It can only be a matter of time at her age (163) of course, but last I read she was making astonishing recovery from her most recent crop of strokes. Things are really nasty between her daughter and husband, though, over Z’s money.
Bea Arthur
Stephe96, yes, the production of Faust happened, twice, but never made it to NYC. A Kennedy Center production in '98 also fell through. It was a delightful, fascinating, mess of a show. It helped that I am a diehard David Garrison fan and, as he told me when I met him at the stage door of TITANIC, it’s probably the favorite show he’s done. He made a simply adroable Lucifer (Lucky to his friends, Lucy to his enemies) although he does need a better webmaster. 
Anyway, I’ll also miss Shatner and Nimoy, it’ll be like the last Beatle dying.
:smack: He’s also adorable. You felt so sorry for him at the end of the show (which in production ended with the defeated Lucky and the Lord reprising ‘Can’t Keep a Good Man Down’, ‘Happy Ending’ being part of a Walpurgisnacht-scene with Lucifer and Faust in Vegas). </hijack>
One of the best things about this board is the number of kindred souls for loopy people like me. Much of ny grieving has already taken place.
I was crushed by the losses of Carl Sagan and Frank Zappa the most.
At the end of Billions and Billions, Sagan’s last book, there is an Epilogue penned by his wife:
I was certainly one of those awakened.
Vonnegut easily tops my list of anguishes to come. I got to spend 5 minutes with him one-on-one several years ago - it was an experience I’ll always treasure.
And odd as it sounds, I know I’ll deeply mourn Robert Fripp someday.
For what it’s worth, this would have been my father’s 75th birthday today. We still miss you, Dad.
I’ll mourn for:
Michael Caine
Matt Groening
Martin Scorsese
Gene Wilder
Clint Eastwood
Stephen Hawking (even though he doesn’t belong in this forum)
Anthony Hopkins
Like AuntiePam, no women. I was sad to learn of Anne Bancroft’s death, but almost heart broken when Peter Jennings died. Most of my favorite women are already gone.
Why not? Although primarily a scientist, he’s also written several books, and “authors” was one of the categories mentioned by the OP.
For me, it’ll be Gordon Lightfoot. I’ve long enjoyed his music, but never managed to attend one of his concerts. He was in the hospital for a while, but has begun touring again. From what I’ve heard, his voice has deteriorated, so now I’m not sure I’d want to see him were he to perform in Indiana. Then again, I’d be among fellow Lightfoot fans as we paid some small measure of tribute to the man while he was still alive to appreciate the applause. I’ll certainly miss him once he’s gone.
When Ozzy goes I’ll probably be a wreck for a week. That might sound odd but I’m a musician due to hearing Blizzard of Ozz when I was 11. I can’t imagine life without my music and he is the one who got me started.
If something happened to Steve Morse (guitarist in The Dixie Dregs/The Dregs, The Steve Morse Band, Deep Purple, and about a million other albums) I know I’d freak. Not only is he a hell of a guitarist/song writer but he is a heck of a nice guy as well.
I’ll probably be upset when Stephen King goes as well.
Jodie Foster. Gah. Don’t even want to think about it. Same with Gillian Anderson.
When Richard Feynman died I was pretty upset. He falls into this category due to his books. “Surely You’re Joking Mr Feynman” is one of my all time favorites.
Slee
Tom Jones. Hush, you, don’t laugh. He has meant a lot to me for most of my life. When he dies, I’m going to be a basket case. I don’t know if I could go to work or not.
When I was nine, my mother and future step-father went out of town on a date, and left me with an adult friend. As a present for being good, they brought me—a Tom Jones album.
Author Ray Bradbury, who just celebrated his 85th birthday this month. He’s already survived one stroke.
Lordy , that is hard . There are so many I admire and enjoy the work of .
Those already gone : John Wayne . He was an icon . I still love his work . When my favorite wrestler Brian Pillman died , my world as I knew it changed . I was heart-sick , and I have not watched pro wrestling since his memorial service . John Denver . I loved loved loved his music . Princess Diana . I cried and cried .
Yet to go : Carol Burnette , she is a part of my childhood . Any one of the Monkees - ditto . (especially Peter Tork , my first full-blown crush) Keith Urban (My current crush/mid-life crisis) . Betty White . I just adore her !
Hey? You too? Me too! And we both wear hats. Whoa! 
I will definitely bow my head for a moment of silence the day Sonny passes, for the same reason you said: he is about the last of a great generation.
FWIW, I felt a special pang this past month when we lost Lucky Thompson and Spud Murphy. But it was muted by both of them being inactive for so long (Murphy teaching theory instead of arranging, and Thompson slowly losing his mind).
I’m going to miss Harlan Ellison. Cranky old bastard. Learned a lot from him.
Elton John. I will be a basket case.
For authors, I will weep when Lawrence Ferlinghetti shuffles off this mortal coil. Also John Irving, Seamus Heaney, and John Varley. They still have a lot of years left in them (I hope), but Ferlinghetti is in his 80’s. Add Octavia Butler to the list.
I don’t get attached to actors, for some reason.
I won’t mention Winston O’Boogie Woogie either. 
Hey AutiePam, please reread my post, you snipped out the Phrase
He is my favorite living author.
You took mine! That will be a very black day indeed.
Stephen King and Barry Manilow (shut up!) will also be hard for me. What about Pee-Wee and Weird Al? That’s going to make me feel old.
Seeker74, the thought of Gene Wilder dying nearly stopped my heart.
Already gone: James Herriot, Jim Henson, Mr. Rogers, Karen Carpenter, Jim Croce.
I was a basket case when Evan Hunter/Ed McBain died last month. My mother was a huge fan, and I’ve always had Hunter in my life.
John Lennon really strung me out, both because he was JOHN LENNON, and the idiocy of his assasscin.
Of course, I’ll freak when either brother Lloyd Webber dies (Julian or Andrew). I’ve invested a lot of time, money, and spirit in them.
Folksinger Tom Paxton. Never really famous, but consistantly good.
Johnny Cash has already gone. The rest, I will accept.
Here are a few of mine:
Clint Eastwood. Losing Josey Wales would be tough.
Andy Griffith. and Don Knotts. I’ll get a little lump in my throat when these guys go. They gave me a lot of laughs.
Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.
Mick Jones. Joe Strummer was a shock. I hope his bandmate sticks around a long while.
On the country side, George Jones, Earl Scruggs and Loretta Lynn.
Any of the R.E.M. members. Their music was a big part of my college years.
Barbara Eden. The stuff of youthful dreams.