From Pope Francis to Charlie Kirk, many deaths in 2025 had a wide impact

The death of Pope Francis brought change to the Catholic Church, which counts 1.4 billion adherents and is now led — for the first time — by an American pope. The fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk as he spoke before a crowd horrified many and prompted somber conversations about political violence.

And when trafficking victim Virginia Giuffre died by suicide, it brought additional scrutiny to the investigations of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. They were among the noteworthy and influential people who died in 2025 where the deaths themselves had a widespread impact.

The deaths of Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman and his wife became a source of both sadness and mystery after their bodies were found in their home in February. Authorities ultimately determined that Hackman, who was in the advanced stages of Alzheimer’s, died of heart disease, likely unaware that Betsy Arakawa had died from hantavirus a week earlier.

Meanwhile, the death of heavy metal icon Ozzy Osbourne, which came just weeks after his farewell concert, marked the end of an era in music. The year also saw the death of boxing great George Foreman, who memorably lost a much-watched match to Muhammad Ali but whose career had inspiring second and third acts as a world champion and successful business owner.

And the world said goodbye in 2025 to Dick Cheney, the hard-charging conservative whose long career in public service included becoming one of the most powerful vice presidents in U.S. history under President George W. Bush.

Here is a roll call of some influential figures who died in 2025 (cause of death cited, if available):

January

Wayne Osmond, 73. The singer and guitarist was a founding member of The Osmonds, a million-album-selling family act known for such 1970s teen hits as “One Bad Apple,” “Yo-Yo” and “Down By the Lazy River.” Jan. 1.

James Arthur Ray, 67. A self-help guru, his multimillion-dollar business toppled after his sweat lodge ceremony in Arizona left three people dead. Jan. 3.

Jean-Marie Le Pen, 96. The founder of France’s far-right National Front was known for fiery rhetoric against immigration and multiculturalism, earning him staunch support and widespread condemnation. Jan. 7.

Peter Yarrow, 86. The singer-songwriter was best known as one-third of Peter, Paul and Mary, the folk music trio whose impassioned harmonies transfixed millions as they lifted their voices in favor of civil rights and against war. Jan. 7.

Nancy Leftenant-Colon, 104. The first Black woman to join the U.S. Army Nurse Corps after the military was desegregated in the 1940s retired as a major and was remembered by relatives and friends for quietly breaking down racial barriers during her long military career. Jan. 8.

Sam Moore, 89. He was the higher voice of the 1960s duo Sam & Dave, known for such definitive hits of the era as “Soul Man” and “Hold On, I’m Comin.’” Jan. 10.

David Lynch, 78. The filmmaker was celebrated for his uniquely dark and dreamlike vision in such movies as “Blue Velvet” and “Mulholland Drive,” and the TV series “Twin Peaks.” Jan. 16.

Bob Uecker, 90. He parlayed a forgettable playing career into a punch line for movie and TV appearances as “Mr. Baseball” and a Hall of Fame broadcasting tenure. Jan. 16.

Joan Plowright, 95. She was an award-winning British actor who, with her late husband Laurence Olivier, did much to revitalize the U.K.’s theatrical scene after World War II. Jan. 16.

Cecile Richards, 67. A national advocate for abortion access and women’s rights, she led Planned Parenthood for 12 tumultuous years. Jan. 20.

Mauricio Funes, 65. After serving as president of El Salvador, he spent the final years of his life in Nicaragua to avoid various criminal sentences. Jan. 21.

Garth Hudson, 87. The Band’s virtuoso keyboardist and all-around musician drew from a unique palette of sounds and styles to add a conversational touch to such rock standards as “Up on Cripple Creek,” “The Weight” and “Rag Mama Rag.” Jan. 21.

Dick Button, 95. He was one of the most accomplished men’s figure skaters in history, and one of his sport’s great innovators and promoters. Jan. 30.

Marianne Faithfull, 78. The British pop star, muse, libertine and old soul inspired and helped write some of the Rolling Stones’ greatest songs and endured as a torch singer and survivor of the lifestyle she once embodied. Jan. 30.

February

Horst Köhler, 81. A managing director of the International Monetary Fund, he became a popular German president before stunning the country by resigning abruptly in a flap over comments about its military. Feb. 1.

The Aga Khan, 88. He became the spiritual leader of the world’s millions of Ismaili Muslims at age 20 as a Harvard undergraduate and poured billions of dollars in tithes into building homes, hospitals and schools in developing countries. Feb. 4.

