Of all the notables who died in 2009, the one who most changed the world could have walked down any Main Street USA without causing a stir.
Scientist Norman Borlaug, who died Sept. 12 at age 95, developed crops that enabled Third World farmers to wrest more food from their land. His “green revolution” was credited with averting global famine — and won him a Nobel Peace Prize.
Sen. Edward M. Kennedy and his sister Eunice Kennedy Shriver were born into America’s pre-eminent political family and spent decades living up to its tradition of service.
Michael Jackson helped create his own family dynasty, this one rooted in show business, as the lead singer for The Jackson 5 when he was just a child. He grew up to become one of entertainment’s most influential and controversial figures as the King of Pop, and his death at age 50 was as mystifying as his life.
They are just four of the men and women of achievement who died in 2009.
The political world said goodbye to Jack Kemp, Claiborne Pell, Robert McNamara, Jody Powell and writers William Safire, Irving Kristol and Robert Novak.
Overseas, we lost two courageous dissidents who went on to lead their countries — Corazon Aquino of the Philippines and Kim Dae-jung of South Korea. In death, another dissident, Iran’s Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri, spurred others to mount new protests.
In the arts, those who died in 2009 include groundbreaking choreographer Merce Cunningham; photographer Irving Penn; painter Andrew Wyeth; and novelist John Updike.
We relived historic tragedies as we lost the last Titanic survivor, the last leader of the Warsaw ghetto uprising, a veteran who fought in the trenches during World War I, and a polio victim who spent more than 60 years in an iron lung.
Scholars John Hope Franklin and Claude Levi-Strauss took history and anthropology into new directions. Teacher-turned-author Frank McCourt wrote movingly of his painful growing-up. Oral Roberts preached to millions.
Broadcast journalism lost founding fathers Walter Cronkite and Don Hewitt. TV also brought us Ed McMahon, the ultimate talk show sidekick; Bea Arthur, whose comic delivery hit home like a boxer’s punch; and Farrah Fawcett, whose beauty launched a multitude of magazine covers.
We lost men named Chaplin and Freud and DiMaggio, who managed to excel in the shadow of their famous relatives.
The notorious killers Howard Unruh and Susan Atkins died, both having spent much of their lives in custody. Abortion provider Dr. George Tiller, whose clinic was a longtime site of protests, and NFL quarterback Steve McNair were shot to death.
Here, a roll call of some of the people who died in 2009. (Cause of death cited for younger people if available.)
JANUARY:
Claiborne Pell, 90. Six-term Rhode Island senator, force behind Pell college grants. Jan. 1.
Helen Suzman, 91. White South African lawmaker who fought apartheid. Jan. 1.
Jett Travolta, 16. John Travolta’s son. Jan. 2. Seizure.
Adolf Merckle, 74. German billionaire; business ran into trouble in financial meltdown. Jan. 5. Suicide.
Retired Lt. Gen. Harry W.O. Kinnard, 93. Suggested famous answer to Nazi surrender demand: “Nuts!” Jan. 5.
Griffin Bell, 90. His friend Jimmy Carter’s attorney general. Jan. 5.
Ron Asheton, 60. Guitarist for the Stooges, whose raw sound helped inspire punk rock. Jan. 6.
Cheryl Holdridge, 64. Mouseketeer on “The Mickey Mouse Club.” Jan. 6.
Cornelia Wallace, 69. Gov. George Wallace’s wife, who threw herself over him when he was shot in 1972. Jan. 8.
Charles Morgan Jr., 78. Alabama civil rights lawyer; argued for “one man, one vote.” Jan. 8.
The Rev. Richard John Neuhaus, 72. Christian intellectual. Jan. 8.
Cardinal Pio Laghi, 86. Longtime Vatican diplomat, tried to dissuade U.S. from invading Iraq. Jan. 10.
Claude Berri, 74. French actor, director (“Manon of the Spring”). Jan. 12.
Preston Gomez, 85. Managed Padres, Astros, Cubs during long baseball career. Jan. 13.
Patrick McGoohan, 80. Emmy-winning actor; star of “The Prisoner.” Jan. 13.
James B. Pearson, 88. Three-term Kansas GOP senator. Jan. 13.
