Obituary Stories category, Page 23
Shirley Cuban, mother of Mavericks owner and Mt. Lebanon native Mark Cuban, dies
DALLAS — Shirley Cuban, the mother of Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, has died, her son Brian Cuban said. She was 84. Cuban died Friday in the suburban Pittsburgh home where she and her husband, Norton, raised sons Mark, Brian and Jeff, The Dallas Morning News reported. Brian Cuban said...
Miss USA winner Cheslie Kryst jumps to her death from Midtown Manhattan luxury high-rise
NEW YORK — A former Miss USA beauty pageant winner jumped to her death from her luxury Midtown high-rise apartment building Sunday, police said. Cheslie Kryst, who was crowned Miss USA in 2019, jumped from a common area on the 29th floor of the 60-floor building at 350 W. 42nd...
Howard Hesseman, star of ‘WKRP in Cincinnati,’ dies at 81
NEW YORK — Howard Hesseman, who played the radio disc jockey Dr. Johnny Fever on the sitcom “WKRP in Cincinnati” and the actor-turned-history teacher Charlie Moore on “Head of the Class,” has died. He was 81. Hesseman died Saturday in Los Angeles due to complications from colon surgery, his manager...
Jerry Weber, founder of Jerry’s Records in Pittsburgh, dies
Jerry Weber, the beloved Pittsburgh purveyor of vinyl, has died. Weber owned Jerry’s Records on Murray Avenue in Squirrel Hill — a haven for vinylheads and a kingdom of records. “We are devastated to hear of Jerry’s passing,” the record store wrote Saturday on Facebook. “Our beloved founder and Pittsburgh’s...
Gene Clines, member of 1st all-minority lineup, Pirates’ 1971 World Series champs, dies
Gene Clines took great pride in making baseball history as a member of the first all-minority starting lineup and the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 1971 World Series champions, especially considering the company. Clines was a backup in an outfield that featured Hall of Famers Roberto Clemente and Willie Stargell and seven-time All-Star...
Lenny Calderone remembered as beloved ‘ambassador’ of Vandergrift
Leonard Rocco “Lenny” Calderone, a Vandergrift native known for intense pride in his hometown, died on Sunday. His sister, Elizabeth Calderone, said he died suddenly at home from a heart attack. He was 78. While Calderone never held a position in local government, he was widely considered the unofficial ambassador...
Louie Anderson, Emmy-winning comedian, dies at 68Video
LOS ANGELES — Louie Anderson, whose four-decade career as a comedian and actor included his unlikely, Emmy-winning performance as mom to twin adult sons in the TV series “Baskets,” died Friday. He was 68. Anderson died at a hospital in Las Vegas of complications from cancer, said Glenn Schwartz, his...
Meat Loaf, ‘Bat Out of Hell’ rock superstar, dies at 74
NEW YORK — Meat Loaf, the heavyweight rock superstar loved by millions for his “Bat Out of Hell” album and for such theatrical, dark-hearted anthems as “Paradise By the Dashboard Light,” “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad,” and “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That),” has died....
Yvette Mimieux, ’60s starlet of ‘Time Machine,’ dies at 80
Yvette Mimieux, the blond and blue-eyed 1960s film star of “Where the Boys Are,” “The Time Machine” and “Light in the Piazza,” has died. She was 80. Michelle Bega, a family spokeswoman, said Mimieux died in her sleep of natural causes overnight Monday evening at her home in Los Angeles....
French actor Gaspard Ulliel, 37, dies after ski accident
French actor Gaspard Ulliel, known for appearing in Chanel perfume ads as well as film and television roles, died Wednesday after a skiing accident in the Alps, according to his agent’s office and local authorities. He was 37. Ulliel portrayed the young Hannibal Lecter in 2007’s “Hannibal Rising” and fashion...
Nancy B’s Bakery owner in West Homestead dies
The Pittsburgh cookie table community is a little less sweet today. The city lost Nancy Bertram Runco, owner of Nancy B’s Bakery in West Homestead. She died at 11:36 p.m. Monday from an infection, according to her son, Michael Runco. She was 78. “I was so lucky to work with...
Irwin’s Ruth Shuster, 100-year-old McDonald’s employee, remembered fondlyVideo
If Ruth Shuster spent any time standing still, it came as a surprise to her family. From nearly three decades of working at McDonald’s Big Mac Museum in North Huntingdon, to hosting holidays well into her 90s, to twice-weekly square dances, the 100-year-old never seemed to slow down. As a...
