Well, this post may well need to be broken up into a few parts due to the number of people I had heard about who had passed away this year. This year also marks the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I.
- Phil Everly (Jan 3), one half of the influential vocal duo The Everly Brothers. He was 74.
- George Hamilton IV (Sep 17), one of many country singers. He was 77.
- Jesse Winchester (Apr 11). Another country music singer who produced 12 studio albums passed away at age 69.
- Peter Seeger (Jan 27), politically active folk singer, involved in music almost to the end of his 94 years of life.
- Edward Greenspan (Dec 24). Canadian defense lawyer and author of legal books. Died in Arizona of cancer at age 70.
- Shirley Temple (Feb 10). The first child actor on film who later became politically active died at age 75.
- Miss Beazely (17 May). The presidential Scottish Terrier of George W. Bush died at age 10 after a battle with cancer. It was named after a character in Oliver Butterworth’s 1956 Children’s story The Enourmous Egg.
- Wallace McCain (13 May). Founder of the McCain food empire, this Nova Scotia native was 81.
- Maria von Trapp (18 Feb). The real-life Maria Franziska von Trapp, the last of the Trapp family singers to survive, has died at age 99. The Trapp Family had inspired movies such as The Sound of Music. She is not to be confused with stepmother Maria Augusta von Trapp who was also part of the same family and was studying to be a nun.
- Clifford Olson (30 Sep). Serial killer from B. C. who died in jail of cancer at age 71.
- Alicia Rhett (3 Jan). Former actress best known for her role as Wilkes in the 1939 film Gone With The Wind, died at age 98.
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L’Wren Scott (17 March) aka Laura “Luann” Bamborough, a haute couture fashion designer to many Hollywood actors and actresses and long-time girlfriend of Mick Jagger, committed suicide at age 49. She was found dead in their Manhattan apartment by an assistant.
- Jean Beliveau (2 Dec). The former star player for the Montreal Canadiens died at age 82.
- Wayne Robson (4 Apr). The actor who played Mike Hamar on The Red Green Show, died at age 64.
- Alan Blakeney (16 Apr). Saskatchewan NDP premier for over two decades Alan Blakeney had died at age 85.
- Sum Ying Fung (6 Dec). Up until this month the oldest living Canadian, she died peacefully at age 113 in her home in Burnaby, B. C.
- Paul Revere (15 Sep). Former front man for the 60s rock group Paul Revere and the Raiders, died at age 75.
- H. R. Giger (12 May). Swiss surrealist whose work became the centre of controversy when one of his paintings was used on the inner sleeve for a record album called Frankenchrist by the punk rock band The Dead Kennedys. He was 74.
- Robin Williams (11 Aug). Famous comedian, committed suicide at age 63 after battling with addiction. Article.
- Joan Rivers (4 Sep). American comedienne, born Joan Alexandra Molinsky and known for her controversial humor and wit. Died at age 81.
- Maximillian Schell (1 Feb). Oscar -winning actor of Swiss-Austrian heritage, died at age 83.
- Seymour Hoffman (Feb 2). Former actor, director and producer found dead in his Manhattan apartment from a drug overdose. Suicide appeared to be ruled out. He was 46.
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Marion Barry (23 Nov). Former mayor of Washington DC known for his civil rights activism and for his fight for racial equality. He was 78.
- Bob Casale (17 Feb). Former member of the early New Wave band Devo died at age 61.
- Rehtaeh Parsons (7 Apr). This 17 year-old Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia girl committed suicide. This act was notable due to its association with cyber-bullying following a sexual assault. She is also notable for being by far the youngest person on this list.
- Ariel Sharon (11 Jan). Former Israeli president died at age 85.
- Maya Angelou (28 May). American author and civil rights activist died at home in Winston-Salem, North Carolina at age 86.
- Anna Henderson (1 July). The world’s oldest living person, and the world’s 6th oldest living person whose age at death is beyond dispute has died at age 114 in Philadelphia.