All articles tagged with #obituaries
Sonny Rollins, the tenor saxophonist hailed as America’s greatest living jazz musician and a guiding force across six decades of jazz, died May 25 at his Woodstock, N.Y., home at age 95 after a long battle with pulmonary fibrosis; he had stopped performing more than a decade ago, and his death was announced by his publicist Terri Hinte.
Rhonda Clark Holman, 73, of Lexington, NC, died May 25, 2026 after a five-year cancer battle. Born June 17, 1952, she spent years as a dental hygienist and was known for her warm smile and care for patients. She is survived by her father Rodney Clark; son Matthew Wright Holman; daughter Anna Clark Holman; sister Kathy Berrier, and was preceded in death by her mother Anna Hedrick Clark and husband Paul Wright Holman. Funeral arrangements will be announced; memorials may be made to Davidson County Cancer Services or American Children's Home.
Dick Parry, the saxophonist whose solos helped define Pink Floyd on Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here, died at 83. David Gilmour announced the news, praising Parry’s unmistakable tone and longtime contributions to Floyd’s albums and tours, including Money and Shine On You Crazy Diamond, as well as appearances with the band on tours and in later projects such as The Division Bell and Live 8.
Grizz Chapman, the actor who played Tracy Morgan’s bodyguard on NBC’s 30 Rock, died at 52 after a battle with illness and dialysis; a kidney transplant recipient and former National Kidney Foundation spokesperson, he was known for his on-screen work alongside Morgan’s character and for his collaboration with Kevin Brown’s Dot Com; he is survived by his wife and two children. His passing was announced by cousin Donte Harrison.
Grizz Chapman, the actor who played Grizz on 30 Rock, died in his sleep on May 22, 2026, at age 52 after years of illness and dialysis. He had a kidney transplant in 2010 and later became a spokesperson for the National Kidney Foundation. He is survived by his wife and two children; his passing was announced by his cousin Donte Harrison.
Kyle Busch, one of NASCAR’s most celebrated drivers and a future Hall of Famer, died at 41 after being hospitalized with an unspecified illness. NASCAR announced the news, noting Busch’s two-decade impact: 234 NASCAR national series wins (Cup, Xfinity/O'Reilly and Truck), Cup Series championships in 2015 and 2019, and a lasting connection with fans as “Rowdy.” He drove for Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing and Richard Childress Racing and was midway through his 22nd Cup season, having just posted an eighth-place finish at Watkins Glen. He leaves wife Samantha and children Brexton and Lennix. The family had said he was undergoing treatment after his initial hospitalization earlier this month and his death marks a shocking loss for the sport.
NASCAR legend Kyle Busch, a two-time Cup Series champion and the winningest driver in national NASCAR history with 234 wins, has died at 41 after a severe illness that hospitalized him earlier this week; he leaves behind wife Samantha and children Brexton and Lennix, and reshaped the sport through a storied career with Joe Gibbs Racing and later Richard Childress Racing.
Barney Frank, the Massachusetts Democrat who led post‑Great Recession financial reform and championed LGBTQ rights as one of the first openly gay members of Congress, died May 19 at his home in Ogunquit, Maine, at age 86.
Barney Frank, the influential former Massachusetts congressman who helped shepherd the Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform and other financial protections after the 2008 crisis and who was a leading LGBTQ advocate, died at 86; his tenure included pushing for tougher bank oversight, the creation of consumer protections via the CFPB, and backing the bailout framework for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, leaving a lasting mark on banking regulation and public service.
Bernard 'Bummy' G. Lowe, 82, of Carlyle, IL, died at home May 13, 2026. Born October 30, 1943, he was known for generosity, tinkering with small engines, and his devotion to family; he enjoyed wrestling and demolition derbies. Funeral services for Bernard and his brother Gary Lowe were planned for May 21, 2026 at Nordike Funeral Home in Carlyle, with burial at Carlyle Township Cemetery. Visitation was May 20, 2026, and again on May 21 prior to services. Memorials to his family were requested at Nordike Funeral Home.
Tom Kane, a prolific voice actor renowned for voicing Yoda in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and for work on The Powerpuff Girls and Archer, died May 18, 2026 in Kansas City after suffering a stroke more than five years earlier. He was 64 and had retired in 2021. His career spanned from early credits like The Legend of Prince Valiant, Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk and The Angry Beavers to more recent work in video games and Marvel properties, leaving behind wife Cindy and nine children.
Claudine Longet, the French-born pop chanteuse who rose on The Andy Williams Show and later became a central figure in a famous 1970s murder case, died at 84. She was involved in the 1976 shooting death of her boyfriend Vladimir Sabich in Aspen, was convicted of reckless manslaughter, served 30 days in jail (mostly on weekends), and afterward lived quietly in Aspen. Longet’s career included a Beach Boys cover on the Gilmore Girls soundtrack and appearances in films like The Party, while her trial and celebrity status lingered in pop culture.
Sam Sianis, the Greek immigrant who ran Chicago's Billy Goat Tavern and helped turn it into a city institution, died at 91 after gall bladder surgery complications. He inherited the business from his uncle Billy Goat Sianis, expanded the brand with multiple locations, and became a beloved figure among stars, politicians, and reporters. The tavern—famous for the Cheezborger sketch on Saturday Night Live and its ties to the Cubs’ legendary Curse—also highlighted Sianis's decades of hard work, family leadership, and devotion to Chicago. He leaves wife Irene, six children, and grandchildren; services are planned.
French-born singer Claudine Longet has died at 84. She rose to fame on The Andy Williams Show but became internationally infamous after a 1976 shooting that killed Olympic skier Spider Sabich; she was acquitted of felony reckless manslaughter and convicted of misdemeanor negligent homicide, serving 30 days, ending her entertainment career and leaving a lasting pop-culture impact.
Claudine Longet, the French-born singer and actress known for her work in film and television and for the 1976 shooting of Olympic skier Spider Sabich, has died at 84. The obituary recounts her rise in entertainment, her marriage to Andy Williams, the Colorado incident in which Sabich was killed by a .22-caliber gun (she was ultimately convicted of criminally negligent homicide with probation and a fine), and the civil settlement with Sabich’s family; it also notes her later life, including a marriage to defense attorney Ronald Austin and three children, one of whom, Noelle, reportedly died in 2023.