Activists, politicians and musicians among notable 2025 Sacramento deaths

There were a number of notable Sacramento-area deaths in 2025, from iconic musicians to religious and political figures.

Here are some of the people of note who died in the Sacramento area in 2025:

Alvin ‘Big Al’ Sams

Sams, a popular Sacramento radio disc jockey and TV personality considered by colleagues an ambassador to the city, died in February at age 55.

In a quarter-century in Sacramento media, Sams worked as a co-host and entertainment reporter at KTXL-TV, a disc jockey at KHYL and as a reporter on “Good Day Sacramento” on KMAX-TV.

“It was an honor to have such a caring and talented man as Big Al on our team,” CBS Sacramento said.

K.W. Lee

Lee, a pioneering journalist whose relentless pursuit of justice and fearless reporting gave voice to the underrepresented across a half-century career, died March 8 in Sacramento at age 96.

Believed to be the first Korean immigrant to work for a mainstream U.S. newspaper, Lee carved out an extraordinary career as an investigative reporter, editor, publisher and mentor.

Lee also founded Koreatown Weekly, the nation’s first English-language Korean American newspaper. He served as an editor at the Korea Times and was inducted into the Newspaper Hall of Fame at the former Newseum in Washington, D.C.

Stan Atkinson

Atkinson, a longtime news anchor on KCRA, died May 25 at age 92.

He spent 24 years at KCRA before moving to KOVR in 1994. He retired in 1999.

Atkinson was remembered for his boots-on-the-ground reporting on wars across the globe and his charitable work raising millions of dollars for organizations in the region.

James A. Fisher

Fisher, a pioneering historian of Black California, educator and activist, died at his Sacramento home on June 20, following what his family described as a mild cardiac arrest at age 82.

Historian Quintard Taylor, a professor emeritus at Seattle’s University of Washington, said Fisher “was one of first historians to research and write the history of Black California.”

After teaching at Sacramento City College and lecturing at UC Davis, Fisher moved into public history, working with the California Office of Historic Preservation and the Architectural History Department at Caltrans.

Mick Martin

Martin, the standard-bearer for blues music in Sacramento for more than a generation, died July 13 at age 76.

Martin led his longtime band the Blues Rockers, hosted the weekend radio show “Mick Martin’s Blues Party” on Capital Public Radio and KZAP-FM, and later fronted the Mick Martin Big Blues Band.

Martin also was a journalist and author, writing on film as film critic at The Sacramento Union and reviewing movies at KTXL-TV Channel 40.

The Rev. Donald H. Fado

Fado, a longtime Sacramento-area United Methodist pastor who championed LGBTQ+ rights and dignity for the capital region’s homeless, died July 17 at age 91.

He led Sacramento’s St. Mark’s United Methodist Church, before retiring in 2001 and spent the next 25 years working with Sacramento Loaves & Fishes and the family shelter, Family Promise of Sacramento.

In January 1999, Fado defied the church hierarchy when he blessed the holy union of a lesbian Sacramento couple, both parishioners and leaders at St. Mark’s.

John Burton

Burton, who championed liberal causes during his 40 years in California politics as an environmentalist, tenants’ rights advocate, and defender of the working class and labor, died Sept. 7 at age 92.

Burton served in the California Assembly, California Senate and U.S. Congress. After retiring from public office in 2004, he chaired the state Democratic Party from 2009 to 2017.

“When it comes to California politics, there is no one like John Burton,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said on X. “A legendary powerhouse who breathed life into our party and fought for a better California for everyone — uniting Democrats across race, belief, and background. His candor, passion, and empathy were contagious. May his legacy of courage and conviction live on in each of us.”

Charles ‘Ground Chuck’ Thomas

Thomas, known around midtown as “Ground Chuck,” was a Sacramento artist, punk musician, and fixture in the midtown scene, famous for his vibrant sidewalk chalk art that helped inspire the “Chalk It Up” festival. He died Sept. 14 at age 56.

“He was not someone who was wealthy in cash, but definitely wealthy in friends and community,” Bill Burg said.

Theodore L. Hullar

Hullar, the fourth chancellor of the University of California, Davis, died Sept. 28, following a fall at home at age 90.

During Hullar’s tenure from 1987 to 1994, U.S. News & World Report named UC Davis one of its top five “up and coming” universities. Research funding and private gifts grew, and the number of women and people of color grew in both the ranks of students and faculty.

He also oversaw development of a long-range plan for the university’s expansion.

Rosie Gayton

Gayton, a longtime reporter and producer at KXTV in Sacramento, died Dec. 5 at age 72.

Gayton was hired by the station in the 1970s to produce and host “Chicano Perspective,” according to the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

She became a full-time reporter on KXTV in 1980 and left the station in 2005 after covering stories including “the Cesar Chavez farm labor protests, Mexico City earthquake in 1985, the Pope’s California visit in 1987 and the Dorothea Puente mass murder case in 1988,” the academy said.

The Bee’s Cathie Anderson, Camila Pedrosa, Lia Russell, Darrell Smith and Graham Womack contributed to this story.

This story was originally published December 31, 2025 at 5:00 AM.