Ricardo Montalban, 88. Actor in splashy MGM musicals; Mr. Roarke in “Fantasy Island.” Jan. 14.
Trammell Crow, 94. Built one of nation’s largest real estate developers. Jan. 14.
Andrew Wyeth, 91. Artist whose portraits and landscapes combined realism, modern melancholy. Jan. 16.
Edmund de Rothschild, 93. Oversaw modernization of family’s Rothschild merchant bank. Jan. 17.
Kay Yow, 66. N.C. State women’s basketball coach. Jan. 24. Cancer.
James Brady, 80. Author, Parade magazine celebrity columnist. Jan. 26.
John Updike, 76. Pulitzer-winning novelist, essayist. Jan. 27.
Guy Hunt, 75. Alabama’s first Republican governor since Reconstruction, convicted of misusing funds. Jan. 30.
Ingemar Johansson, 76. Swede who knocked out Floyd Patterson in 1959, stunning boxing world. Jan. 30.
Hans Beck, 79. Created colorful Playmobil toys. Jan. 30.
FEBRUARY:
Lukas Foss, 86. Avant-garde composer. Feb. 1.
Millard Fuller, 74. Founded Habitat for Humanity. Feb. 3.
Lux Interior, 62. Lead singer of horror-punk band the Cramps. Feb. 4.
Herbert Hamrol, 106. Survived 1906 San Francisco earthquake; recalled how his mother carried him to safety. Feb. 4.
Xiangzhong Yang, 49. Scientist; cloned first farm animal in U.S. Feb. 5. Cancer.
James Whitmore, 87. Many-faceted actor; did one-man shows on Harry Truman, Will Rogers. Feb. 6.
Jack Cover, 88. Invented Taser stun gun. Feb. 7.
Robert Anderson, 91. Playwright (“Tea and Sympathy”). Feb. 9.
Hugh Leonard, 82. Irish playwright; won Tony for father-son drama “Da.” Feb. 12.
Alison Des Forges, 66. Human rights activist, documented Rwanda genocide. Feb. 12. Plane crash.
Beverly Eckert, 57. Sept. 11 widow; lobbied for intelligence reforms. Feb. 12. Plane crash.
Louie Bellson, 84. Jazz drummer; performed with Duke Ellington, wife Pearl Bailey. Feb. 14.
Stephen Kim Sou-hwan, 86. South Korea’s first Roman Catholic cardinal, advocate for democracy. Feb. 16.
Konrad Dannenberg, 96. German rocket scientist; later part of team that put Americans on the moon. Feb. 16.
Al-Tayeb Saleh, 80. One of Arab world’s top novelists. Feb. 18.
Philip Jose Farmer, 91. Celebrated science fiction and fantasy writer. Feb. 25.
Norm Van Lier, 61. Chicago Bulls player; one of NBA’s top defensive players in 1970s. Feb. 26.
Paul Harvey, 90. Radio news, talk pioneer; one of nation’s most familiar voices. Feb. 28.
MARCH:
Joao Bernardo Vieira, about 70. President of Guinea-Bissau, tiny, coup-prone African nation. March 2. Assassinated.
Sydney Chaplin, 82. Tony-winning actor; son of Charlie Chaplin (“Bells Are Ringing”). March 3.
Horton Foote, 92. Playwright (“The Trip to Bountiful”), screenwriter (“To Kill a Mockingbird”). March 4.
Hank Locklin, 91. Smooth-voiced country singer (“Send Me the Pillow You Dream On”). March 8.
Leonore Annenberg, 91. Philanthropist, widow of publisher Walter Annenberg. March 12.
Bill Davidson, 86. Detroit Pistons’ Hall of Fame owner. March 13.
James Purdy, 94. Author of underground classics (“Cabot Wright Begins”). March 13.
Claude Brinegar, 82. Transportation secretary; pushed energy conservation. March 13.
Anne Wiggins Brown, 96. Soprano; original Bess in “Porgy and Bess.” March 13.
Ron Silver, 62. Won Tony as tough Hollywood producer in David Mamet’s “Speed-the-Plow.” March 15.
