As 2025 draws to a close, the year has been marked the loss of several influential figures whose work shaped music, television, film, and culture in ways that still echo today. Their contributions spanned genres and generations, leaving behind performances, songs, and moments that became part of everyday life for millions, and we remember all who passed this year.
This in memoriam reflects on the high-profile names we have lost so far this year, honoring their lives with a brief look at who they were and why they mattered. Each entry offers a snapshot of their legacy, whether it impacted the world of music, world politics, faith, environmentalism, science, film, and beyond.
Wayne Osmond
Wayne Osmond was 73 when he died on January 1. He was a singer and musician, best known as a member of the Osmond family, performing with his siblings in The Osmonds.
Peter Yarrow
On January 7, The Guardian reported Peter Yarrow died at the age of 86. He was an American singer, songwriter, and activist who was a key member of the influential folk music trio Peter, Paul and Mary.
Bill Byrge
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On January 9, Bill Byrge died at the age of 86. He was an American actor and comedian. His claim to fame was playing the character Bobby alongside Gailard Sartain’s “Chuck” in the popular Ernest P. Worrell film franchise and commercials.
Sam Moore
Sam Moore was 89 when he died on January 10. He was an American soul and R&B singer who achieved fame as one half of the duo Sam & Dave, known for hits like “Soul Man” and “Hold On, I’m Comin'”.
Dalyce Curry
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Dalyce Curry was 95 when she died on January 10. Known as “Mama D,” she was an American actress. Her career included small roles in notable films like The Ten Commandments and The Blues Brothers.
Leslie Charleson
On January 12, Leslie Charleson died at the age of 79. She was an American actress. She was best known for her long-running role as Monica Quartermaine on the ABC daytime soap opera General Hospital.
Big Chuck
On January 19, Big Chuck died at the age of 90. Born Charles “Chuck” Shidowski, he was a Cleveland, Ohio, television personality. His claim to fame was hosting the late-night comedy and horror movie show Big Chuck and Little John for nearly 30 years.
John Sykes
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On January 20, John Sykes died at the age of 65. I was unable to find definitive public information regarding the identity and specific claim to fame for a high-profile person named John Sykes who died at age 65 on January 20, 2025.
Garth Hudson
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Garth Hudson was 87 when he died on January 21. He was a Canadian multi-instrumentalist. He was best known as the keyboardist and occasional saxophonist for the legendary rock group The Band, and was the last surviving original member.
Marianne Faithfull
Marianne Faithfull was 78 when she died on January 30. She was an English singer, songwriter, and actress. She rose to fame in the 1960s with hits like “As Tears Go By” and maintained a long career known for her distinctive voice and personal struggles.
Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa
On February 18, Gene Hackman died at the age of 95. He was a highly acclaimed American actor. His illustrious career, spanning over four decades, included Academy Award-winning performances in films like The French Connection and Unforgiven. Betsy Arakawa was 63 when she passed away. She was a musician and businesswoman, and was the wife of actor Gene Hackman from 1991 until her death.
Lynne Marie Stewart
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On February 21, Lynne Marie Stewart died at the age of 78. She was an American actress and comedian. She was well-known for her recurring role as Miss Yvonne the “Pee-wee Playhouse” on the children’s program Pee-wee’s Playhouse.
Roberta Flack
Roberta Flack was 88 when she died on February 24. She was an American singer-songwriter. A four-time Grammy winner, she was famous for her hit songs, including “The First Time Ever I Saw You Face” and “Killing Me Softly with His Song.”
Carl Dean
On March 3, Carl Dean died at the age of 82. He was an American businessman. He was best known as the famously private and devoted husband of country music superstar Dolly Parton for nearly 60 years, and the inspiration for her song “Jolene.”
Pamela Bach
Pamela Bach was 62 when she died on March 5. She was an American actress. She was known for her role as deputy Kaye Morgan on the long-running television series Baywatch.
Jack Lilley
On March 19, Jack Lilley died at the age of 91. He was an American actor and stuntman. He was primarily known for his work in Westerns, including playing multiple roles on the beloved television series Little House on the Prairie.
Richard Chamberlain
Richard Chamberlain was 90 when he died on March 29. He was an American actor and singer. He achieved early fame in the title role of the 1960s TV series Dr. Kildare and later starred in miniseries like Shōgun and The Thorn Birds.
Sian Barbara Allen
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On March 31, Sian Barbara Allen died at the age of 78. She was an American actress. She was primarily known for her guest roles in various 1970s and 1980s television series, and earned a Golden Globe nomination for the film You’ll Like My Mother.
Val Kilmer
Val Kilmer was 65 when he died on April 1. He was an American actor. His career included memorable and acclaimed roles in films such as Top Gun (as Iceman), The Doors (as Jim Morrison), and Batman Forever (as Batman).
Jay North
On April 1, Jay North died at the age of 73. He was an American actor. He became famous as a child star for playing the title role in the late 1950s/early 1960s television sitcom Dennis the Menace.
Pope Francis
Pope Francis was 88 when he died on April 21. He was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State. Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, he became the 266th Pope in 2013, known for his focus on poverty, mercy, and reform.
