Gone but Not Forgotten – 15 Greats Lost in 2014

It’s an inarguable fact that celebrities from all walks of famous life enrich our lives. From making us laugh to touching us deeply with soul-stirring performances, these people who give us peeks into their daily lives have become an important part of our own existence.
And it’s not just movies, television and song that offer up fantastic talents that bring pleasure to all of us; there are the beloved sports figures, athletes, coaches and other prominent people that often provide us with a little extra something to smile about.
Unfortunately, the year 2014 brought a bittersweet sadness along with the joy and laughter we received, as we lost some of our very favorite people this year.
While this isn’t a complete list, here are a few whose lights no longer shine among us:

1. Joe Cocker – he always “Got By With A Little Help from His Friends.” Cocker died on Dec. 22 at the age of 70 after a battle with lung cancer.
2. Joan Rivers – the comedienne who was known for skewering celebrities with her caustic remarks and laughing at her own inadequacies, Rivers died on Sept. 4 at the age of 81 due to hypoxic arrest during a throat procedure, cutting off oxygen to her brain.
3. Lauren Bacall – the other half of Bogey and Bacall and the woman who taught us how to whistle in the film, “To Have and Have Not,” Bacall died on Aug. 12 at the age of 89 after suffering a massive stroke.

4. Robin Williams – a man who made us laugh and cry in “Good Morning Vietnam” and showed us sensitivity and intense drama in “Good Will Hunting,” Williams died on Aug. 11 at the age of 63. His death was ruled a suicide.
5. James Garner – from “Maverick” to “The Rockford Files,” Garner had a whimsical style and charming grace that couldn’t be denied. Garner died on July 20 at the age of 86 of a massive heart attack.

6. Meshach Taylor – best known for playing Anthony Bouvier for a few “Designing Women,” died on June 28 at the age of 67 from colorectal cancer.
7. Bobby Womack – R&B singer-songwriter who influenced a variety of artists such as the Rolling Stones and film director, Quentin Tarantino.Ralph Womack died on June 27 at the age of 70 from natural causes as he had multiple health problems.

8. Casey Kasem – legendary broadcaster who made the American Top 40 a household phrase, Kasem died on June 15 at the age of 82 from sepsis.
9. Ann B. Davis – as everybody’s favorite housekeeper Alice, Davis was a 60s icon who kept the Brady’s household running like clockwork. Davis died on June 1 at the age of 88 from subdural hematoma.
10. Ultimate Warrior – born James Hellwig; professional wrestler, Ultimate Warrior was a two-time WWF Intercontinental Champion and won the WWF Championship when he pinned Hulk Hogan in the main event at WrestleMania VI. Warrior died on April 8 at the age of 54 of a massive heart attack.
11. Mickey Rooney – award-winning actor and Hollywood legend who appeared in more than 300 films and TV programs, Rooney died on April 6 at the age of 93 from natural causes.
12. Ralph Waite – best known and best loved for his portrayal of the patriarch John Walton, Sr. on “The Waltons,” Waite died on Feb. 13 at the age of 85 from natural causes.
13. Shirley Temple Black – America’s little sweetheart, who grew up to become U.S. ambassador to Ghana and Czechoslovakia, Temple Black died on Feb. 10 at the age of 85 from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
14. Alice Coachman – the first black female athlete to win an Olympic medal died on July 14 at the age of 90 from cardiac arrest.
15. Mary Ann Mobley – Miss America 1959, Mobley was a Mississippi native born in Brandon. She was the first Mississippian to become Miss America and an Ole Miss graduate. Mobley died on December 9 at the age of 77 from breast cancer.
Angela Rogalski is a HottyToddy.com staff reporter and can be reached at angela.rogalski@hottytoddy.com.