Every year, we look back at the list of celebrities and world figures that passed in the preceding 12 months — and we shake our heads.
Why did [insert young celebrity] have to go so soon?
Why couldn’t anybody get through to [insert celebrity trainwreck]?
We say things like, “Oh my God, I remember where I was when I heard [insert international luminary] died.”
…and “Wow…I didn’t know [insert veteran character actor] died this year!”
…and “Man, I am really gonna miss [insert beloved icon].”
It goes that way every year…yet, the collective loss of a different array of movie stars, sports heroes, rock gods and the like over a 365 day stretch always strike us in a different way.
There’s no replacing James Gandolfini. Or Lou Reed. Or Stan the Man.
And to say there will never be another Nelson Mandela is trite to the point of ridiculous.
The loss of a Cory Monteith reminds us of how sad a life wasted can be. The death of a Roger Ebert reminds us of how much we can all do when tested. And the death of a Carmine Infantino or an Elmore Leonard or a Michael Ansara show us that a life spent doing what you love is the greatest of achievements.
Take a minute and look over our remembrance of those who left us in 2013…lots of varied and profound lessons to be learned from these men and women.
2013 Celebrity Deaths
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Nelson Mandela (Dec. 5)
Former South African President and apartheid activist 1948-1994; South African President 1994-1999. Natural causes, 90 years old
JAVIER SORIANO/AFP/Getty Images
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Paul Walker (Nov 30)
Actor (The Fast and the Furious films, Hours). Killed in a car crash, 40 years old
Photo by Eamonn McCormack/WireImage
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Jerry Seeman (Nov. 24)
NFL referee 1975-1990, NFL Director of Officiating 1991-2001. Cancer, 77 years old
Photo by George Rose/Getty Images
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Nick Cardy (Nov. 3)
DC Comics artist 1950-1973 ("Teen Titans," "Aquaman"). Natural causes, 93 year old.
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Lou Reed (Oct. 27)
Velvet Underground frontman and solo musician, singer, songwriter. Liver failure, 71 years old.
Photo by Matt Kent/WireImage
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Marcia Wallace (Oct. 25)
Actress ("The Bob Newhart Show," "The Simpsons"). Pnuemonia, 70 years old.
Photo by Dr. Billy Ingram/WireImage
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Bum Phillips (Oct. 18)
Houston Oilers head coach 1975-1980, New Orleans Saints head coach 1981-1985. Natural causes, 90 years old.
Photo by: Diamond Images/Getty Images
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Ed Lauter (Oct. 16)
Veteran character actor (The Longest Yard, Family Plot, "ER"). Mesothelioma, 74 years old.
Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for AFI
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Tom Clancy (Oct. 1)
Best-selling author ("The Hunt for Red October," "Patriot Games"). Heart problems, 66 years old.
Photo by Robert Mora/Getty Images
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L.C. Greenwood (Sept. 29)
Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Fame defensive end 1969-1981. Kidney failure, 67 years old.
Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images
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Paul Oliver (Sept. 24)
San Diego Chargers safety 2007-2010. Suicide, 29 years old.
Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images
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Ken Norton (Sept. 18)
WBC heavyweight boxing champion, 1978. Natural causes, 70 years old.
Photo by: The Ring Magazine/Getty Images
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Tommy Morrison (Sept. 1)
Boxer, actor (Rocky V). Cardiac arrest, 44 years old.
Photo credit should read JOHN GURZINSKI/AFP/Getty Images)
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David Frost (Aug. 31)
British journalist-TV host. Heart attack, 74 years old.
Photo by Dave M. Benett/Getty Images
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Elmore Leonard (Aug. 20)
Best-selling writer ("Get Shorty," "Out of Sight," "Rum Punch"). Stroke complications, 87 years old.
Photo by Andy Kropa/Getty Images
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Lee Thompson Young (Aug. 19)
Actor ("The Famous Jett Jackson," Friday Night Lights). Suicide, 29 years old.
Photo by Peter Kramer/Getty Images
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Lisa Robin Kelly (Aug. 14)
Actress ("That 70s Show"). Natural causes, 43 years old.
Photo by Munawar Hosain/Fotos International/Getty Images
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Gia Allemand (Aug. 14)
TV personality ("The Bachelor"). Suicide, 29 years old.
Photo by Rodney Itier/WireImage
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Michael Ansara (Aug. 3)
Veteran character actor ("Broken Arrow," Kang from "Star Trek,"). Natural causes, 91 years old.
