As we herald in 2004, we cannot help but think back on the year gone by and remember those special people who are no longer with us. We have lost individuals whose talents have so amazed us that we wanted to bid them a fond farewell. These people have contributed to our lives in many ways. Some have entertained us. Some have made our lives better. Some have simply amused us. For the moments they contributed to our lives, we take a moment to note their passing and quietly say, "Thanks for the memories".

RICHARD CRENNA ~ Died January 17, 2003
Veteran actor Richard Crenna died suddenly of pancreatic cancer at age 76. The widely recognized actor leaves his wife, Penni, and three children. Richard Crenna was widely recognized due to his long acting career filled with many TV and movie roles. Some of his more popular roles were in shows such as “The Real McCoys", "Our Miss Brooks", "Slattery's People", "Rambo", and many more movie and TV roles.

MAURICE GIBB ~ Died January 22, 2003
Bee Gees member Maurice Gibb died at age 53, after suffering heart failure while waiting to undergo surgery. Mr. Gibb and his brothers were “The Bee Gee's”, and became popular during the disco era with their soundtrack from "Saturday Night Fever". Mr. Gibb's more recent films included "Mystery Men" and "Zoolander".

NELL CARTER ~ Died January 23, 2003
Carter was an actress and singer who entertained her fans from the stages of Hollywood to the stages of Broadway. She was well known for an extremely powerful voice and stage presence, though she stood just shy of 5 feet tall. Carter battled health problems, including diabetes and two surgeries for brain aneurysms, and also struggled with drug addiction for years. She was found collapsed in her home by her 13-year-old adopted son. Nell Carter brought us song and acting talent that hopefully will never be forgotten. Those that knew her well can now honestly say that she "Ain't Misbehavin" no more.

CREW OF THE US SPACE SHUTTLE COLUMBIA ~ Died February 1, 2003
David Brown, Rick Husband, Laurel Clark, Kalpana Chawla, Michael Anderson, William McCool, and Ilan Ramon. The entire crew of the shuttle Columbia lost their lives when the shuttle was compromised from a piece of its shell. We will never forget the incredible sacrifice that they made for science.

JOHNNY PAYCHECK ~ Died February 19, 2003
Country singer Johnny PayCheck died at age 64. During his lifetime, he released 70 albums. The song he was most famous for, though, was "Take This Job and Shove It”. His hit song inspired a movie by the same name starring Robert Hays and Barbara Hershey. Mr. PayCheck appeared in several movies and TV shows including "Hells Angels Forever," "Paradise Park" and "The Dukes of Hazzard."

ESTHER RIDGEWAY ~ Died February 22, 2003
Detroit blues and soul background singer, Esther Ridgeway, died of a heart attack at age 43. Ms. Ridgeway performed along with her sisters in the vocal group "The Ridgeways." They have backed such stars as Dionne Warwick, Jerry Butler and Fontella Bass. Ms. Ridgeway appeared in the movie "Blue Brothers 2000."

FRED ROGERS ~ Died February 27, 2003
Best remembered for his show "Mr. Rogers Neighborhood" and his ever-present sweaters; Fred Rogers was known and loved by children for many, many years. His show was the longest running in PBS history, starting in 1968 and ending in 2001. His life’s work is best expressed in the following quote from Mr. Rogers, himself. "We all long to be lovable and capable of loving. And whatever we can do through the Neighborhood or anything else to reflect that and to encourage people to be in touch with that, then I think that's our ministry."

LYNN THIGPEN ~ Died March 12, 2003
Tony award winning actress Lynn Thigpen died suddenly at age 54. The coroner stated Ms. Thigpen died of an enlarged heart, cardiac and cerebral hemorrhage. Ms. Thigpen may be best known for her role in the children's geography TV show "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?" and as the voice of “Luna” from the Disney show, “Bear in the Big Blue House.” She was currently co-starring in the TV series "The District" with Craig T. Nelson on CBS. Thigpen also played the judge in the Adam Sandler/Jack Nicholson comedy "Anger Management." She made her acting debut in the rock version of “Godspell". She also appeared in "Tootsie," "Bob Roberts," "Sweet Liberty," "The Paper," "Naked in New York," "The Insider," the remake of "Shaft," "Novocaine" and the TV version of "An American Daughter." Ms. Thigpen had recurring roles on "L.A. Law," "Gimme a Break," "Thirtysomething" and "Law and Order." Ms. Thigpen was nominated twice for the Image Award for her work on "All My Children" and "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?"

