Always in our hearts. Hollywood mourned the loss of icons such as Betty White and John Madden in the final days of 2021 — and unfortunately, 2022 also came with celebrity deaths that have fans reeling.
The sports world lost a football great in Dan Reeves who passed away on January 1. The 77-year-old Georgia native appeared in nine Super Bowls during his career — winning once as a player and once as an assistant coach.
As one of the winningest coaches in the league’s history, his loss was felt near and far. “The football world lost a heckuva coach and man today in Dan Reeves,” former Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway said in a statement on January 1. “Dan was a winner and I owe a lot to him. My heart goes out to Pam and the entire Reeves family.”
One day later, the Christian music industry lost a beloved musician Jay Weaver. His former Big Daddy Weave bandmate and brother, Mike Weaver , confirmed his passing following COVID-19 complications . Jay was 42.
“Thank you so much for all your prayers for my brother,” Mike said in a statement on January 2, after Jay was hospitalized with the virus a few days prior. “You have walked with him through a huge fight, and I’m so sorry to bring this news but I’m also excited to celebrate where he is right now. My brother Jay went to be with Jesus just a couple hours ago due to complications due to COVID-19 on top of everything else that he already had going on.”
He continued: “The Lord used [Jay] in such a might way out on the road for so many years … I believe even though COVID may have taken his last breath, Jesus was right there to catch him. My heart’s broke for my family, but we all just really wanted to thank you for walking with us through so much for so long.”
On January 5, the Korean film world mourned the death of a young star in Kim Mi-soo, who passed away at age 29.
“Kim suddenly left us on January 5,” the late performer’s agency, Landscape Entertainment, said in a statement translated by the publication Korea JoongAng Daily . “The bereaved are deep in their sorrow at the sudden sadness. Please refrain from reporting false rumors or speculation so that the family can mourn in peace.”
Scroll down to see Us’ tribute to the celebrities who died in 2022:
Clay Jordan
The Survivor: Thailand runner-up died on May 19, his daughter, Shanda, confirmed via Facebook. He was 66. “Clay Brooks Jordan, my sweetheart of a Dad, went to heaven to meet Jesus and be reunited with his beautiful bride,” Shanda wrote at the time, referencing the death of Jordan’s wife earlier this year. “Andy and I are so heartbroken, but we get comfort from knowing they are together and he is no longer in pain. We love you, Dad! You will forever be my HERO!” YouTube
John Aylward
The actor, best known for his performances as Dr. Donald Anspaugh on ER and former DNC chairman Barry Goodwin on The West Wing, died at 75 on May 16. His wife, Mary Fields, told Deadline that the Seattle native's health was declining before he passed away. Carolyn Contino/BEI/Shutterstock
Marnie Schulenburg
The As the World Turns star died on May 17 after a two-year battle with breast cancer. “Please don’t say Marnie lost her battle to cancer. It’s simply not true. I watched her kick cancer’s ass everyday since diagnosis,” Schulenburg’s husband, Zack Robidas, wrote via Facebook. “She is incredible. We chose to attack her diagnosis with blind optimism. We only talked about the future and continued moving forward. I don’t know if this was right but it’s all we knew how to do.” The former soap star is survived by Robidas and their 2-year-old daughter, Coda. Carolyn Contino/BEI/Shutterstock
Lil Keed
The rapper, who was signed to Young Thug’s Young Stoner Life label and 300 Entertainment, died on Friday in Los Angeles at age 24. A representative for the 300 Entertainment label confirmed the death of the musician (who was born Raqhid Jevon Render) on Saturday, May 14, to the New York Times. A cause of death was not announced immediately. Courtesy of Lil Keed/Instagram
Fred Ward
The Sweet Home Alabama actor died on May 8 at the age of 79. A cause of death was not announced at the time. Chris Pizzello/AP/Shutterstock
