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Joe Paterno, 85
Longtime Penn State coach who won more games than anyone in major college football but was fired amid a child sex abuse scandal that scarred his reputation for winning with integrity. Jan. 22. -
Don Cornelius, 75
As host of "Soul Train," he helped break down racial barriers and broaden the reach of black culture with funky music, groovy dance steps and cutting edge style. Feb. 1. Self-inflicted gunshot wound. -
Angelo Dundee, 90
Trainer who helped groom Muhammad Ali (shown at left with Dundee) and Sugar Ray Leonard into world champions. Feb. 1. -
Whitney Houston, 48
She ruled as pop music's queen until her majestic voice was ravaged by drug use and her regal image ruined by erratic behavior and a tumultuous marriage to singer Bobby Brown. Feb. 11. Accidentally drowned in a bathtub. -
Mike Wallace, 93
Dogged CBS reporter who took on politicians and celebrities in a 60-year career highlighted by on-air confrontations that helped make "60 Minutes" the most successful prime-time television news program ever. April 7. -
Maurice Sendak, 83
Children's book author and illustrator who saw the sometimes-dark side of childhood in books like "Where the Wild Things Are." May 8. -
Vidal Sassoon, 84
Celebrity hairstylist whose 1960s wash-and-wear cuts freed women from endless teasing and hairspray. May 9. -
Carroll Shelby, 89
Legendary car designer and champion auto racer who built the Shelby Cobra sports car and injected testosterone into Ford's Mustang and Chrysler's Viper. May 10. -
Robin Gibb, 62
One of the three Bee Gees whose falsetto harmonies powered such hits as "Stayin' Alive" and "Night Fever" and defined the flashy disco era. May 20. -
Ray Bradbury, 91
Science fiction-fantasy master who transformed his childhood dreams and Cold War fears into telepathic Martians, lovesick sea monsters, and the high-tech, book-burning future of "Fahrenheit 451." May 5. -
Rodney King, 47
Black motorist (pictured in center) whose 1991 videotaped beating by Los Angeles police officers was the spark for one of the most destructive U.S. race riots. June 17. Accidentally drowned. -
Nora Ephron, 71
Essayist, author and filmmaker who thrived in the male-dominated worlds of movies and journalism and was loved, respected and feared for her wit. -
Andy Griffith, 86
He made homespun Southern wisdom his trademark as a wise sheriff in "The Andy Griffith Show" and a rumpled defense lawyer in "Matlock." July 3. -
Ernest Borgnine, 95
Beefy screen star known for blustery, often villainous roles, but who won the best-actor Oscar for playing against type as a lovesick butcher in "Marty" in 1955 (shown with Grace Kelly). July 8. -
Sally Ride, 61
She blazed trails into orbit as the first American woman in space. July 23. Pancreatic cancer. -
Sherman Hemsley, 74
Actor who made the irascible, bigoted George Jefferson of "The Jeffersons" one of TV's most memorable characters and a symbol for urban upward mobility. July 24. -
Chad Everett, 75
Star of the 1970s TV series "Medical Center" who went on to appear in such films and TV shows as "Mulholland Drive" and "Melrose Place." July 24. -
Gore Vidal, 86
Author, playwright, politician and commentator whose novels, essays, plays and opinions were stamped by his immodest wit and unconventional wisdom. July 31. -
Phyllis Diller, 95
Housewife-turned-humorist who aimed some of her sharpest barbs at herself, punctuating her jokes with her trademark cackle. Aug. 20. -
Neil Armstrong, 82
He became a global hero when as a steely-nerved astronaut he made "one giant leap for mankind" with a small step onto the moon. Aug. 25. -
Rev. Sun Myung Moon, 92
Self-proclaimed messiah who turned his Unification Church into a worldwide religious movement and befriended North Korean leaders as well as U.S. presidents. Sept. 3. -
Michael Clarke Duncan, 54
Hulking character actor whose dozens of films included an Oscar-nominated performance as a death row inmate in “The Green Mile” and such other box office hits as “Armageddon,” “Planet of the Apes” and “Kung Fu Panda.” Sept. 3. Heart attack. -
Art Modell, 87
Former owner of the Baltimore Ravens and longtime NFL stalwart who incurred the wrath of Cleveland fans when he moved the team from Ohio. Sept. 6. -
Andy Williams, 84
Silky-voiced, clean-cut crooner whose hit recording “Moon River” and years of popular Christmas TV shows brought him fans the world over. Sept. 25. -
Alex Karras, 77
Feared NFL defensive tackle who went into acting, playing the lovable dad in the 1980s sitcom “Webster” and the cowboy who punched out a horse in “Blazing Saddles.” Oct. 10. -
Arlen Specter, 82
Outspoken ex-U.S. senator from Pennsylvania whose switch from Republican to Democrat ended a 30-year career in which he played a pivotal role in several Supreme Court nominations. Oct. 14. Complications of non-Hodgkins lymphoma. -
George McGovern, 90
Former U.S. senator and a Democrat (pictured at left) who lost to President Richard Nixon in 1972 in a landslide. Oct. 21. -
Hector “Macho” Camacho, 50
Puerto Rican boxer known for skill and flamboyance in the ring as well as for a messy personal life and run-ins with the police. Nov. 24. Gunshot. -
Daniel Inouye, 88. American of Japanese ancestry who lost his right arm fighting for his country in World War II and represented Hawaii in the Senate for almost 50 years. Died Dec. 17 from respiratory complications. -
Jack Klugman, 90. Emmy award-winning character actor best known for playing Oscar Madison, the sloppy half of “The Odd Couple,” on television and stage. Died Dec. 24.
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