https://www.nytimes.com/section/obituaries en-us Copyright 2026 The New York Times Company Sun, 24 May 2026 16:24:54 +0000 Sun, 24 May 2026 13:10:16 +0000 https://static01.nyt.com/images/misc/NYT_logo_rss_250x40.png https://www.nytimes.com/section/obituaries https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/23/arts/john-marion-dead.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/23/arts/john-marion-dead.html For three decades, he was the face of the auction house Sotheby’s, presiding over an era in which art evolved from an object of passion into a commodity. Penelope Green Sat, 23 May 2026 21:14:23 +0000 Marion, John L Deaths (Obituaries) Art Auctions Parke-Bernet Galleries Sotheby's Manhattan (NYC) McCabe/Daily Express, via Hulton Archive, via Getty Images John Marion in 1965. “He was the god of auctioneers in America,” a colleague said. “He could make people bid by sheer force of his personality.” https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/22/us/kitty-bruce-dead.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/22/us/kitty-bruce-dead.html As Mr. Bruce’s daughter, she maintained boxes of video and audio of his groundbreaking and often scandalous work. Richard Sandomir Fri, 22 May 2026 20:38:07 +0000 Bruce, Kitty (1955-2026) Deaths (Obituaries) Comedy and Humor Archives and Records Indecency, Obscenity and Profanity Drug Abuse and Traffic Therapy and Rehabilitation Bruce, Lenny Brandeis University https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/22/dining/carlo-petrini-dead.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/22/dining/carlo-petrini-dead.html Through his Slow Food organization, he spurred a worldwide shift toward sustainability and thoughtful cuisine. Clay Risen Sat, 23 May 2026 16:46:19 +0000 Petrini, Carlo Deaths (Obituaries) Slow Food Sustainable Living Agriculture and Farming Local Food Cooking and Cookbooks Restaurants Italy Fiorani Fabio/Agenzia Sintesi, via Alamy Carlo Petrini in 2012. He urged people at all points in the supply chain to embrace food that he described as “good, clean and fair.” https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/22/sports/autoracing/kyle-busch-dead.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/22/sports/autoracing/kyle-busch-dead.html The versatile (and at times intemperate) Busch was unsurpassed with 234 cumulative victories in the organization’s three national racing series. Jeré Longman Sat, 23 May 2026 22:05:58 +0000 Busch, Kyle Deaths (Obituaries) National Assn of Stock Car Auto Racing Automobile Racing Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images Kyle Busch in February. “We’ve lost our Kobe Bryant,” the driver Denny Hamlin, a former teammate of Busch’s, posted on Instagram. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/21/arts/valie-export-dead.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/21/arts/valie-export-dead.html In provocative performance pieces and films, she forced viewers to confront misogyny in the media and society at large. Will Heinrich Fri, 22 May 2026 00:43:43 +0000 Export, Valie Performance Art Nudism and Nudity Invisible Adversaries (Exhibit) Deaths (Obituaries) Joe Klamar/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Ms. Export at the opening of a retrospective of her work at the Albertina in Vienna in 2023. What distinguished her art, beyond its aggression and sheer volume, was its lucidity. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/21/sports/mert-lawwill-dead.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/21/sports/mert-lawwill-dead.html Featured in the 1971 documentary “On Any Sunday” with Steve McQueen, he was also a star in his own right, a national champion who designed innovative bikes and off-road gear. Trip Gabriel Fri, 22 May 2026 21:08:14 +0000 Lawwill, Mert (1940-2026) Deaths (Obituaries) Motorcycles, Motor Bikes and Motorscooters Bicycles and Bicycling Motorcycle Racing Cycling, Mountain Bike Documentary Films and Programs McQueen, Steve Brown, Bruce (1937-2017) On Any Sunday (Movie) https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/21/theater/michael-pennington-dead.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/21/theater/michael-pennington-dead.html A mainstay of the Royal Shakespeare Company, he later started a rival theater group. He also appeared in “Return of the Jedi.” Fred Monyak Thu, 21 May 2026 19:52:26 +0000 Pennington, Michael (1943- ) Deaths (Obituaries) Theater Actors and Actresses Chekhov, Anton Shakespeare, William Bogdanov, Michael (1938-2017) Royal Shakespeare Co English Shakespeare Co Great Britain Ruby Washington/The New York Times Michael Pennington as King Lear with Lilly Englert as Cordelia at Theater for a New Audience in Brooklyn in 2014. “Mr. Pennington punctuates the expected blasts of rage with a quieter, introspective insight that is even more devastating,” a review in The New York Times said. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/21/arts/design/mary-lovelace-oneal-dead.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/21/arts/design/mary-lovelace-oneal-dead.html An artist and activist, she gained prominence with monumental canvases that she soaked in the darkest substance she could find. Alex Williams Thu, 21 May 2026 18:43:43 +0000 Lovelace O'Neal, Mary Deaths (Obituaries) Art Black People Civil Rights Movement (1954-68) Aubrey Trinnaman for The New York Times Mary Lovelace O’Neal at her studio in Oakland, Calif., in 2020. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/20/us/politics/robert-woodson-dead.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/20/us/politics/robert-woodson-dead.html A veteran community activist, he believed self-reliance — rather than affirmative action or government help — was the way to fight racism, poverty and crime. Robert D. McFadden Thu, 21 May 2026 16:20:05 +0000 Woodson, Robert L Sr Deaths (Obituaries) Black People Conservatism (US Politics) Civil Rights and Liberties Affirmative Action Minorities Woodson Center Robert Woodson in an undated photo. As the founding president of the National Center for Neighborhood Enterprise (now the Woodson Center), he created hundreds of programs in blighted areas across the United States. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/23/arts/television/grizz-chapman-dead.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/23/arts/television/grizz-chapman-dead.html Mr. Chapman, who played a member of Tracy Morgan’s entourage on the show, died on Friday, according to his cousin. Aimee Ortiz Sat, 23 May 2026 20:46:06 +0000 Chapman, Grizz Deaths (Obituaries) Actors and Actresses 30 Rock (TV Program) Morgan, Tracy Robin Marchant/Getty Images Grizzwald Chapman in 2012 in New York City. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/22/arts/music/rob-base-dead.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/22/arts/music/rob-base-dead.html The singer died on Friday after a “private battle with cancer,” according to his official Instagram account. Rylee Kirk Sat, 23 May 2026 13:55:05 +0000 Base, Rob (1967-2026) Deaths (Obituaries) Rap and Hip-Hop Rob Grabowski/Invision, via Associated Press The rapper Rob Base in 2022. He was known for the hit song “It Takes Two.” https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/20/dining/sam-sianis-dead.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/20/dining/sam-sianis-dead.html His dive bar became famous thanks to Mike Royko’s columns, a baseball curse and a “Saturday Night Live” skit. Clay Risen Fri, 22 May 2026 17:37:39 +0000 Sianis, Sam (1934-2026) Deaths (Obituaries) Bars and Nightclubs Restaurants Newspapers Baseball World Series Billy Goat Tavern (Chicago, Ill, Bar) Chicago (Ill) Royko, Mike Belushi, John Chicago Tribune Chicago Cubs José Moré for The New York Times Sam Sianis in 2009. For more than 50 years, customers could find him at the Billy Goat Tavern, tending bar or manning the small kitchen in back. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/20/us/politics/barney-frank-dead.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/20/us/politics/barney-frank-dead.html Often voted the “brainiest,” “funniest” and “most eloquent” member of the House, he was also the first to come out voluntarily and helped normalize being openly gay in public office. Katharine Q. Seelye Wed, 20 May 2026 14:37:08 +0000 Frank, Barney Deaths (Obituaries) Massachusetts House of Representatives Democratic Party Homosexuality and Bisexuality Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (2010) United States Politics and Government internal-open-access-from-nl https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/19/arts/television/barry-blaustein-dead.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/19/arts/television/barry-blaustein-dead.html He helped create Buckwheat, Mister Robinson and other characters Mr. Murphy played on “Saturday Night Live,” and was a writer of films like “Coming to America.” Richard Sandomir Wed, 20 May 2026 02:54:21 +0000 Blaustein, Barry W Deaths (Obituaries) Comedy and Humor Television Movies Murphy, Eddie Sheffield, David (1948- ) Saturday Night Live (TV Program) National Broadcasting Co Matt Carr/Getty Images Barry Blaustein in 2010. A comedy writer, he was best known for the characters and screenplays he helped write for Eddie Murphy as Mr. Murphy rose to become a superstar. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/19/obituaries/tickle-me-elmo-greg-hyman.