Irv Gotti, 54. A music mogul who founded Murder Inc. Records, he was behind major hip-hop and R&B artists such as Ashanti and Ja Rule. Feb. 5.

Tony Roberts, 85. The versatile, Tony Award-nominated performer in plays and musicals appeared in several Woody Allen movies — often as Allen’s best friend. Feb. 7.

Gene Hackman, 95. The Oscar-winning actor whose studied portraits ranged from reluctant heroes to conniving villains and made him one of the industry’s most respected and honored performers. Feb. 18. Found dead with his wife Betsy Arakawa.

Paquita la del Barrio, 77. The Mexican musical legend was known for her powerful voice and fierce defense of women. Feb. 17.

Clint Hill, 93. The Secret Service agent leaped onto the back of President John F. Kennedy’s limousine after the president was shot, then was forced to retire early because he remained haunted by memories of the assassination. Feb. 21.

Roberta Flack, 88. The Grammy-winning singer and pianist's intimate vocal and musical style made her one of the top recording artists of the 1970s and an influential performer long after that. Feb. 24.

Michelle Trachtenberg, 39. A former child star in the hit 1996 movie “Harriet the Spy,” she went on to co-star in two buzzy millennial-era TV shows — “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Gossip Girl.” The cause and manner of her death were officially listed as undetermined. Feb. 26.

Boris Spassky, 88. A Soviet-era world chess champion, he lost his title to American Bobby Fischer in a legendary 1972 match that became a proxy for Cold War rivalries. Feb. 27.

March

Angie Stone, 63. The Grammy-nominated R&B singer, a member of the all-female hip-hop trio The Sequence who was known for the hit song “Wish I Didn’t Miss You,” died when her van crashed. March 1.

Lincoln Diaz-Balart, 70. He was a Cuban American who opposed his uncle Fidel Castro and spent 18 years in the U.S. House of Representatives as a member of a politically powerful South Florida family. March 3.

Carl Dean, 82. Dolly Parton’s devoted husband of nearly 60 years avoided the spotlight and inspired her timeless hit “Jolene.” March 3.

Roy Ayers, 84. The jazz vibraphonist, keyboardist, composer and vocalist was known for his spacy, funky 1976 hit “Everybody Loves the Sunshine,” sampled by R&B and rap heavyweights. March 4.

D’Wayne Wiggins, 64. He co-founded the Grammy-nominated group Tony! Toni! Tone! behind the classic songs “Anniversary,” “It Never Rains (In Southern California)” and (Lay Your Head on My) Pillow.” March 7.

Alan Simpson, 93. The former U.S. senator was a political legend whose quick wit bridged partisan gaps in the years before today’s political acrimony. March 14.

Nita Lowey, 87. The former congresswoman was a long-serving New York Democrat and the first woman to chair the powerful House Appropriations Committee. March 15.

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George Foreman, 76. The fearsome heavyweight boxer lost the “Rumble in the Jungle” to Muhammad Ali before his inspiring second and third acts as a 45-year-old world champion and a successful business owner. March 21.

Kitty Dukakis, 88. The wife of former Massachusetts governor and Democratic presidential candidate Michael Dukakis spoke openly about her struggles with depression and addiction. March 21.

Mia Love, 49. A daughter of Haitian immigrants, the first Black Republican woman elected to Congress died of brain cancer. March 23.

Richard Chamberlain, 90. The handsome hero of the 1960s television series “Dr. Kildare” came out as gay four decades later and was known as the “king of the miniseries” for his roles in “The Thorn Birds” and “Shogun.” March 29.

April

Val Kilmer, 65. The brooding, versatile actor who played fan favorite Iceman in “Top Gun,” donned a voluminous cape as Batman in “Batman Forever” and portrayed Jim Morrison in “The Doors,” died of pneumonia. April 1.

Theodore McCarrick, 94. The formerly powerful Catholic cardinal was defrocked by Pope Francis in 2019 after a Vatican investigation determined he had molested adults and children. April 3.

Jay North, 73. He starred as the towheaded mischief-maker on TV’s “Dennis the Menace” for four seasons starting in 1959. April 6.

Clem Burke, 70. His versatile drumming propelled the iconic rock group Blondie during its decades performing everything from new-wave punk to disco-infused tunes. April 6.

Mario Vargas Llosa, 89. The Peruvian author was a Nobel literature laureate and a giant of Latin American letters. April 13.

Wink Martindale, 91. The genial host of such hit game shows as “Gambit” and “Tic-Tac-Dough” also did one of the first recorded television interviews with a young Elvis Presley. April 15.

