The year 2016 saw a startling number of celebrity deaths that shocked many. Every month it seemed that a person whose work or music defined and inspired a generation died. It’s a reminder to all that we are getting older and the passing of time also means the passing of what is comfortable and familiar. The following is a partial list of the more than 130 who died in 2016. If we missed someone who should have been on this list, sound off in the comment section.
JANUARY
Jan. 1- Dr. Frances Cress Welsing, often described as the Queen Mother of Black Consciousness-age 80
Jan. 4 – Robert Stigwood, entertainment manager – managed the Bee Gees and Cream – age 81
Jan. 6 – Pat Harrington Jr., actor – Schneider on “One Day at a Time” – age 86
Jan. 7 – Troy Shondell, singer – big hit was “This Time (We’re Really Breaking Up)” – age 76
Jan. 7 – Kitty Kallen, singer – Big Band era, biggest hit was ‘”Little Things Mean a Lot” – age 94
Jan. 10 – David Bowie, musician – two-time Grammy winner and pop culture icon – age 69
Jan. 11 – David Margulies, actor – played the mayor in Ghost Busters I and II (1984 & 1989) – age – 78
Jan. 14 – Alan Rickman, actor – Hans Gruber in Die Hard and Severus Snape in Harry Potter – age 69
Jan. 14 – René Angélil, singer/manager – husband and manager of Celine Dion – age 73
Jan. 15 – Dan Haggerty, actor – The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams – age 74
Jan. 15 – Noreen Corcoran, actress – Kelly Gregg in Bachelor Father (1957-59) – age 72
Jan. 18 – Glen Frey, singer/songwriter – founded legendary group The Eagles – age 67
Jan. 26 – Abe Vigoda, actor – Detective Fish on Barney Miller (1975-’77) – age 94
Jan. 28 – Paul Kantner, singer/songwriter – co-founder of The Jefferson Airplane – age 74
Jan. 28 – Mike Minor, actor – Steve Eliot on Petticoat Junction – age 75
FEBRUARY
Feb. 2 – Bob Elliot, comedian – one-half of the comedy duo of Bob and Ray – age 92
Feb. 3 – Maurice White, musician/songwriter – founding member of Earth, Wind & Fire – age 74
Feb. 3 – Joe Alaskey, voice actor – Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Sylvester, Tweety – age 63
Feb. 4 – Joe Dowell, singer – #1 hit song “Wooden Heart” (1961) – age 76
Feb. 13 – Antonin Scalia, Supreme Court Justice – appointed by Ronald Reagan in 1986 – age 79
Feb. 15 – George Gaynes, actor – Commandant Eric Lassard on the Police Academy series – age 98
Feb. 19 – Harper Lee, novelist – Pulitzer Prize for fiction for novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” – age 89
Feb. 22 – Yolande Fox, singer – Miss America 1951 and sang opera – age 87
Feb. 22 – Sonny James, country music singer/songwriter – the first teenage country crossover #1 single “Young Love” – age 87
Feb. 24 – Lennie Baker, musician – 1950s music tribute group and TV show Sha-Na-Na (1969-2000) – age 69
Feb. 25 – Tony Burton, actor – boxing trainer to Apollo Creed and later Rocky in six Rocky films – age 78
Feb. 28 – George Kennedy, actor – Academy Award for Cool Hand Luke also in all the Airport movies – age 91
Feb. 29 – Gil Hill, police commander/actor – Inspector Todd in three Beverly Hills Cop films – age 84
MARCH
Mar. 4 – Joey Martin Feek, singer/songwriter – husband and wife country duo “Joey + Rory” – age 40
Mar. 8 – Sir George Martin, producer for the “Beatles” albums, known as “The Fifth Beatle” – age 90
Mar. 9 – Robert Horton, actor – Flint McCullough in Wagon Train (1957-1962) – age 91
Mar. 10 – Keith Emerson, musician/keyboardist – created Emerson, Lake & Palmer rock group – age 71
Mar. 13 – Adrienne Corri, actress – Mrs. Alexander in A Clockwork Orange (1971) – age 85
Mar. 16 – Frank Sinatra Jr., singer – singer and son of Frank Sinatra– age 72
Mar. 17 – Larry Drake, actor – Benny Stulwicz on L.A. Law (1987-1994) – age 66
Mar. 18 – Joe Santos, actor – Lieutenant Dennis Becker on The Rockford Files (1974-1980) – age 84
Mar. 21 – Peter Brown, actor – Deputy Johnny McKay in Lawman (1958-62) and Chad Cooper in Laredo (1965-67) – age 80
Mar. 22 – Rob Ford, politician – crack smoking Mayor of Toronto, Canada – age 46
Mar. 22 – Richard Bradford, actor – Man in a Suitcase on British ITC (1967) – age 81
Mar. 22 – Phife Dawg, singer – rapper with the group A Tribe Called Quest, also known as “Five Foot Assassin” – age 45
