Here are the most recent deaths in the national news, plus people's reactions to those deaths
from social media, as seen at Legacy.com in the fourth week of June 2022.
World War II veteran Alexander Jefferson died June 22, 2022, at the age of 100.
He was one of the Army Air Forces’ renowned Tuskegee Airmen, flying 18 escort missions
over Europe, until he was shot down and held as a prisoner of war by Nazi forces.
After the war, Jefferson went on to serve in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, finally retiring
in 1969 as a lieutenant colonel. He is also being remembered as an educator
in the Detroit public school system. His memoir, Red Tail Captured, Red Tail Free, tells the
story of his service. Actress Mary Mara died June 26, 2022, in Cape
Vincent, New York at the age of 61. She was known for her roles in TV shows including
“ER,” “Nash Bridges,” “Star Trek: Enterprise,” and “Ray Donovan.”
Mara is also being remembered for movie roles, including in “Love Potion No. 9” and “Bound.”
Football player Hugh McElhenny died June 17, 2022, at his home in Henderson, Nevada at
the age of 93. He was a halfback for the San Francisco 49ers
in the 1950s, a six-time Pro Bowler who was part of their famous Million Dollar Backfield.
McElhenny is being remembered as The King, a fast and elusive runner who was one of the
league’s stars. Rancher Cotton Rosser died June 22, 2022,
at his home in Marysville, California at the age of 93.
He owned the Flying U Rodeo Ranch, supplying rodeos across the American West with animals
for decades. Rosser is being remembered as a legend of
the rodeo world who delighted fans with his showmanship in rodeo opening ceremonies.
Musician Bobby Flores died June 23, 2022, of esophageal cancer.
He was a Grammy Award-winning Texas western swing musician known for his fiddle playing.
Flores is being remembered for his performances with artists including Willie Nelson, Ray
Price, and Freddy Fender. Football player Brig Owens died June 21, 2022,
at the age of 79. He was a defensive back for Washington in
the 1960s and ‘70s, helping them to their appearance at Super Bowl seven.
Owens is also being remembered as a lawyer who worked for players’ rights with the
NFL Players Association. Artist Arnold Skolnick died June 15, 2022,
in Amherst, Massachusetts at the age of 85. He designed the poster for the Woodstock music
festival, which became an iconic symbol of the 1960s.
Skolnick is also being remembered for designing book covers, as well as art that was displayed
in galleries. Songwriter Bernard Belle died June 23, 2022,
at a hospital in Atlanta. He died of congestive heart failure at the age of 57.
He cowrote hit songs including Michael Jackson’s “Remember the Time” and the Whitney Houston/Bobby
Brown duet “Something in Common.” Belle is being remembered for his influence
on the development of new jack swing music. Football player Marlin Briscoe died June 27,
2022, at a hospital in Norwalk, California. He died of pneumonia at the age of 76.
When he was drafted by the Denver Broncos in 1968, he became the first Black starting
quarterback in modern American professional football history.
Briscoe is also being remembered for his years playing for the Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins,
and other teams. Artist Sam Gilliam died June 25, 2022, at
his home in Washington, D.C. He died of renal failure at the age of 88.
He was known for his innovative paintings that featured canvases hanging from ceilings
and draped on walls, instead of stretched on frames.
Gilliam is being remembered as an influential artist whose work was exhibited internationally,
including at the Museum of Modern Art and the Venice Biennale.
Gilliam was a U.S. Army veteran who served in the 1950s.
Artist Margaret Keane died June 26, 2022, at her home in Napa, California, at the age
of 94. She was known for her paintings of children
with large, sad eyes, which became very popular in the 1960s.
Keane is also being remembered for her successful legal battle against her ex-husband to be
recognized as the sole artist of her paintings—a story dramatized in the movie “Big Eyes.”
Veteran Hershel “Woody” Williams died June 29th, 2022, in Huntington, West Virginia,
at the age of 98. He was the last surviving recipient of the Medal of Honor from World
War II. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1943
to 1945 and in the Marine Corps Reserve from 1948 to 1949, and 1954 to 1969.
He was awarded the Medal of Honor for heroic action taken during intense fighting in the
Battle of Iwo Jima, where he took out seven Japanese pillboxes while armed with a flamethrower.
Williams is also being remembered for his charity, the Woody Williams Foundation, whose
mission is to honor, recognize and serve Gold Star Families.
Author and Hells Angels motorcyclist Sonny Barger died June 29th, 2022. He died of liver
cancer at the age of 83. He was a founding member of the Oakland chapter
of the Hells Angels, and wrote a bestselling autobiography about his life as an outlaw
biker. Barger is also being remembered as an actor
with a recurring role on the outlaw biker drama “Sons of Anarchy.”
Burlesque dancer Betty Rowland died April 3rd, 2022, in Culver City, California, at
the age of 106. Her death was announced publicly in June.
She was known as the “Red Headed Ball of Fire,” and her signature dance was a burlesque
spoof of ballet called, “Bumps in the Ballet.” Rowland is also being remembered for her appearance
in the 2010 documentary film, “Behind the Burly Q,” about the golden age of burlesque
in America. You may not know that ANY family can place
an obituary on Legacy in honor of a loved one’s memory. Just visit Legacy.com and
select your local community. 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 in South Carolina have been lowered to honor the memory of Deputy Austin Derek
Aldridge of the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, who died in the line of duty.
Flags in Alabama have been lowered to honor the memory of Chambers County Deputy Sheriff
J'Mar Abel, who died in the line of duty. Flags in Arkansas have been lowered to honor
the memory of Perry County corrections officer Jeremiah Story, who died in the line of duty.
Flags in Kansas have been lowered to honor the memory of Linn County volunteer firefighter
Joshua Haynes, who died in the line of duty. Flags in Arizona have been lowered to honor
the memory of the 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots, who died protecting fellow Arizonans from
the Yarnell Hill Fire in 2013. Flags in Arizona have also been lowered to
honor the memory of Yavapai County Sheriff’s Deputy Sergeant Richard Lopez, who died in
the line of duty. Flags in Alaska have been lowered to honor
former state Senator Dennis Egan. This week also marks several notable anniversaries.
Ten years ago this week, writer and filmmaker Nora Ephron died of complications from leukemia
at the age of 71. Thirteen years ago this week, “King of Pop”
Michael Jackson died of cardiac arrest at the age of 50.
On that same day 13 years ago this week, actress Farrah Fawcett died of anal cancer at the
age of 62. Twenty years ago this week, singer and actress
Rosemary Clooney died of lung cancer at the age of 74.
Twenty years ago this week, musician John Entwistle of the Who died of a heart attack
at the age of 57. Twenty five years ago this week, oceanographer
Jacques Cousteau died of a heart attack at the age of 87.
Actor Pat Morita was born 90 years ago this week. He died in 2005, of kidney failure at
the age of 73. Actress and singer Lena Horne was born 105
years ago this week. She died in 2010, of congestive heart failure at the age of 92.
You can read more about the lives of the people featured in this video on Legacy.com.
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stay up to date on national news deaths and reactions.