Here are the most recent deaths in the national news, plus people's reactions to those deaths,
as seen at Legacy.com in the fifth week of November 2021.
Baseball player Doug Jones died November 22, 2021, of complications of COVID-19 at the
age of 64. He was an All-Star pitcher with the Cleveland
Indians, Philadelphia Phillies, and Houston Astros.
Jones is being remembered as a member of the 300 saves club, with 303 saves in his 16-season
career. Renowned Army nurse Marcella LeBeau died November
21, 2021, at the age of 102. She was a Lakota elder and an advocate for
Native American health, including working toward the first clean air law in her home
state of South Dakota. She was a veteran of the U.S. Army Nurse Corps.
She served as a combat nurse during World War II, including at the Battle of the Bulge.
LeBeau is being remembered for her work to save lives, on the battlefield and at home.
Baker Sylvia Weinstock died November 22, 2021, at the age of 91.
She was known as the Queen of Cakes, renowned for her incredible custom cake designs. Her
celebrity customers included Oprah Winfrey and Martha Stewart.
Weinstock is also being remembered as a judge on cooking competition shows such as “Chopped
Sweets” and “Nailed It.” Baseball player Bill Virdon died November
23, 2021, at the age of 90. He was a center fielder for the Pittsburgh
Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals, winning the 1960 World Series with the Pirates.
Virdon is also being remembered for his career as a coach and manager for the Pirates, Yankees,
Astros, and Expos. Broadway giant Stephen Sondheim died November
26, 2021, at his home in Roxbury, Connecticut, at the age of 91.
He was a composer and lyricist beloved for creating Broadway classics including “Into
the Woods,” “Sweeney Todd,” and “A Little Night Music.”
Sondheim is being remembered as one of the most influential figures in musical theater
history, who reinvented the Broadway show and inspired generations of artists.
Fashion designer Virgil Abloh died November 28, 2021, in Chicago. He died after fighting
cardiac angiosarcoma at the age of 41. He was the artistic director of Louis Vuitton’s
menswear collection, as well as the founder of his own fashion house, Off-White.
Abloh is being remembered for adding a luxury sensibility to streetwear, creating a popular
new aesthetic. Actress Lisa Brown died November 24, 2021,
at the age of 67. She played Nola on “Guiding Light,” half
of a beloved soap opera couple alongside Michael Tylo as Quint.
Brown is also being remembered for her long-running role as Iva Snyder on “As the World Turns.”
Football player Curley Culp died November 27, 2021, of pancreatic cancer at the age
of 75. He was a defensive lineman who helped the
Kansas City Chiefs win Super Bowl 4, as well as playing for the Houston Oilers and Detroit
Lions. Culp is being remembered as a Pro Football
Hall of Famer and one of the greatest nose tackles in NFL history.
Musician Joanne Shenandoah died November 22, 2021, in Scottsdale, Arizona. She died after
complications of abdominal bleeding at the age of 64.
She was a singer and songwriter who won a Grammy Award and 14 Native American Music
Awards. Her music blended traditional tunes with contemporary genres like folk and pop.
Shenandoah is being remembered as the matriarch of Native American music.
Actor David Dalaithgnu died November 29, 2021, at his home in Murray Bridge, South Australia.
He died of lung cancer at the age of approximately 68.
His family gave permission for the media to use his image after his death and asked that
he be remembered by his traditional name. He was an indigenous Australian acting pioneer
known for his performances in “Walkabout” and “Crocodile Dundee.”
Dalaithgnu is also being remembered for his performances in movies including “Rabbit-Proof
Fence,” “Australia,” and “Charlie’s Country.”
Actress Arlene Dahl died November 29, 2021, at her home in New York at the age of 96.
She was a glamorous star of classic Hollywood, known for 1950s movies including “Journey
to the Center of the Earth” and “Slightly Scarlet.”
Dahl is also being remembered as the mother of actor Lorenzo Lamas, as well as a businesswoman
who marketed beauty supplies and wrote a newspaper column on beauty.
Golfer Lee Elder died November 28, 2021, in Escondido, California at the age of 87.
He was the first Black golfer to compete in the Masters, in 1975. He went on to win four
tournaments in his celebrated career. Elder is being remembered for excelling in
the sport, even while enduring terrible racism, and inspiring many other golfers.
Activist Phil Saviano died November 28, 2021, at his brother’s home in Douglas, Massachusetts.
He died of gallbladder cancer at the age of 69.
He was a survivor of clergy sexual abuse who worked to expose widespread coverups. His
story was part of the Boston Globe investigation featured in the Oscar-winning movie “Spotlight.”
Saviano is being remembered as an advocate for other survivors, who fought for a world
without clergy abuse. Pathologist Sherif Zaki died November 21,
2021, at an Atlanta hospital. He died of complications from an accidental fall at the age of 65.
He studied infectious diseases for the CDC, including Ebola, SARS, and COVID-19.
Zaki is being remembered for increasing our understanding of deadly pathogens.
Singer Thomas Wells died November 13, 2021, in a workplace accident at the age of 46.
He was a contestant on the TV talent show “X Factor” in 2011, as well as on “The
Voice” and “America’s Got Talent.” Wells is also being remembered for his YouTube
videos, in which he sang and played instruments on cover songs.
Racing team founder Frank Williams died November 28, 2021, at the age of 79.
After a brief racing career, he founded Williams Racing, one of the top Formula One teams.
Williams is being remembered for persevering after an accident that left him paralyzed
from the neck down. Actor Eddie Mekka died November 27, 2021,
at his home in Newhall, California at the age of 69.
He was best known for playing Carmine Ragusa on “Laverne & Shirley.” “The Big Ragoo”
was Shirley’s singing and dancing boyfriend. Mekka is also being remembered for movie roles
in “A League of Their Own” and “Dreamgirls.” On November 30, four students were killed
in a shooting at Oxford High School in Oxford, Michigan. Their names are:
Madisyn Baldwin Tate Myre
Justin Shilling Hana St. Juliana
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 Michigan have been lowered to honor
the memory of the victims of the shooting at Oxford High School in Oakland County.
Flags in Wisconsin have been lowered to honor the memory of Officer Daniel J. “Dan”
Daly of Beloit and Wisconsin State Patrol Master Trooper Daniel Stainbrook, both of
whom lost their lives in the line of duty due to complications from contracting COVID-19.
Flags in Wisconsin have also been lowered to honor the memory of Jackson Sparks and
Tamara L. Carlson Durand. Flags in Hawaii have been lowered to honor
the memory of Eileen R. Anderson, the former mayor of Honolulu.
Flags in West Virginia have been lowered to honor the memory of former State Treasurer
John “Larrie” Bailey. Flags in Arkansas have been lowered to honor
the memory of Major Dean Douglas, a Navy veteran and first responder with Metropolitan Emergency
Medical Services, who died of injuries incurred while responding to an emergency during the
Little Rock Marathon. This week also marks several notable anniversaries.
20 years ago this week, musician George Harrison died of cancer at the age of 58.
35 years ago this week, actor Cary Grant died of a stroke at the age of 82.
35 years ago this week, musician and actor Desi Arnaz died of lung cancer at the age
of 69. 40 years ago this week, actress Natalie Wood
died by drowning at the age of 43. Actor Chadwick Boseman was born 45 years ago
this week. He died of colon cancer in 2020 at the age of 43.
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.