Bruce MacVittie
The Law & Order alum and Broadway star died on May 7, his wife, Carol Ochs, confirmed to The New York Times. He was 65. MacVittie was best known for his recurring role as Danny Scalerico on The Sopranos and for his stage work, including serving as the understudy for the role of Bobby in Broadway’s American Buffalo, touring with the production in the U.S. and the U.K. Photo by Atsushi Nishijima/Netflix/Kobal/Shutterstock
Mike Hagerty
The comedian’s Somebody Somewhere costar Bridget Everett confirmed his death on May 6. Hagerty, who is best known for playing Mr. Treeger on Friends and Billy Pratt in Overboard, was 67. Elizabeth Sisson/HBO
Joanna Barnes
The actress, who played Vicki in both Parent Trap films, died on April 29 after dealing with multiple health problems, her friend Sally Jackson told The Hollywood Reporter. She was 87. Snap/Shutterstock
Naomi Judd
The country singer died at age 76, her daughters confirmed in a statement on April 30. "Today we sisters experienced a tragedy," Wynonna Judd and Ashley Judd said in a joint message shared via Twitter. "We lost our beautiful mother to the disease of mental illness. We are shattered. We are navigating profound grief and know that as we loved her, she was loved by her public. We are in unknown territory." Debby Wong/Shutterstock
Jossara Jinaro
The ER and Judging Amy alum died on April 27 after a battle with cancer. She was 48. “With great sorrow, I announce the passing of my wife, Jossara Jinaro, on this date, April 27, 2022,” Jinaro’s husband, Matt Bogado, wrote via Facebook. “Jossara bravely fought cancer and came home to be surrounded by family. Jossara was an amazing wife, mother, artist, and friend. She had the most beautiful, kind soul and wouldn’t take no for an answer. Even in her last moments, she was still fighting. She is now resting in peace and will be remembered forever. Myself, Liam, and Emrys will miss her so deeply, although we know she is in our hearts and guiding us every step of the way.” Evans Ward/BEI/Shutterstock
Jim Hartz
The journalist, who cohosted the Today show alongside Barbara Walters in the 1970s, died in April after suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He was 82 years old. Ivan Nikolov/WENN/Newscom/The Mega Agency
Ralph Kiser
The Survivor: Redemption Island alum died on April 20 at the age of 56. According to his family, he suffered a heart attack. CBS/YouTube
Rio Hackford
The Mandalorian alum died at age 51 on April 14 after battling an unspecified illness. His brother, Alex Hackford, confirmed the news to Variety at the time. Rio was the eldest son of director Taylor Hackford and the stepson of Helen Mirren. "This is a massive loss," Lake Bell commented via Instagram after learning the news. Jim Smeal/Shutterstock
Liz Sheridan
The Seinfeld alum died in her sleep of natural causes in her New York City home on April 15. She was 93. Sheridan was best known for playing Helen Seinfeld on the hit sitcom, and appeared on a slew of other hits, including Alf, The A-Team and One Day at a Time. She also penned a 2001 memoir detailing her romance with James Dean, Dizzy & Jimmy: My Life with James Dean: A Love Story. The actress was married to musician William Dale Wales from 1985 until his death in 2003. She is survived by a daughter. Newscom/MEGA
Gilbert Gottfried
The beloved comedian — best-known for his stand-up routines and voicing the parrot Iago in Aladdin — died at age 67 on April 12 "from Recurrent Ventricular Tachycardia due to Myotonic Dystrophy type II," his publicist and friend Glenn Schwartz confirmed to Us Weekly. Gottfried's death was initially announced by his family via his Twitter account. "We are heartbroken to announce the passing of our beloved Gilbert Gottfried after a long illness," the family shared. "In addition to being [one of] the most iconic voices in comedy, Gilbert was a wonderful husband, brother, friend and father to his two young children. Although today is a sad day for us, please keep laughing as loud as possible in Gilbert's honor." Aurora Rose/Shutterstock
Nehemiah Persoff
