obituary
Gloria Steinem, the celebrated author and activist who became one of the most visible symbols and potent voices of the U.S. women’s movement, has died. She was 92.
Dolly Parton wrote hundreds of songs, including classics like “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You,” that totaled more than 100 million worldwide sales and more than 1 billion online streams. She was a generous philanthropist and successful businesswoman.
Bill Rasmussen, who co-founded ESPN in 1979 after being fired from a public relations job in the World Hockey Association, died Tuesday. He was 93.
John Ballantine served as a trustee at Window to the World Communications, the parent organization of WTTW and WFMT, for 34 years and served as a vice chair during his tenure.
A singer and longtime patron of Chicago’s jazz music scene, Geraldine de Haas helped start what would later be known as the Chicago Jazz Festival. She died last week at 91, her family announced.
Sam Neill, the smoothly elegant and versatile actor whose prolific career moved from art films to blockbusters has died. He was 78.
Johnson Products Company became the first Black-owned business listed on the American Stock Exchange in 1971 and was a national sponsor of the hit television show “Soul Train.”
Khadijah Farrakhan, longtime wife of Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, died Saturday, the Nation of Islam has announced. She was 90.
Alan Greenspan, the jazz-playing U.S. Federal Reserve chair who was celebrated for engineering a decade of prosperity but later shared the blame for a devastating financial crisis, died Monday. He was 100.
Stacey King, who played on three consecutive NBA championship teams with the Chicago Bulls from 1991-93 before returning to the organization as an Emmy-winning, fan-favorite broadcaster, has died. He was 59.
Barney Frank, the longtime Democratic congressman and leading liberal who brought new visibility to gay rights and crafted the most significant reforms to the financial system in a generation, has died. He was 86.
Ted Turner, the media maverick and philanthropist who founded CNN, died peacefully Wednesday, surrounded by his family. He was 87.
Barbara Flynn Currie was first elected to the House in 1978, at a time when women made up only a small minority of the legislature. After 18 years in Springfield, Currie was promoted to House Majority Leader, the first woman to hold the second-in-command role.
Chuck Norris, the martial arts grandmaster and action star whose roles in “Walker, Texas Ranger” and other television shows and movies made him an iconic tough guy — sparking internet parodies and adoration from presidents — has died at 86.
The Rev. Jesse L. Jackson led a lifetime of crusades in the United States and abroad, advocating for the poor and underrepresented on issues from voting rights and job opportunities to education and health care.
Robert Duvall, the Oscar-winning actor whose classic roles included the intrepid consigliere of the first two “Godfather” movies and the over-the-hill country music singer in “Tender Mercies,” has died at age 95.