DANIEL PATRICK MOYNIHAN ~ Died March 25, 2003
Four-term US Senator from New York, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, died at age 76 from complications following a burst appendix. The longtime democratic leader served in the US Senate from 1977 through 2001. Senator Moynihan served in official capacities to Presidents Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon and Ford.

DAVID SCHALL ~ Died April 11, 2003
Christian actor David Schall died of a heart attack in Los Angeles at age 53. Mr. Schall founded the Actor's Co-op; an organization aimed at helping Christians succeed in the entertainment industry. Mr. Schall appeared on stage, screen and TV. His credits include "The Sitter," "What Love Sees," "The Theory of Everything," "L.A. Law," "ER" and "Murder She Wrote."

DEBBIE BARHAM ~ Died Apr. 20, 2003
26-year-old British screenwriter Debbie Barham died of anorexia nervosa. Ms. Barham began writing for British radio while still a teenager by lying about her age and submitting unsolicited jokes. She wrote the comedy short "The Real Men Behaving Badly." Her other credits include the TV series "Planet Mirth" and "Rory Bremmer, Who Else?"

LYRIC BENSON ~ Died Apr. 25, 2003
Budding actress Lyric Benson was shot and killed by her ex-boyfriend. Ms. Benson recently returned to her Christian roots and decided that her ex, who also had problems, was not in her future. Ms. Benson was shot in the face, in the presence of her mother, who also witnessed the ex-boyfriend's suicide. Ms. Benson was a graduate of Yale. She had recently completed an episode of "Law and Order: Criminal Intent.

ELIZABETH HULETTE ~ Died May 1, 2003
The world of Pro Wrestling lost one of it most beloved members. Elizabeth Hulette died of as yet undisclosed causes at age 42. Hulette was known in the Wrestling world as 'Miss Elizabeth.' Hulette was at the home of wrestler Lex Luger (Larry Pfohl) in Georgia when a 911 call was placed for medical assistance. Pfohl was questioned by police and released. Ms. Hulette appeared in over 30 WWF and WCW videos between 1984 and 1999.

DOTTIE KEY ~ Died May 8, 2003
Professional baseball player Dottie Key died of cancer at age 80. Ms. Key played for the Rockford Peaches for 10 years. Ms. Key appears in film clips in the 1987 documentary short "A League of Their Own." Ms. Key was one of the inspirations for Madonna's Character in the feature film of the same name.

ROBERT STACK ~ Died May 14, 2003
Oscar nominated, Emmy winning actor Robert Stack died of heart failure at age 84. Stack came to light for his role as Elliot Ness in "The Untouchables". Stack is more recently remembered for his role as the host of "Unsolved Mysteries".

JUNE CARTER CASH ~ Died May 15, 2003
A country singing legend and the woman who inspired Johnny Cash, June Carter Cash died at the age of 73. June is best know as the wife of Johnny Cash, but in her own right has contributed greatly to country music. From Gospel to Bluegrass to classics like "Ring of Fire", June Carter Cash gave herself and her talent to America.

DAVID BRINKLEY ~ Died June 11, 2003
Veteran NBC newsman and author David Brinkley died at age 82. Mr. Brinkley was one of the elder statesmen of TV journalism. He was the news anchor at NBC from 1956 through 1971. He returned to that post for three more years in 1976. Mr. Brinkley was co-host of "The Huntley-Brinkley Report." When his co-anchor Chet Huntley retired, NBC renamed the program to "The NBC Nightly News" with Mr. Brinkley as the sole news anchor. Mr. Brinkley appeared as himself in several films and documentaries including Oliver Stone’s "Nixon," "Powaqqatsi," "4 Little Girls" and "Dear America: Letters Home From Vietnam."

GREGORY PECK ~ Died June 12, 2003
Oscar winning actor Gregory Peck died at age 87. Mr. Peck appeared in nearly 120 films, documentaries and TV shows and specials during his lengthy career. Most of us oldies remember watching him in "To Kill A Mockingbird". He did many a western and an all time favorite was "The Gunfighter".

