Here are the most recent deaths in the national news, as reported at
Legacy.com the fourth week of May 2024. Legacy.com is where you can find any
obituary or publish an obituary in any newspaper in America and beyond.
Filmmaker Morgan Spurlock died May 23, 2024 in upstate New York. He died of
complications from cancer at the age of 53. He was best known for “Super Size Me,” the 2004
documentary for which he ate nothing but McDonald’s items for a month. The fast
food industry began making healthy changes as a result of his film.
Spurlock is also being remembered for such documentaries as “POM Wonderful Presents:
The Greatest Movie Ever Sold” and “One Direction: This Is Us.”
Basketball player Bill Walton died May 27, 2024 in San Diego. He died of cancer at the age of 71.
After a standout college career at UCLA, he won two NBA championships with the
Portland Trail Blazers and the Boston Celtics. Walton is being remembered as a member of the
Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame who went on to an Emmy Award-winning career as a color commentator.
Musician and songwriter Doug Ingle died May 24, 2024 at the age of 78.
He was a founding member of the influential hard rock band Iron Butterfly,
playing keyboards and singing lead vocals. Ingle is being remembered for writing and singing
the band’s best-known song, “In-a-Gadda-da-Vida.” A note to remember: Sometimes, personal
information – such as someone's cause of death – is not announced immediately by their family or
the authorities. When a cause of death has not been officially confirmed, we do not report on
rumors. Every family has a right to their privacy. Composer Richard M. Sherman died May 25,
2024 in Beverly Hills, California. He died due to age-related illness at the age of 95.
Alongside his brother, the late Robert B. Sherman, he was named a Disney Legend for writing classic
songs like “It’s a Small World,” “A Spoonful of Sugar,” “I Wan’na Be Like You,” and many more.
He is also being remembered for writing such pop hits as
“Tall Paul” and “You’re Sixteen.” Sherman was a U.S. Army veteran
who served for two years in the 1950s, conducting the Army Band and glee club.
Golfer Grayson Murray died May 25, 2024 by suicide at the age of 30.
Ranked 58th in the world, he had two PGA Tour victories,
including this year’s Sony Open in Hawaii, and he was a three-time winner on the Korn Ferry Tour.
Murray is also being remembered for speaking candidly about his struggles
with anxiety, depression, and drinking. Flight attendant Bette Nash died May 17,
2024 in hospice care. She died after being diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 88.
She held the Guinness World Record as the longest-serving flight attendant, having worked
from 1957 until shortly before her death. Nash is being remembered as a friend to
the regular passengers on her route and a legend among flight attendants.
Actor Johnny Wactor died May 25, 2024 in Los Angeles. He died in a shooting at the age of 37.
He was best known for playing Brando Corbin on “General Hospital” from 2020 to 2022.
Wactor is also being remembered for such TV shows and movies as “Army
Wives,” “Siberia,” and “Supercell.” Producer Al Ruddy died May 25,
2024 in Los Angeles. He died after a brief illness at the age of 94.
He won an Academy Award as the producer of “The Godfather,” a film he championed
even though it was considered a risk in Hollywood insider circles.
Ruddy is also being remembered for co-creating the TV shows “Hogan’s Heroes” and “Walker, Texas
Ranger,” as well as for producing such movies as “Million Dollar Baby” and “The Cannonball Run.”
Actor Darryl Hickman died May 22, 2024 in Montecito, California at the age of 92.
He was best known for his roles as a child actor, especially for his performance as
Winfield Joad in “The Grapes of Wrath.” Hickman is also being remembered for his
role in the film noir “Leave Her to Heaven.” World War II veteran Herbert Elfring died
May 25, 2024, in Michigan at the age of 102. He joined the U.S. Army in 1940 and was stationed
at Pearl Harbor, where he survived the 1941 attack that brought the U.S. into World War II.
He went on to serve in the Pacific Theater until his discharge as captain
in 1945. He is one of the last remaining survivors of the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Elfring is also being remembered as a mentor to other veterans,
who co-founded One Stop Veteran Resource to assist those returning from active duty.
Actress Elizabeth MacRae died May 27, 2024 in Fayetteville, North Carolina at the age of 88.
She was a regular on “Gomer Pyle, USMC” as Lou-Ann Poovie, Gomer’s girlfriend.
MacRae is also being remembered for her performance in the movie “The Conversation.”
In addition to featuring current deaths in the news, Legacy.com
also honors the lives and legacies of notable people who died in the past. Here are some of
this week’s anniversaries. Three years ago this week,
actor Gavin MacLeod died at the age of 90. He was a TV star on “McHale’s Navy,” “The
Mary Tyler Moore Show,” and “The Love Boat.” Ten years ago this week, author and poet Maya
Angelou died at the age of 86. She was best known for her memoir, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.”
Sixteen years ago this week, actor and comedian Harvey Korman died at the age of 81. He made
us laugh in movies and TV shows like “Blazing Saddles,” “The Carol Burnett Show,” and many more.
Singer Vicki Sue Robinson was born 70 years ago this week. She died in April 2000 at the
age of 45. She was a star of the disco era who had a hit with “Turn the Beat Around,”
for which she was Grammy nominated. Musician John Bonham was born 76 years
ago this week. He died in September 1980 at the age of 32. He was the drummer for
Led Zeppelin and is considered one of the greatest drummers in rock history.
Actress Meredith MacRae was born 80 years ago this week. She died in July 2000 at the age
of 56. Her notable TV roles included Billie Jo on “Petticoat Junction” and Sally on “My Three Sons.”
Actress Sondra Locke was born 80 years ago this week. She died in November 2018 at the age of
74. She was Oscar-nominated for “The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter” and appeared in movies like
“Willard” and “Every Which Way But Loose.” Actor Michael J. Pollard was born 85 years
ago this week. He died in November 2019 at the age of 80. He was nominated for an
Academy Award for his performance in the classic film “Bonnie and Clyde.”
Author Maeve Binchy was born 85 years ago this week. She died in July 2012 at the
age of 73. Her bestselling books included “The Glass Lake” and “Circle of Friends.”
Musician Miles Davis was born 98 years ago this week. He died in September 1991 at the
age of 65. He was one of the all-time great jazz trumpeters, known for classic LPs like
“Birth of the Cool” and “Bitches Brew.” Every week in the United States, flags
are lowered to half-staff to honor the lives of Americans whose communities are
mourning their loss. Here are the most recent half-staff memorial flag honors.
Flags across the United States have been lowered in observance of Memorial Day.
Flags in South Dakota have been lowered to honor the memory of
former state legislator Janice Nicolay. Flags in Vermont have been lowered to
honor the memory of Senator Dick Mazza. You can read more about the lives of the
people featured in this video on Legacy.com. At Legacy.com, ANY family can publish an obituary
in honor of a loved one’s memory, online and in local newspapers everywhere. Just visit
Legacy.com, and select your local community. You can also follow Legacy.com on Facebook
and subscribe to our channel here on YouTube to stay up to date on national news deaths.