Notable Deaths in 2006

[Not Afraid]

I always read these re-caps to see what I missed. The two that I wasn't aware of that are meaningful to me are Nam June Paik and Anita O'Day.

JANUARY:

Sheik Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, 62. Emir of Dubai; prominent thoroughbred breeder. Jan. 4.

Lou Rawls, 72. Velvet-voiced singer of such hits as "Love Is a Hurtin' Thing." Jan. 6.

Shelley Winters, 85. Outspoken, Oscar-winning star who graduated from bombshell parts to dramas ("The Diary of Anne Frank.") Jan. 14.

William "Bud" Post III, 66. His $16.2 million lottery jackpot led to squabbles, business failures. Jan. 15.

Wilson Pickett, 64. Fiery soul music pioneer ("Mustang Sally.") Jan. 19.

Anthony Franciosa, 77. Hollywood actor ("A Face in the Crowd.") Jan. 19.

Fayard Nicholas, 91. With brother Harold, he wowed the tap dancing world. Jan. 24.

Johannes Rau, 75. Former German president; promoted deeper ties with Israel. Jan. 27.

Rabbi Yitzhak Kadouri, around 106. Influential leader of Kabbalah school of Jewish mystical thought. Jan. 28.

Nam June Paik, 74. Avant-garde artist credited with inventing video art. Jan. 29.

Wendy Wasserstein, 55. Playwright who celebrated women's lives. ("The Heidi Chronicles.") Jan. 30. Lymphoma.

Coretta Scott King, 78. Civil rights leader; carried on work of her martyred husband. Jan. 30.

FEBRUARY:

Al Lewis, 82. Grandpa on "The Munsters." Feb. 3.

Betty Friedan, 85. Her "The Feminine Mystique" helped shatter the cozy suburban ideal in postwar America. Feb. 4.

Sir Freddie Laker, 83. British entrepreneur who changed air travel with his low-cost Skytrain service. Feb. 9.

Dr. Norman Shumway, 83. Performed first successful heart transplant in U.S. Feb. 10.

Peter Benchley, 65. Author of "Jaws," novel made into blockbuster movie. Feb. 11.

Curt Gowdy, 86. Sportscaster; called 13 World Series and 16 All-Star games, first Super Bowl. Feb. 20.

Archbishop Paul C. Marcinkus, 84. Top official at Vatican's bank before scandal ended tenure. Feb. 20.

Dennis Weaver, 81. Chester on "Gunsmoke"; the cop hero in "McCloud." Feb. 24.

Don Knotts, 81. Won five Emmys for playing bumbling Deputy Barney Fife on "The Andy Griffith Show." Feb. 24.

Darren McGavin, 83. Tough-talking actor; grouchy dad in "A Christmas Story." Feb. 25.

Otis Chandler, 78. Turned family-owned Los Angeles Times into one of nation's most distinguished papers. Feb. 27.

Retired Brig. Gen. Robert L. Scott, 97. World War II ace, wrote "God Is My Co-Pilot." Feb. 27.

MARCH:

Richard Kuklinski, 70. Notorious Mafia hitman known as "The Iceman." March 5.

Dana Reeve, 44. Actress-singer, devoted herself to husband Christopher Reeve after he was paralyzed. March 6. Lung cancer.

Kirby Puckett, 45. Baseball Hall of Famer; carried Minnesota Twins to two World Series titles. March 6. Stroke.

Gordon Parks, 93. Life photographer, Hollywood's first major black director ("Shaft.") March 7.

John Profumo, 91. Former British Cabinet minister at center of huge 1963 scandal. March 9.

Bernie "Boom Boom" Geoffrion, 75. Hockey Hall of Famer credited with inventing slap shot. March 11.

Slobodan Milosevic, 64. Former Yugoslav leader; accused of orchestrating conflict that killed 250,000 people. March 11.

Maureen Stapleton, 80. Oscar-winning actress who excelled on stage, screen, and television. March 13.

Oleg Cassini, 92. His designs helped make Jacqueline Kennedy most glamorous first lady in history. March 17.

Sarah Caldwell, 82. Hailed as first lady of opera for productions with Opera Company of Boston. March 23.

Buck Owens, 76. Flashy rhinestone cowboy who shaped country music ("Act Naturally.") March 25.

Lyn Nofziger, 81. Ronald Reagan's press secretary and political adviser. March 27.

Caspar Weinberger, 88. Consummate Cold Warrior; Reagan's defense secretary. March 28.

APRIL:

Gene Pitney, 66. Singer with a string of hits ("Town Without Pity.") April 5.

J.B. Fuqua, 87. Tycoon who built multibillion-dollar Fuqua Industries. April 5.

June Pointer, 52. Youngest of hitmaking Pointer Sisters ("I'm So Excited.") April 11. Cancer.

The Rev. William Sloane Coffin, 81. Former Yale chaplain known for Vietnam era activism. April 12.

Dame Muriel Spark, 88. British novelist ("The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.") April 13.

Scott Crossfield, 84. First to fly at twice the speed of sound. April 19. Plane crash.

John Kenneth Galbraith, 97. Economist whose influence stretched from White House to Main Street. April 29.

MAY:

Louis Rukeyser 73. Public TV host known for commonsense commentary on business. May 2.

Lillian Asplund, 99. Last Titanic survivor with memories of sinking. May 6.

Floyd Patterson, 71. Boxing great; regained heavyweight title in 1960 in rematch. May 11.

"Sonny" Montgomery, 85. Fifteen-term Mississippi congressman, pushed through modernized GI Bill. May 12.

Cy Feuer, 95. Co-producer of Broadway smashes ("Guys and Dolls.") May 17.

Katherine Dunham, 96. Choreographer who brought African influences to U.S. dance. May 21.

Lloyd Bentsen, 85. Former Treasury secretary, Texas senator. May 23.

JUNE:

Billy Preston, 59. Singer-keyboardist ("Nothing From Nothing"); played with the Beatles. June 6. Heart infection; kidney failure.

Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, 39. Leader of al-Qaida in Iraq. June 7. U.S. air strike.

Kenneth Thomson, 82. Canada's richest person. June 12.

Charles Haughey, 80. Irish prime minister; career haunted by ethical questions. June 13.

Aaron Spelling, 83. TV impresario whose shows ("Beverly Hills 90210") were wildly popular. June 23.

Patsy Ramsey, 49. Was thrust into spotlight by unsolved slaying of her daughter JonBenet. June 24. Cancer.