June saw the death of a musician whose talent brought The Beach Boys from a local California band to hitmakers and international ambassadors of surf and sun.
Brian Wilson formed the band with two brothers, a cousin and a childhood friend, releasing their first single 鈥淪urfin'鈥 in 1961. But decades later, the music of The Beach Boys still conjures images of summer and fun at the beach.
Another musician who died in June was Sly Stone, the leader of funk revolutionaries Sly and the Family Stone. Clad in leather jumpsuits and goggle shades, he led a band that channeled the spirit of the Woodstock era and made songs that were anthems of community and non-conformity.
Other notable deaths in June include Japanese baseball legend Shigeo Nagashima, teen idol Bobby Sherman, former Zambian President Edgar Lungu, TV chef Anne Burrell, author Frederick Forsyth and former MTV and BET host Ananda Lewis.
Here is a roll call of some influential figures who have died in the first six months of this year (cause of death cited, if available):
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JANUARY
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, 73. A singer, guitarist and founding member of the million-album-selling family act The Osmonds, who were known for such 1970s teen hits as 鈥淥ne Bad Apple,鈥 鈥淵o-Yo鈥 and 鈥淒own By the Lazy River.鈥 Jan. 1.
, 89. A witty and prolific British novelist and critic who gently satirized academia, religion and even his own loss of hearing in such highly praised narratives as the Booker Prize finalists 鈥淪mall World鈥 and 鈥淣ice Work.鈥 Jan. 1.
, 93. The matriarch of the iconic Italian fashion house that made colorful zigzag-patterned knitwear high fashion and helped launch Italian ready-to-wear. Jan. 1.
, 67. A self-help guru whose multimillion-dollar business toppled after he led a sweat lodge ceremony in Arizona that left three people dead. Jan. 3.
, 88. A former prime minister of Greece and the architect of the country鈥檚 joining the common European currency, the euro. Jan. 5.
, 96. The founder of France鈥檚 far-right National Front was known for fiery rhetoric against immigration and multiculturalism that earned him staunch supporters and widespread condemnation. Jan. 7.
, 86. The singer-songwriter best known as one-third of Peter, Paul and Mary, the folk music trio whose impassioned harmonies transfixed millions as they lifted their voices in favor of civil rights and against war. Jan. 7.
, 104. The first Black woman to join the U.S. Army Nurse Corps after the military was desegregated in the 1940s. Jan. 8.
, 89. The surviving half and higher voice of the 1960s duo Sam & Dave, which was known for such definitive hits of the era as 鈥淪oul Man鈥 and 鈥淗old On, I鈥檓 Comin.鈥欌 Jan. 10.
, 76. A prominent Civil Rights figure in Chicago who advocated for Puerto Rican rights, founded the Young Lords and co-founded the Rainbow Coalition. Jan. 10.
, 78. The filmmaker celebrated for his uniquely dark and dreamlike vision in such movies as 鈥淏lue Velvet鈥 and 鈥淢ulholland Drive,鈥 and the TV series 鈥淭win Peaks.鈥 Jan. 16.
, 90. He parlayed a forgettable playing career into a punch line for movie and TV appearances as 鈥淢r. Baseball鈥 and a Hall of Fame broadcasting tenure. Jan. 16.
, 95. An award-winning British actor who, with her late husband Laurence Olivier, did much to revitalize the U.K.鈥檚 theatrical scene in the decades after World War II. Jan. 16.
, 67. A national leader for abortion access and women鈥檚 rights who led Planned Parenthood for 12 tumultuous years. Jan. 20.
, 65. A president of El Salvador who spent the final years of his life in Nicaragua to avoid various criminal sentences. Jan. 21.
, 102. A French aviator and parachutist who became the first woman to become a general officer in France. Jan. 21.
, 87. The Band鈥檚 virtuoso keyboardist and all-around musician who drew from a unique palette of sounds and styles to add a conversational touch to such rock standards as 鈥淯p on Cripple Creek,鈥 鈥淭he Weight鈥 and 鈥淩ag Mama Rag.鈥 Jan. 21.
, 84. An ultra-traditionalist Catholic bishop whose denial of the Holocaust created a scandal in 2009 when Pope Benedict XVI rehabilitated him and other members of his breakaway society. Jan. 29.
, 95. He was one of the most accomplished men鈥檚 figure skaters in history, and one of his sport鈥檚 great innovators and promoters. Jan. 30.
