17 Celebrities We Lost In 2016

 

8. Joe Alaskey (April 17, 1952 – February 3, 2016)

Voice actors are often underrated and underappreciated yet they are responsible for making countless childhoods happy through iconic cartoon characters. As one of Mel Blanc’s successors at Warner Bros. Animation, Joe Alaskey voiced none other than Bugs Bunny.

Apart from the company’s mascot, Alaskey also voiced several other iconic cartoon characters such as Daffy Duck, Yosemite Sam, Elmer Fudd, Marvin the Martian, Tweety Bird, Sylvester the Cat, Droopy Dog, etc.

 

7. Yasutaro Koide (March 13, 1903 – January 19, 2016)

Even the oldest living man in the world had to die someday. Yasutaro Koide was born several months before the Wright Brothers made their first successful flight and lived for 112 years, 10 months, and 6 days. At age 110, Koide could still eat without dentures and read newspapers without glasses.

Hailing from Japan, when asked about the secret to long life, Koide recommended abstaining from smoking and alcohol and said that “the best thing is to not overdo”. Dying because of pneumonia and heart failure, the world’s oldest living man finally got the chance to rest in peace.

 

6. Glenn Frey (November 6, 1948 – January 18, 2016)

As one of the founding members of the rock band Eagles, Glenn Frey was a true legend in the music industry and rocked like no tomorrow. Selling more than 120 million albums worldwide and being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Frey will truly be missed.

Dying at the age of 67 because of pneumonia, acute ulcerative colitis, and rheumatoid arthritis while recovering from intestinal surgery, the iconic band will never be the same again.

 

5. Frank Sinatra Jr. (January 10, 1944 – March 16, 2016)

Having big shoes to fill, Frank Sinatra Jr. knew that:

“a famous father means that in order to prove yourself, you have to work three times harder than the guy off the street.”

Performed in 30 countries, the chip off the old block made quite a career for himself. At the age of 72, Sinatra Jr. tragically died from cardiac arrest while touring in Dayton Beach, Florida.

 

4. René Angélil (January 16, 1942 – January 14, 2016)

After having minimal success as a musician, René Angélil moved on to managing artists and became best known as the manager of Canadian pop singer Celine Dion. After two marriages, Angélil was ready for a third one and eventually tied the knot with her best client Dion.

The two met for the first time when she was 12 and despite the age difference of 26 years, their marriage was a successful one, and had two twin boys. Winning the Félix Award for Manager of the Year two times, the musician-turned-manager passed away at age 73 from throat cancer.

 

3. Pat Harrington, Jr. (August 13, 1929 – January 6, 2016)

Following his father’s footsteps, Pat Harrington, Jr. entered the entertainment industry and never looked back. Though he earned a master’s degree in political sciences and even served in the United States Air Force, acting was his true calling.

Best known for his role as Superintendent Schneider on the CBS sitcom One Day at a Time, the actor won a Golden Globe Award and a Primetime Emmy Award. Dying at the age of 86, Harrington, Jr. became a victim of Alzheimer’s disease and was survived by his four children.

 

2. Alan Rickman (February 21, 1946 – January 14, 2016)

Potter Heads had their hearts broken when it was found out that English actor Alan Rickman passed away due to pancreatic cancer. As Professor Severus Snape, the man was not your ordinary potions master or Defence Against Dark Arts master.

Snape was intimidating as they come and to the very end of the Harry Potter franchise, always left the viewers wondering whether he was a good guy or a bad guy.

Described as “a gift of a character” by author JK Rowling, Snape was an amazing character and Rickman’s acting abilities are the reason behind his popularity. Also notable for his work in Love Actually and Die Hard, Rickman was indeed taken too soon.

 

1. David Bowie (January 8, 1947 – January 10, 2016)

As an innovator, David Bowie merged art and glam rock together in his performances. With a career that spanned more than five decades, fans were brought to tears when the musician died from an 18-month battle with liver cancer.

With a legacy like no other, Bowie was a pioneer of glam rock and has been one of the most influential musicians in the music industry.

Whether Bowie was rocking on the stage all by himself or whether he was collaborating with fellow musicians like Queen, Iggy Pop, or Mick Jagger, the musician always left people wanting for more.

Did we miss any of the celebrities we lost in 2016 that should have been part of this list? Please let us know in the comments below!