Here are the most recent deaths in the national news, plus people's reactions to those deaths,
as seen at Legacy.com in the first week of June 2022.
Musician Alec John Such died June 5, 2022, of natural causes at the age of 70.
He was the founding bassist for the chart-topping rock band Bon Jovi.
Such is being remembered for playing on hits including “Livin’ on a Prayer” and “You
Give Love a Bad Name.” Musician Jim Seals died June 6, 2022, of an
ongoing chronic illness at the age of 80. He was half of the soft rock duo Seals & Crofts,
known for hits including “Summer Breeze” and “Diamond Girl.”
Seals is being remembered for his guitar playing, as well as vocals, saxophone, and violin.
Singer Deborah McCrary died June 1, 2022 at the age of 67.
She was a member of the McCrary Sisters, a Nashville gospel quartet.
McCrary is being remembered for performing with artists including Carrie Underwood and
Sheryl Crow. Actor Brad Johnson died February 18, 2022,
in Fort Worth, Texas. He died of complications of COVID-19 at the age of 62. His death was
announced publicly this week. He starred in the Steven Spielberg movie “Always”
as well as in movies including “Flight of the Intruder” and the “Left Behind”
series. Johnson is also being remembered for roles
on TV shows including “Melrose Place” and “CSI.”
Actress and singer Linda Lawson died May 18, 2022, at the Motion Picture and Television
Retirement Home. She died of natural causes at the age of 86.
She starred opposite Dennis Hopper in the 1961 movie “Night Tide.”
Lawson is also being remembered for her singing career, as well as for appearances on TV shows
including “Bonanza” and “Saved by the Bell: The New Class.”
Electronic music pioneer Dave Smith died May 31, 2022, at the age of 72.
He was the founder of Sequential, where he created innovative new synthesizers including
the Prophet 5. Smith is being remembered as the “Father
of MIDI,” whose inventions were used by artists including Madonna, Radiohead, and
Duran Duran. Musician Kelly Joe Phelps died May 31, 2022,
in Iowa at the age of 62. He was a slide guitarist and singer-songwriter
known for his blues and Americana music. Phelps is being remembered as a talented musician
whose live shows were unforgettable. Ann Turner Cook, the original Gerber Baby,
died June 3, 2022, at her home in St. Petersburg, Florida at the age of 95.
Her face has appeared on Gerber products since 1931, becoming an icon of 20th century American
life. Turner is also being remembered as a longtime
English teacher who wrote several mystery novels.
Rapper Trouble died June 5, 2022, in Atlanta. He died of a gunshot wound at the age of 34.
Born Mariel Orr, he was known for collaborating with Drake, Young Thug, and The Weeknd.
Trouble is also being remembered for working with artists including Lupe Fiasco and Yo
Gotti. Artist Ken Kelly died June 3, 2022, at the
age of 76. He created iconic album cover art for bands
including KISS, Manowar, and Rainbow. Kelly is also being remembered for his work
on horror comics and fantasy art, including illustrations of Conan the Barbarian.
Teacher Andrée Geulen-Herscovici died May 31, 2022, at a nursing home in Brussels at
the age of 100. During World War II in her native Belgium,
she helped hide hundreds of Jewish children to prevent them from being deported to Nazi
concentration camps. Geulen-Herscovici is being remembered as a
hero of the Holocaust, who saved many lives. Journalist Trudy Haynes died June 7, 2022,
at the age of 95. She was the first Black TV weather reporter
in U.S. history, as well as the first Black TV news reporter in Philadelphia.
Haynes is being remembered as a trailblazer, who continued presenting news programs even
in her 90s. 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. Three people were killed in a shooting on
South Street in Philadelphia on June 4, 2022. Their names are:
Kristopher Minners Alexis Quinn
Gregory “Japan” Jackson Three people were killed in a shooting at
a nightclub in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on June 5, 2022. Their names have not been released
to the public at the time of this recording. 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 Wisconsin have been lowered to honor the memory of former State Representative
Sheryl K. Albers-Anders. Flags in California have been lowered to honor
the memory of California Department of Transportation Maintenance Worker Quanda McGadney.
Flags in Maryland have been lowered in observance of Fire and Rescue Memorial Remembrance Day.
Flags in Arizona have been lowered to honor the memory of White Mountain Apache Police
Officer Adrian Lopez. Flags in Pennsylvania have been lowered to
honor the memory of former State Representative Peter J. Daley the second.
Flags in West Virginia have been lowered to honor the memory of Nicholas County Sheriff’s
Deputy Tom Baker. Flags in Georgia have been lowered to honor
the memory of Former First Lady of Georgia, Betty Foy Sanders.
This week also marks several notable anniversaries. Five years ago this week, actor Adam West
died of leukemia at the age of 88. Ten years ago this week, author Ray Bradbury
died after a long illness at the age of 91. Forty years ago this week, baseball player
Satchel Paige died of a heart attack at the age of 75.
Musician Freddy Fender was born 85 years ago this week. He died in 2006, of lung cancer
at the age of 69. Actress and singer Judy Garland was born 100
years ago this week. She died in 1969, of an accidental overdose at the age of 47.
Actor and singer Dean Martin was born 105 years ago this week. He died in 1995, of acute
respiratory failure at the age of 78. Poet Gwendolyn Brooks was born 105 years ago
this week. She died in 2000, of cancer at the age of 83.
You can read more about the lives of the people featured in this video on Legacy.com.
You can also follow Legacy.com on Facebook and subscribe to our channel on YouTube to
stay up to date on national news deaths and reactions.