Lar Park Lincoln
Lar Park Lincoln was 63 when she died on April 22. She was an American actress. She was primarily known for her roles in horror films, most notably as Tina Shepard in Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood.
Lulu Roman
On April 23, Lulu Roman died at the age of 78. She was an American comedian and singer. She was best known for being a cast member on the popular country music-themed variety show Hee Haw for decades.
George Wendt
On May 20, George Wendt died at the age of 76. He was an American actor. He achieved iconic fame for his role as the affable, beer-loving accountant Norm Peterson on the classic sitcom Cheers, which earned him six Emmy nominations.
Rick Derringer
Rick Derringer was 77 when he died on May 26. He was an American guitarist, vocalist, and producer. He had hits as a solo artist with “Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo” and was a member of The McCoys, who had the hit “Hang On Sloopy.”
Loretta Swit
On May 30, Loretta Swit died at the age of 87. She was an American actress. She was best known for her Emmy Award-winning role as Major Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan on the acclaimed television series M*A*S*H.
Brian Wilson
Brian Wilson was 82 when he died on June 11. He was an American musician, singer, and songwriter. He co-founded The Beach Boys and was recognized as the principal creative force, composer, and producer behind the band’s distinctive sound and classic hits.
Betsy Gay
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On June 13, Betsy Gay died at the age of 96. Born Elizabeth Ann Gunst, she was an American actress and country singer/yodeler. She was known as a child star in the 1930s and 1940s, appearing in films including the Hal Roach short film series Our Gang.
Bobby Sherman
Bobby Sherman was 81 when he died on June 24. He was an American singer and actor. He was a major teen idol in the late 1960s and early 1970s, known for his pop hits like “Little Woman” and his role on the TV series Here Come the Brides.
Connie Francis
On July 16, Connie Francis died at the age of 87. She was an American singer and actress. She was one of the top-charting female vocalists of the late 1950s and early 1960s, known for hits like “Who’s Sorry Now?” and “Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool.”
Malcolm-Jamal Warner
Malcolm-Jamal Warner was 54 when he died on July 20. He was an American actor, director, and musician. He rose to international fame for his role as Theodore Huxtable on the hugely successful sitcom The Cosby Show.
Ozzy Osbourne
On July 22, Ozzy Osbourne died at the age of 76. He was an English singer, songwriter, and television personality. Known as the “Prince of Darkness,” he gained fame as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath and later had a successful solo career.
Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan was 71 when he died on July 24. Born Terry Gene Bollea, he was an American professional wrestler and media personality. He is widely regarded as one of the most recognized and influential professional wrestling stars of all time, famous for his work in the WWF/WWE and WCW.
Loni Anderson
On August 3, Loni Anderson died at the age of 79. She was an American actress. She was best known for her role as the stunning and witty receptionist Jennifer Marlowe on the hit sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati.
David Ketchum
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David Ketchum was 97 when he died on August 10. He was an American actor and comedian. He was best known for his recurring role as the often physically confined Agent 13 on the classic television sitcom Get Smart.
Graham Greene
On September 1, Graham Greene died at the age of 73. He was a Canadian First Nations (Oneida) actor. He achieved international fame for his Academy Award-nominated role as Kicking Bird in the film Dances With Wolves.
Giorgio Armani
Giorgio Armani was 91 when he died on September 4. He was an Italian fashion designer. He was one of the most influential designers in contemporary fashion, known for his minimalist, deconstructed tailoring and founding the luxury fashion house Armani.
Polly Holliday
On September 9, Polly Holliday died at the age of 88. She was an American actress. She was best known for her role as the sassy and sarcastic waitress Florence Jean “Flo” Castleberry on the sitcom Alice and its spin-off, Flo.
Robert Redford
Robert Redford was 89 when he died on September 16. He was an American actor, director, and activist. He was a global star of film, known for iconic roles in movies like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The Sting, and as the founder of the Sundance Film Festival.
Jane Goodall
On October 1, Jane Goodall passed at the age of 91. She was an English primatologist and anthropologist. She is considered the world’s foremost expert on chimpanzees, known for her 60-year study of social and family interactions of wild chimpanzees in Gombe Stream National Park, Tanzania.
Diane Keaton
Diane Keaton was 79 when she died on October 11. She was an American actress and director. An Academy Award winner, she rose to prominence in films like The Godfather and is famously known for her collaborations with Woody Allen, including her Oscar-winning role in Annie Hall.
Ace Frehley
On October 16, Ace Frehley died at the age of 74. He was an American musician. He was the original lead guitarist and a founding member of the iconic rock band KISS, famous for his Spaceman persona and energetic guitar work.
June Lockhart
June Lockhart was 100 when she died on October 23. She was an American actress. She became a beloved television icon for starring roles as mothers in three different classic series: Lassie, Lost in Space, and Petticoat Junction.
Diane Ladd
On November 3, Diane Ladd died at the age of 89. She was an American actress. A three-time Oscar nominee, she was known for her roles showcasing rare intensity and timing, including the brash waitress Flo in Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore and her work in several films directed by her daughter, Laura Dern.
Dick Cheney
Dick Cheney was 84 when he passed away on November 3. He was an American politician and businessman. He served as the 46th Vice President of the United States under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2009, having previously served as White House Chief of Staff and Secretary of Defense.