Natasha Richardson, 45. Heiress to British acting royalty (“Patty Hearst”). March 18. Skiing accident.
Jade Goody, 27. British reality TV star. March 22. Cancer.
George Kell, 86. Hall of Fame third baseman; Tigers broadcaster. March 24
John Hope Franklin, 94. Towering scholar of African-American studies. March 25.
Irving R. Levine, 86. Bow-tied NBC newsman; explained fine points of economics. March 27.
Jack Dreyfus, 95. Mutual fund pioneer. March 27.
Maurice Jarre, 84. Oscar-winning film composer (“Lawrence of Arabia”). March 28.
Raul Alfonsin, 82. Argentine president; guided return to democracy following dictatorship. March 31.
APRIL:
Russell Dunham, 89. Awarded Medal of Honor during World War II. April 6.
Dave Arneson, 61. Co-created Dungeons & Dragons fantasy game. April 7.
David “Pop” Winans Sr., 76. Patriarch of gospel music family. April 8.
Mark “The Bird” Fidrych, 54. Colorful Detroit Tigers pitcher; captivated fans in ’70s. April 13. Accident.
Harry Kalas, 73. Sportscaster whose “Outta here!” home run calls thrilled Phillies fans. April 13.
Clement Freud, 84. British writer, politician; grandson of Sigmund Freud. April 15.
J.G. Ballard, 78. Author known for dark vision (“Empire of the Sun”). April 19.
Felix “Doc” Blanchard, 84. Football superhero for Army; won 1945 Heisman. April 19.
Benjamin Edwards III, 77. Presided over A.G. Edwards as it grew into national brokerage. April 20.
Jack Jones, 96. Major union leader in Britain. April 21.
David Kellermann, 41. Acting chief financial officer for struggling mortgage giant Freddie Mac. April 22. Apparent suicide.
Jack Cardiff, 94. Oscar-winning cinematographer famed for innovative use of Technicolor (“The Red Shoes”). April 22.
Bea Arthur, 86. Her sharp delivery propelled “Maude,” ”The Golden Girls”; won Tony for “Mame.” April 25.
Venetia Phair, 90. As schoolgirl interested in mythology, she suggested name for the planet Pluto. April 30.
MAY:
Jack Kemp, 73. Quarterback turned politician who crusaded for lower taxes, was Bob Dole’s running-mate. May 2.
Marilyn French, 79. Feminist writer; novel “The Women’s Room” sold millions. May 2.
Martha Mason, 71. Polio victim who spent 61 years in iron lung yet graduated from college, wrote memoir. May 4.
Dom DeLuise, 75. Portly actor with offbeat style (“The Cannonball Run”). May 4.
Mickey Carroll, 89. One of last surviving Munchkins from “The Wizard of Oz.” May 7.
Frank Melton, 60. Mayor of Jackson, Miss., known for unorthodox fight against crime. May 7.
Dom DiMaggio, 92. Bespectacled Boston Red Sox center fielder; Joe’s brother. May 8.
Chuck Daly, 78. Hall of Fame basketball coach; led Dream Team to 1992 Olympic gold. May 9.
L. William Seidman, 88. Headed Resolution Trust Corp., formed to clean up ’80s savings and loan mess. May 13.
Achille Compagnoni, 94. Italian climber, reached top of K-2, second-highest peak, in 1954. May 13.
Wayman Tisdale, 44. College, NBA basketball star; later an accomplished jazzman. May 15. Cancer.
David Herbert Donald, 88. Pulitzer-winning Civil War historian; expert on Lincoln. May 17.
Mario Benedetti, 88. Renowned Uruguayan author (“The Truce”). May 17.
Velupillai Prabhakaran, 54. Leader of Sri Lanka’s separatist Tamil Tigers, one of world’s deadliest insurgencies. May 17. Killed by government forces.
Charles Albury, 88. Co-pilot of plane that dropped atomic bomb on Nagasaki. May 23.
Clive W.J. Granger, 74. Nobel-winning economist. May 27.
Paul Haney, 80. Voice of Mission Control in NASA’s early years. May 28.
Gaafar Numeiri, 79. Sudanese president known for imposing Islamic law, later ousted. May 30.
