https://www.nytimes.com/section/obituaries en-us Copyright 2026 The New York Times Company Sat, 16 May 2026 12:57:44 +0000 Sat, 16 May 2026 00:40:56 +0000 https://static01.nyt.com/images/misc/NYT_logo_rss_250x40.png https://www.nytimes.com/section/obituaries https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/15/arts/music/jack-douglas-dead.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/15/arts/music/jack-douglas-dead.html A onetime Beatlemaniac, he helped shape the sound of hits like “Walk This Way” and “(Just Like) Starting Over.” Alex Williams Fri, 15 May 2026 21:48:39 +0000 Douglas, Jack (1945-2026) Deaths (Obituaries) Pop and Rock Music Aerosmith Lennon, John Ron Pownall/Getty Images Jack Douglas, center, the producer of Aerosmith’s 1977 album “Draw the Line,” during a recording session with the engineer Jay Messina, left, and Steven Tyler, the band’s lead singer. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/15/us/claudine-longet-dead.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/15/us/claudine-longet-dead.html A singer and actress, she drew wide attention for the fatal 1976 shooting of Spider Sabich. She was convicted of negligent homicide. Trip Gabriel Fri, 15 May 2026 22:28:12 +0000 Longet, Claudine Sabich, Spider (1945-76) Murders, Attempted Murders and Homicides Actors and Actresses Pop and Rock Music Movies Williams, Andy (1927-2012) Deaths (Obituaries) Bettmann Archive, via Getty Images https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/15/world/europe/andre-cerdini-dead.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/15/world/europe/andre-cerdini-dead.html He calmly presided over the historic 1987 trial in which a French court, for the first time, convicted a Nazi official of crimes against humanity. Adam Nossiter Sat, 16 May 2026 00:40:56 +0000 Cerdini, Andre (1929-2026) Barbie, Klaus Holocaust and the Nazi Era War Crimes, Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity Concentration Camps Jews and Judaism Courts and the Judiciary Lyon (France) Deaths (Obituaries) Gamma-Rapho, via Getty Images André Cerdini presiding at the opening of the trial of Klaus Barbie, the former Gestapo chief known as the Butcher of Lyon, on May 11, 1987. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/15/business/media/joe-sedelmaier-dead.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/15/business/media/joe-sedelmaier-dead.html He directed nearly 1,000 comedic commercials, including a much-quoted spot for Wendy’s and one for FedEx featuring a manic speed talker. Richard Sandomir Fri, 15 May 2026 14:36:50 +0000 Sedelmaier, Joe (1933-2026) Advertising and Marketing Wendy's International Inc Deaths (Obituaries) Bettmann, via Getty Images Clara Peller, the octogenarian star of a classic Wendy’s commercial directed by Joe Sedelmaier, asks her famous question during a news conference in 1984. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/14/arts/music/clarence-carter-dead.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/14/arts/music/clarence-carter-dead.html In songs like “Slip Away” and “Back Door Santa,” he performed with the fervor of a backwoods preacher and the bawdy humor of a juke joint. Bill Friskics-Warren Fri, 15 May 2026 00:09:19 +0000 Carter, Clarence (1936-2026) Deaths (Obituaries) Rhythm and Blues (Music) Atlantic Records Muscle Shoals (Ala) Gilles Petard/Redferns, via Getty Images Clarence Carter in 1975. Blind from youth, he had a deep, declamatory baritone and lecherous, full-throated laugh. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/14/us/george-robert-blakey-dead.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/14/us/george-robert-blakey-dead.html He was also the chief counsel to the House Select Committee on Assassinations in the late 1970s and spent years as a Notre Dame law professor. Richard Sandomir Fri, 15 May 2026 00:18:49 +0000 Blakey, G Robert Deaths (Obituaries) mafia Racketeering and Racketeers RICO United States Politics and Government Organized Crime Assassinations and Attempted Assassinations Justice Department Lenny Ignelzi/Associated Press G. Robert Blakey in 1985. With RICO, he helped create “a new form of jurisprudence,” said Ronald Goldstock, a former director of the Organized Crime Task Force in New York. “It was such a dramatic change that prosecutors didn’t initially understand or use it.” https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/14/books/frank-stack-dead.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/14/books/frank-stack-dead.html For 20 years, he hid his identity behind the nom de plume Foolbert Sturgeon as he chronicled Christ’s encounters with modern-day hypocrites in comic-book form. Michael S. Rosenwald Fri, 15 May 2026 18:52:55 +0000 Stack, Frank (Foolbert Sturgeon) (1937-2026) Deaths (Obituaries) Comic Books and Strips Cartoons and Cartoonists The Adventures of Jesus (Book) https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/14/books/judith-barnard-dead.