Mar. 23 – Joe Garagiola, baseball player – MLB catcher and announcer and television host – age 90
Mar. 23 – Ken Howard, actor – Coach Reeves on White Shadow & President of SAG-AFTRA – age 71
Mar. 24 – Earl Hamner, Jr., writer/producer – created The Waltons – age 92
Mar. 24 – Garry Shandling, comedian – Garry Shandling Show and The Larry Sanders Show – age 66
Mar. 27 – Mother Angelica, Franciscan nun – founder of Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) – age 92
Mar. 28 – James Noble, actor – Governor Gatling on Benson (1979-1986) – age 94
Mar. 29 – Patty Duke, actress – played identical cousins in The Patty Duke Show (1963-1966) – age 69
APRIL
Apr. 6 – Merle Haggard, singer/songwriter – “I’m a Lonesome Fugitive,” “Okie From Muskogee” – age 79
Apr. 12 – Anne Jackson, actress – married to Eli Wallach who died in 2014 – age 90
Apr. 17 – Doris Roberts, actress – Marie Barone on “Everybody Loves Raymond” (1996–2005) – age 90
Apr. 24 – Billy Paul, singer – Grammy Award for “Me and Mrs. Jones” (1972) – age 81
MAY
May 8 – William Schallert, actor – Martin Lane (Patty’s Father) on The Patty Duke Show – age 93
May 12 – Julius La Rosa, singer – “Anywhere I Wander” fired by Arthur Godfrey on the air – age 86
May 19 – Morley Safer, journalist – CBS News for 52 years (1964-2016), 60 Minutes for 46 years (1970-2016) won 12 Emmy Awards – age 84
May 19 – Alan Young, actor – Wilbur Post on Mr. Ed (1961-66) – age 96
May 27 – Mike Barnett, singer – co-founder of the singing group “The Lettermen” – age 89
JUNE
June 10 – Gordie Howe, hockey player – Detroit Red Wings for 25 seasons, 23-time NHL All-Star – age 88
June 13 – Michu Meszaros, actor/circus performer – was the man in the ALF costume on TV show ALF – age 76
June 14 – Ann Guilbert, actress – Millie Helper in The Dick Van Dyke Show and Yetta Rosenberg in The Nanny – age 87
June 14 – Ronnie Claire Edwards, actress – Corabeth Walton Godsey onThe Waltons (1972-81) – age 83
June 17 – Ron Lester, actor – Billy Bob in movie Varsity Blues – age 45
June 19 – Anton Yelchin, actor – Pavel Chekov in three Star Trek movies (2009-16) – age 27
June 23 – Ralph Stanley, Bluegrass legend, banjo player and leader of the Clinch Mountain Boys – O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack – age 89
June 27 – Mack Rice, songwriter – “Mustang Sally” & “Respect Yourself” – age 82
June 28 – Scotty Moore, guitarist – backed Elvis in early recordings and pioneered new styles – age 84
June 28 – Buddy Ryan, NFL football coach – while defensive coordinator for Chicago Bears invented the 46 defense – age 85
June 28 – Pat Summitt, NCAA basketball coach – University of Tennessee Woman’s team (1974 – 2012) the winningest NCAA coach ever – age 64
JULY
July 2 – Michael Cimino, writer/director – Deer Hunter, Thunderbolt and Lightfoot – age 77
July 2 – Elie Wiesel, Jewish writer/political activist – Holocaust survivor and Nobel Laureate – age 87
July 2 – Teddy Rooney, actor/musician – son of Mickey Rooney and Martha Vickers – age 66
July 3 – Noel Neill, actress – Lois Lane in Adventures of Superman (1952-58) – age 95
July 6 – Danny Smythe, musician – founding member of the Box Tops (Devilles) – age 67
July 16 – Bonnie Brown, musician – family musical group The Browns – age 77
July 19 – Garry Marshall, writer/producer/actor – created Happy Days, Mork & Mindy, Laverne & Shirley – age 81
July 27 – Jerry Doyle, actor – Michael Garibaldi in Babylon 5 – age 60
July 30 – Gloria DeHaven, actress/singer – So This Is Paris, The Girl Rush– age 91
AUGUST
Aug. 2 – David Huddleston, actor – actor Santa Claus: The Movie – age 85
Aug. 3 – Ricci Martin, entertainer – son of Dean Martin – age 62
Aug. 6 – Pete Fountain, jazz musician – played with both Al Hirt and Lawrence Welk – age 86
Aug. 11 – Glenn Yarbrough, singer – The Limeliters, “Baby the Rain Must Fall” – age 86
Aug. 13 – Michel Richard, chef/restaurateur – restaurant Citrus in L.A. and 5 other cities – age 68
Aug. 13 – Kenny Baker, actor – played R2-D2 in the Star Wars franchise – age 81
Aug. 14 – Fyvush Finkel, actor – lawyer Douglas Wambaugh on Picket Fences – age 93
Aug. 19 –Jack Riley, actor – Elliot Carlin on The Bob Newhart Show – age 80