George Tiller, 67. Physician who performed later-term abortions at his Kansas clinic, making him focus of protests. May 31. Shot to death.
Millvina Dean, 97. Last survivor of Titanic sinking; was nine weeks old. May 31.
JUNE:
Koko Taylor, 80. Regal, powerful singer known as “Queen of the Blues.” June 3.
David Carradine, 72. Actor (“Kung Fu,” ”Kill Bill”). June 4.
Randy Smith, 60. NBA All-Star with Buffalo Braves in 1970s; played more than 900 consecutive games. June 4.
Bernard Barker, 92. Ex-CIA operative, Watergate burglar. June 5.
George E. Wahlen, 84. Medal of Honor recipient wounded at Iwo Jima. June 5.
Jean Dausset, 92. Nobel-winning French immunologist. June 6.
Omar Bongo, 73. He ruled Gabon for 42 years, making him world’s longest-serving president. June 8.
Norman Brinker, 78. Casual restaurant mogul (Chili’s Grill & Bar.) June 9.
Carl Pursell, 76. Eight-term Michigan congressman. June 11.
Dusty Rhodes, 82. His pinch-hitting helped N.Y. Giants win their last World Series title in 1954. June 17.
John Houghtaling, 92. Invented “Magic Fingers Vibrating Bed” for hotels. June 17.
Hortensia Bussi, 94. Widow of ousted Chilean President Salvador Allende; helped lead opposition to dictatorship. June 18.
Neda Agha Soltan, 27. Iranian music student gunned down during a Tehran protest, an image that shocked the world. June 20.
Dr. Jerri Nielsen FitzGerald, 57. She treated her breast cancer before dramatic rescue from South Pole in 1999. June 23. Recurrence of cancer.
Ed McMahon, 86. Ebullient “Tonight” show sidekick who bolstered Johnny Carson. June 23.
Farrah Fawcett, 62. 1970s sex symbol, star of “Charlie’s Angels.” June 25.
Michael Jackson, 50. The King of Pop. June 25.
Billy Mays, 50. Burly, bearded television pitchman. June 28. Heart disease.
Harve Presnell, 75. His booming baritone graced Broadway musicals (“The Unsinkable Molly Brown”). June 30.
JULY:
Karl Malden, 97. Oscar-winning actor; a star despite his plain looks (“A Streetcar Named Desire”). July 1.
Herbert G. Klein, 91. Richard Nixon’s director of communications. July 2.
John S. Barry, 84. Businessman; turned rust-fighter WD-40 into household brand. July 3.
Steve McNair, 36. Popular Tennessee Titans quarterback. July 4. Shot to death.
Bela Kiraly, 97. A leader of Hungary’s short-lived anti-Soviet revolution in 1956. July 4.
Robert S. McNamara, 93. Pentagon chief who directed escalation of Vietnam War despite private doubts. July 6.
Sam Church, 72. Former United Mine Workers president; worked to improve pensions. July 7.
Walter Cronkite, 92. Premier TV anchorman of networks’ golden age. July 17.
Henry Allingham, 113. British World War I veteran and world’s oldest man. July 18.
Frank McCourt, 78. He gained post-retirement fame, and a Pulitzer, for “Angela’s Ashes.” July 19.
E. Lynn Harris, 54. Best-selling author of gay black fiction (“Love of My Own”). July 23. Heart disease.
Harry Patch, 111. Britain’s last survivor of the World War I trenches. July 25.
Merce Cunningham, 90. Avant-garde dancer, choreographer; revolutionized modern dance. July 26.
Reverend Ike (the Rev. Frederick J. Eikerenkoetter II), 74. Minister who preached gospel of material prosperity to millions. July 28.
Gayatri Devi, 90. Lawmaker, activist in India; former royal. July 29.
AUGUST:
Corazon Aquino, 76. Former Philippines president who swept away a dictator with 1986 “people power” revolt. Aug. 1.
Naomi Sims, 61. Pioneering black model of the 1960s. Aug. 1.
Jim Ingram, 77. Retired FBI agent; helped reopen investigations into Mississippi civil rights killings. Aug. 2.
Budd Schulberg, 95. Novelist (“What Makes Sammy Run?”) and Oscar-winning screenwriter (“On the Waterfront”). Aug. 5.
