Junior Seau-10933

Former San Diego Chargers linebacker Junior Seau, 43, was found dead inside his Oceanside, Calif., home in May, after police responded to a call about a gunshot.  Police said he died of a "self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest.” 

AP

Etta James-10933

Singing legend Etta James, whose voice lit up such hits as "The Wallflower," "Something's Got a Hold on Me" and the wedding favorite "At Last," died in January from complications from leukemia. She was 73.

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Joe Paterno-10933

Joe Paterno, whose career as the most successful coach in college football history ended abruptly amid allegations that he failed to respond to a sex abuse scandal involving a former assistant, died in January after battling lung cancer. He was 85.

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Don Cornelius-10933

Don Cornelius, the 75-year-old founder and former host of the "Soul Train" television show, was found dead in February. Police said his death came from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head.

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Whitney Houston-10933

Singer Whitney Houston was found dead in February in a Beverly Hills, Calif., hotel room. She was 48. The Los Angeles County coroner ruled that her death was an accidental drowning after she was discovered face down in a bath tub.

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Davy Jones-10933

Singer Davy Jones, who won over millions of fans on the 1960s television series "The Monkees," died in February after suffering a heart attack. He was 66.

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Andrew Breitbart-10933

Andrew Breitbart, the 43-year-old conservative blogger and journalist whose posting of a sexually explicit photo of former U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner led to the congressman's downfall, died of heart failure in March.  

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Thomas Kinkade-10933

Thomas Kinkade, one of the most popular artists in the U.S., died at his California home in April at age 54. A medical examiner in Santa Clara County, Calif., ruled that his death was from an accidental overdose of alcohol and Valium.

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Mike Wallace-10933

Veteran journalist Mike Wallace died in April at a care facility in New Canaan, Conn. He was 93. No cause of death was reported

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Dick Clark-10933

Dick Clark, the creator and longtime host of television’s "American Bandstand," died in April after suffering a heart attack. He was 82.

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Adam Yauch-10933

Adam "MCA" Yauch, one of the founding members of the rap band the Beastie Boys, died in May after a three-year battle with cancer. He was 47.

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Maurice Sendak-10933

Maurice Sendak, acclaimed author of the classic children's book "Where the Wild Things Are," died in May of complications from a stroke. He was 83.

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Donna Summers-10933

Donna Summer, known as the "Queen of Disco" whose recording hits included "Hot Stuff," "Bad Girls" and "She Works Hard for the Money," died in May after a battle with cancer. She was 63.

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Robin Gibb-10933

Robin Gibb, one of three brothers who made up the iconic 70s singing group the Bee Gees, died in May at age 62, after a long battle with cancer.

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Richard Dawson-10933

Richard Dawson, the former host of the television game show "Family Feud," died in June of complications due to esophageal cancer. He was 79.

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Ray Bradbury-10933

Ray Bradbury was an American fantasy, science fiction, horror and mystery fiction writer. He was best known for his dystopian novel Fahrenheit 451. He passed away in June at the age of 91.

Charley Gallay/Getty Images

Rodney King-10933

Rodney King was the victim of a police beating in Los Angeles in 1991. Acquittal of the officers involved triggered riots in 1992. King died of an accidental drowining in June.

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Nora Ephron-10933

Nora Ephron was a novelist, filmmaker and screenwriter. She passed away in June.

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Andy Griffith-10933

Andy Griffith was an actor, director and producer. He died in July.

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Stephen R-10933. Covey

Stephen R. Covey was a motivational speaker who wrote "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People." He passed away in July.

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Sally Ride-10933

Sally Ride was a former NASA astronaut and was the first American woman to fly in space. She passed away in July.

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Sherman Hemsley-10933

Sherman Hemsley was an actor, best known for his role as George Jefferson on the CBS television series "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons." He died in July .

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Gore Vidal-10933

Gore Vidal was a writer known for his essays, novels, screenplays, and Broadway plays. He passed away in July of complications from pneumonia.

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Marvin Hamlisch-10933

Marvin Hamlisch was a composer and conductor. He was one of only eleven EGOTs -- those who have been awarded an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony. He was also one of only two people to have won those four prizes and a Pulitzer Prize. He died in August.

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Tony Scott-10933

British director Tony Scott, best known for the films "Top Gun" and "Beverly Hills Cop II," died in August from injuries suffered from an apparent jump from a Los Angeles bridge. He was 68.

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Phyllis Diller-10933

Comedian Phyllis Diller, known for her self-deprecating humor, died in August. Diller was 95.

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Neil Armstrong-10933

Neil Armstrong, the American space legend who made "one giant leap for mankind" when he became the first man to walk on the moon, died in August. He was 82.

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Michael Clarke Duncan-10933

Michael Clarke Duncan, nominated for an Academy Award for his role in the 1999 film "The Green Mile," died in September at age 54.

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J-10933. Christopher Stevens

American ambassador J. Christopher Stevens died in a Sept. 11 attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya. He was 52.

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Andy Williams-10933

Singer and Emmy-winning TV host Andy Williams passed away in September.

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Ernest Borgnine-10933

Film and television actor Ernest Borgnine, who won an Academy Award for his portrayal of a lovelorn butcher in 1955's "Marty," and was heralded for his role in the 1960s sitcom "McHale's Navy," died of kidney failure in September. He was 95. 

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Arlen Specter-10933

Arlen Specter served for 30 years as a U.S. senator from Pennsylvannia. He died from complications of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in October.

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George McGovern-10933

George McGovern was a U.S. representative and senator. He was also the Democratic Party presidential nominee in the 1972 presidential election. He passed away in October. 

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David Copley was the former owner and publisher of the San Diego Union-Tribune. He was also a noted philanthropist. He died in November from an apparent heart attack while driving his Aston Martin in La Jolla.

Larry Hagman-10933

Actor Larry Hagman, who created one of television's iconic villains with the treacherous J.R. Ewing of "Dallas," died in November at a Dallas hospital of complications from cancer, according to a family statement. He was 81.

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Hector Macho Camacho-10933

Hector "Macho" Camacho was a Puerto Rican professional boxer. He died in November after he was shot in Puerto Rico.

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