, 78. The British pop star, muse, libertine and old soul who inspired and helped write some of the Rolling Stones鈥 greatest songs. and endured as a torch singer and survivor of the lifestyle she once embodied. Jan. 30.
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FEBRUARY
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, 81. A onetime head of the International Monetary Fund who became a popular German president before stunning the country by resigning abruptly in a flap over comments about the country鈥檚 military. Feb. 1.
, 48. A Taiwanese actress who starred in the popular TV drama 鈥淢eteor Garden鈥 that once swept Asia. Feb. 2. Pneumonia triggered by the flu.
, 88. He became the spiritual leader of the world鈥檚 millions of Ismaili Muslims at age 20 as a Harvard undergraduate, and poured a material empire built on billions of dollars in tithes into building homes, hospitals and schools in developing countries. Feb. 4.
, 80. The Thai-born mother of Tiger Woods, whom he credits with instilling in him a dominant spirit and encouraging him to wear a red shirt on Sunday as his power color. Feb. 4.
, 54. A music mogul who founded Murder Inc. Records and was behind major hip-hop and R&B artists such as Ashanti and Ja Rule. Feb. 5.
, 102. She inherited the Chicago Bears from her father, George Halas, but avoided the spotlight during more than four decades as the team's principal owner. Feb. 6.
, 85. A versatile, Tony Award-nominated theater performer at home in plays and musicals and who appeared in several Woody Allen movies 鈥 often as Allen鈥檚 best friend. Feb. 7.
, 95. The fiery, white-bearded freedom fighter who led Namibia to independence from apartheid South Africa in 1990 and served as its first president for 15 years, coming to be known as the father of his nation. Feb. 8.
, 92. The novelist and prankster-philosopher who charmed and addled millions of readers with such screwball adventures as 鈥淓ven Cowgirls Get the Blues鈥 and 鈥淛itterbug Perfume.鈥 Feb. 9.
, 43. She was partially paralyzed in the Columbine High School shooting but found strength to forgive and to heal her soul after bonding with another family devastated by the tragedy. Feb. 16.
, 95. The Oscar-winning actor whose studied portraits ranged from reluctant heroes to conniving villains and made him one of the industry鈥檚 most respected and honored performers. . Found dead with his wife, who had died a week earlier, in their home.
, 77. A Mexican musical legend known for her powerful voice and fierce defense of women. Feb. 17.
, 88. An Australian man credited with saving 2.4 million babies through his record-breaking blood plasma donations over six decades. Feb. 17.
, 84. The Malian filmmaker was a pioneer of African cinema with a career spanning 50 years. Feb. 19.
, 92. The Black track and field standout who broke through racial barriers and became the only woman to compete for the United States in the long jump at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. Feb. 20.
, 93. The Secret Service agent who leaped onto the back of President John F. Kennedy鈥檚 limousine after the president was shot, then was forced to retire early because he remained haunted by memories of the assassination. Feb. 21.
, 87. A College Football Hall of Fame coach who won four NAIA Division II national championships in 19 years at Westminster College. Feb. 22.
, 88. The Grammy-winning singer and pianist whose intimate vocal and musical style made her one of the top recording artists of the 1970s and an influential performer long after that. Feb. 24.
, 39. A former child star who appeared in the 1996 鈥淗arriet the Spy鈥 hit movie and went on to co-star in two buzzy millennial-era TV shows 鈥 鈥淏uffy the Vampire Slayer鈥 and 鈥淕ossip Girl.鈥 Feb. 26.
, 88. A Soviet-era world chess champion who lost his title to American Bobby Fischer in a legendary 1972 match that became a proxy for Cold War rivalries. Feb. 27.
, 75. The wiry, gravelly-voiced singer and last surviving member of the glam and protopunk band the New York Dolls who later performed as his campy, pompadoured alter ego, Buster Poindexter. Feb. 28.
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MARCH
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, 63. The Grammy-nominated R&B singer was a member of the all-female hip-hop trio The Sequence and known for the hit song 鈥淲ish I Didn鈥檛 Miss You.鈥 March 1. Car crash.
, 77. A guitarist with the Welsh pop-rock band Badfinger that was known for such 1970s hits as 鈥淣o Matter What鈥 and 鈥淒ay After Day.鈥 March 1.
, 67. The voice behind the irreverent animated superhero on Adult Swim鈥檚 鈥淪pace Ghost Coast to Coast.鈥 March 2.
