Final goodbye: Roll call of some who died in 2018

Associated Press

In a year filled with heightened political vitriol, two deaths brought the nation together to remember men who represented a seemingly bygone era of U.S. politics.

George H.W. Bush was a president, vice president, congressman, CIA director and Navy pilot during World War II, where he flew 58 missions and was shot down over the Pacific. As a politician, he had his fair share of critics and was voted out of office after one term as president.

John McCain was a political giant in his own right. He served as a senator for more than 30 years, ran for president twice and spent five years as a prisoner of war after being shot down during the Vietnam War. In captivity, McCain endured torture and even turned down a chance to be released early, denying the North Vietnamese military a propaganda victory.

The year also saw the death of one of the world’s best-known singers, Aretha Franklin. Others from the world of entertainment who died in 2018 included the two men who created one of the most popular and enduring superheroes of the modern day. Marvel Comics icon Stan Lee, who died in November, and artist Steve Ditko, who died in June. Author Tom Wolfe, playwright Neil Simon, actor Burt Reynolds and screenwriter William Goldman also died.

And one of the world’s most influential scientists died in 2018. Though his body was paralyzed by disease, theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking explained the mysteries of space, time and black holes to a generation of enthusiasts.

Here is a roll call of some of the people who died in 2018. (Cause of death cited for younger people, if available.)

JANUARY

John Young, 87. The legendary astronaut who walked on the moon and later commanded the first space shuttle flight. Jan. 5.

Doreen Tracey, 74. A former child star who played one of the original cute-as-a-button Mouseketeers on “The Mickey Mouse Club” in the 1950s. Jan. 10.

John Coleman, 83. He co-founded The Weather Channel and was the original meteorologist on ABC’s “Good Morning America” during a six-decade broadcasting career but who later drew people’s anger for his open skepticism about climate change being man-made. Jan. 20.

Mort Walker, 94. A comic strip artist and World War II veteran who satirized the Army and tickled millions of newspaper readers with the antics of the lazy private “Beetle Bailey.” Jan. 27.

FEBRUARY

Dennis Edwards, 74. A Grammy-winning former member of the famed Motown group The Temptations. Feb. 1.

Marty Allen, 95. The baby-faced, bug-eyed comedian with wild black hair who was a staple of TV variety shows, game shows and talk shows for decades. Feb. 12.

The Rev. Billy Graham, 99. He transformed American religious life through his preaching and activism, becoming a counselor to presidents and the most widely heard Christian evangelist in history. Feb. 21.

Nanette Fabray, 97. The vivacious actress, singer and dancer who became a star in Broadway musicals, on television as Sid Caesar’s comic foil and in such hit movies as “The Band Wagon.” Feb. 22.

MARCH

Roger Bannister, 88. He was the first runner to break the 4-minute barrier in the mile. March 3.

Russell Solomon, 92. The founder of the Tower Records chain that became a global phenomenon and changed the way people consumed music. March 4.

T. Berry Brazelton, 99. He was one of the world’s most well-known pediatricians and child- development experts whose work helped explain what makes kids tick. March 13.

Stephen Hawking, 76. A theoretical physicist whose brilliant mind ranged across time and space though his body was paralyzed by disease. March 14.

APRIL

Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, 81. She was Nelson Mandela’s ex-wife and an anti-apartheid activist in her own right whose reputation was sullied by scandal. April 2.

Daniel Kahikina Akaka, 93. He was the first Native Hawaiian to serve in the U.S. Senate after Hawaii became a state. April 6.

Mitzi Shore, 87. She was the owner of the Los Angeles club the Comedy Store and one of the most influential figures in stand-up for more than four decades. April 11.

Barbara Bush, 92. The snowy-haired first lady whose plainspoken manner and utter lack of pretense made her more popular at times than her husband, President George H.W. Bush. April 17.

MAY:

Ernest Medina, 81. A former Army captain who was a key figure in the My Lai massacre during the Vietnam war. May 8.

Peter Mayer, 82. A leading mainstream and independent publisher of the past half century who acquired such million-selling books as “Up the Down Staircase” and “Jonathan Livingston Seagull” and was known for his innovative and volatile style. May 11.

Margot Kidder, 69. She starred as Lois Lane opposite Christopher Reeve in the “Superman” film franchise of the late 1970s and early 1980s. May 13.

Tom Wolfe, 88. The white-suited wizard of “New Journalism” who exuberantly chronicled American culture from the Merry Pranksters through the space race before turning his satiric wit to such novels as “The Bonfire of the Vanities” and “A Man in Full.” May 14.

