obituaries

Peter Mayhew, Who Played 'Star Wars' Chewbacca, Dies At 74

7:28am May 03, 2019

by Mandalit del Barco

Mayhew was more than 7-feet tall, yet he said his furry Wookiee was a comforting "teddy bear" presence. Mayhew died at his home in Texas on Tuesday, according to a family statement released Thursday.

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Ground-Breaking Director John Singleton Dies At 51

5:07am April 30, 2019

by Eric Deggans

Filmmaker John Singleton died Monday after complications from a stroke. He made history with 1991's Boyz n the Hood as the first African American nominated for a best director Oscar.

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John Singleton, seen in Los Angeles in July 1991, not long after the release of Boyz n the Hood. The movie earned the young filmmaker two Oscar nominations.

Arts

John Singleton, Pioneering Director Of 'Boyz N The Hood,' Dies At 51

6:20pm April 29, 2019

The 1991 film earned him two Oscar nods and a spot in history as the youngest person and first African American ever nominated for best director. Singleton died in Los Angeles after a stroke.

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Former Sen. Richard Lugar Of Indiana Dies At 87

6:23am April 29, 2019

Richard Lugar was Indiana's longest-serving senator. He's being remembered for his bipartisan work in pursuit of nuclear non-proliferation.

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National

Judge Damon J. Keith, Judicial Giant And Civil Rights Icon, Dies At 96

8:19pm April 28, 2019

by Virginia Gordan

The Detroit native, one of the nation's longest-serving federal judges, was a tireless champion of civil rights and civil liberties.

Former Indiana Sen. Richard Lugar died Sunday at 87. Lugar was known for his lasting non-proliferation work after the Cold War.

Politics & Government

Richard Lugar, Longtime Indiana Senator And Foreign Policy Leader, Dies At 87

5:40pm April 28, 2019

by Wynne Davis

Lugar served six terms in the U.S. Senate. His work toward the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction earned him the nation's highest civilian honor in 2013.

Remembering Former Sen. Richard Lugar

5:13pm April 28, 2019

Former Sen. Richard Lugar has died at age 87. NPR's Michel Martin speaks with Dan Diller, who worked with Sen. Lugar for years. Diller is now Director of Policy at The Lugar Center.

Former Ohio State basketball player John Havlicek talks about his career during a National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame induction event Friday, Nov. 20, 2015, in Kansas City, Mo.

Boston Celtics Great And Hall Of Famer John Havlicek Dies At 79

1:54pm April 26, 2019

by Doreen McCallister

Havlicek was voted one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history. He played 16 seasons with the Celtics — eight of them as NBA champions. Boston media report he had Parkinson's disease.

An exterior view of H&R Block is shown in Sunnyvale, Calif., in 2006. Co-founder Henry Bloch died Tuesday at the age of 96.

National

Henry Bloch, Co-Founder Of H&R Block, Dies At 96

8:01am April 24, 2019

Bloch, along with his brother Richard, started the business as the IRS was phasing out its free tax prep service. They changed the "h" in their last name to a "k" so it would be easier to pronounce.

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David Brion Davis, Historian Of Slavery, Dies At 92

4:50pm April 16, 2019

by Lynn Neary

David Brion Davis, a Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award-winning author of an influential trilogy on slavery, has died at 92. Davis was awarded a National Humanities medal in 2014.

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