Arts & Letters ––
Business ––
Miscellaneous
Movies, Stage, & Television ––
Politics & Government ––
Music ––
Sports
| Tazeen Ahmad (age 48) - Ahmad was an author and journalist who had contributed to both BBC and American news reporting. She was a foreign correspondent for NBC News, and an investigative reporter for BBC, becoming one of the most highly-placed Muslim women in broadcasting. She also wrote an exposé of her six months working as a store clerk in the book The Checkout Girl. Ahmad died of cancer on November 7, 2019. |
 |
 |
Robert Freeman (age 82) - Freeman's distinctive photographic style is evident on four Beatles album covers; "With the Beatles," "Beates for Sale," "Help!" and "Rubber Soul." Freeman also photographed many jazz artists, including Coltrane and Cannonball Adderly. His then-wife is alleged to have been having an affair with John Lennon, and was the inspiration for "Norwegian Wood." Freeman died November 8, 2019. |
 |
Ernest Gaines (age 85) - Gaines, born to a family of Louisiana sharecroppers, moved to California in his teens. He wrote his first novel while just 17, a version of his 1964 novel Catherine Carmier. He is probably best known for The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (1971), A Gathering of Old Men (1983), and A Lesson Before Dying (1993). The latter was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize and won the National Book Critics Circle Award. Gaines died November 5, 2019. |
Back to top
Frank Biondi (age 74) - Biondi's entertainment career began with a position at the Children's Entertainment Network. He joined HBO in 1978 and was CEO five years later. He went on to lead Viacom for nine years and later, Universal Pictures for three. Biondi died of cancer
November 25, 2019.
 |
Gert Boyle (age 95) - Boyle's father was a German Jewish clothier who fled Nazi Germany when his daughter was 13. The family settled in Oregon, where they founded Columbia Hat Company in 1938. Boyle assumed leadership of the company in 1970, and changed focus to outerwear and sportswear. Boyle herself was featured in advertising, presenting herself as "One tough mother." She remained chairman of Columbia until her death on November 3, 2019. |
| Jake Burton Carpenter (age 65) - New York native Jake Burton is celebrated as a father of the sport of snowboarding and founder of the Burton Snowboard company. In the '70s, Burton was instrumental in transforming the snowboard from a rope-pulled toy to a rival to snow skiing, founding his namesake company in the 1980s. He died of cancer on November 20, 2019. |
 |
William Macaulay (age 74) - Macaulay was a founding partner and long-time CEO of First Reserve Corporation, the world's largest private equity. His position made him one of America's richest men, worth an estimated $1.1 billion in 2017. In 2006, Macaulay funded the creation of a business school named in his honor at CUNY, his
alma mater. He passed away
November 29, 2019.
Alfred E. Smith IV (age 68) - Smith, the great grandson of one-time New York Governor Al Smith, was a well-known NYC financier and philanthropist. He sat on the board of several charities and was chairman of the board of St. Vincent's and director of the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation. Smith died
November 20, 2019.
Bernard Tyson (age 60) - Tyson became CEO of Kaiser Permanente, one of the largest healthcare insurers in the U. S., in 2013, after more than 25 years with the organization. He was often cited as one of the most influential persons in the nation's medical community; and served on the board of the American Heart Association. He passed away
November 10, 2019.
Back to top
Nikki Araguz (Loyd) (age 44) - Araguz was a LGBTQ activist and promoter of marriage equality. She became prominent when her second husband, a Texas sheriff's deputy, was killed in action in 2010. She became embroiled in a legal battle over survivor's benefits, mainly because she was transgender. Araguz finally won her court battle in 2015. She died
November 7, 2019.
 |
Louis Eppolito (age 71) - Eppolito was both an New York City policeman (eventually a detective) and the son of a "made" Gambino crime family mobster. With partner Steve Caracappa, Epplolito worked on behalf of the mob bosses, a side gig that ultimately found him convicted of multiple homicides, extortion, and racketeering, among other crimes. Eppolito died in prison on November 3, 2019. |
Barbara Hillary (age 88) - Hillary's varied careers included stints as a nurse and a magazine publisher, but her chief claim to fame is as an adventurer. In her later years, she raised the necessary cash to fund not only a trip to the North Pole at age 75, but also an expedition to the South Pole at the ripe age of 79. She is the oldest person to have reached the South Pole and the only African-American woman to have reached both poles. She died
November 23, 2019.
