Remembering the Stars We Lost in 2019

[IceWizard]

Ok .. Maybe a few more



Allee Willis
Songwriter Allee Willis died on December 24 in Los Angeles at the age of 72. The prolific talent was famous for penning the Friends theme song and for her work with Earth, Wind & Fire. The cause of death was cardiac arrest.



Junior Johnson
The former NASCAR racer died on December 20 at an assisted living facility in Charlotte, North Carolina, following a battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He was 88.



Claudine Auger
The French actress died on December 19, in Paris, her agent confirmed to AFP. She was 78. Auger was the first French actress to play a Bond girl, starring as Domino opposite Sean Connery in 1965’s Thunderball. Her first acting job was in 1958 and she acted until 1997, finishing her career with the TV movie, The Red and the Black.



Philip McKeon
The former child actor, best known for his role of Tommy Hyatt on the ‘70s sitcom Alice, died on December 10 in Texas after battling a longtime illness. McKeon was 55. The late actor was the older brother of Facts of Life star Nancy McKeon. The actor was also a producer and director, working most recently on 2005’s The Jacket and 2003’s Edge of Nowhere.



Marie Fredriksson
The Roxette singer died at age 61 on December 9 after a 17-year battle with cancer. Her hits included “It Must Have Been Love” and “Listen to Your Heart.” Fredriksson’s team at Dimberg Jernberg Management remembered her in a statement that read, “Marie leaves us a grand musical legacy. Her amazing voice — both strong and sensitive — and her magical live performances will be remembered by all of us who was lucky enough to witness them. But we also remember a wonderful person with a huge appetite for life, and woman with a very big heart who cared for everybody she met.”



Peter Frates
The former Boston College baseball player, who helped popularize the viral Ice Bucket Challenge in 2014 after being diagnosed with ALS in 2012, died at age 34. His family announced the news on December 9. “A husband to Julie, a father to Lucy, a son to John and Nancy, a brother to Andrew and Jennifer, Pete passed away surrounded by his loving family, peacefully at age 34, after a heroic battle with ALS,” their statement read. “Pete was an inspiration to so many people around the world who drew strength from his courage and resiliency.”



Rene Auberjonois
The former Star Trek: Deep Space Nine star, Odo, died on December 8 at the age of 79. His son Remy-Luc Auberjonois told The Associated Press that his father died at his L.A. home of metastatic lung cancer. The Tony award winner also starred in the film M.A.S.H. and on the sitcom Benson and voiced Chef Louis in The Little Mermaid. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, writer Judith Auberjonois, daughter Tessa, son Remy-Luc, two sisters and three grandchildren. “I have just heard about the death of my friend and fellow actor @reneauberjonois,” Star Trek alum William Shatner tweeted. “To sum up his life in a tweet is nearly impossible. To Judith, Tessa & Remy I send you my love & strength. I will keep you in my thoughts and remember a wonderful friendship with René.”



Shelley Morrison
The actress died at age 83 on December 1 from heart failure after a brief illness. She was best known for playing maid Rosario Salazar on Will & Grace from 1999 to 2006.



Walter Mercado
The Puerto Rican astrologer known for his over-the-top televised readings of horoscopes died in San Juan on November 2. He was 87. Mercado, whose readings were featured in the final segment of the Spanish news show Primer Impacto, always ended his appearances by blowing a kiss and saying, “Above all, much, much, much love.” According to an exhibition at the HistoryMiami museum earlier this year, his appearances reached 120 million Latino viewers a day for more than 30 years.



Robert Evans
The Paramount executive, known for producing Chinatown, Rosemary's Baby, Urban Cowboy, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and more, died on October 26. He was 89 years old.



Willie Brown
The NFL Hall of Famer died at the age of 78, the Pro Football Hall of Fame revealed on October 22. The former Oakland Raiders defensive back played 16 seasons in the American Football League and the NFL. The Raiders said in a statement that “his legendary performance on the field changed the way the cornerback position was played and his valued guidance as a coach, mentor and administrator permeated the organization and touched countless individuals both on and off the field. Willie’s loss will leave a tremendous void, but his leadership and presence will always be a major part of the Raiders Family.”



Rip Taylor
The comedian known as the King of Camp and Confetti died on October 6 in Beverly Hills at the age of 84. His publicist, Harlan Boll, said that Taylor had been hospitalized in the intensive care unit at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles after suffering a seizure days earlier, according to CNN. Taylor, who hosted The $1.98 Beauty Show, appeared in films including Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, Indecent Proposal and Wayne’s World 2. According to his official website, he made more than 2,000 appearances on TV, on shows including The Tonight Show, The Gong Show, Hollywood Squares and Match Game. He was also the subject of a 2016 documentary, Rip Rip Hooray!

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Rip Torn, the tenacious, temperamental Texan whose much-admired career was highlighted by his brilliant turn as Artie the producer on HBO's The Larry Sanders Show, died July 9. He was 88.



Kim Shattuck
The Muffs frontwoman and former Pixies bassist died at age 56 on October 2 after a two-year battle with ALS. "I am the man I am today because of her," her husband, Kevin Sutherland, wrote on Instagram. "She will live with all of us through her music, our shared memories and in her fierce creative spirit. I love you always my Kimmy. Thank you for sharing your life with me."