ASA BABER ~ Died June 16, 2003
Asa Baber, whose long-running column, "Men", in Playboy magazine addressed an array of issues from a distinctly male perspective, has died at the age of 66. His death followed a two-year battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. His column earned him a controversial reputation as an apologist for men at a time when it was unfashionable to be one. His last Playboy column ran in the June issue.

STROM THURMOND ~ Died June 26, 2003
The former Senator Strom Thurmond, of South Carolina, died at the age of 100 years old. He was the longest serving member of the upper house of congress. He was best known for his longevity and his previously extremely fiery opposition to civil rights, a stance he abandoned in later years.

KATHARINE HEPBURN ~ Died June 29, 2003
The last of the great movie stars from the 1930s has died. Katharine Hepburn was nominated for twelve Oscars and won four times. Her career spanned seven decades and she was one of the most decorated actors or actresses of our time. In addition to her talent, she had an incredible wit and was a very intelligent lady. As the daughter of a doctor and a suffragist, she was quite unconventional and off-screen was noted for her long time love affair with Spencer Tracy.

BUDDY HACKETT ~ Died June 30, 2003

He was known for his slapstick humor and comedy act. He was a true master of comedy, and his physical and verbal humor made millions of people laugh. Among Mr. Hackett’s film credits are "God’s Little Acre," "The Music Man," the overblown "It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World," "The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm," Disney’s "The Love Bug," "Little Mermaid" and "Little Mermaid II." Buddy Hackett was a perennial favorite on "The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson." Buddy Hackett had that special ease, like other frequent guests Burt Reynolds and Robert Blake, which made him a natural choice as a guest star. Mr. Hackett had been living with diabetes for several years and died at the age of 79.

LARRY BURKETT ~ Died July 4, 2003
Burkett was a well-known Christian author and radio personality. He was also the co-founder of Crown Financial Ministries. His books include Women Leaving the Workplace and Financial Parenting, along with many other publications about Christianity and finances.

BARRY WHITE ~ Died July 4, 2003
After a lengthy bought with kidney failure and a stroke brought on by years of high blood pressure, Barry White passed away at the age of 58. Barry White was the sensual voice that the ladies loved and that brought out jealousy in many men. His deep, booming, vibrant voice was unmistakable and caused a sensation unmatched by many singers. Barry White sang "Love" and his music provided the atmosphere. His vocal style could only be considered profound and the depth of its range was phenomenal.

BENNY CARTER ~ Died July 12, 2003
An incomparable jazz musician that contributed to jazz in America for over eight decades, Benny Carter passed away at the age of 95. His compositions, which included "When Lights Are Low" (1936) and "Blues in My Heart" (1931), became jazz and big band standards, and many saxophone and trumpet players continue to measure their work against his solos.

COMPAY SEGUNDO ~ Died July 13, 2003
The wiry, cigar-smoking musician who was nearing 90 when he soared from obscurity to worldwide fame with the Buena Vista Social Club, died in Havana on July 13. He was 95. Segundo, who performed in public less than a week before his death, died of kidney failure.

BILL BRIGHT ~ Died July 19, 2003
Founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, Bright is also the author of the booklet, The Four Spiritual Laws. Bright commissioned the JESUS film, which has become the most widely viewed and most widely translated film in history.

BOB HOPE ~ Died July 27, 2003
Master of the one liner, Hope began entertaining troops in 1941. In 1948 he began performing the Christmas specials that many of us grew up watching and loving. His compassion for our servicemen was only won out by his quick wit and scathing sense of humor. He died at the age of 100.

GREGORY HINES ~ Died August 9, 2003
Gregory Hines, undoubtedly the greatest tap dancer of his generation, passed away at the age of 57 from cancer. His incredible award winning talents in dance, acting, and choreography took him from Broadway stage to Hollywood screen. He starred in movies such as “The Cotton Club”, “White Nights”, and “Running Scared”. Recently, he had a recurring role on the hit TV series “Will and Grace”.