John Hughes, 59. Writer-director of youth-oriented comedies (“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” ”Home Alone”). Aug. 6. Heart attack.
Willy DeVille, 58. Singer, songwriter; founded punk group Mink DeVille. Aug. 6. Pancreatic cancer.
Tony Huesman, 51. Heart transplant recipient; lived a record 31 years. Aug. 9. Cancer.
Andy Kessler, 48. Trailblazer of NYC’s skateboarding scene; designed skate parks. Aug. 10. Heart attack after wasp sting.
Eunice Kennedy Shriver, 88. Founded Special Olympics to bring new opportunities to mentally disabled. Aug. 11.
Les Paul, 94. Guitar virtuoso; invented solid-body electric guitar and multitrack recording. Aug. 13.
Virginia Davis, 90. As child actress, appeared in Walt Disney’s “Alice” films in 1920s. Aug. 15.
Kim Dae-jung, 85. Dissident who became South Korean president; won Nobel Peace Prize for efforts to reconcile with North Korea. Aug. 18.
Robert Novak, 78. Combative TV and newspaper pundit who loved “making life miserable for hypocritical, posturing politicians.” Aug. 18.
Don Hewitt, 86. TV news pioneer who created “60 Minutes,” produced it for 36 years. Aug. 19.
Stanley H. Kaplan, 90. His company helped young people boost college admissions test scores. Aug. 23.
Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, 77. Senate’s liberal lion and haunted bearer of the Camelot torch. Aug. 25.
Ellie Greenwich, 68. Co-wrote some of 1960s’ most enduring pop songs (“Be My Baby”). Aug. 26.
Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim, 59. A kingmaker in Iraq’s politics, head of its biggest Shiite political party. Aug. 26. Lung cancer.
Dominick Dunne, 83. Best-selling author who told stories of shocking crimes among the rich and famous. Aug. 26.
Alex Grass, 82. Founded Rite Aid, one of nation’s largest drugstore chains. Aug. 27.
Guy von Dardel, 90. Physicist who sought for years to find his half brother Raoul Wallenberg in Soviet imprisonment. Aug. 28.
Richard Egan, 73. Billionaire founder of data storage giant EMC Corp. Aug. 28.
Adam “DJ AM” Goldstein, 36. Celebrity disc jockey; also a reality TV figure who attempted to help fellow drug addicts. Aug. 28. Overdose.
Marie Knight, 84. Gospel music legend (“Beams of Heaven”). Aug. 30.
Nancy Talbot, 89. Co-founded Talbots women’s clothing company. Aug. 30.
SEPTEMBER:
Erich Kunzel, 74. Conductor, longtime head of Cincinnati Pops. Sept. 1.
Bill Hefner, 79. 12-term North Carolina congressman; also a gospel singer. Sept. 2.
Army Archerd, 87. His Daily Variety column kept tabs on Hollywood doings for more than a half-century. Sept. 8.
Aage Bohr, 87. Nobel-winning Danish nuclear physicist; son of Niels Bohr, also a Nobel-winner. Sept. 8
Frank Batten Sr., 82. Built media giant Landmark Communications, created The Weather Channel. Sept. 10.
Jim Carroll, 60. Poet, punk rocker; wrote “The Basketball Diaries.” Sept. 11. Heart attack.
Larry Gelbart, 81. Slyly witty writer for stage and screen (“Tootsie,” ”M-A-S-H”). Sept. 11.
Gertrude Baines, 115. World’s oldest person. Sept. 11.
Zakes Mokae, 75. Tony-winning South African actor (“Master Harold … and the Boys”). Sept. 11.
Rabbi Alfred Gottschalk, 79. Ordained first female rabbis in U.S., Israel. Sept. 12.
Danny Pang, 42. California financier accused of defrauding investors out of hundreds of millions of dollars. Sept. 12.
Norman Borlaug 95. Iowa farmboy who became acclaimed scientist, developed a type of wheat that helped feed the world. Sept. 12.
Patrick Swayze, 57. Dancer turned movie superstar in “Dirty Dancing,” ”Ghost.” Sept. 14. Pancreatic cancer.
