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Legendary astronaut John Young, who twice ventured into space in pioneering two-man Gemini capsules, orbited the moon and then walked on its cratered surface before commanding two space shuttle missions, including the program’s maiden flight, has passed away. NASA confirmed the death early Saturday in a posting on Twitter: “We’re saddened by the loss of astronaut John Young, who was 87. Young flew twice to the Moon, walked on its surface & flew the first Space Shuttle mission. He went to space six times in the Gemini, Apollo & Space Shuttle programs.” Tweeted astronaut Terry Virts: “Rest In peace John...

The younger brother of Dick Van Dyke, the comic actor turned down 'Gilligan's Island' to star on the ill-fated 'My Mother the Car.' Jerry Van Dyke, the younger brother of Dick Van Dyke who earned four Emmy nominations for playing the befuddled defensive coordinator Luther Van Dam on the ABC comedy Coach, has died, a source close to his family confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter. He was 86. Van Dyke famously passed up the opportunity to star on Gilligan's Island in favor of toplining the short-lived My Mother the Car, considered one of the worst shows in TV history. Van...

The obituary published in the Sandusky Register says Paul Stark, of Huron, died Wednesday at a hospice facility after a brief illness "exacerbated by the hopeless condition of the Cleveland Browns." The football team was 1-15 last season and 0-15 this year ahead of Sunday's finale at Pittsburgh. Even so, Stark's obituary included a nugget of the optimism voiced by some long-suffering fans. It says the 80-year-old Mansfield native "passed just before the Browns were prepared to turn the corner."

Last 'alphabet series' novel published in AugustAuthor Sue Grafton, known for her best-selling "alphabet series" of mystery novels, has died at age 77, according to a statement from her daughter. Jamie Clark wrote on both the author's official Facebook page and on her website, that he mother died Thursday night in Santa Barbara, California, following a two-year battle with cancer. Notable deaths of 2017 “Although we knew this was coming, it was unexpected and fast. She had been fine up until just a few days ago, and then things moved quickly,” the posting said. Grafton published the first novel in...

Rose Marie, the wisecracking Sally Rogers of The Dick Van Dyke Show and a show business lifer who began as a bobbed-hair child star in vaudeville and worked for nearly a century in theater, radio, TV and movies, died Thursday. She was 94. Marie had been resting in bed at her Los Angeles-area home when a caretaker found she had stopped breathing, said family spokesman Harlan Boll.

The beloved actress was a co-headliner on opening night at Bugsy Siegel's Flamingo Hotel in Vegas in 1946 and later a regular on 'The Hollywood Squares.' Rose Marie, the actress who went toe-to-toe in a man’s world as wisecracking comedy writer Sally Rogers on the legendary 1960s CBS sitcom The Dick Van Dyke Show, has died. She was 94. Marie died at 2 p.m. Thursday at her home in Van Nuys, California, according to her website. The comedienne-vocalist, who started her career at age 3 in some of the earliest talking films, co-headlined on the opening night of Bugsy Siegel’s...

Dominic Frontiere, Emmy-winning composer of such classic TV themes as “The Outer Limits,” “The Flying Nun” and “The Rat Patrol,” died Thursday in Tesuque, N.M. He was 86. Frontiere was a fixture on the film- and TV-music scene throughout the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s, composing hundreds of hours of music, mostly for TV but also for films including “Hang ‘Em High,” “Cancel My Reservation,” “Hammersmith Is Out,” “Freebie and the Bean,” and “The Aviator.” He won a Golden Globe award for his score for “The Stunt Man” in 1980.

The California Highway Patrol says one of its officers died when a vehicle he was riding in was hit on a San Francisco Bay Area highway. The California Highway Patrol says a 22-year-old driver who struck a CHP patrol car, killing an officer, was under the influence of alcohol and possibly marijuana while returning from a party. Assistant Chief Ernest Sanchez said the driver was traveling at a high speed on Interstate 880 in Hayward when he slammed into the back of a CHP SUV parked on the right shoulder.

Heather Menzies-Urich, who played Louisa Von Trapp in The Sound of Music, has died aged 68. Her death was announced by the estate of the musical's creators, Rodgers & Hammerstein, on Monday. She was diagnosed with brain cancer four weeks ago and died on Christmas Eve, news site TMZ quoted her son Ryan as saying. "She was an actress, a ballerina and loved living her life to the fullest," he told TMZ. Born Heather Menzies in Toronto, she was 15 when the musical film was released in 1965. It went on to win 10 Oscars, including best picture. She played...

Actress Heather Menzies-Urich, best known for portraying Louisa von Trapp in the 1965 film “The Sound of Music,” died Sunday night. She was 68. Menzies-Urich, the widow of actor Robert Urich, had been recently diagnosed with cancer, according to her son Ryan Urich. Urich said his mother died on Christmas Eve, surrounded by her children and family members.

