. . . At which Eve settles back to tell everyone about how she saw Lincoln’s funeral cortege pass by her house . . .
William Gibson will bother me.
Had it not been announced about his condition, Warren Zevon. Since the word got out, though, I think I’ll be prepared when it happens.
Joey and DeeDee Ramone made me really sad.
Terry Pratchett will leave a big hole.
Slightly converse to topic, but:
It’s not nice to say, but I always detested Diana, and I was much more upset by the pomp and cannonization that followed her death than the death itself.
I was 9 or 10 when Lennon was killed, and I remember being very bothered by it. Having grown up, though, I still hate the senselessness of his death, but I’m not really bothered by the fact that he’s gone, given what sanctimonious and egomaniacal asses both he and Paul turned out to be. it did make me sad when George died, though; he always appeared to me the sanest and most talented of the group.
Uncle Shelby’s passing got to me a bit. What other children’s book author was also a regular at the Playboy mansion? 
John Lee Hooker was a milestone for me. He was the last of the old time Mississippi bluesmen and I was fortunate to have seen him perform a couple of years before. Hard to say who will effect me in the future but I’m thinking Elizabeth Taylor.
I don’t normally make a big thing about getting upset about famous people, but I guess that when anybody out of REM dies, I wil be pretty devastated. Actually I would be for the surviving Byrds too…I wasn’t into them when Gene and Mike died (only other Byrds enthusiasts will know who they are!heh) and of course I wasn’t even born when Gram died…
I was 8 when John Lennon died, and I had no idea who he was (I had a couple of versions of Beatles songs on my Pinky and Perky album, but the fact of the Beatles’ existence had not penetrated my 8 year old world) I was like ‘who is this bloke they’re going mad about?’ I must have been the only person alive who was mystified about that! (apart from infants I guess!)
I haven’t cared about any celebrity death since Jim Henson, Douglas Adams, and Michael Hutchence died.
When Phil Hartman was murdered by his wife I was in shock for days. A great, great talent.
Even though I had heard their decline, when Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon went to their rewards, I felt that the entertaining world had just lost a couple of truly bright stars.
Chris Farley and John Belushi, so damned funny, such a waste.
I think when Kate Hepburn goes, it will be the door closing on an era of Hollywood we shant never see again.
I would be irritated if JK Rowling died before she had finished her books, but i wouldnt cry (only girly men and guys who just had their ears torn off can cry).
Same with Terry pratchett, George RR Martin. Maybe Stephen Hawking too.
I wonder what would happen if JK Rowling did die. Would her publishers say they found her notes on the plot, and give the story to someone else? Or just let it go?
when iwas reading all of these posts, jk rowling was a big one in my head. i don’t know if i’d cry. but she does have outlines of the rest of the books, so it is possible that they’d release them, although i suppose in the end it would be up to the family?
peter jackson and any cast member in the lotr movies. especially ian mckellan.
beyond those, i don’t know…
As a fan of auto racing, and knowing the dangers involved, hearing that a driver has died has not bothered me much except 3 times.
The first was Tim Richmond. He was on the verge of becoming a superstar when he died. Next was Alan Kulwicki. I was driving to work on a Friday morning when I heard he had been killed. I turned around and went home and watched ESPN just to learn more. And of course Dale Earnhardt. I am still affected by his death.
I shed tears when both Layne Staley (lead singer for Alice in Chains) was found dead & when George Harrison passed away. Layne was an incredible talent who pitifully destroyed himself, as well as a soothing voice from a tough time in my adolescence. George was a voice from a time slightly earlier in my adolesence; my first boyfriend turned me on to the wonder of the Beatles.
I’ll shed a tear when Paul McCartney passes on, as I might if Kevin Smith were to die suddenly - I can’t explain it, I just love his scripts.
I’d also shed a tear if Dave Gahan or Martin Gore were to die suddenly.
Shel Silverstein is dead? Aw, crap…
I’d be sad if any celeb died, but as far as those who would move me to tears…
Any of the LOTR cast–especially the hobbits. (Although since I’m a little younger than Elijah, I might predecease some of them.) The producers, too.
I might cry when Michael J. Fox dies.
Ursula K. Le Guin
Loretta Scott King (MLK’s wife)
I’m not sure who else… I’m trying to think of people who I think of as being indestructable.
I will totally lose it when Michael J. Fox dies. I will just fall out on the floor. Hopefully it will be a few decades yet . . .
I will probably weep for Ian McKellan, but it will be a more stately affair. I also second Kate Hepburn.
If Alan Rickman dies prematurely, I will have a major hissy.
I don’t think anyone’s mentioned poor Ringo Starr yet, but of all the Beatles I think he’s the one I’ll cry most for.
Tom Hanks
Was pretty sad when Bill Gaines (of Mad Magazine) died.
Will feel sad when Stan ‘The Man’ Lee dies.
Tori Amos will completely destroy me.
Roger Clyne will do most assuredly do the same.
And I will be unbearably sad if Stephen King moves on before he finishes the Dark Tower series.
I cried for three days when Jimmy Stewart died. I don’t think there’s anyone whose death will devastate me as much as his death.
Ayrton Senna (Formula One Driver) - I still get weep-y when I think of him. A truly great and talented human.
Two that will probably vanish in the night when their time comes - Adrian Belew and Bill Nelson.
I hope Manard Keenan can hold himself together.
Someone already mentioned Kurt Vonnegut - I can appreciate that. Pete Townshend deserves mention, IMHO.
A very mixed bag of folks whose passing bothered me
SF authors
Robert Heinlein
Theodore Sturgeon
Edgar Pangborn
Roger Zelazny
Rockers
John Lennon
George Harrison
I was able to write a memorial editorial to him, which helped a great deal
Jimi Hendrix
Stevie Ray Vaughn
Miscellaneous
Jim Henson
JFK Yes, I’m tired of hearing all the conspiracy theories and about all the babes he consorted with. Dammit, he was an ideal – the New Frontier, Camelot. The first politician who wasn’t ancient and crotchety. Young and vibrant and positive. At least that’s what we saw. And it’s a hell of an upset at 14 to have the president, the PRESIDENT shot and killed. That hadn’t happened since my grandfather was a kid - something from the musty textbooks.
Vincent Price
I’ll be choked up the day Bob Dylan dies. There is no one on this earth who is even close to what he is doing or has done.
Jim Henson
Vincent Price
and I don’t want to see Keith Johnstone go.
Not many people know who he is, but as a writer, he made the more sense to me than anyone else. I had the privilege to meet him. He’s getting on, but I hope he stays around as absolutely long as possible. Yes,… please!