CHARLES BRONSON ~ Died August 30, 2003
Charles Bronson was known best as a Hollywood tough-guy. He appeared in such films as “The Magnificent Seven”,” The Dirty Dozen” and “Death Wish”. He was taken from us at the age of 81, leaving behind a wife and six children.

MAUREEN RYAN ~ Died September 8, 2003
An outspoken critic of the U.S. government's treatment of soldiers sprayed with the herbicide Agent Orange during the Vietnam War, died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 55. Her husband was a veteran and their children were born with multiple defects. She received public attention because of her fight for compensation for her own children, as well as the affected children of other veterans.

JOHN RITTER ~ Died September 11, 2003
John was famous for his stint in the '70s on Three's Company. He was a comedic actor that also did made-for-TV movies throughout his career. He was the voice of "Clifford the Big Red Dog" on PBS since 2000 and he was currently starring on ABC's Eight Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter.

JOHNNY CASH ~ Died September 12, 2003
Cash was known for his tell-it-like-it-is Country songs. His video and song "Hurt" was a remake of a song originally done by the band Nine Inch Nails. It was nominated for the 2003 MTV awards and was considered some of his most moving work.

ERROL G. HILL ~ Died September 15, 2003
A playwright, director, and expert on black dramatists in the United States and the Caribbean, Errol Hill, died of cancer at his home in Hanover, N.H. at the age of 82. He was the first African American to earn tenure at Dartmouth College.

SHEB WOOLEY ~ Died September 16, 2003
A character actor of Westerns, who also played a role in country music, Sheb Wooley died of leukemia at the age of 82. He was best known for menacing Gary Cooper in "High Noon”, he played the trail scout on TV's "Rawhide", and scored one of the biggest novelty recording hits of the 1950s with "The Purple People Eater".

SLIM DUSTY ~ Died September 20, 2003
An Australian Country Singer-Songwriter, Slim Dusty wrote his first song at the tender age of 10. Dusty went on to be one of the most prolific and biggest-selling recording artists in Australia, with more than 100 albums and a total of 5 million in sales. He performed dozens of concerts across the nation each year, often playing with his family. He was recording his 106th album when he died at the age of 76.

GORDON JUMP ~ Died September 22, 2003
Gordon Jump was a familiar TV actor best known for his role as Arthur Carlson in "WKRP in Cincinnati", from 1978 until 1982. He also appeared in shows such as "Daniel Boone", "Get Smart", and "The Partridge Family". His most recent role was that of the Maytag repairman in ads that ran from 1989 until he retired earlier in 2003.

GEORGE PLIMPTON ~ Died September 25, 2003
Editor, writer and actor, George Plimpton, died in his sleep at the age of 76. Plimpton was best known for co-founding the Paris Review, a literary fixture for the past 50 years. His book Paper Lion, about training and playing with the Detroit Lions, was made into a movie starring Alan Alda. Plimpton was often seen on the big and small screens in his many supporting roles ranging from "Good Will Hunting" to "The Simpsons." He was working on what was expected to be the most entertaining autobiography when he passed away. It is unknown if it will ever be completed and released.

ROBERT PALMER ~ Died September 26, 2003
The singer best known for his sexy 1980’s videos, sharp suits and GQ sense of style, died of a heart attack at the age of 54. Palmer had many hit songs, but probably his most famous was “Addicted to Love”. The video to "Addicted to Love”, with its mini-skirted models strumming guitars as Palmer sang, became one of MTV's most-played clips, and sparked protests from some feminists.

ALTHEA GIBSON ~ Died September 28, 2003
Althea was best known as a sports pioneer who broke the color barrier in tennis in the 1950s. She was the first black woman to win both Wimbledon and the U.S. national title. Gibson, seriously ill for several years, died of respiratory failure at a hospital in East Orange, N.J. Her contribution to the civil rights movement was done with her tennis racket.”

DONALD O'CONNOR ~ Died September 28, 2003
Entertainer, Donald O’Connor died of heart failure at a retirement home at age of 78. He combined acrobatics and comedy for a winning combination in the movie “Singin’ in the Rain”. He was best known for films made in the 1950’s, especially his “Francis, the Talking Mule” comedies.

