Former NFL player and Texas Longhorns star Cedric Benson dies in a motorcycle crash

Jack Whitaker, the iconic sports broadcaster, died Sunday, August 18, at his home in Devon, Pennsylvania, CBS Sports confirmed. He was 95.

Cedric Benson, former NFL running back and Texas Longhorns star, died in a motorcycle accident on Saturday, August 17, in Austin, Texas. He was 36.

Richard Williams, the animator known for his work on “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” and two “Pink Panther” films, died on August 16, his family told PA Media, the UK national news agency. He was 86 years old.

Actor Peter Fonda, the star of the film “Easy Rider,” died at the age of 79, his manager, Alan Somers, told CNN on Friday, August 16. Fonda was the son of legendary actor Henry Fonda and the brother of actress and activist Jane Fonda. His daughter is actress Bridget Fonda.

Toni Morrison, author of seminal works of literature on the black experience such as “Beloved,” “Song of Solomon” and “Sula,” died on August 5, her publisher Knopf confirmed to CNN. She was 88. Morrison was the first African-American woman to win a Nobel Prize.

Pro wrestling legend Harley Race, an eight-time NWA world heavyweight champion, died August 1 following health complications. He was 76.

Harold Prince, who directed some of the most famous Broadway musicals ever made, including “West Side Story” and “The Phantom of the Opera,” died on July 31. He was 91.

Russi Taylor, the voice of Minnie Mouse for more than three decades, died July 26, according to the Walt Disney Company. She was 75.

Chris Kraft, NASA’s first flight director, died July 22, two days after the agency celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. He was 95.

Rutger Hauer, a dashing Dutch actor who battled Harrison Ford in the science-fiction classic “Blade Runner” and excelled in bad-guy roles, died July 19 after a short illness, his longtime agent Steve Kenis told The Hollywood Reporter. Hauer was 75.

Actress Denise Nickerson, best known for her role as chatty gum-chewer Violet Beauregard in 1971’s “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory,” died July 10, according to multiple reports citing a Facebook post from her family. She was 62.

Rip Torn, an Emmy Award-winning actor who starred in “Men in Black” and HBO’s “The Larry Sanders Show,” died July 9, according to his publicist Rick Miramontez. He was 88. Torn had a seven-decade career in film, television and theater, with nearly 200 credits to his name.

Ross Perot, the billionaire tycoon who ran for president twice as a third-party candidate, died July 9, a family spokesman confirmed to CNN. He was 89 years old. Perot’s 1992 campaign, in which he garnered nearly 19% of the vote and finished third behind Bill Clinton and incumbent President George H.W. Bush, remains one of the most successful third-party bids in American history.

Actor Cameron Boyce, who starred in Disney Channel television shows, died July 7, a Disney Channel spokesperson confirmed to CNN. He was 20. A spokesperson for his family told CNN that Boyce died in his sleep after a seizure resulting from an ongoing medical condition.

Auto industry icon Lee Iacocca, once one of America’s highest-profile business executives and the man credited with rescuing Chrysler from near-bankruptcy in the 1980s, died on July 2. He was 94.

Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs died July 1, prompting the postponement of a game with the Texas Rangers, officials said.
Skaggs, 27, was found in a hotel room in a Dallas-Fort Worth suburb, police said.

Beth Chapman, who with her husband Duane “Dog” Chapman starred in the popular reality series “Dog the Bounty Hunter,” died June 26 in a Honolulu hospital, a spokesperson for the family confirmed to CNN. The 51-year-old had been recently placed in a medically induced coma as she battled cancer.

Gloria Vanderbilt, the famous fashion designer, artist and socialite, died June 17, according to her son, CNN’s Anderson Cooper. She was 95.

Franco Zeffirelli, a legendary Italian director, died June 15 at the age of 96. His 1968 adaptation of “Romeo and Juliet” earned him an Oscar nomination, while his film “The Taming of the Shrew,” is one of the 20th century’s most celebrated retellings of a Shakespearean comedy.

Malcolm John Rebennack Jr., aka Dr. John, died from a heart attack on June 6. He was 77. The New Orleans music legend was a member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and a six-time Grammy winner.

Thad Cochran, who represented Mississippi in the US Senate for decades, died May 30 at the age of 81, his longtime spokesman said in a statement. Cochran resigned his seat last year because of health issues.

Niki Lauda, who recovered from a near-fatal accident to become one of racing’s greatest drivers, died May 27 at the age of 70. The Austrian was a three-time Formula One champion.

Bill Buckner, an elite hitter for 22 seasons whose All-Star career was overshadowed by an infamous fielding error he made in the 1986 World Series, died on May 27. He was 69.

Bart Starr, the Hall of Fame Green Bay Packers quarterback who won the first two Super Bowl titles in the 1960s, died on May 26. He was 85.

Rod Bramblett, the decorated Auburn University sports announcer known as the “Voice of the Auburn Tigers,” died in a car crash on May 25. His wife, Paula Bramblett, also died in the crash.

I.M. Pei, the acclaimed architect who designed the Louvre’s pyramid, died on May 16, his firm said. He was 102.

Actor and comedian Tim Conway, best known for his work on “The Carol Burnett Show,” died on May 14, according to his publicist. Conway was 85.