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/14/books/judith-barnard-dead.html At 50, on a lark, she published a romance novel with her husband, Michael Fain. Like their characters, they found their lives transformed by unexpected success. Alex Williams Thu, 14 May 2026 14:33:53 +0000 Barnard, Judith (Judith Michael) (1932-2026) Deaths (Obituaries) Books and Literature Writing and Writers Fain, Michael Stephen J. Carrera/Associated Press Judith Barnard in 1999 with her husband and collaborator, Michael Fain. The couple published 11 novels, starting with “Deceptions,” an out-of-nowhere hit, in 1982. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/13/books/koji-suzuki-dead.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/13/books/koji-suzuki-dead.html Sometimes called the Stephen King of Japan, he helped create a genre known as J-horror and spawned one of the highest-grossing horror films ever made. Jeré Longman Thu, 14 May 2026 14:06:47 +0000 Suzuki, Koji Deaths (Obituaries) Books and Literature Movies Writing and Writers Japan Ring (1991) (Book) Birthday (Book) Loop (Book) Spiral (Book) The Ring (Movie) Jennifer S. Altman for The New York Times Koji Suzuki in 2004. Although his horror fiction made him wealthy, he was not a fan of the genre. “I really dislike most horror writing,” he told The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/13/world/africa/cynthia-shange-dead.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/13/world/africa/cynthia-shange-dead.html She was the first Black South African to enter the Miss World contest, placing in the top five in 1972. Adam Nossiter Wed, 13 May 2026 20:59:01 +0000 Shange, Cynthia (1949-2026) Deaths (Obituaries) Beauty Contests Apartheid (Policy) Black People Actors and Actresses Movies Television Miss World Ltd South Africa ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock Cynthia Shange competing at a Miss World event in London in 1972. South Africa’s president praised the boldness of her ambitions “in an era when apartheid segregation was at its peak.” https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/13/obituaries/jackie-pung-overlooked.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/13/obituaries/jackie-pung-overlooked.html She was the first golfer from Hawaii to win a national championship. But she is best remembered for a mishap that cost her the biggest title of her career. James McClellan Wed, 13 May 2026 20:45:05 +0000 Pung, Jackie (1921-2017) Golf Biographical Information United States Open (Golf) Women and Girls Rawls, Betsy Ladies Professional Golf Assn Hawaii Trevor James Robert Dallen/Fairfax Media, via Getty Images Pung in 1974. Later in life she gave lessons at the Mauna Kea Resort Beach Hotel and coached the University of Hawaii women’s golf team. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/13/health/nancy-cox-dead.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/13/health/nancy-cox-dead.html As the leader of the C.D.C.’s influenza division, she battled to keep up with an ever-changing viral opponent, building a global network of researchers and forecasters. Clay Risen Wed, 13 May 2026 19:43:03 +0000 Cox, Nancy J Deaths (Obituaries) Influenza Epidemics Research United States Politics and Government Centers for Disease Control and Prevention World Health Organization https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/12/us/jason-collins-dead.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/12/us/jason-collins-dead.html His achievements on the court were eclipsed by an essay he wrote in Sports Illustrated in 2013 in which he declared: “I’m a 34-year-old N.B.A. center. I’m Black and I’m gay.” Sopan Deb Wed, 13 May 2026 18:41:23 +0000 Collins, Jason Deaths (Obituaries) Basketball Homosexuality and Bisexuality Same-Sex Marriage, Civil Unions and Domestic Partnerships National Basketball Assn Sports Illustrated Brooklyn Nets Kathy Kmonicek/Associated Press Jason Collins in 2014, the year after he announced he was gay in a front-page essay in Sports Illustrated magazine. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/12/movies/claire-maurier-dead.