BILL SHOEMAKER ~ Died October 12, 2003
Legendary jockey, Bill Shoemaker died at the age of 72. Fondly known as “The Shoe”, he won over 8800 horse races, making him the second winningest jockey of all time.

JACK ELAM ~ Died October 20, 2003
A character actor and favorite Western villain who menaced good-guy cowboys with his crazy grin, menacing eyes and remorseless gun slinging, Elam died at his home in Oregon. He starred in films such as "Rawhide" and "Wichita”.

FRED BERRY ~ Died October 21, 2003
Fred was famous for playing the bulb-shaped, squeaky-voiced, red-beret-wearing Rerun on the 1970s TV sitcom "What's Happening!” He died in his Los Angeles home, apparently of natural causes.

ROD RODDY ~ Died October 27, 2003
The flamboyantly dressed announcer on television’s game show "The Price is Right" died in Los Angeles at the age of 66.. For nearly 20 years, his booming, jovial voice invited lucky audience members on the show to "Come on down!”

BOBBY HATFIELD ~ Died November 5, 2003
A musician and member of The Righteous Brothers, Bobby Hatfield died at the age of 63 of unknown causes. He and partner, Bill Medley, pioneered a special brand of rock and roll known as “blue-eyed soul”. Two of their most widely known hits were “Unchained Melody” and ”You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling”.

ARTHUR CONLEY ~ Died November 6, 2003
Arthur Conley was a musical artist best known for his 1967 hit” Sweet Soul Music”, a song he co-wrote with Otis Redding. He died at home at the age of 57 after suffering from intestinal cancer. Conley started his recording career in 1959 as leader of the group Arthur and the Corvets.

ART CARNEY ~ Died November 9, 2003
Best known for his role of Ed Norton, in 1950’s television comedy “The Honeymooners”, Art Carney died after a long illness. He received three consecutive Emmy’s for that role. He also starred in more than 25 films, including “Harry and Tonto”, which won him an Oscar.

GENE ANTHONY RAY ~ Died November 14, 2003
He was a dancer and actor, who was best known for his role on both the film and television versions of the movie “Fame”. Gene Anthony Ray died in New York of complications from a stroke he had in June and was also HIV positive, said his mother, Jean Ray.

DOROTHY LOUDON ~ Died November 15, 2003
Tony winning singer and actress, Dorothy Loudon lost her battle with cancer at the age of 70. She will be forever remembered for her 1977 Tony Award winning portrayal of the mean-spirited orphanage manager, Miss Hannagan, in Broadway’s "Annie”.

DON GIBSON ~ Died November 17, 2003
The musician, Don Gibson, who wrote and recorded country songs, including “I Can't Stop Loving You” and “Sweet Dreams”, has died. Gibson sang in a rich baritone and usually wrote about the solitude and sadness of love, earning him the nickname "the sad poet". Gibson was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001.

MICHAEL KAMEN ~ Died November 18, 2003
Grammy-winning and Oscar-nominated composer, Michael Kamen died at his London home at the age of 55. He collapsed after an apparent heart attack, according to his Los Angeles-based agent Jeff Sanderson. Kamen collaborated with a wide range of artists, from the London Philharmonic to Aerosmith, Metallica and Pink Floyd. He also provided music for the Lethal Weapon and Die Hard films.

DAVID HEMMINGS ~ Died December 3, 2003
Actor David Hemmings died of a heart attack at the age of 62. He was known best for starring in cult-1960’s films, “Blow-Up” and “Barbarella”. His latest role was opposite Sir Sean Connery in “The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen”.

ROBERT STANFIELD ~ Died December 16, 2003
The former federal Conservative leader and Nova Scotia premier, Robert Stanfield will be remembered as a man of warmth and humility. "Throughout his career, Robert Stanfield stood tall on the strength of his conviction and integrity and worked tirelessly and sincerely to improve the circumstance of his fellow citizens," Prime Minister Paul Martin said.

HOPE LANGE ~ Died December 19, 2003
Emmy-winning actress, Hope Lange died at the age of 70. She was nominated for a supporting actress Oscar for her role in the 1957 film “Peyton Place” and starred in the TV series “The Ghost and Mrs. Muir”. She was considered a great beauty who was also a serious and dedicated actress, although, she never paid attention to her own glamour.