Doris Day, the box-office queen and singing star whose wholesome, all-American image belied an often-turbulent personal life, died at the age of 97, her foundation announced on May 13.

Peggy Lipton, an award-winning actress who starred in the television shows “Mod Squad” and “Twin Peaks,” died of cancer on May 11. She was 72.

Former “Wild Kingdom” host Jim Fowler, who brought his love of animals into the living rooms of a generation of Americans, died May 8 at the age of 89. Fowler, seen here at left, was a frequent guest of talk-show host Johnny Carson.

Peter Mayhew, the actor who originally brought the iconic Star Wars character Chewbacca to life, died on April 30. He was 74.

John Singleton, a versatile director who made a splash with “Boyz n the Hood” and went on to a variety of projects — including “2 Fast 2 Furious” — died April 29 after suffering a stroke. He was 51.

Troy Dean Shafer, a reality star who showcased his contracting skills on the DIY Network’s “Nashville Flipped,” died on April 28. He was 38. A cause of death was not immediately shared.

Basketball Hall of Famer and eight-time NBA champion John Havlicek, one of the greatest players ever for the Boston Celtics, died April 25 at the age of 79, the team announced.

Canadian model and actress Stefanie Sherk died April 20 at the age of 37, her husband, actor Demian Bichir, confirmed.
Sherk appeared in TV offshoot “CSI: Cyber” and movies such as “Valentine’s Day.” Bichir did not detail the circumstances surrounding Sherk’s death.

Former US Sen. Ernest “Fritz” Hollings of South Carolina died April 6 at the age of 97. He was a stalwart of South Carolina politics for decades, first as the state’s governor and then as a US senator for 38 years.

Rapper Nipsey Hussle died March 31 after a shooting near a clothing store he owned, according to a high-ranking law enforcement official with the Los Angeles Police Department. He was 33 years old. Hussle was nominated for best rap album at this year’s Grammys.

Freeda Foreman, a former professional boxer and the daughter of two-time heavyweight champion boxer George Foreman, died March 9 at the age of 42. Harris County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Tebben Lewis said in a statement that the death is an apparent suicide, adding that a “final determination on the cause of death will be made by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.”

Actor Luke Perry, who rose to stardom in the 1990s for his role on the hit television show “Beverly Hills, 90210,” died March 4, after suffering a massive stroke, his publicist told CNN. He was 52.

Golden Globe-winning actress Katherine Helmond, a frequent scene-stealer on shows such as “Who’s the Boss?” and “Soap,” died February 23, her talent agency APA told CNN. She was 89.

Peter Tork, the bassist for The Monkees and a jokester on the band’s popular 1960s television series, died February 21 at the age of 77.

Acclaimed British actor and five-time Academy Award nominee Albert Finney died February 7 after a short illness. He was 82.

Former Rep. John Dingell, the longest serving member of Congress on record and a politician whose voice loomed large even after he left Capitol Hill, passed away on February 7. He was 92.

Frank Robinson, the feared slugger who became the first black manager in Major League Baseball, died February 7 at the age of 83. The Hall of Famer hit 586 home runs in his career, which is 10th all time. He won two World Series titles with the Baltimore Orioles.

James Ingram, the soulful, smooth voice behind R&B hits like “Just Once” and “I Don’t Have The Heart,” died at the age of 66, it was confirmed on January 29. The cause of Ingram’s death was not revealed.

Fatima Ali, the fan favorite of Bravo’s “Top Chef” last season, died January 25 after a nearly yearlong battle with cancer, the network said. She was 29.

Comedian and writer Kevin Barnett, who co-created the TV series “REL,” died January 22 at the age of 32, according to a statement from Twentieth Century Fox Television and Fox Entertainment. The cause of death was unknown.

Masazo Nonaka, a 113-year-old Japanese man recognized in April as the world’s oldest man, died on January 20, according to Japanese public service broadcaster NHK.

Tony Mendez, a CIA operative who was portrayed by Ben Affleck in the 2012 Oscar-winning movie “Argo,” died January 19, his literary manager Christy Fletcher said. “Argo” was based on the smuggling of six US citizens out of Iran during the 1979 hostage crisis. It won three Academy Awards, including best picture.

John Coughlin, a champion American figure skater recently suspended from his sport, was found dead on January 18. A day before his death, the 33-year-old was temporarily suspended from US figure skating by the US Center for SafeSport amid a pending grievance, US Figure Skating officials said without disclosing details of the matter. The center is a US Olympic Committee agency with oversight of sexual misconduct and other abuse allegations reported to national governing bodies.

Legendary Broadway star Carol Channing died January 15 at the age of 97. With her raspy voice and huge smile, Channing was best known for her Tony Award-winning role as Dolly Levi in the hit Broadway musical “Hello Dolly!”

Alfred K. Newman, one of the last remaining members of the Navajo Code Talkers, died January 13 at the age of 94. The Navajo group used their difficult-to-learn language to form an indecipherable code that helped the Allies win World War II.

Bob Einstein, whose 50-year career as a comedy writer and performer ranged from “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour” to Larry David’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” died on January 2. He was 76. Einstein’s comedic resume included playing the fictional daredevil Super Dave Osborne.