FULL TITLE: Disney's iconic animator Bob Givens - who drew much-loved characters including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Tom & Jerry and Popeye - dies aged 99 The animator who helped design Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd has died. Bob Givens was 99 years old. Daughter Mariana Givens says her father died December 14 in Burbank, California from acute respiratory failure. Bob Givens started working for Walt Disney Studios right out of high school in 1937. During his time with Disney, Givens would work on designs for both Donald Duck and Snow White. Three years later, he joined what would become...

Former NASA astronaut Bruce McCandless II, mission specialist on the STS-41B and STS-31 missions, passed away on Dec. 21, 2017, at the age of 80. McCandless is perhaps best remembered as the subject of a famous NASA photograph (below right), flying alongside the space shuttle in the Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU) -- the first astronaut to fly untethered from his spacecraft. His time as an astronaut encompassed much more than that mission, including serving as the Mission Control communicator for Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin's moonwalk on the Apollo 11 mission. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to Bruce's family,"...

Dick Enberg, the Hall of Fame broadcaster whose "Oh my!" calls rang familiar with so many sports fans, has died, his wife and daughter confirmed Thursday night. He was 82.

The greatest command, said Jesus, is that we love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Sometimes missing today among many professing Christians is the emphasis on the mind.A great evangelical theologian died December 14, 2017, R. C. Sproul (rhymes with role), the founder of Ligonier Ministries. And I think he exemplifies the notion of loving God with our mind, as well as our other faculties. Even his radio program was called “Renewing Your Mind with R. C. Sproul.”Sometimes one gets the impression that the more religious you are, the less likely you are to be educated. But...

CNN)Cardinal Bernard Law, the former Boston archbishop who resigned in disgrace during the Catholic Church's sex abuse scandal, has died, the Vatican confirmed. He was 86. Law died in Rome, where he had served as archpriest of the Papal Liberian Basilica of St. Mary Major after he was forced to resign in 2002 as archbishop of Boston.

FULL TITLE: Scooby-Doo actress Heather North who voiced the character of Daphne Blake dies at age 71 after long illness Heather North has died at the age of 71 in Studio City, California after suffering from a long illness. The blonde actress was best known for voicing the character of attractive young sleuth Daphne Blake on the popular animated TV series Scooby-Doo. North had time in front of the camera as well as she starred on the TV shows Love American Style, Adam-12 and Days Of Our Lives. She passed away on November 30 surrounded by family, her friend Jodie...

Tom Zenk, known for time teaming with Rick Martel as the Can-Am Connection in the 1980s, died Dec. 9 at 59 years old. Trained by Eddie Sharkey, Zenk was a bodybuilder turned wrestler who earned the title Mr. Twin Cities in May 1981 after coming in at third place in October 1980 for the Mr. North Country championship. In July 1981, Zenk earned the Mr. Minnesota triple crown, securing titles in the overall, heavyweight and most muscular divisions. Road Warrior Animal discovered Zenk at a bodybuilding competition and suggested he make the journey to professional wrestling.

Keely Smith has died at age 89. Here is a press release regarding her death: “Keely Smith, the iconic singer/performer known for her many solo recordings as well as her musical partnership with first husband Louis Prima died in Palm Springs, CA on Saturday, December 16. She was 89 and under physicians’ care at the time of her passing from apparent heart failure. Born Dorothy Jacqueline Keely in Norfolk VA on March 9, 19 28 of Native American (Cherokee) and Irish parentage, Smith showed a natural aptitude for singing at a young age. At 14, she sang with a naval...

Macon Brock, a retailer who co-founded the Dollar Tree chain of discount stores that grew into a Fortune 500 company, has died. He was 75. News outlets report Brock died Saturday at his home in Virginia Beach. His wife said he died of complications from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a lung disease. Brock was born and raised in Norfolk. In 1986, he and two others opened five stores called “Only $1.00” after having success in the retail toy business. The Chesapeake-based company changed its name to Dollar Tree in 1993. Brock and his wife made donations to colleges across Virginia, and...

Dr. Robert Charles Sproul has been many things over his accomplished lifetime – an acclaimed Bible teacher, theologian, author, radio speaker, jokester, golfer, even artist and musician. As one close associate said, he might best be described as “omni-competent.” Better known as “R.C.” to his family, friends, students, readers of his books, and hearers of his lectures, Sproul forged a reputation as a staunch, determined defender of the Scriptures, becoming a central combatant in the so-called “battle for the Bible” during the 1980s and 90s. He also was noted for being unusually skilled in distilling theological truths and principles into...