, 70. A Cuban American who fought tirelessly for a free Cuba and who spent 18 years in the U.S. House of Representatives as a member of a politically powerful South Florida family. March 3.
, 82. Dolly Parton鈥檚 devoted husband of nearly 60 years who avoided the spotlight and inspired her timeless hit 鈥淛olene.鈥 March 3.
, 86. A Soviet KGB officer who helped change the course of the Cold War by covertly passing secrets to Britain. March 4.
, 84. A legendary jazz vibraphonist, keyboardist, composer and vocalist known for his spacy, funky 1976 hit 鈥淓verybody Loves the Sunshine鈥 that has been sampled by such R&B and rap heavyweights as Mary J. Blige, N.W.A., Dr. Dre, 2Pac, Mos Def and Ice Cube. March 4.
, 95. He was elected in 1967 as Mississippi鈥檚 first Black lawmaker of the 20th century and rose to the second-highest leadership role in the state House of Representatives. March 4.
, 64. A founding member of the Grammy-nominated group Tony! Toni! Tone! behind the classic songs 鈥淎nniversary,鈥 鈥淚t Never Rains (In Southern California)鈥 and (Lay Your Head on My) Pillow.鈥 March 7.
, 71. A basketball standout who led Louisville to a Final Four, starred for the NBA鈥檚 Milwaukee Bucks and then launched an even more successful career as a businessman with stakes in restaurants, publishing and the Bucks franchise. March 11.
, 90. A veteran broadcast journalist who was press secretary for President Gerald Ford and sought to restore the integrity that the position had lost during the Nixon administration. March 12.
, 77. The Democratic congressman was a champion of environmental protections and progressive ideals who took on principled but often futile causes during a two-decade career in Congress. March 13.
, 93. The former U.S. senator was a political legend whose quick wit bridged partisan gaps in the years before today鈥檚 political acrimony. March 14.
, 87. The former congresswoman was a long-serving New York Democrat who was the first woman to chair the powerful House Appropriations Committee. March 15.
, 43. The Belgian actor who won a top Cannes Film Festival prize for her breakout role in 鈥淩osetta.鈥 March 16. Cancer.
, 76. An ex-Formula 1 team owner and media personality whose humor, strong opinions and often extravagant dress sense made him a popular pundit on TV after selling the team in 2005. March 20.
, 76. The fearsome heavyweight boxer who lost the 鈥淩umble in the Jungle鈥 to Muhammad Ali before his inspiring second act as a 45-year-old world champion and a successful businessman. March 21.
, 88. The wife of former Massachusetts governor and Democratic presidential candidate Michael Dukakis, who spoke openly about her struggles with depression and addiction. March 21.
, 63. He spent two decades on Tennessee鈥檚 death row before he was finally freed, and later campaigned against the death penalty. March 22.
, 49. A daughter of Haitian immigrants who became the first Black Republican woman elected to Congress. March 23. Brain cancer.
, 83. The lead architect of the One World Trade Center skyscraper that rose from the site where the Twin Towers collapsed in New York City during the 9/11 attacks. March 26.
, 90. The handsome hero of the 1960s television series 鈥淒r. Kildare鈥 who found a second career as an award-winning 鈥渒ing of the miniseries.鈥 March 29.
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APRIL
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, 65. The brooding, versatile actor who played fan favorite Iceman in 鈥淭op Gun,鈥 donned a voluminous cape as Batman in 鈥淏atman Forever鈥 and portrayed Jim Morrison in 鈥淭he Doors.鈥 April 1. Pneumonia.
, 94. A once-powerful Catholic cardinal who was defrocked by Pope Francis in 2019 after a Vatican investigation determined he had molested adults and children. April 3.
, 73. He starred as the towheaded mischief-maker on TV鈥檚 鈥淒ennis the Menace鈥 for four seasons starting in 1959. April 6.
, 70. His versatile drumming propelled the iconic rock group Blondie during its decades performing everything from new-wave punk to disco-infused tunes. April 6. Cancer.
, 69. Known for songs such as 鈥淰olver茅,鈥 鈥淓l Africano鈥 and 鈥淭u Vas a Volar,鈥 he devoted his long career to merengue, the signature musical style of the Dominican Republic. April 8. Died after a roof collapse at a nightclub in the Dominican Republic.
, 51. He pitched for 13 major league teams in a 15-year career and won a World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals. April 8. Died after a roof collapse at a nightclub in the Dominican Republic.