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Eileen Brennan (July 28)
Oscar-nominated actress (Private Benjamin). Bladder cancer, 80 years old.
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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J.J. Cale (July 26)
Singer-songwriter ("After Midnight," "Cocaine"). Heart attack, 74 years old.
Photo by Rick Diamond/WireImage
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Dennis Farina (July 22)
Actor (Midnight Run, Get Shorty, "Law & Order"). Blood clot in lung, 69 years old.
Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images
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Cory Monteith (July 14)
Actor ("Glee). Drug overdose, 31 years old.
Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images
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Alan Myers (June 26)
Devo drummer. Stomach cancer, 58 years old.
Photo by Richard Creamer/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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James Gandolfini (June 19)
Actor ("The Sopranos"). Heart attack, 51 years old.
Photo by Dario Cantatore/Getty Images
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Slim Whitman (June 19)
Singer-songwriter ("Rose Marie"). Natural causes, 90 years old.
Photo by Tony Russell/Redferns
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Jean Stapleton (May 31)
Actress ("All in the Family"). Natural causes, 90 years old.
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Ray Manzarek (May 20)
Doors keyboardist. Bile duct cancer, 74 years old.
Photo by Larry Marano/Getty Images
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Jeff Hanneman (May 2)
Slayer guitarist. Liver failure, 49 years old.
Photo by Micky Simawi/Photoshot/Getty Images
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Chris Kelly (May 1)
Kris Kross rapper. Drug overdose, 34 years old.
Photo by Prince Williams/Getty Images
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George Jones (Apr. 26)
Country singer-songwriter ("White Lightnin'"). Natural causes, 81 years old.
Photo by Ron Galella/WireImage
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Richie Havens (Apr. 22)
Musician-singer-songwriter. Heart attack, 72 years old.
Photo by Rick Diamond/WireImage
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Richard LeParmentier (Apr. 16)
Actor (Adm. Motti, Star Wars). Undisclosed, 66 years old.
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Pat Summerall (Apr. 16)
NFL player 1952-1961; CBS, Fox Sports announcer 1962-2010. Heart attack, 82 years old.
Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images
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Jonathan Winters (Apr. 11)
Actor-comedian ("Mork and Mindy"). Natural causes, 87 years old.
Photo by Michael Schwartz/WireImage
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Annette Funicello (Apr. 8)
Original Mousketeer 1955-1961; actress (Beach Party, Beach Blanket Bingo). Multiple sclerosis, 70 years old.
Photo by Bob Riha Jr/WireImage
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Margaret Thatcher (Apr. 8)
British Prime Minister 1979-1990. Stroke, 87 years old.
JOHNNY EGGITT/AFP/Getty Images
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Roger Ebert (Apr. 4)
Pulitzer Prize-winning film critic. Cancer, 70 years old.
Photo by Sean Gallup/WireImage
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Carmine Infantino (Apr. 4)
Comic book artist 1942-1994 ("The Flash," "Batman," "Spider-Woman"). Natural causes, 87 years old.
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Shain Gandee (Apr. 1)
TV personality ("Buckwild"). Carbon monoxide poisoning, 21 years old.
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Richard Griffiths (Mar. 28)
Veteran stage and screen actor (the Harry Potter films). Heart surgery complication, 65 years old.
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Harry Reems (Mar. 19)
Longtime adult film actor (Deep Throat). Pancreatic cancer, 65 years old.
Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images
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Bonnie Franklin (Mar. 1)
Actress ("One Day at a Time"). Pancreatic cancer, 69 years old.Photo by Michael Kovac/FilmMagic)
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Mindy McCready (Feb. 17)
Country singer. Suicide, 37 years old.
Photo by Frederick Breedon/WireImage
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Jerry Buss (Feb. 17)
Los Angeles Lakers owner 1979-2013. Cancer, 80 years old.
Photo by Noel Vasquez/Getty Images for Extra
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Mark Balelo (Feb. 11)
TV personality ("Storage Wars"). Suicide, 40 years old.
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Stan Musial (Jan. 19)
St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame outfielder/first baseman 1941-1963. Natural causes, 92 years old.
Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images
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Earl Weaver (Jan. 19)
Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame manager 1968–1982, 1985–1986. Heart attack, 83 years old.
Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images
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Robert F. Chew (Jan. 17)
Actor (Prop Joe on "The Wire"). Heart attack, 52 years old.
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Conraid Bain (Jan. 14)
Actor ("Diff'rent Strokes"). Natural causes, 89 years old.