Persoff — who appeared in the likes of The Harder They Fall, Some Like It Hot, Yentl and An American Tail — died on April 5 at age 102, Us Weekly can confirm. The Israel native is survived by his four children and five grandchildren. ANL/Shutterstock
Bobby Rydell
The '60s teen idol — who starred in Bye Bye Birdie and was such a famous singer at the time that Rydell High School in Grease was named after him — died in April 2022, just weeks before his 80th birthday. Moviestore/Shutterstock
Estelle Harris
The Seinfeld alum and Toy Story voice actress died of natural causes at age 93. “It is with the greatest remorse and sadness to announce that Estelle Harris has passed on this evening at 6:25 p.m.,” her son Glen Harris told Deadline in a statement on April 2. “Her kindness, passion, sensitivity, humor, empathy and love were practically unrivaled, and she will be terribly missed by all those who knew her. Her passion was her work and her work was her passion.” Tony DiMaio/Startraks
Paul Herman
The actor, known for his work on The Sopranos and in Martin Scorsese's The Irishman, died on March 29. It was his 76th birthday. Former Sopranos costar Michael Imperioli called Herman "a great dude" in an Instagram tribute confirming his passing, writing, "Paulie lived around the corner from me the last few years and I am glad we got to spend some time together before he left us. I'll miss him. Lots of love to his family, friends and community of actors and filmmakers." Rob Latour/Shutterstock
Taylor Hawkins
The Foo Fighters drummer died at age 50. "The Foo Fighters family is devastated by the tragic and untimely loss of our beloved Taylor Hawkins," the band wrote in a March 25 Twitter statement. "His musical spirit and infectious laughter will live on with all of us forever. Our hearts go out to his wife, children and family, and we ask that their privacy be treated with the utmost respect in this unimaginably difficult time.” Ibl/Shutterstock
William Hurt
The Oscar winner died on March 13 at age 71, his son Will Hurt announced. “It is with great sadness that the Hurt family mourns the passing of William Hurt, beloved father and Oscar winning actor, on March 13, 2022, one week before his 72nd birthday. He died peacefully, among family, of natural causes," the actor's son, 31, shared on Sunday, according to Deadline. "The family requests privacy at this time.” Rich Fury/Invision/AP/Shutterstock
Traci Braxton
The Braxton Family Values alum died after a private esophageal cancer battle, her family announced on March 12. “It is with the utmost regret that we inform you of the passing of our sister, Traci,” sister Toni Braxton wrote via Facebook at the time. “Needless to say, she was a bright light, a wonderful daughter, an amazing sister, a loving mother, wife, grandmother and a respected performer. We will miss her dearly.” Faye Sadou/AdMedia Newscom/MEGA
Emilio Delgado
The actor, who played Fix-It Shop owner Luis Rodriguez on Sesame Street for 45 years, died on March 10 following a battle with cancer. He was 81. “A beloved member of the Sesame family for over 50 years, his warmth and humor invited children to share a friendship that has echoed through generations,” Sesame Workshop said in a statement. “At the forefront of representation, Emilio proudly laid claim to the ‘record for the longest-running role for a Mexican-American in a TV series.’ We are so grateful he shared his talents with us and with the world.” Ctw/Jim Henson Prod/Kobal/Shutterstock
Conrad Janis
The actor, best known for starring alongside Robin Williams in Mork & Mindy, was confirmed dead at 94 on March 9. In addition to the beloved '70s sitcom, Janis played the recurring character Albert on Frasier and had a memorable role in 1992's The Cable Guy. He is survived by his son Christopher, daughter Carin and brother Carroll. Jim Smeal/BEI/Shutterstock
Lil Bo Weep