Rob Garrison
The actor died at the age of 59 on September 27 after a monthlong hospitalization for kidney and liver failure. He most famously starred as Tommy, one of the Cobra Kai members, in the 1984 film The Karate Kid.



Aron Eisenberg
The Star Trek: Deep Space Nine star died at age 50 on September 21. His wife, Malíssa Longo, remembered him on Facebook as “an intelligent, humble, funny, emphatic soul” who lived “his life with integrity and truth.” The late actor was born with one kidney and had received two kidney transplants during his life.



Sid Haig
The legendary horror actor, whose credits included House of 1,000 Corpses and The Devil’s Rejects, died at age 80 on September 21. His wife, Susan L. Oberg, wrote on Instagram two weeks earlier that he had been involved in an unspecified accident, calling it a “nasty spill.”



Cokie Roberts
The legendary journalist died at age 75 on September 17, due to complications from breast cancer. "We will miss Cokie beyond measure, both for her contributions and for her love and kindness," her family said in a statement to ABC at the time.



Ric Ocasek
The frontman for The Cars died at the age of 75 on September 15. According to NBC 4, police received a call at about 4 p.m. for an unconscious male at a Manhattan townhouse. Ocasek was pronounced dead at the scene. The New York Post’s Page Six reported that he was found by his estranged wife, Paulina Porizkova. The model announced their split in May 2018 after 28 years of marriage. Ocasek, who was married three times, had six sons, two from each of his marriages.



Valerie Harper
The Mary Tyler Moore Show star died at age 80 on August 30. Her cause of death was not known when the news broke. However, she suffered numerous health setbacks following a 2009 lung cancer diagnosis and a 2013 leptomeningeal carcinomatosis diagnosis.



Peter Fonda
The Easy Rider star died at his Los Angeles home on August 16 at age 79. “The official cause of death was respiratory failure due to lung cancer,” his rep said.



Saoirse Kennedy Hill
The 22-year-old granddaughter of the late Sen. Robert F. Kennedy was pronounced dead at Cape Cod Hospital in Massachusetts on August 1 after suffering an apparent overdose at her family’s compound. “Our hearts are shattered by the loss of our beloved Saoirse,” the Kennedy family said in a statement to The New York Times. “Her life was filled with hope, promise and love.”



Russi Taylor
The actress best known for voicing Minnie Mouse died in Glendale, California, on July 26, at the age of 75. “Minnie Mouse lost her voice with the passing of Russi Taylor,” Walt Disney Company chairman and chief executive officer Bob Eiger said in a statement. “For more than 30 years, Minnie and Russi worked together to entertain millions around the world — a partnership that made Minnie a global icon and Russi a Disney Legend beloved by fans everywhere.”



Rutger Hauer
The Blade Runner actor died at age 75 on July 19 at his home in the Netherlands after a short illness, his agent Steve Kenis confirmed at the time. Hauer is survived by his wife of 50 years, Ineke ten Cate, and his daughter, Aysha Hauer, from a previous marriage.

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John Paul Stevens
The retired United States Supreme Court justice died at age 99, ABC News reported on July 16. He served on the court from 1975 to 2010.



Charles Levin
The Seinfeld alum was found dead at age 70 in Oregon on July 13. The actor, who also had roles on Night Court and NYPD Blue, had been reported missing by his son a week prior.



Pernell “Sweet Pea” Whitaker
The boxing legend died at age 55 on July 14 after a car struck and killed him in Virginia Beach. He succumbed to his injuries at the scene of the accident. Whitaker won championship belts in four weight classes during his 17-year professional career, in addition to winning an Olympic gold medal



H. Ross Perot
The billionaire business magnate died at age 89 on July 9 at his home in Dallas, surrounded by family members. He ran for president twice during his life, in 1992 and again in 1996. Both campaigns were considered to be the strongest in U.S. history by an independent or third party candidate.



Lee Iacocca
The automobile executive died at age 94 on July 2. He was best known for putting the Mustang in Ford’s lineup in the 1960s and reviving Chrysler 20 years later. He famously starred in several TV ads with his signature tagline: “If you can find a better car, buy it!”



Bart Starr
The legendary Green Bay Packers quarterback died at age 85 in Birmingham, Alabama, on May 26. The two-time Super Bowl champion had been in poor health since suffering two strokes and a heart attack in 2014. “A champion on and off the field, Bart epitomized class and was beloved by generations of Packers fans,” team president Mark Murphy said in a statement.



Niki Lauda
The Formula One legend died on May 20 at the age of 70. He won world titles in 1975, 1977 and 1984. A crash during the German Grand Prix in 1976 left Lauda with serious burns, but he returned to racing weeks later. He retired in 1985 before becoming an aviation entrepreneur.



Larry ‘Flash’ Jenkins
The Ferris Bueller’s Day Off star died at the age of 63 on April 25 after suffering a heart attack. He also had roles in Fletch and EDtv. He is survived by his son, Jeffrey.


With Any Luck, Hopefully I captured the Top Few We've lost ... May They Rest in Peace