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/19/obituaries/tickle-me-elmo-greg-hyman.html In 1996, the giggling stuffed doll turned holiday shopping into chaos, a preview of every sneaker drop, PlayStation launch and Taylor Swift ticket rush to come. Amisha Padnani Tue, 19 May 2026 21:29:49 +0000 Tickle Me Elmo Toys Dolls Consumer Behavior Hyman, Greg (1947-2026) Tyco Toys Inc Sesame Street (TV Program) Steve Hart for The New York Times There was a mad rush to grab one of the few remaining Tickle Me Elmo dolls at a Toys “R” Us store in Manhattan on Dec. 4, 1996. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/19/business/greg-hyman-dead.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/19/business/greg-hyman-dead.html An electronics wizard, he was already a veteran inventor when he collaborated with Ron Dubren on an idea for a toy that giggled. The rest is retail history. Penelope Green Tue, 19 May 2026 21:28:52 +0000 Hyman, Greg (1947-2026) Deaths (Obituaries) Toys Puppets Dolls Inventions and Patents Shopping and Retail Sesame Street (TV Program) Tyco Toys Inc Photo Illustration by The New York Times; The Strong National Museum of Play Greg Hyman in 2012. The toy that he and Ron Dubren designed for Tyco not only giggled and spoke — “That tickles!” — but vibrated when tickled three times. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/18/arts/music/felicity-lott-dead.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/18/arts/music/felicity-lott-dead.html Tall and self-possessed, with an air of wit and sophistication, she was superb in works by Mozart and Strauss, and was also a wide-ranging recitalist. Tim Page Tue, 19 May 2026 16:58:38 +0000 Lott, Felicity Classical Music Opera Deaths (Obituaries) https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/18/us/mark-fuhrman-dead.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/18/us/mark-fuhrman-dead.html A Los Angeles police detective, he was discredited during Mr. Simpson’s 1995 murder trial by defense lawyers who pointed to his past use of racist language. Clyde Haberman Tue, 19 May 2026 13:36:48 +0000 Fuhrman, Mark Police Department (Los Angeles, Calif) Police Simpson, O J Murders, Attempted Murders and Homicides Race and Ethnicity Discrimination Deaths (Obituaries) Ken Lubas/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Mark Fuhrman on the witness stand during the 1995 murder trial of O.J. Simpson. He was called as a star witness for the prosecution but was thoroughly discredited by Mr. Simpson’s lawyers. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/18/business/economy/edmund-phelps-dead.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/18/business/economy/edmund-phelps-dead.html He won a Nobel in 2006 for challenging the conventional wisdom among economists that higher inflation was a necessary price to pay for low unemployment. Chris Kornelis Mon, 18 May 2026 15:50:10 +0000 Phelps, Edmund S Deaths (Obituaries) Banking and Financial Institutions United States Economy Inflation (Economics) Nineteen Hundred Sixties Nobel Prizes Economics (Theory and Philosophy) Money-Wage Dynamics and Labor-Market Equilibrium (Book) Bartek Wrzesniowski/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Edmund S. Phelps in 2009. In a landmark 1968 paper, Dr. Phelps argued for a more complex view of the relationship between inflation and employment. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/17/obituaries/beverley-martyn-dead.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/17/obituaries/beverley-martyn-dead.html As a rising star of the 1960s, she dated Paul Simon, brooded with Nick Drake and drew Barbra Streisand’s envy. Then she sank into an abusive marriage. Alex Traub Fri, 22 May 2026 13:04:25 +0000 Martyn, Beverley (1947-2026) Folk Music Deaths (Obituaries) Michael Putland/Getty Images Beverley Martyn in 1999. As a promising young singer, she performed at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967 and met stars like Peter Fonda and Janis Joplin. But she put her career on hold for decades. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/17/technology/peter-g-neumann-dead.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/17/technology/peter-g-neumann-dead.html For decades, he criticized the industry’s lax attitudes toward computer security and individual digital privacy. He also developed solutions. John Markoff Tue, 19 May 2026 17:57:11 +0000 Neumann, Peter G Computers and the Internet Computer Security Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency SRI International Deaths (Obituaries) Jim Wilson/The New York Times Peter G. Neumann in 2012. At his death, he was still working full time on advanced computer security design being adopted by companies like Google and Microsoft.