Jody Powell, 65. President Jimmy Carter’s press secretary, top adviser. Sept. 14.
Jack Kightlinger, 77. White House photographer; worked for five U.S. presidents. Sept. 14.
Trevor Rhone, 69. Jamaican playwright; co-wrote “The Harder They Come.” Sept. 15.
Myles Brand, 67. NCAA president. Sept. 16.
Melvin Simon, 82. Billionaire mall developer; owned Indiana Pacers. Sept. 16.
W. Horace Carter, 88. N.C. publisher whose anti-Klan crusades won Pulitzer. Sept. 16.
Mary Travers, 72. One-third of 1960s folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary (“If I Had a Hammer”). Sept. 16.
Irving Kristol, 89. Writer, editor known as godfather of neoconservatism. Sept. 18.
Susan Atkins, 61. Member of Charles Manson “family”; killed actress Sharon Tate. Sept. 24.
Alicia de Larrocha, 86. Spanish pianist who thrilled listeners for decades. Sept. 25.
William Safire, 79. Pulitzer-winning New York Times columnist. Sept. 27.
Donald G. Fisher, 81. Co-founded apparel giant Gap Inc.. Sept. 27.
Guillermo Endara, 73. Former Panamanian president, led country to democracy after ouster of Manuel Noriega. Sept. 28.
Henry Louis Bellmon, 88. Oklahoma governor, senator; father of state’s modern Republican Party. Sept. 29.
OCTOBER:
Marek Edelman, 90. Last surviving leader of ill-fated 1943 Warsaw ghetto revolt against Nazis. Oct. 2.
Peg Mullen, 92. Her fight to learn truth about her son’s death in Vietnam inspired book, movie “Friendly Fire.” Oct. 2.
Mercedes Sosa, 74. Argentine folksinger; “Voice of Latin America” who inspired pro-democracy activists. Oct. 4.
Israel Gelfand, 96. Mathematician; work helped in development of medical imaging devices. Oct. 5.
Ben Ali, 82. Founded Ben’s Chili Bowl diner, a Washington landmark. Oct. 7.
Irving Penn, 92. Photographer famed for stark simplicity in portraits, fashion shots. Oct. 7.
Richard W. Sonnenfeldt, 86. Chief interpreter for American prosecutors at Nuremberg trials. Oct. 9.
Lionel Pincus, 78. Founder of private equity firm Warburg Pincus. Oct. 10.
Nan Robertson, 83. New York Times reporter; won Pulitzer for account of her battle with toxic shock syndrome. Oct. 13.
William Wayne Justice, 89. Federal judge in Texas; rulings reformed schools, prisons. Oct. 13.
Bruce Wasserstein, 61. CEO of Lazard Ltd., Wall Street dealmaker. Oct. 14.
Elizabeth Clare Prophet, 70. Spiritual leader of Church Universal and Triumphant, predicted nuclear Armageddon. Oct. 15.
Bob Davis, 77. Seven-term GOP Michigan congressman. Oct. 16.
Dr. Ignacio V. Ponseti, 95. Physician who perfected treatment for clubfoot, helping children worldwide. Oct. 18.
Howard Unruh, 88. He killed 13 in 1949 Camden, N.J., shooting spree, nation’s worst mass murder at the time. Oct. 19.
Clifford Hansen, 97. Former Wyoming governor, two-term senator. Oct. 20.
Jack Nelson, 80. Pulitzer-winning Los Angeles Times reporter, bureau chief. Oct. 21.
Soupy Sales, 83. Rubber-faced comedian whose career was built on thousands of pies to the face. Oct. 22.
Ray Browne, 87. Bowling Green State scholar credited with coining phrase “popular culture.” Oct. 22.
Shiloh Pepin, 10. Maine girl born with fused legs, or “mermaid syndrome”; gained following on TV, Internet. Oct. 23.
Jeffry Picower, 67. Accused of profiting more than $7 billion from schemes of friend Bernard Madoff. Oct. 25.
John O’Quinn, Flamboyant Texas lawyer; won billions in verdicts. Oct. 29.
Claude Levi-Strauss, 100. French intellectual who was considered father of modern anthropology Oct. 30.