Pope Francis, 88. History’s first Latin American pontiff charmed the world with his humble style and concern for poor people but alienated conservatives with critiques of capitalism and climate change. April 21.

Virginia Giuffre, 41. She accused Britain’s Prince Andrew and other influential men of sexually exploiting her as a teenager trafficked by financier Jeffrey Epstein. An advocate for sex trafficking survivors after emerging as a central figure in Epstein’s downfall, she died by suicide according to her publicist. April 25.

May

Ruth Buzzi, 88. She rose to fame as the frumpy and bitter Gladys Ormphby on the groundbreaking sketch comedy series “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In” and made more than 200 television appearances during a 45-year career. May 1.

Jill Sobule, 66. The award-winning singer-songwriter whose witty and poignant writing attracted widespread attention with the gay-themed song “I Kissed a Girl,” died in a house fire. May 1.

George Ryan, 91. A tough-on-crime Republican who as Illinois governor cleared the state's death row, he was disgraced by a corruption scandal that landed him in prison. May 2.

David Souter, 85. The retired Supreme Court justice was an ascetic bachelor and New Hampshire Republican who became a favorite of liberals during nearly 20 years on the bench. May 8.

Johnny Rodriguez, 73. The country music star was a popular Mexican American singer whose 1970s hits included “I Just Can’t Get Her Out of My Mind,” “Ridin’ My Thumb to Mexico” and “That’s the Way Love Goes.” May 9.

George Wendt, 76. An actor with an everyman charm, he played the affable barfly Norm on the hit 1980s TV comedy “Cheers” and performed on Broadway in “Art,” “Hairspray” and “Elf.” May 20.

Phil Robertson, 79. The “Duck Dynasty” patriarch turned his small duck-calling interest in the sportsman’s paradise of northern Louisiana into a big business and conservative cultural phenomenon. May 25.

Charles Rangel, 94. The former New York congressman was an outspoken, gravel-voiced Harlem Democrat spent nearly five decades on Capitol Hill and was a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus. May 26.

Bernard Kerik, 69. He served as New York City’s police commissioner on 9/11 and later pleaded guilty to tax fraud before being pardoned. May 29.

Loretta Swit, 87. She won two Emmy Awards playing Maj. Margaret Houlihan, the demanding head nurse of a Korean War surgical unit on the pioneering hit TV series “M.A.S.H.” May 30.

June

Sly Stone, 82. The revolutionary musician and dynamic showman led Sly and the Family Stone, transforming popular music in the 1960s and ’70s and beyond with such hits as “Everyday People,” “Stand!” and “Family Affair.” June 9.

Frederick Forsyth, 86. The British author wrote “The Day of the Jackal” and other bestselling thrillers. June 9.

Brian Wilson, 82. The Beach Boys’ visionary and fragile leader whose genius for melody, arrangements and wide-eyed self-expression inspired “Good Vibrations,” “California Girls” and other summertime anthems, becoming one of the world’s most influential recording artists. June 11.

Ananda Lewis, 52. The former MTV and BET host who became a beloved television personality in the 1990s with her warmth and authenticity died of breast cancer. June 11.

Anne Burrell, 55. The TV chef coached culinary fumblers through hundreds of episodes of “Worst Cooks in America.” June 17.

Mick Ralphs, 81. The guitarist, singer and songwriter was a founding member of the classic British rock bands Bad Company and Mott the Hoople. June 23.

Bobby Sherman, 81. His winsome smile and shaggy mop top helped make him into a teen idol in the 1960s and ’70s with bubblegum pop hits like “Little Woman” and “Julie, Do Ya Love Me.” June 24.

July

Jimmy Swaggart, 90. The televangelist amassed an enormous following and multimillion-dollar ministry, only to be undone by his penchant for prostitutes. July 1.

Michael Madsen, 67. The actor best known for his coolly menacing, steely-eyed, often sadistic characters in the films of Quentin Tarantino, including “Reservoir Dogs” and “Kill Bill: Vol. 2.” July 3.

Connie Francis, 87. The wholesome pop star's 1950s and ’60s hits included “Pretty Little Baby” and “Who’s Sorry Now?” — the latter serving as an ironic title for a personal life filled with heartbreak and tragedy. July 16.

Alan Bergman, 99. The Oscar-winning lyricist teamed with his wife, Marilyn, in a loving partnership that produced “How Do You Keep the Music Playing?,” “It Might Be You” and the classic “The Way We Were.” July 17.