James Le Mesurier (age 48) - Le Mesurier had a ten-year career in the British Army, retiring at age 29 as a first lieutenant after serving with U. N. Peacekeeping forces in the Balkans. He was co-founder of Syrian Civil Defence, commonly known as "The White Helmets," and director of the Mayday rescue Foundation. He was found dead from a fall near his home in Istanbul
November 11, 2019.
 |
Sallie McFague (age 86) - McFague was a liberal Christian theologian, often considered the archetypal "Christian feminist." She was best known for her same-sex marriage and her championing the concept of creation care and metaphor as a means of describing God. McFague died November 15, 2019. |
Brad McQuaid (age 51) - McQuaid was a long-tome contributor to the online video-gaming industry who is perhaps bast known as one of the major developers of the MMORPG EverQuest. He was also a chief architect of Vanguard: Saga of Heroes at the gaming company he founded, Sigil. McQuaid died
November 16, 2019.
Robert Norris (age 90) - Norris was chosen to model for one of the most iconic figures of the 20th Century, the Marlboro Man, when a company came to his ranch to shoot a commercial. For more than a decade his image appeared in print ads for the brand, always with a white 10-gallon hat on his head and a Marlboro in his hand or between his lips. Oddly, he never smoked... Norris died
November 3, 2019.
Back to top
 |
Rudy Boesch (age 91) - A retired Navy Seal, became the oldest person ever to "compete" on "Survivor," appearing twice – once in the show's inaugural season (2000) and again in "Survivor All-Stars" in 2004. His 45-year career in the U. S. Navy included assignment to Seal Team 2 in 1962. He retired as a Master Chief Petty Officer in 1990. Boesch died November 1, 2019, of Alzheimer's disease. |
| Godfrey Gao (age 35) - Gao was a Canadian of Taiwanese descent who worked as a male model before launching an acting career. His best-known English-language role was in Mortal Instruments: City of Bones; he also starred in a Chinese television series. Gao suffered cardiac arrest while on location and died on November 27, 2019. |
 |
Laurel Griggs (age 13) - The rising Broadway star suffered a severe asthma attack and died on
November 5, 2019. She made her stage debut at age 6 and, by some counts, was on stage more than 1000 times in such plays as
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and
Once. She also made film and television appearances, including sketch comedy on "Sataurday Night Live."
| Marion McClinton (age 65) - McClinton was a theater director for both Broadway and regional theater, specializing in the plays of August Wilson. He was nominated for a Tony award in 2001 for his staging of Wilson's King Hedley II, and was nominated for a Drama Desk Award in 2000 for his directing of Jitney. McClinton died of renal failure on November 28, 2019. |
 |
 |
Michael J. Pollard (age 80) - Pollard's acting career reached its peak with his appearance as C. W. Moss in the 1967 version of Bonnie and Clyde, a role that won him a supporting actor Oscar nomination. In all, he appeared in almost 100 films ranging from Little Fauss and Big Halsy to House of 1000 Corpses. Pollard died November 22, 2019. |
| Brian Tarantina (age 60) - Tarantina was a New York-based actor who had small parts in a number of television shows, including recurring characters in "Gilmore Girls" and "The Black Donnellys." He had most recently been cast as Jackie the bartender in Amazon's "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel." Tarantina was found dead on November 2, 2019. |
 |
Back to top
 |
Irving Burgie (age 95) - Burgie was renowned for his chops as a composer of Caribbean music, in particular the music of Harry Belafonte. He wrote or co-wrote 34 songs in all for Belafonte, including his signature song, "Day-O," as well as "Jamaica Farewell" and the "Banana Boat Song." Burgie also penned the national anthem of Barbados. He passed away November 29, 2019.
|
| Clay Evans (age 94) - Evans was a founder of Chicago's Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church and one of its music leaders. He was instrumental in the church choir's release of some thirty gospel albums. With Rev. Jesse Jackson, Evans founded Operation PUSH in 1971, and led the organization for several years. He continued to preach at his church until 2000. Evans died November 27, 2019. |
 |
 |
Goo Ha-ra (age 28) - The K-Pop (Korean pop music) star was a member of the girl group Kara and a sometime actress. Hara, as she was known, joined Kara in 2008 and performed with the group until her departure in 2016. She also released solo albums in 2015 and 2018. Goo was found dead in her home November 24, 2019, of undisclosed causes. |
Back to top
Yasuhiro Nakasone (age 101) - Nakasone was a member of the Japanese Parliament from 1947-2004 and Prime Minister of Japan from 1982-1987. He was instrumental in the rebuilding of his homeland's national pride and industrial might during his tenure as PM. Nakasone died
November 29, 2019.
