WASHINGTON — The world said goodbye to a number of noteworthy people in 2023, with the lives of astronauts, politicians and other newsmakers coming to a close during the last 12 months.
The list of those newsmakers who died this year includes former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, who redefined what it meant to be the wife of a president during her time in the White House with Jimmy Carter. Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner mercenary group, died in an intentionally-caused plane crash weeks after aborting a mutiny against the Kremlin, leading analysts to question Putin's grip on power in Russia. And Dianne Feinstein, the oldest member of the U.S. Senate, died in office, leaving behind a legacy of advocacy for democratic priorities.
Here is a list of some notable figures we lost in 2023, organized by date:
Walter Cunningham, 90. An American astronaut, Cunningham was on the Apollo 7, the first launch of a crewed Apollo mission. Jan. 3.
Tyre Nichols, 29. Nichols, a Black man, was killed after being beaten by five police officers in Memphis, Tennessee. His death sparked nationwide protests. Jan. 10.
Judy Heumann, 75. A leading disability rights advocate, Heumann lost her ability to walk at age 2 after contracting polio and has been called the “mother of the disability rights movement.” March 4.
Ken Potts, 102. Potts was one of the last two remaining survivors of the USS Arizona battleship, which sank during the 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. April 22.
Carolyn Bryant Donham, 88. Donham accused Emmett Till of making improper advances on her in 1955, leading to one of the most famous lynchings in American history. April 26.
Heather Armstrong, 47. Armstrong was a mommy blogger known as Dooce by fans, whose parenting style evoked controversy online. May 10.
Roger Payne, 88. A leading whale biologist, Payne was the first scientist to discover that the animals "sing" to each other. June 14.
Carol Higgins Clark, 66. Clark, the daughter of suspense writer Mary Higgins Clark, published 12 novels during her career, becoming a bestselling author. June 18.
John Goodenough, 100. Goodenough was a Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry in 2019 for his work, which led to the creation of lithium-ion batteries. June 25.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, 62. The head of the private Russian Wagner mercenary group, Prigozhin led an aborted coup against Moscow, dying in a plane crash shortly after. Aug. 23.
Jimmy Buffett, 76. Buffett popularized beach bum soft rock with the escapist Caribbean-flavored song “Margaritaville” and spawned a billion-dollar brand. Sept. 2.
Ian Wilmit, 79. Wilmit was a science pioneer who became the first person to successfully clone an animal, named Dolly the Sheep. Sept. 11.
Dianne Feinstein, 90. Feinstein was the oldest member of the Senate and a longtime Democratic standard-bearer in Congress. Sept. 29.
Dorothy Hoffner, 104. Hoffner, a thrill-seeking Chicago woman, is likely the oldest person to ever jump from a plane. She died days after her record-breaking jump. Oct. 10.
Ken Mattingly, 87. Mattingly was an astronaut on the Apollo 16 mission, after narrowly missing the ill-fated Apollo 13 flight. Oct. 31.
Roger Kastel, 92. Kastel was the designer behind iconic film posters of the 80s, including "Jaws" and "The Empire Strikes Back." Nov. 8.
Rosalynn Carter, 96. Rosalynn was the wife of President Jimmy Carter, a fierce political force and a strong proponent of mental health. Nov. 19.
Henry Kissinger, 100. Kissinger was Secretary of State under President Nixon, dominating foreign policy for the latter half of the 20th century. Nov. 29.
Sandra Day O’Connor, 93. The first woman on the U.S. Supreme Court, she served for more than two decades before retiring in 2006. Dec. 1.