Aug. 23 – Steven Hill, actor – District Attorney Adam Schiff on Law & Order (1990-2000) – age 94
Aug. 25 – Jeanne Martin, model – Orange Bowl Queen (1947) & Dean Martin’s wife – age 89
Aug. 25 – Marvin Kaplan, actor – telephone worker Henry on the TV show Alice – age 89
Aug. 29 – Gene Wilder, actor – Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, Willy Wonka – age 83
SEPTEMBER
Sept. 1 – Jon Polito, actor – Steve Crosetti on Homicide: Life on the Street – age 65
Sept. 6 – Hugh O’Brian, actor – starred in TV series The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (1955–1961) – age 91
Sept. 9 – James Stacy, actor – Johnny Madrid Lancer on Lancer (1968-’70) – age 79
Sept. 17 – Charmian Carr, actress – Liesl Von Trapp (eldest daughter) in The Sound of Music – age 73
Sept. 24 – Bill Nunn, actor – Robbie Robertson in Spider-Man film trilogy – age 63
Sept. 25 – Jean Shepard, singer/songwriter – pioneered country music for women – 82
Sept. 25 – José Fernández, baseball player – starting pitcher for the Miami Marlins – age 24
Sept. 25 – Arnold Palmer, golfer – legendary professional golfer, creator of beverage of the same name – age 87
Sept. 28 – Shimon Peres, statesman – President of Israel (2007-’14) – age 93
OCTOBER
Oct. 21 – Kevin Meaney, comedian – Uncle Buck in the TV series by the same name – age 60
Oct. 24 – Bobby Vee, singer – “Take Good Care of My Baby,” “The Night Has a Thousand Eyes” – age 73
Oct. 30 – Tammy Grimes, stage actress – Molly in The Unsinkable Molly Brown – age 82
NOVEMBER
Nov. 3 – Kay Starr, singer – “Wheel of Fortune” and “The Rock And Roll Waltz” – age 94
Nov. 7 – Janet Reno, Attorney General of the United States 1993-2001 nominated by President Bill Clinton – age 78
Nov. 7 – Leonard Cohen, poet/songwriter – “Suzanne,” “Hallelujah” and “Bird on the Wire” – age 82
Nov. 11 – Robert Vaughn, actor – Napoleon Solo in The Man from U.N.C.L.E (1964-’68) – age 83
Nov. 13 – Leon Russell, musician/songwriter – “A Song for You,” “Tight Rope” and “This Masquerade” – age 74
Nov. 14 – Gwen Ifill, journalist – Washington Week and PBS NewsHour on PBS – age 61
Nov. 15 – Holly Dunn, singer/songwriter – “Are You Ever Gonna Love Me” and “You Really Had Me Going” – age 59
Nov. 24 – Florence Henderson, actress/singer – Carol Brady on The Brady Bunch (1969 to 1974) – age 82
Nov. 25 – Fidel Castro, dictator – Prime Minister then President of Cuba from 1959-2008 – age 90
Nov. 25 – Ron Glass, actor – Det. Ron Harris on Barney Miller (1975-1982) – age 71
Nov. 26 – Fritz Weaver, actor – Dr. Josef Weiss in the miniseries Holocaust – age 90
Nov. 28 – Van Williams, actor – Kenny Madison in Bourbon Street Beat(1959), Surfside 6 (1960) – age 82
Nov. 28 – Jim Delligatti, McDonald’s franchisee – created The Big Mac – age 98
Nov. 30 – Keo Woolford, actor – Det. Chang on Hawaii Five-0 (2010 version) – age 49
Nov. 30 – Grant Tinker, television executive – Chairman and CEO of NBC (1981-’86) married to Mary Tyler Moore (1962-’81) – age 90
DECEMBER
Dec. 3 – Don Calfa, actor – Paulie the hitman in Weekend at Bernie’s(1989) – age 76
Dec. 3 – Billy Chapin, actor – Little John Harper in The Night of the Hunter (1955) – age 72
Dec. 7 – Greg Lake, musician – founding member of Emerson, Lake & Palmer – age 69
Dec. 8 – Joseph Mascolo, actor – Stefano DiMera on The Days of Our Lives (1982-’85) & (1993-2001) – age 87
Dec. 8 – John Glenn, WWII & Korean War fighter pilot, Marine Colonel, NASA astronaut, Senator from Ohio (1974-99), first American to orbit the Earth (1962) – age 95
Dec. 12 – Jim Lowe, singer – biggest hit “The Green Door” (1956) – age 93
Dec. 13 – Alan Thicke, actor – Jason Seaver, father on Growing Pains(1985-’92) – age 69
Dec. 14 – Bernard Fox, actor – Dr. Bombay in Bewitched and Colonel Crittendon in Hogan’s Heroes – age 89
Dec. 15 – Craig Sager, sports reporter – best known for covering the NBA and for his loud suits – age 65
Dec. 18 – Zsa Zsa Gabor, Hungarian actress and socialite – Moulin Rouge (1952), married nine times to mostly wealthy men – age 99
Dec. 20 –Michèle Morgan, French actress – Joan of Paris (1942), Higher and Higher (1943) – age 96
Dec. 28 – Debbie Reynolds, actress – Singing’ in the Rain (1952), The Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964) – age 84