Michelle Triola Marvin, 76. Fought landmark “palimony” case against ex-lover Lee Marvin. Oct. 30.
NOVEMBER:
Robert H. Rines, 87. Physicist, inventor; discoveries improved radar, ultrasound imaging. Nov. 1.
John Crofton, 97. British researcher; developed new tuberculosis treatments. Nov. 3.
Francisco Ayala, 103. Spanish novelist, sociologist; in exile during Franco dictatorship. Nov. 3.
Sheldon Dorf, 76. Founded Comic-Con International comic book convention that draws more than 100,000 fans. Nov. 3.
Vitaly Ginzburg, 93. Nobel-winning Russian physicist, helped develop Soviet hydrogen bomb. Nov. 8.
Dr. William Ganz, 90. Cardiologist; co-developer of device to measure heart function. Nov. 10.
Bruce King, 85. Former New Mexico governor; an institution in state politics. Nov. 13.
Patriarch Pavle, 95. Serbian Orthodox leader during 1990s Balkan unrest. Nov. 15.
Jeanne-Claude, 74. With husband Christo, created large-scale, highly publicized art projects. Nov. 18.
Konstantin Feoktistov, 83. Russian spaceship designer, flew in space in 1964. Nov. 21.
Abe Pollin, 85. Washington Wizards owner who brought NBA championship to nation’s capital. Nov. 24.
Fred Joseph, 72. CEO of investment bank Drexel Burnham Lambert, helped create junk-bond market. Nov. 27.
DECEMBER:
Jack Pitchford, 82. Air Force fighter pilot; survived seven years in notorious “Hanoi Hilton.” Dec. 2.
Richard Todd, 90. Acclaimed British actor (“The Longest Day”). Dec. 3.
Paula Hawkins, 82. Former Florida senator, first woman elected to full Senate term without family political connection. Dec. 4.
William A. Wilson, 95. First American ambassador to Vatican. Dec. 5.
Gene Barry, 90. TV’s well-dressed man of action in “Bat Masterson,” ”Burke’s Law,” ”The Name of the Game.” Dec. 9.
Thomas Hoving, 78. Former director of New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art; championed “blockbuster” exhibits. Dec. 10.
Paul Samuelson, 94. Nobel-winning economist; helped shape JFK’s tax policy, wrote textbook read by millions. Dec. 13.
Sol Price, 93. Founded Price Club, which pioneered warehouse superstore sales model. Dec. 14.
Oral Roberts, 91. TV evangelist who built multimillion-dollar ministry, university that bears his name. Dec. 15.
Yegor Gaidar, 53. Oversaw Russia’s painful economic transition from communism to free market in 1990s. Dec. 16. Blood clot.
Roy E. Disney, 79. Nephew of Walt Disney; exerted strong behind-the-scenes influence on The Walt Disney Co. Dec. 16.
Jennifer Jones, 90. Oscar-winning actress (“The Song of Bernadette”). Dec. 17.
Arnold Stang, 91. Character actor memorable for nerdy looks, distinctive nasal voice. Dec. 20.
Grand Ayatolla Hossein Ali Montazeri, 87. Spiritual father of Iran’s reform movement. Dec. 20.
Brittany Murphy, 32. Actress (“Clueless”), voice of Luanne Platter on “King of the Hill.” Dec. 20. Apparently natural causes.
Ann Nixon Cooper, 107. Centenarian lauded by Barack Obama on election night. Dec. 21.
Yitzhak Ahronovitch, 86. Captain of ship Exodus during 1947 attempt to take Holocaust survivors to Palestine. Dec. 23.
Robert L. Howard, 70. Much-decorated soldier; received Medal of Honor for 1968 rescue mission in Vietnam. Dec. 23.
Rafael Antonio Caldera, 93. Two-time Venezuelan president; helped establish democracy. Dec. 24.
Yves Rocher, 79. Founded beauty products company stressing natural ingredients. Dec. 26.
Percy Sutton, 89. Attorney for Malcolm X, became one of New York’s top black leaders. Dec. 26.
Abdurrahman Wahid, 69. Former Indonesian president; ruled after fall of dictator Suharto. Dec. 30.