, 82. A prominent ex-North Korean commando who resettled in South Korea as a pastor after his daring mission to assassinate then-South Korean President Park Chung-hee in 1968 failed. April 9.
, 89. The Peruvian author was a Nobel literature laureate and a giant of Latin American letters. April 13.
, 85. The former Malaysian prime minister was a moderate who extended the country鈥檚 political freedoms but was criticized for lackluster leadership. April 14.
, 91. The genial host of such hit game shows as 鈥淕ambit鈥 and 鈥淭ic-Tac-Dough鈥 who also did one of the first recorded television interviews with a young Elvis Presley. April 15.
, 71. She became one of the biggest stars of Philippine cinema during a career that spanned seven decades. April 16.
, 82. A 10-term U.S. congressman whose long political career ended abruptly after he was elected mayor of San Diego and driven from office amid sexual misconduct allegations. April 20.
, 88. History鈥檚 first Latin American pontiff who charmed the world with his humble style and concern for the poor but alienated conservatives with critiques of capitalism and climate change. April 21. Stroke.
, 67. A star defensive tackle on the Chicago Bears鈥 famed 1985 Super Bowl championship team whose larger-than-life personality made him a fixture in the Windy City for decades and a natural for professional wrestling. April 23. ALS.
, 84. The two-sport star whose interception sealed the 1966 NFL title game for Vince Lombardi鈥檚 Green Bay Packers. April 23.
, 41. She accused Britain鈥檚 Prince Andrew and other influential men of sexually exploiting her as a teenager trafficked by financier Jeffrey Epstein. April 25.
, 88. A basketball Hall of Famer who played on both New York Knicks NBA championship teams after being part of a historic college powerhouse at Tennessee A&I. April 27.
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MAY
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, 88. She rose to fame as the frumpy and bitter Gladys Ormphby on the groundbreaking sketch comedy series 鈥淩owan & Martin鈥檚 Laugh-In鈥 and made more than 200 television appearances during a 45-year career. May 1.
, 66. The award-winning singer-songwriter whose witty and poignant writing first attracted widespread attention with the gay-themed song 鈥淚 Kissed a Girl.鈥 May 1. Died in a house fire.
, 91. A former Illinois governor disgraced by a corruption scandal that landed him in prison yet heralded by some for clearing the state鈥檚 death row. May 2.
, 85. The retired Supreme Court justice who was the ascetic bachelor and New Hampshire Republican who became a favorite of liberals during his nearly 20 years on the bench. May 8.
, 73. The country music star who was a popular Mexican American singer best known for chart-topping hits in the 1970s such as 鈥淚 Just Can鈥檛 Get Her Out of My Mind,鈥 鈥淩idin鈥 My Thumb to Mexico鈥 and 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the Way Love Goes.鈥 May 9.
, 92. The Oscar-winning filmmaker who helped reset the rules in Hollywood as the co-creator of 鈥淏onnie and Clyde,鈥 and later received mainstream validation as the writer-director of 鈥淜ramer vs. Kramer鈥 and 鈥淧laces in the Heart.鈥 May 11.
, 86. A Republican who brought billions of dollars in federal funding to Missouri during his four terms in the U.S. Senate and was the state鈥檚 the youngest person to be governor. May 13.
, 89. The former Uruguayan president, onetime Marxist guerilla and flower farmer whose radical brand of democracy, plain-spoken philosophy and simple lifestyle fascinated people around the world. May 13.
, 96. The three-time Tony Award-winner was Broadway鈥檚 industrious, master melody-maker who composed the music for such classic musical theater hits as 鈥淎nnie,鈥 鈥淏ye Bye Birdie鈥 and 鈥淎pplause.鈥 May 15.
, 76. An actor with an Everyman charm who played the affable, beer-loving barfly Norm on the hit 1980s TV comedy 鈥淐heers鈥 and later crafted a stage career that took him to Broadway in 鈥淎rt,鈥 鈥淗airspray鈥 and 鈥淓lf.鈥 May 20.
, 75. The congressman was an outspoken Democrat who sought key reforms in the federal government while bringing transformational development to his populous Virginia district. May 21.
, 90. A prominent feminist and author of the 1960s and 鈥70s whose 鈥淎gainst Our Will鈥 was a landmark and intensely debated bestseller about sexual assault. May 24.