Malcolm-Jamal Warner, 54. His 40-year career as an actor and director began as teenage son Theo Huxtable on “The Cosby Show,” a cultural phenomenon that helped define the 1980s. He drowned in the Caribbean Sea. July 20.

Ozzy Osbourne, 76. The gloomy, demon-invoking lead singer of the pioneering band Black Sabbath became the godfather of heavy metal and then a doddering dad on reality TV. July 22.

Chuck Mangione, 84. The two-time Grammy Award-winning musician achieved international success in 1977 with his jazz-flavored single “Feels So Good” and later became a voice actor on the animated TV comedy “King of the Hill.” July 22.

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Hulk Hogan, 71. The mustachioed, bicep-busting icon of professional wrestling turned the sport into a massive business and stretched his influence into TV, pop culture and conservative politics during a long and scandal-plagued second act. July 24.

Ryne Sandberg, 65. The Hall of Fame second baseman became one of baseball’s best all-around players while starring for the Chicago Cubs. July 28.

August

Jeannie Seely, 85. She was the soulful country music singer behind such standards as “Don’t Touch Me.” Aug. 1.

Loni Anderson, 79. She played a struggling radio station’s empowered receptionist on the hit TV comedy “WKRP in Cincinnati.” Aug. 3.

James Lovell, 97. The commander of Apollo 13 helped turn a failed moon mission into a triumph of on-the-fly can-do engineering. Aug. 7.

Tristan Rogers, 79. He played super spy Robert Scorpio on ABC’s “General Hospital.” Aug. 15.

Terence Stamp, 87. The British actor often played the role of a complex villain, including that of General Zod in the early Superman films. Aug. 17.

James Dobson, 89. Founder of the conservative Christian ministry Focus on the Family, the child psychologist was a politically influential campaigner against abortion and LGBTQ+ rights. Aug. 21.

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September

Graham Greene, 73. A trailblazing Indigenous actor, his long career included an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Kicking Bird in “Dances with Wolves.” Sept. 1.

Giorgio Armani, 91. The iconic Italian designer turned the concept of understated elegance into a multibillion-dollar fashion empire. Sept. 4.

Polly Holliday, 88. The Tony Award-nominated screen and stage actor turned the catchphrase “Kiss my grits!” into a national retort as the gum-chewing, beehive-wearing server on the long-running CBS sitcom “Alice.” Sept. 9.

Charlie Kirk, 31. Rising from a teenage conservative campus activist to a top podcaster and ally of President Donald Trump, he was fatally shot during an appearance at a college in Utah. Sept. 10.

Bobby Hart, 86. The songwriter was a key part of the Monkees’ multimedia empire, teaming with Tommy Boyce on such hits as “Last Train to Clarksville” and “I’m Not Your Steppin’ Stone.” Sept. 10.

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Robert Redford, 89. The Hollywood golden boy became an Oscar-winning director, liberal activist and godfather for independent cinema under the name of one of his best-loved characters. Sept. 16.

Brett James, 57. The Grammy award-winning country songwriter whose top hits included “Jesus, Take the Wheel” by Carrie Underwood and “When the Sun Goes Down” by Kenny Chesney died in a plane crash. Sept. 18.

Sonny Curtis, 88. A vintage rock ‘n’ roller, he wrote the raw classic “I Fought the Law” and posed the enduring question “Who can turn the world on with her smile?” as the writer-crooner of the theme song to “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.” Sept. 19.

Sara Jane Moore, 95. She was imprisoned for more than 30 years after she made an unsuccessful attempt to assassinate President Gerald Ford in 1975. Sept. 24.

Assata Shakur, 78. The Black liberation activist was given political asylum in Cuba after her 1979 escape from a U.S. prison where she had been serving a life sentence for killing a law enforcement officer. Sept. 25.

Russell M. Nelson, 101. He was the oldest-ever president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Sept. 27.

October

Jane Goodall, 91. The conservationist was renowned for her groundbreaking chimpanzee field research and globe-spanning environmental advocacy. Oct. 1.

Jilly Cooper, 88. The bestselling British author chronicled class and sex in risqué novels, including “Rivals” and “Riders.” Oct. 5.

Diane Keaton, 79. The Oscar-winning star's quirky manner and emotional depth enthralled fans in movies including “Annie Hall,” “The Godfather” films and “Father of the Bride.” Oct. 11.

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D’Angelo, 51. The Grammy-winning R&B singer recognized by his raspy yet smooth voice and for garnering mainstream attention with the shirtless “Untitled (How Does It Feel)” music video died of cancer. Oct. 14.

