation.

Vincent Speranza (1925–2023), paratrooper who put beer in his helmet 

Vincent Speranza was a paratrooper during World War II who carried beer in his helmet for a wounded friend during the Battle of the Bulge.

Anita Wood Brewer (1938–2023), singer and Elvis Presley’s girlfriend 

Anita Wood Brewer was a singer and TV performer who dated before his marriage.

Christine King Farris (1927–2023), Martin Luther King Jr.’s sister 

Christine King Farris was a teacher and author, as well as the sister of the Rev.  

Tom Sawyer (1946–2023), longtime Ohio politician and former mayor

Tom Sawyer was a longtime Ohio politician who served as mayor of Akron, and who was also a U.S. Congressperson, Ohio State Senator, and member of the Ohio State Board of Education. 

Kidd Jordan (1935–2023), jazz saxophonist and educator 

Kidd Jordan was a jazz saxophonist and educator who played alongside artists like , , Stevie Wonder, , Cannonball Adderley (1928–1975), and R.E.M., and taught jazz artists such as Wynton and Branford Marsalis, and Donald Harrison.

Virginia Zeani (1925–2023), Transylvanian opera singer

Virginia Zeani was an operatic soprano known for roles including her signature, Violetta in “La Traviata.”

Jean Landis (1918–2022), World War II WASP pilot

Jean Landis served with the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) during World War II, flying crucial non-combat missions.

Johnny Johnson (1921–2022), last surviving WWII Dambuster

Johnny Johnson was the last surviving member of the Royal Air Force squadron who bombed German dams in the morale-boosting World War II Dambusters raid.

John Rensenbrink (1928–2022), Green Party co-founder

John Rensenbrink was a co-founder of the Green Party of the United States, the fourth-largest political party in the U.S.

Melissa Bank (1961–2022), author of “The Girls’ Guide to Hunting and Fishing”

Melissa Bank was the author of the influential 1999 best seller “The Girls’ Guide to Hunting and Fishing.”

Alexander Jefferson (1921–2022), Tuskegee Airman

Alexander Jefferson was a U.S. Air Force veteran who served as a Tuskegee Airman in World War II.

Andrée Geulen-Herscovici (1921–2022), Holocaust hero who saved children

Andrée Geulen-Herscovici was a Belgian teacher who hid hundreds of Jewish children during the Holocaust, saving them from concentration camps.

Ann Turner Cook (1926–2022), original Gerber Baby

Ann Turner Cook was a teacher who, as a child, became the original face of Gerber baby food.

Shirley Spork (1927–2022), LPGA co-founder

Shirley Spork was a golfer and teaching pro who co-founded the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) in 1950.

Lauro Cavazos (1927–2022), first Latino cabinet member

Lauro Cavazos was the first Latino cabinet member as he served as secretary of education under presidents and .

Autherine Lucy Foster (1929–2022), first Black student at the University of Alabama

Autherine Lucy Foster was an icon of the civil rights movement as the first Black student to attend the University of Alabama.

Arnie Kantrowitz (1940–2022), early LGBTQ rights activist

Arnie Kantrowitz was a pioneer of LGBTQ civil rights activism and one of the founders of GLAAD.

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.

Joe Clark (1938–2020), principal who inspired “Lean on Me”

Joe Clark was the former principal of Eastside High School in Paterson, New Jersey, who inspired the 1989 film “Lean on Me.”

Christopher Pendergast (2020), ALS Ride for Life founder

Christopher Pendergast helped start the annual ALS Ride for Life, which raises funds to find a cure, after his diagnosis with the disease. 

Florence Howe (1929–2020), women’s studies pioneer

Florence Howe was a pioneer of women’s studies and the founder of the Feminist Press.  

Ken Robinson (1950–2020), the most-viewed TED Talker

Sir Ken Robinson was an educator whose 2006 TED Talk on encouraging creativity in students was viewed more times than any other TED Talk in history.

Seymour Schwartz (1928–2020), founding editor of definitive surgery textbook

Seymour Schwartz was the founding editor of an influential and essential medical textbook, “Schwartz’s Principles of Surgery.”

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.

Rudolfo Anaya (1937–2020), “godfather” of Chicano literature

Rudolfo Anaya was called the “godfather” of Chicano literature. He was best known for hisnovel, “Bless Me, Ultima.”

Dr. Thomas Freeman (1919–2020), legendary debate coach

Dr. Thomas Freeman was a renowneddebate coach at Texas Southern Universitywho taught Martin Luther King Jr.duringa70-yearcareer.

Mary Pratt (1918–2020), last surviving member of 1943 Rockford Peaches baseball team

Mary Pratt was a pitcher with the Rockford Peaches in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, which was featured in the hit 1992 movie “A League of Their Own.”

Tao Porchon-Lynch (1918–2020), world’s oldest yoga teacher

Tao Porchon-Lynch  was certified by Guinness World Records as the world’s oldest yoga teacher. 101 years old at her death — and still teaching until days before she died — Porchon-Lynch earned the title in 2012, when she was 93. Porchon-Lynch was also a competitive ballroom dancer who appeared on “America’s Got Talent” in 2015. In her younger years, she was a model and actress whose films included “Show Boat” (1951) and “The Last Time I Saw Paris” (1954).

Jimmy Heath (1926–2020), legendary jazz saxophonist

Jimmy Heath was a legendary jazz saxophonist who played with jazz giants John Coltrane and Miles Davis. Heath, who stood 5-foot-3-inches, was called Little Bird, an homage to legendary saxplayer Charlie Bird Parker and a tribute to Heath's skill.Overcoming an addiction to heroin, Heath was a prolific musician for over seven decades and a pioneer of be-bop. He later taught music at Queens College.