JUNE

Clarence Fountain, 88. A founding member of the Grammy-winning gospel group the Blind Boys of Alabama. June 3.

Kate Spade, 55. A fashion designer known for her sleek handbags. June 5. Apparent suicide.

Red Schoendienst, 95. The Hall of Fame second baseman who managed the St. Louis Cardinals to two pennants and a World Series championship in the 1960s. June 6.

Anthony Bourdain, 61. The celebrity chef and citizen of the world who inspired millions to share his delight in food and the bonds it created. June 8. Suicide.

JULY

Tab Hunter, 86. The blond actor and singer who was a heartthrob for millions of teenagers in the 1950s with such films as “Battle Cry” and “Damn Yankees!” and received new attention decades later when he revealed he was gay. July 8.

Nancy Sinatra Sr., 101. She was the childhood sweetheart of Frank Sinatra who became the first of his four wives and the mother of his three children. July 13.

Lincoln Brower, 86. He was considered one of the foremost experts on the iconic monarch butterfly and a scientist who advocated for the declining species’ protection. July 17.

Adrian Cronauer, 79. The man whose military radio antics inspired a character played by Robin Williams in the film “Good Morning, Vietnam.” July 18.

AUGUST

Charlotte Rae, 92. She played a wise and patient housemother to a brood of teenage girls on the long-running sitcom “The Facts of Life” during a career that encompassed many other TV roles as well as stage and film appearances. Aug. 5.

Jarrod Lyle, 36. An Australian golfer who endeared himself to people around the world in a long struggle against cancer. Aug. 8.

Aretha Franklin, 76. The undisputed “Queen of Soul” who sang with matchless style on such classics as “Think,” “I Say a Little Prayer” and her signature song, “Respect,” and stood as a cultural icon around the globe. Aug. 16. Pancreatic cancer.

John McCain, 81. He faced down his captors in a Vietnam prisoner of war camp with defiance and later turned his rebellious streak into a 35-year political career that took him to Congress and the Republican presidential nomination. Aug. 25.

Neil Simon, 91. A playwright who was a master of comedy whose laugh-filled hits such as “The Odd Couple,” “Barefoot in the Park” and his “Brighton Beach” trilogy dominated Broadway for decades. Aug. 26.

SEPTEMBER

Bill Daily, 91. The comic sidekick to leading men on the sitcoms “I Dream of Jeannie” and “The Bob Newhart Show.” Sept. 4.

Burt Reynolds, 82. The handsome film and television star known for his acclaimed performances in “Deliverance” and “Boogie Nights,” commercial hits such as “Smokey and the Bandit” and for an active off-screen love life. Sept. 6.

Richard DeVos, 92. A billionaire and co-founder of direct-selling giant Amway, owner of the Orlando Magic and father-in-law of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. Sept. 6.

OCTOBER

Juan Romero, 68. The hotel busboy who came to Robert F. Kennedy’s aid when the New York senator was fatally shot in Los Angeles. Oct. 1.

Leon Lederman, 96. An experimental physicist who won a Nobel Prize in physics for his work on subatomic particles and coined the phrase “God particle.” Oct. 3.

Dorcas Reilly, 92. The woman who created the green-bean casserole, a Thanksgiving staple enjoyed by millions. Oct. 15. Alzheimer’s disease.

NOVEMBER

Mari Hulman George, 83. The “quiet pioneer” of auto racing who was instrumental in the expansion of Indianapolis Motor Speedway and became known to millions of fans over the years as the one who ordered countless drivers to start their engines before races. Nov. 3.

Stan Lee, 95. The creative dynamo who revolutionized comic books and helped make billions for Hollywood by introducing human frailties in superheroes such as Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four and the Incredible Hulk. Nov. 12.

Roy Clark, 85. The country star, guitar virtuoso who headlined the cornpone TV show “Hee Haw” for nearly a quarter century and was known for such hits as “Yesterday When I was Young” and “Honeymoon Feeling.” Nov. 15. Complications from pneumonia.

George H.W. Bush, 94. His presidency soared with the coalition victory over Iraq in Kuwait, but then plummeted in the throes of a weak economy that led voters to turn him out of office after a single term. Nov. 30.

DECEMBER

Pete Shelley, 63. He was a singer-songwriter and co-founder of the punk band the Buzzcocks. Dec. 6.

Nancy Wilson, 81. The Grammy-winning “song stylist” and torch singer whose polished pop-jazz vocals made her a platinum artist and top concert performer. Dec. 13.