2011: Remembering lives completed, final bows

Politics. Many names from U.S. political history bowed out, including vice presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro, 75; newonce-U.S. Secretary of State Lawrence Eagleburger, 80,end and diplomat  Warren Christopher, 85. Remarkably accomplished Sargent Shriver, who helped launch the Peace Corps, Head Start, and the Special Olympics, went to his rest at 95. It was a year when political families lost important members, including beloved Betty Ford, 93 (wife of Gerald); Kara Kennedy, 51 (daughter of Ted); Eleanor Mondale, 51 (daughter of Walter); and Dorothy Rodham, 92 (mother of Hillary Rodham Clinton).new Longtime political columnist David Broder, 81, has joined the empyrealcq press corps. And brave, indomitable civil-rights pioneer Fred Shuttlesworth, 89, has his best reward.end

Science and engineering. Among engineers and scientists were Robert Stempelcq, 77, CEO of General Motors and a pioneer of such eco-friendly innovations as catalytic converters and front-wheel drive. John McCarthy, 84, made up the term AI for artificial intelligence. newDennis Ritchie, 70, invented the C programming language and helped develop Unix.end Norman Foster Ramsey Jr., 96, was key in the development of atomic clocks and in NATO. Paul M. Doty, 91, was an eminent biochemist, participant in the Manhattan Project, and peace activist. Nobelist and chemist Herbert A. Hauptman, was 94. And Lynn Margulis, 73, was a very influential evolutionary biologist and ecologist. 

Sports. Many were the gamesters and sports people who departed the field this year. The pugilistic arts were especially hard hit, with Philadelphia's own "Smokin' " Joe Frazier leaving the ring at 67, promoter Butch Lewis at 65, fighter Ron Lyle at 70, and wrestler Randy "Macho Man" Savage at 58. newFootball owner Al Davis, 82, won't have to growl anymore. Grete Waitz, 57, has broken the tape of her greatest marathon, and soccer's Socrates, 57, has found the ultimate goal.end Baseball lost new three wonderful players and people in Duke Snider, 84,end Harmon Killebrew, 74, and Matty Alou, 72, among many others. newBasketball lost creative, classy Walter Hazzard, 69.end And both football and film lost Bubba Smith, 66.

Music. The already fabulous Celestial Band gained many new members. Cesária Évora, 70, barefoot diva of Cape Verde, now sings forever.new Sylvia Robinson, hip-hop pioneer, was 75, Mother of Invention Jim Sherwood was 69, jazz reed genius Sam Wood was 88, and endMilton Babbit, electronic-music pioneer, was 94. Nick Ashford, 70, of Ashford and Simpson, can now sing to the sax of Clarence Clemons, 69, of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Bandnew, and the uncanny, spectacular stylings of George Shearing, 91, who can see fine now.end Rapper Heavy D was 44, Nate Dogg was 41, and Slim Dunkin was 24. Bluegrass royalty Hazel Dickens was 75. Gerry Rafferty, 63, is no longer stuck in the middle, and the soul of Dobie Gray, 71, is now forever free, as are those of rock-and-roll pensmiths Jerry Ragovoy, 80, and Jerry Lieber, 78. Paul Motian, 80, can now bring his coolest of drum sounds to the highest level. Two poets, rap godfather Gil Scott-Heron, 62, and Phoebe Snow, 60, can match beats, newwhile Hubert Sumlin, 80, and David "Honeyboy" Edwards, 96, play sweet blues guitar, Pinetop Perkins, 97, shows what it's all about on keys, and TV on the Radio's Gerard Smith, 36, plays bass.end Bill Tapia, historic ukulelistcq, 103, can accompany R&B man Howard Tate, 72, while Roger Williams, 87, plays those rolling glissandoscq. And the tragic Amy Winehouse, 27, brings her voice to a perpetually appreciative audience, along with Teena Marie, 54. And Don Kirschner, 76, can manage the whole show.

TV/Film. newCheetah, the smart, savvy, funny chimpanzee in so many Tarzan flicks, went to the shining jungle at age 80.end James Arness, 88, has holstered his last six-shooter, and Jackie Cooper, 88, was a baby face to the last. newSpeaking of beautiful faces, Susannah York, 72, had one of the loveliest, and Michael Sarrazin, 70, had two of the most soulful eyes.end Maria Schneider, 58, can compare notes on arrival with Marlon Brando. Ryan Dunn (Jackass), 34, can compete with Peter Falk, 83, to see who's most mischievous, while Anne Francis, 80, looks on. newHandsome Farley Granger was 85.end Andy Whitfield, 39, and Dana Wynter, 79, will be on hand as Dolores Hope, 102, finds husband Bob waiting for her, and Arthur Laurents, 93, and director Sidney Lumet, 86, can trade good ones. David Nelson, 74, can tell stories about his parents, Ozzie and Harriet, to Pete Postlethwaite, 64, and Cliff Robertson, 88, while Andy Rooney, 92, complains that heaven ain't what it used to be. Jane Russell, 89, stood out among Technicolor babes, as did Ken Russell, 84, among directors. Sherwood Schwartz, 94, can hang out with Bob Denver, Alan Hale Jr., Jim Backus, and other Gilligan's Island alums. And Yvette Vickers (Attack of the 50-Foot Woman), 82, doesn't have to worry about her height anymorecq.

Radio. The wave world lost newseveral big names, including poet of the radio Norman Corwin, 101, talk-show sparkplug Lynn Samuels, 69, and crazy guy Fred Imus, 69, brother of Don.end

Arts and literature. Painters Lucien Freud, 88, newHelen Frankenthaler, 83,end and Cy Twomblyallcq, 83, have perfected their canvases. Two longtime masters of the daily comics, Bilcq Keane (Family Circus), 89, and Tom Wilson (Ziggy), 80, need not come up with a strip every day anymorecq. Among writers, the wonderful Palestinian poet Taha Muhammad Aliallcq, 80, has found the peace his writing foretold, and American Michael S. Hart, 64, author, inventor of the e-book, and founder of Project Gutenberg, is now beyond the electronic text. German postmodernist novelist Christa Wolf, 82, joins stately Reynolds Price, 77, wonderful poet Ruth Stone, 96, and spiritual Samuel Menasheallcq, 85. And the exacting and excellent Christopher Hitchens, 62, has found release from long struggle.