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/12/movies/claire-maurier-dead.html A landmark of New Wave cinema, “The 400 Blows” brought her enduring global attention. She later appeared in “La Cage Aux Folles” and “Amélie.” Clyde Haberman Fri, 15 May 2026 15:08:38 +0000 Maurier, Claire Deaths (Obituaries) Actors and Actresses Movies Truffaut, Francois The 400 Blows (Movie) Amelie (Movie) La Cage Aux Folles (Movie) Everett Collection Claire Maurier as a bistro owner in “Amélie.” A whimsical comedy-drama-romance, it was a major commercial success in France and one of the highest-grossing French films ever released in the United States. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/12/us/betty-broderick-dead.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/12/us/betty-broderick-dead.html She killed her ex-husband and his new wife after what she described as years of psychological abuse. The crime inspired TV adaptations, a podcast and at least five books. Trip Gabriel Tue, 12 May 2026 18:27:15 +0000 Broderick, Betty Murders, Attempted Murders and Homicides Divorce, Separations and Annulments Deaths (Obituaries) San Diego Union-Tribune, via Associated Press Betty Broderick at the San Diego County Courthouse in 1991, during her second trial for the murder of her ex-husband and his new wife. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/12/business/media/joni-lamb-dead.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/12/business/media/joni-lamb-dead.html She and her husband, Marcus Lamb, founded Daystar Television Network, which reached more than 200 countries and made the couple into televangelism stars. Alex Traub Tue, 12 May 2026 16:15:50 +0000 Lamb, Joni (1960-2026) Deaths (Obituaries) Lamb, Marcus (1957-2021) Television Evangelical Movement Daystar Television Network Lawrence Jenkins/The Dallas Morning News, via Associated Press Joni Lamb in 2001. She was Daystar’s leading talk show host, moderating shows like “Taking a Break With Joni” and “Joni Table Talk.” https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/12/arts/design/leigh-magar-dead.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/12/arts/design/leigh-magar-dead.html She was known for bespoke hats that attracted a celebrity following. Then she left Charleston for an island off South Carolina, where she began cultivating indigo. Penelope Green Wed, 13 May 2026 14:06:44 +0000 Magar, Leigh (1968-2026) Dyes and Dyestuffs Fashion and Apparel Textiles Barneys New York Agriculture and Farming Handicrafts Hats and Caps Deaths (Obituaries) Candace Dane Chambers for The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/12/movies/rex-reed-dead.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/12/movies/rex-reed-dead.html He fawned over Old Hollywood stars and sparred with Frank Sinatra. Nora Ephron marveled at his ability to get his subjects to say the things they did. Clyde Haberman Tue, 12 May 2026 16:21:31 +0000 Reed, Rex T Movies Academy Awards (Oscars) Celebrities Actors and Actresses Writing and Writers Myra Breckinridge (Movie) Deaths (Obituaries) Vincent Tullo for The New York Times Rex Reed in 2017. If he disliked someone or — worse — found the person merely uninteresting, it was wise to duck and cover. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/11/business/dean-buntrock-dead.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/11/business/dean-buntrock-dead.html Anticipating how the environmental movement would affect trash disposal in the United States, he built a 12-truck garbage company into a coast-to-coast behemoth. Trip Gabriel Mon, 11 May 2026 20:33:09 +0000 Buntrock, Dean L Waste Materials and Disposal Waste Management Inc Deaths (Obituaries) Michael L. Abramson/Getty Images Dean Buntrock in 1984. He foresaw that an increase in environmental regulation would require a more capital-intensive garbage industry. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/10/obituaries/abraham-foxman-dead.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/10/obituaries/abraham-foxman-dead.html For almost three decades, he led the Anti-Defamation League, winning access to presidents and prime ministers and meeting with Pope John Paul II. Joseph Berger Sun, 10 May 2026 21:59:10 +0000 Foxman, Abraham H Anti-Semitism Jews and Judaism Anti-Defamation League Holocaust and the Nazi Era Gibson, Mel Deaths (Obituaries) Ángel Franco/The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/09/us/bobby-cox-dead.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/09/us/bobby-cox-dead.html He led the Atlanta Braves to victory in the 1990s and was later inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame for his leadership. Richard Goldstein Sun, 10 May 2026 13:46:51 +0000 Cox, Bobby Deaths (Obituaries) Baseball Atlanta Braves Coaches and Managers Baseball Hall of Fame Dave Martin/Associated Press Bobby Cox, the Atlanta Braves manager, waved to fans in 2010. He was voted manager of the year four times by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.