Deaths Date 2015 December | History by KabAstro

Scott Weiland (1967-2015)

Dec 3 American rock singer-songwrite (Stone Temple Pilots; Velvet Revolver), dies of an accidental drug overdose at 48

Dec 4 Rodney Milne [Blumer], British opera critic (Opera magazine, 1971-99), musicologist, and libretto translator, dies at 79
Dec 4 Salvatore "Robert" Loggia, American actor (Jagged Edge, Big, Officer & a Gentleman, Scarface), dies of complications from Alzheimer's disease at 85
Dec 5 Marília Pêra, Brazilian actress (Better Days Ahead, Pixote), dies of lung cancer at 72
Dec 6 Holly Woodlawn, transgender Puerto Rican actress (Warhol films), dies at 69
Dec 6 Nicholas Smith, English actor (Are You Being Served?), dies at 81
Dec 6 Tony Gomez, British rock keyboardist (The Foundations - "Baby Now That I've Found You"; "Build Me Up Buttercup"), dies at 76
Dec 8 Bonnie Lou [Mary Joan Okum] American rockabilly musician ("Tennessee Mambo"), dies at 91
Dec 8 Mattiwilda Dobbs, American soprano, dies at 90
Dec 9 Gheorghe Gruia, Romanian handball player, dies at 75

Dolph Schayes (1928-2015)

Dec 10 American basketball Hall of Famer (Syracuse Nationals/Philadelphia 76ers, 1948-63) and coach (76ers, 1963-66; Buffalo Braves, 1970-72) and coach, dies of cancer at 87

Dec 11 John "Hot Rod" Williams, American NBA center/forward (Phoenix Suns), dies of cancer at 53
Dec 14 Lillian Vernon, American founder and CEO of the Lillian Vernon Corporation (first company listed on US stock exchange started by a woman), dies at 88
Dec 15 Ken Pogue, Canadian actor (Adderly, Katts and Dog), dies of cancer at 81
Dec 16 Aafje Heynis, Dutch singer (contralto), dies at 91
Dec 16 Peter Dickinson, British poet and author (Heartsease; City of Gold), dies on his 88th birthday
Dec 18 Luc Brewaeys, Belgian pianist, conductor, and composer, dies of cancer at 56
Dec 19 Douglas Dick, American actor and psychologist (Rope, Waterfront), dies at 95
Dec 19 Kurt Masur, German conductor (Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, 1970-96; New York Philharmonic, 1991-2002; London Philharmonic, 2000-07), dies from complications of Parkinson's disease at 88
Dec 20 Patricia Elliott, American actress (Renee-Empire, One Life to Live), dies at 77
Dec 21 David Emms, British educator (London Goodenough Trust), dies at 90
Dec 22 Carson Van Osten, American power pop-rock bassist (Nazz - "Open My Eyes", "Hello It's Me), and comic strip artist (Disney), dies at 70
Dec 22 Derek Ezra [Baron Ezra], British politician, Liberal Democrat Life Peer and coal executive (Chairman of National Coal Board), dies at 96
Dec 23 Alfred G. Gilman, American scientist (1994 Nobel Prize for G-protein discoveries), dies at 74
Dec 24 William Guest, American singer (Gladys Knight Show), dies at 74
Dec 27 (Meadow) "Meadowlark" Lemon, American basketball star (Harlem Globetrotters, 1955-80, 1990, and 3 other teams), and clergyman, dies at 83
Dec 27 Andy M. Stewart, Scottish musician and composer (Silly Wizard), dies at 63
Dec 27 Haskell Wexler, American cinematographer and director, dies at 93
Dec 27 Stein Eriksen, Norwegian alpine skier (first Olympic giant slalom gold 1952), dies at 88
Dec 27 Stevie Wright, British-born Australian singer with the Easybeats ("Friday On My Mind"), dies at 68
Dec 28 Ian Murdock, German-born American computer programmer (Debian project, Progeny Linux Systems), dies at 42
Dec 28 John "Brad" Bradbury, British ska drummer and record producer (The Specials), dies at 62
Dec 28 Lemmy [Ian Fraser Kilmister], British heavy metal musician (Motörhead), dies from terminal illness at 70
Dec 28 Paul "Guru" Josh, British musician (Infinity), commits suicide at 51
Dec 29 Allen Sapp, Canadian Cree artist, dies at 87 [1]
Dec 29 Elzbieta Krzesinska, Polish long jumper (Olympic gold 1956), dies at 76
Dec 29 Frank Malzone, American MLB player (Boston Red Sox), dies at 85
Dec 30 Donald Barron, Scottish accountant and CEO (Midland Bank), dies at 94
Dec 30 Doug Atkins, American College/Pro Football HOF defensive end (Uni of Tennessee; NFL C'ship 1954, 63; First-team All-Pro 1963; 8×Pro Bowl; Cleveland Browns, Chicago Bears, NO Saints), dies at 85
Dec 30 Howard Davis Jr., American boxer (Olympic gold lightweight 1976), dies from lung cancer at 59
Dec 31 Beth Howland, American actress (Vera - Alice, Company), dies at 74
Dec 31 Dal Richards, Canadian musician, bandmaster and composer (discovered Michael Bublé), dies at 96 [1]

Natalie Cole (1950-2015)

Dec 31 American Grammy Award-winning pop vocalist ('This Will Be"; "Pink Cadillac"; "Miss You Like Crazy"; "Unforgettable"), dies of heart failure at 65