Gone too early: Famous contemporaries you really miss

[Curly Q. Bobalink]

Originally Posted by Ulysses61

Although he was born 23 years before me, no death of a famous person affected me as viscerally as the assassination of John Lennon. I'm still not over it 39 years later.

I know, right? It's as if Hinckley stole something from us that we just won't ever be able to get back. It wasn't even so much Lennon himself, but what he worked so hard to represent through his music and words. It was a real loss of innocence for me, even at a time when I didn't think I had any innocence left to lose. I was 23 at the time, and it left me in a real funk, and like you, a small part of which still remains. I guess I kind of lost my faith in humanity at that point. I believe 1980 was the same year a bonehead tried to assassinate the Pope, for cryin' out loud. Also the year that Mt. St. Helens blew, and for me, I went through some bad sh*te in my personal life that year. Yep, 1980 / 1981 was both the Best of Times and the Worst of Times, I see it as a "Before" and "After" transition in my own life. Thought at the time I'd either be past all that, or gone for good. Funny how things work out.

[EllieKay56]

I find it sad when I watch my favorite retro shows and know how many are gone from the shows.
Mary Tyler Moore, Valerie Harper,Ted Knight, Georgia Engel Don Grady, Merideth McRae. I also loved the Sound of Music and both the oldest 2 daughters, played by Charmain Carr and Heather Menzies are gone, the list goes on and on.

[Sand&Salt]

Originally Posted by QuilterChick

Shucks, I can't remember. Do you recall what caused his "demise" --- was it heart trouble? He looked pretty good (in makeup I suppose) for age 79. Very quick wit and perfect delivery.

"Respiratory failure from emphysema" according to Wiki.

Where did I get that he died at 62? Never heard otherwise. So...79 is not really dying "tragically" young.