William Ruckelshaus (age 87) - Native Hoosier Ruckelshaus dates back to an earlier age of politics, when a Republican pressident created the EPA. At the time a Justice Department deputy; he was tapped by Richard Nixon to be the first director of the agency, a post he held twice. During Watergate, he was acting director of the FBI before being fired in the Saturday Night Massacre. He was brought back to head the EPA again in the Reagan administration after it was "hollowed out." Ruckelshaus died
November 27, 2019.
Back to top
| Zeke Bratkowski (age 88) - Illinois native Bratkowski played college ball at Georgia before being drafted as a quarterback by the Bears in 1954. He played for the Chicago team in 1954 and '57-60, missing two years for an Air Force stint. He moved to the Rams in 1961 and Packers in '64, playing on three consecutive NFL championship teams with the Pack. He coached for two years before returning to the playing field in 1971, and closed out his career with the Bears in 1973. In his career, Bratkowski threw for 10,000=plus yards with 65 TDs and 122 interceptions. He died November 11, 2019. |
 |
 |
Jim Coates (age 87) - Jim "the Mummy" Coates was an pitcher with the Yankees, Senators, Reds, and Angels during a 12-season career. Often used as a reliever, he was also a starter for the Yankees in their 1960 season, when he made the American League All-Stars. Lifetime, Coates had a 43-22 record with a 4.00 ERA and played on the Yanks 1961 and 62 world champion teams. He died November 15, 2019. |
| Fred Cox (age 80) - Cox played fifteen seasons in the NFL, all as a kicker for the Minnesota Vikings. His long tenure led to his position as the Vikings' all-time scoring leader, and second in the NFL at large. He made one trip to the Pro Bowl (1970) and appeared on the Vikings' 1969 NFL championship team. He is also credited with having invented the NERF football. Cox died November 20, 2019. |
 |
 |
Jim LeClair (age 69) - LeClair, a linebacker, spent twelve seasons in Cincinnati with the Bengals, eaarning Pro Bowl berth in 1976. His career included ten each interceptions and fumble recoveries, and one trip to the Super Bowl. He started for the Bengals in what is believed to have been the coldest NFL game in history, the 1981 AFC Championship game. After leaving the NFL, he played two seasons for New Jersey in the USFL. LeClair died November 4, 2019. |
John Martin (age 80) - Martin was one of the last "do-it-yourself" racing drivers to succeed in a field that became increasingly corporate. He is said to have been not just a driver, but also an owner, chief mechanic, and engine builder. He parlayed that drive into five Indianapolis 500 starts, finishing as high as 8th in the 1973 running. Martin died
November 20, 2019.
Kieran Modra (age 47) - Modra, an Australian was a five-time paralympic champion. He was born visually impaired, but competed at a high level since his teenaged years. He won in track and field, swimming, and road cycling, collecting five golds and five bronzes between 1988 and 2016. He was killed in a cycling accident on
November 13, 2019.
 |
Irv Noren (age 91) - Noren broke into the majors with the Washington Senators in 1950, and was traded to the Yankees after two seasons. He spent all or part of five seasons with the pin-stripers before another trade to the Athletics. He also played Cards, Cubs, and Dodgers in an 11-season career including three World Series wins ('52, '53, '55) and an All-Star year ('54). After retirement, he coached with the Oakland As and Cubs. He died November 15, 2019. |
| Dean Prentice (age 87) - Prentice fashioned a 22-season career as a left-winger in the NHL. He broke into the league in 1953 with the Rangers, spending eleven seasons in New York before being trded to the Bruins in 1963. Over the next ten years, he played with the Bruins, Red Wings, Penguins, and North Stars. He completed his career with 860 points in 1398 games. Prentice died November 2, 2019. |
 |
 |
Charles Rogers (age 38) - Rogers was a college phenom at wide receiver, a unanimous All-American choice, and Biletnekoff award winner; and thus drafted second overall by the Lions in 2003. He played in only 15 games in an injury-shortened 3-year career with the Lions, catching 36 passes for 440 yards and racking up a four-game suspension for failing a drug test. Rogers succumbed to liver failure on November 11, 2019. |
Orville Rogers (age 101) - Rogers, then a pilot for Braniff Airliens, took up running at the age of 50. Over the next 51 years, he set numerous age-group speed and distance records, and is currently the record holder in the men's 95-y.o. marathon, men's 100-y.o. 800m, men's 90-y.o and 100-y.o. mile; among others. Rogers died
November 14, 2019.
Back to top
