Obituaries

Brother of famed Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher dies
AP – Thu Jul 29, 9:19 pm ET

LOS ANGELES - John R. Branca, brother of famed Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher Ralph Branca and father of prominent entertainment lawyer John Branca, who is co-executor of Michael Jackson's estate, has died, his family said Thursday. Full Story »
Former Nazi SS officer Steidtmann dead at 95
AP – Wed Jul 28, 9:05 am ET

BERLIN - A German newspaper says that former Nazi SS officer Erich Steidtmann, suspected but never convicted of involvement in World War II massacres, has died at age 95. Full Story »
Editor-anthologist Les Pockell dies at 68
AP – Wed Jul 28, 5:43 am ET

NEW YORK - Les Pockell, a publishing executive and literary anthologist known for his deep and unpredictable intellect and an equally eclectic range of book projects, has died. He was 68. Full Story »
Canadian actor Maury Chaykin dies at age 61
AP – Tue Jul 27, 4:01 pm ET

TORONTO - Canadian actor Maury Chaykin has died at age 61. Full Story »
James Akins, former Saudi ambassador, dead at 83
AP – Sun Jul 25, 7:00 pm ET

MITCHELLVILLE, Md. - James E. Akins, the ambassador to Saudi Arabia during the Arab oil embargo in the 1970s, has died. He was 83. Full Story »
Longtime journalist Daniel Schorr dies at age 93
AP – Fri Jul 23, 6:47 pm ET

AP

WASHINGTON - Daniel Schorr, whose journalism career over more than six decades landed him in the dark corners of Europe during the Cold War and the shadows of President Richard Nixon's notorious "enemies list" in the 1970s, has died. He was 93. Full Story »
Blues guitarist Phillip Walker dies at 73
AP – Fri Jul 23, 6:01 am ET

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. - Blues guitarist and singer Phillip Walker, who backed such stars as Etta James and Lowell Fulson, has died. He was 73. Full Story »
Former Nev. Gov. Kenny Guinn dies in Las Vegas
AP – Thu Jul 22, 9:21 pm ET

AP

LAS VEGAS - Former Nevada Gov. Kenny Guinn, a two-term moderate Republican whose tenure marked a prosperous era in a state now facing severe budget problems, died Thursday after falling from the roof of his Las Vegas home while making repairs. He was 73. Full Story »
Australian inventor of 'black box' recorder dies
AP – Wed Jul 21, 10:20 pm ET

AP

SYDNEY - David Warren, an Australian scientist who invented the "black box" flight data recorder, has died, defense officials said. He was 85. Full Story »
Longtime Mugabe foe dies in exile in South Africa
AP – Wed Jul 21, 8:54 am ET

JOHANNESBURG - A veterans' group says the last white commander of forces that opposed the guerrilla armies that swept Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe to power has died. Full Story »
Country studio musician Fred Carter Jr. dies
AP – Mon Jul 19, 6:58 pm ET

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Fred Carter Jr., a longtime Nashville studio musician and father of country musician Deana Carter, has died. He was 76. Full Story »
Climate scientist Stephen Schneider dead at 65
AP – Mon Jul 19, 6:11 pm ET

SAN FRANCISCO - Stephen Schneider, a Stanford University scientist who served on the international research panel on global warming that shared the 2007 Nobel Prize with former Vice President Al Gore, has died. He was 65. Full Story »
'Major League' actor James Gammon dies at 70
AP – Mon Jul 19, 3:46 pm ET

LOS ANGELES - James Gammon, the gravel-voiced actor who played the manager of the Cleveland Indians in the 1980s comedy "Major League" and had a host of other movie and TV roles, has died. He was 70. Full Story »
Berkeley mathematician David Blackwell dead at 91
AP – Mon Jul 19, 3:45 pm ET

BERKELEY, Calif. - David Blackwell, a pre-eminent mathematician and the first black scholar in the National Academy of Sciences, has died. He was 91. Full Story »
World's oldest opera singer dies at age 98
AP – Sat Jul 17, 3:15 am ET

HONG KONG - The world's oldest opera singer, Cantonese Opera star Luo Pinchao, has died. He was 98. Full Story »
Country songwriter Hank Cochran dead at 74
AP – Thu Jul 15, 3:57 pm ET

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Hank Cochran, a consummate songwriter who composed a string of country hits including "Make the World Go Away" for Eddy Arnold, died Thursday. He was 74. Full Story »
Conductor Sir Charles Mackerras dies at 84
AP – Thu Jul 15, 10:51 am ET

AP

LONDON - Sir Charles Mackerras, a renowned conductor acknowledged as the leading exponent of Leos Janacek's operas, has died of cancer. He was 84. Full Story »
Medal of Honor hero Vernon Baker dies at age 90
AP – Wed Jul 14, 8:58 pm ET

BOISE, Idaho - Vernon Baker, a black U.S. soldier who belatedly received the Medal of Honor for his World War II battlefield valor after historians concluded he'd been wrongly denied the military's top award because of his race, died at his home near St. Maries, Idaho. He was 90. Full Story »