, 79. The "Duck Dynasty鈥 patriarch who turned his small duck calling interest in the sportsman鈥檚 paradise of northern Louisiana into a big business and conservative cultural phenomenon. May 25.
, 94. The former New York congressman was an outspoken, gravel-voiced Harlem Democrat who spent nearly five decades on Capitol Hill and was a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus. May 26.
, 77. The guitarist and singer who shot to fame at 17 when his band The McCoys recorded 鈥淗ang On Sloopy,鈥 had a hit with 鈥淩ock and Roll, Hoochie Koo鈥 and earned a Grammy Award for producing 鈥淲eird Al鈥 Yankovic鈥檚 debut album. May 26.
, 40. The South African actor who gained international recognition for his leading role in the 2005 film 鈥淭sotsi鈥, which won South Africa鈥檚 first-ever Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. May 27.
, 87. The revered Kenyan man of letters and voice of dissent who in dozens of fiction and nonfiction books traced his country鈥檚 history from British imperialism to home-ruled tyranny. May 28.
, 69. He served as New York City鈥檚 police commissioner on 9/11 and later pleaded guilty to tax fraud before being pardoned. May 29.
, 87. She won two Emmy Awards playing Maj. Margaret Houlihan, the demanding head nurse of a behind-the-lines surgical unit during the Korean War on the pioneering hit TV series 鈥淢.A.S.H.鈥 May 30.
, 98. A French scientist best known as the inventor of the abortion pill. May 30.
, 86. She voiced the no-nonsense, sandal-throwing Abuelita in Disney鈥檚 animated hit 鈥淐oco鈥 and played the wisecracking Lupita on Showtime鈥檚 鈥淲eeds.鈥 May 30.
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JUNE
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, 89. He was known in Japan as 鈥淢r. Pro Baseball鈥 and was one of the most famous people in the country during his playing days. June 3.
, 87. The former Minnesota Vikings defensive end was one of the four members of the famed Purple People Eaters front that formed the backbone of four Super Bowl teams. June 3.
, 92. The Brazilian archaeologist known for discovering hundreds of prehistoric cave paintings in northeastern Brazil and for her research challenging theories of ancient human presence in the Americas. June 4.
, 68. The former Zambian president served as the leader of the southern African nation from 2015 to 2021. June 5.
, 86. She campaigned for women鈥檚 inclusion in long-distance running and then won the Boston Marathon the first year they were officially allowed to enter the race. June 8.
, 82. The revolutionary musician and dynamic showman whose Sly and the Family Stone transformed popular music in the 1960s and 鈥70s and beyond with such hits as 鈥淓veryday People,鈥 鈥淪tand!鈥 and 鈥淔amily Affair.鈥 June 9.
, 86. The British author of 鈥淭he Day of the Jackal鈥 and other bestselling thrillers. June 9.
, 82. The Beach Boys鈥 visionary and fragile leader whose genius for melody, arrangements and wide-eyed self-expression inspired 鈥淕ood Vibrations,鈥 鈥淐alifornia Girls鈥 and other summertime anthems and made him one of the world鈥檚 most influential recording artists. June 11.
, 52. The former MTV and BET host who became a beloved television personality in the 1990s with her warmth and authenticity. June 11. Breast cancer.
, 55. A TV chef who coached culinary fumblers through hundreds of episodes of 鈥淲orst Cooks in America.鈥 June 17.
, 94. A pianist and poet renowned for his refined playing of Beethoven over a six-decade career. June 17.
, 81. A guitarist, singer, songwriter and founding member of the classic British rock bands Bad Company and Mott the Hoople. June 23.
, 81. His winsome smile and fashionable shaggy mop top helped make him into a teen idol in the 1960s and 鈥70s with bubblegum pop hits like 鈥淟ittle Woman鈥 and 鈥淛ulie, Do Ya Love Me.鈥 June 24.
, 81. She successfully ran for Congress in 1996 as a crusader for gun control after a mass shooting on a New York commuter train left her husband dead and her son severely wounded. June 26.
, 91. The former White House press secretary who became one of television鈥檚 most honored journalists, masterfully using a visual medium to illuminate a world of ideas. June 26.
, 93. The composer who wrote the endlessly catchy theme for 鈥淢ission: Impossible鈥 and more than 100 other arrangements for film and television. June 26.
, 89. The Hall of Famer who became one of the most accomplished trainers in the history of horse racing and a face of the sport for decades. June 28.
Bernard Mcghee, The Associated Press