Ace Frehley, 74. The original lead guitarist and founding member of the glam-rock band Kiss captivated audiences with his elaborate galactic makeup and smoking guitar. Oct. 16.

Susan Stamberg, 87. The “founding mother” of National Public Radio was the first female broadcaster to host a national news program. Oct. 16.

Chen Ning Yang, 103. The Chinese Nobel Prize-winning physicist was one of the most influential scientists in modern physics. Oct. 18.

Daniel Naroditsky, 29. The chess grandmaster who started as a child prodigy quickly became one of the most influential American voices in the sport. His cause of death was not made public. Oct. 20.

June Lockhart, 100. She became a mother figure for a generation of television viewers, whether at home in “Lassie” or “Lost in Space.” Oct. 23.

November

Dick Cheney, 84. The hard-charging conservative was a leading advocate for invading Iraq as one of the most powerful and polarizing vice presidents in U.S. history. Years later, he became a critic and target of President Donald Trump. Nov. 3.

Diane Ladd, 89. The actor was nominated three times for Academy Awards, as the brash waitress in “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore,” the scheming parent in “Wild at Heart” and her role with daughter Laura Dern in “Rambling Rose.” Nov. 3.

James D. Watson, 97. His co-discovery of the twisted-ladder structure of DNA in 1953 helped light the long fuse on a revolution in medicine, crime fighting, genealogy and ethics. Nov. 6.

Sally Kirkland, 84. The stage, film and TV actor was best known for sharing the screen with Paul Newman and Robert Redford in “The Sting” and her Oscar-nominated title role in the 1987 movie “Anna.” Nov. 11.

Todd Snider, 59. The singer's thoughtfully freewheeling tunes and cosmic-stoner songwriting made him a beloved figure in American roots music. Nov. 14.

Jimmy Cliff, 81. The charismatic reggae pioneer and actor starred in the landmark movie “The Harder They Come” and preached joy, defiance and resilience in such classics as “Many Rivers to Cross,” “You Can Get it If You Really Want” and “Vietnam.” Nov. 24.

Fuzzy Zoeller, 74. One of golf’s most gregarious characters, the two-time major champion's career was tainted by a racially insensitive joke about Tiger Woods. Nov. 27.

Tom Stoppard, 88. The British playwright was a playful, probing dramatist who won an Academy Award for his screenplay for 1998’s “Shakespeare In Love.” Nov. 29.

December

Steve Cropper, 84. A lean, soulful guitarist and songwriter, he helped anchor the celebrated Memphis backing band Booker T. and the M.G.’s at Stax Records and co-wrote the classics “Green Onions,” ”(Sittin’ on) the Dock of the Bay” and “In the Midnight Hour.” Dec. 3.

Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, 75. A Tokyo-born actor, he was known for his roles in the film “Mortal Kombat” and the TV series “The Man in the High Castle.” Dec. 4.

Frank Gehry, 96. He designed some of most imaginative buildings ever constructed and achieved a level of worldwide acclaim seldom afforded any architect. Dec. 5.

Raul Malo, 60. He was the soulful tenor and frontman of the genre-defying, Grammy-winning band The Mavericks. Dec. 8.

Sophie Kinsella, 55. Her effervescent rom-com “Confessions of a Shopaholic” sparked a millions-selling series. She died after being diagnosed with brain cancer. Dec. 10.

Rob Reiner, 78. The son of a comedy giant who became one himself as one of the preeminent filmmakers of his generation with movies such as “The Princess Bride,” “When Harry Met Sally …” and “This Is Spinal Tap,” he was fatally stabbed along with his wife Michele Singer Reiner in their home. Dec. 14.

Gil Gerard, 82. He played television’s hunky sci-fi hero William “Buck” Rogers soon after the Star Wars franchise took hold in the late 1970s. Dec. 16.

Peter Arnett, 91. He was the Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter who spent decades dodging bullets and bombs to bring the world eyewitness accounts of war from the rice paddies of Vietnam to the deserts of Iraq. Dec. 17.

Greg Biffle, 55. Picked by NASCAR as one of its top 75 drivers in history, the Hall of Fame nominee was killed in a small jet crash. Dec. 18.

Jeffrey R. Holland, 85. The high-ranking official in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who led a governing body called the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and was next in line to become the faith’s president. Dec. 27.

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Brigitte Bardot, 91. The French 1960s sex symbol who became one of the greatest screen sirens of the 20th century and later a militant animal rights activist and far-right supporter. Dec. 28