Category: Deaths (Obituaries)

Amanda Feilding, Countess Who Drilled a Hole in Her Head, Dies at 82

She was ridiculed for drilling a hole in her skull to increase blood flow, but her foundation’s research into the therapeutic use of counterculture drugs proved visionary.
Enzo Staiola, Who Starred in ‘Bicycle Thieves’ as a Child, Dies at 85

Discovered on the street in Rome, he had a brush with stardom when he was cast in what many consider one of the greatest films of all time.
John Wells Dead: Fashion Photographer Was 64

A fashion photographer, he built a do-it-yourself life on 40 lonely acres in West Texas, living like a modern-day Thoreau and telling millions of his experience on a blog.
Brian Wilson, Songwriter and Leader of the Beach Boys, Dies at 82

A hitmaker elevated and burdened by the label of genius, he transcended the breezy surf genre to create complex harmonies and intricate soundscapes in the studio.
Paul Marantz, Lighting Designer of 9/11 Memorial and Studio 54, Dies at 87

Using neon, searchlights — or even shadows — he dramatically shaped the look of prominent spaces in almost every corner of the world.
Richard Beattie, Who Helped Pioneer Private Equity Takeovers, Dies at 86

A top Wall Street lawyer, he worked on some of the biggest corporate mergers in history, including KKR’s takeover of Nabisco in 1989. He also served in the Carter administration and in city government.
Barbara Holdridge, Whose Record Label Foretold Audiobooks, Dies at 95

Beginning with a reading by Dylan Thomas, she and a friend found unlikely commercial success in the 1950s with recordings of famous writers reciting their work.
Sly Stone, Maestro of a Multifaceted, Hitmaking Band, Dies at 82

Leading Sly and the Family Stone, he helped redefine the landscape of pop, funk and rock in the late 1960s and ’70s.
Frederick Forsyth, Master of the Geopolitical Thriller, Dies at 86

He wrote best-sellers like “The Day of the Jackal” and “The Dogs of War,” often using material from his earlier life as a reporter and spy.
Jane Larkworthy, 62, a Top Magazine Writer and Editor on Beauty, Dies

She made her mark in publications like Glamour, W, Jane and Mademoiselle. In 2007, she was on the receiving end of media attention, testifying in a sensational trial.
Bill Atkinson, Who Made Computers Easier to Use, Is Dead at 74

A designer for Apple, he created software that made it possible to display shapes, images and text on the screen and present a simulated “desktop.”
Roger Nichols, Songwriter Behind Carpenters Hits, Dies at 84

With Paul Williams, he wrote enduring 1970s soft-rock classics like “We’ve Only Just Begun” and “Rainy Days and Mondays.”