Celebrated Tuskegee Airman Charles McGee dies at 102
Charles McGee, a Tuskegee Airman who flew 409 fighter combat missions over three wars, has died. He was 102. Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III on Sunday announced his death on Twitter, both of them calling McGee an American hero. “While I am saddened...
‘60s icon Ronnie Spector, who sang ‘Be My Baby,’ dies at 78
LOS ANGELES — Ronnie Spector, the cat-eyed, bee-hived rock ‘n’ roll siren who sang such 1960s hits as “Be My Baby,” “Baby I Love You” and “Walking in the Rain” as the leader of the girl group the Ronettes, has died. She was 78. Spector died Wednesday after a brief...
Hall of Fame receiver Don Maynard dead at age 86
Don Maynard, a Hall of Fame receiver who made his biggest impact catching passes from Joe Namath in the wide-open AFL, has died. He was 86. The Pro Football Hall of Fame confirmed Maynard’s death on Monday through his family. Maynard was the main target for Namath with the New...
Bob Saget, known for ‘Full House,’ ‘America’s Funniest Home Videos,’ dead at 65Video
Bob Saget, the actor-comedian known for his role as beloved single dad Danny Tanner on the sitcom “Full House” and as the wisecracking host of “America’s Funniest Home Videos,” died while on a stand-up tour. He was 65. Deputies in Orange County, Florida, were called Sunday about an “unresponsive man”...
Sidney Poitier — Oscar winner, groundbreaking star — dead at 94
Sidney Poitier, the groundbreaking actor and enduring inspiration who transformed how Black people were portrayed on screen, became the first Black actor to win an Academy Award for best lead performance and the first to be a top box-office draw, has died. He was 94. Poitier, winner of the best...
Longtime NFL, college coach Greg Robinson dies at 70
Greg Robinson, who won two Super Bowl rings with the Denver Broncos while spending nearly four decades coaching in the NFL and college, has died. He was 70. Robinson’s wife, Laura, said he died Wednesday from a form of Alzheimer’s Disease. “A lot of special memories,” she said Thursday. “That’s...
Mark Patrick Flaherty, former Allegheny County controller, dies from covid complications
Mark Patrick Flaherty came from a well-known family of Democratic public servants. His father served as an Allegheny County commissioner and a state Commonwealth Court judge. His uncle was Pittsburgh mayor, deputy attorney general and later a county commissioner. It seemed inevitable then, that he would follow in their footsteps....
Oldest U.S. veteran of WWII, Lawrence N. Brooks, dies at 112
NEW ORLEANS — Lawrence N. Brooks, the oldest World War II veteran in the U.S. — and believed to be the oldest man in the country — died on Wednesday at the age of 112. His death was announced by the National WWII Museum and confirmed by his daughter. Most...
Former Bengals defensive lineman Ross Browner, father of Max Starks, dies at 67
Ross Browner, a two-time All-American at Notre Dame and one of four brothers who played in the NFL, has died. He was 67. Browner’s son, former Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman Max Starks, posted on Twitter early Wednesday morning that his father had died. “The world has lost a Titan,” Starks...
Pittsburgh Home & Garden Show founder John DeSantis dies at age 69
John DeSantis gave the best advice. “Growing up, my friends would always ask my dad for advice and my sons always asked him for advice. They felt comfortable around him – and he gave great advice. They would talk to him in confidence and know he wouldn’t tell anyone what...
Austrian Holocaust survivor ‘Mrs. Gertrude’ dies at 94
The Holocaust survivor Gertrude Pressburger, who became famous during Austria’s 2016 presidential campaign with a video message in which “Mrs. Gertrude” warned of hatred and exclusion triggered by the far right, has died at 94. Pressburger died Friday after a long illness, her family told the Austrian press agency APA...
Final goodbye: Recalling influential people who died in 2021
They both carved out sterling reputations as military and political leaders over years of public service. But both also saw their legacies tarnished by their actions in the long, bloody war in Iraq. Former Secretary of State Colin Powell and former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld are among the many noteworthy...
Laurel Valley coaching icon Jerry Page dies at age 89
A local coaching giant is gone but his legacy lives on. Longtime Laurel Valley football and baseball coach Jerry Page died Wednesday morning due to complications from pneumonia, WCCS radio out of Indiana County reported. He was 89. Page coached the Rams, who later merged with Ligonier Valley and kept...
