As with all years, this year, we lost many celebrities and notables. Some lived to ripe old ages and some seemed to have left this old Earth far too soon. Here some of those we lost this year:
Yvonne De Carlo – January 8
She was in “The Ten Commandments” but most people remember her as Lily Muster from the TV show, “The Munsters.”
Art Buchwald – January 17
The columnist and political satirist died at the age of 81. He had stopped dialysis in late February, but lived almost a year after his kidneys began working again.
Denny Doherty – January 19
One of the original members of the Mamas and Papas, Denny died after suffering complications during an abdominal aneurysm surgery.
Anna Nicole Smith – February 8
Anna Nicole was an actress, spokesmodel, and former Playmate who died of an accidental drug overdose, less than six months after her 19 year old son died, also of a drug overdose.
Brad Delp – March 9
Brad was the lead vocalist of the popular band Boston.
Calvert DeForest – March 19
Better known as Larry “Bud” Melman, Calvert was a staple of The Late Show with David Letterman show until 2002. He died at the age of 85.
Johnny Hart – April 7
The name may not be familiar, but his comic strips, “B.C.” and “Wizard of Id” probably are.
Kurt Vonnegut – April 11
The well-loved author died of complications after a fall in his Manhattan home at the age of 84.
Don Ho – April 14
The singer, perhaps best known for his song “Tiny Bubbles,” died of heart failure at the age of 76.
Boris Yeltsin – April 23
The first president of the post-Soviet Russian Federation also died of heart failure at the age of 76.
Bobby “Boris” Pickett – April 25
His 1962 classic hit “Monster Mash” is still played on the radio today. Bobby died at the age of 69 of leukemia.
Tom Poston – April 30
Poston appeared on many shows over his 50-year career – “The Simpsons,” “Mork & Mindy,” “Home Improvement,” “King of the Hill,” and “That ‘70s Show” – but he was probably known best at George the handyman from “Newhart.”