1996: Jerry Siegel
One of the creators of Superman. (Joe Shuster, the other creator, had died in 1992.)
1997: Deng Xiaoping
1998: Pol Pot
1999: Jean Shepherd, author of the story behind A Christmas Story.
2000: Walter Matthau
2011: I think the 9/11 victims have been done, so I’ll post Joey Ramone of The Ramones.
(That should have been 2001.)
2002: Elizabeth, the Queen Mother (“Queen Mum”)
2003 Susan Travers: The only female French Foreign Legionnaire
In spite of the evidence that I should not post after midnight (I had not been drinking, or anything, really-- just a bit of insomnia and sleep deprivation):
2004: Captain Kangaroo (Bob Keeshan)
2005: Pope John Paul II
2006: Betty Friedan
2006: Betty Freidan
Poor Betty died twice…
2007: Lady Bird Johnson
2008: Gary Gygax
2009: Bea Arthur
2010 Rue McClanahan
2011: Osama bin Laden
2012: Neil Armstrong
2013: Nelson Mandela
2014: Ariel Sharon
After lingering for eight years in a coma.