The singer's father, Matthew Schofield, confirmed that she passed away on March 3. "This weekend we lost the fight for my daughter's life against depression, trauma, PTSD and drug addiction that we have been fighting since we got her back from America through emergency repatriation DFAT but broken," he wrote on Facebook about the media personality, whose real name was Winona Brooks. He explained that the Australia native, "fought hard against her demons as we all did side by side next to her and picking up the broken pieces over and over again, but she could not fight any more and we lost her." Courtesy Lil Bo Weep/Instagram
Mitchell Ryan
The Dharma & Greg alum died on March 4. He was 88. Ryan's stepdaughter, Denise Freed, told The Hollywood Reporter that his cause of death was congestive heart failure. After serving in the Navy, the Cincinnati-born performer started his career in Hollywood in 1958 with Thunder Road and went on to appear on the TV show Dark Shadows as well as movies like the Clint Eastwood's 1973 western High Plains Drifter and the original 1987 Lethal Weapon movie. Ryan detailed his 30-year struggle as an alcoholic and the following 30 years of sobriety in his autobiography, Fall of a Sparrow. 20th Century Fox Tv/Abc Tv/Kobal/Shutterstock
John Stahl
The Game of Thrones alum died on March 2 at age 68, his agent, Amanda Fitzalan Howard, confirmed to Deadline. The veteran theater actor appeared on a Scottish soap opera, Take the High Road, for more than 20 years and he played Rickard Karstark in the second and third seasons of HBO's GoT. Howard called Stahl "an actor of remarkable skill and a stalwart of Scottish theatre." She continued in her statement, "He died on the [Scottish] Isle of Lewis on March 2, 2022, and is survived by his wife, Jane Paton." Alastair Muir/Shutterstock
Tim Considine
The actor died at his home in Mar Vista, California on Friday, March 4. He was 81. Disney confirmed Considine's death. The actor found success in the 1950s as Spin Evans in The Adventures of Spin and Marty — a serial from the original Mickey Mouse Club. He also appeared in Hardy Boys serials as well as the 1959 Disney classic movie, The Shaggy Dog. In the 1960s, he spent five years on the comedy My Three Sons. He is survived by son Christopher, brother John, wife Willett, sister Erin, and grandchildren Ethan and Tyler. Kathy Hutchins/Hutchins Photo/Newscom/Mega
Johnny Brown
The Good Times alum died March 2 at age 84, his daughter, actress Sharon Brown, announced via Instagram. "Our family is devastated. Devastated. Devastated. Beyond heartbroken," Sharon wrote. "Barely able to breathe. We respectfully ask for privacy at this time because we need a minute to process the unthinkable. To articulate the depths of profound sadness.This is my mom’s husband for sixty one years, mine and JJ’s dad, Elijah and Levi’s Pop Pop, older brother to George and brother in law to Pat and extended family to Chris, Hihat, Damian and Derell. It’s too terrible. It will never not be. It’s a shock. He was literally snatched out of our lives. It’s not real for us yet. So there will be more to say but not now. Dad was the absolute best. We love him so very much." In addition to playing superintendent Nathan Bookman on the classic 1970s sitcom Good Times, the Broadway veteran also appeared on The Jeffersons and Martin. YouTube
Ralph Ahn
The actor, who portrayed Tran on Fox's New Girl, passed away on February 26 at age 95. Days later, Jake Johnson (a.k.a. Nick Miller) paid homage to his character's silent confidant. "RIP. So much fun to work with. He gave so much with literally no lines. I loved when he was on set. I was always expecting to somehow work with him again. Condolences to his family/friends," Johnson wrote via Instagram on February 28. Lamorne Morris, who played Winston Bishop on the sitcom, penned a social media tribute of his own, writing, "This man lived a lot of life, keep his friends and family in y'all thoughts and prayers." MEGA
Sally Kellerman
The M*A*S*H actress died on February 24 at the age of 84. The late star’s son, Jack Krane, confirmed her passing to The Hollywood Reporter, saying Kellerman died at an assisted care facility after battling dementia.The California native was best known for her role as the original U.S. Army major Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan in the 1970 film M*A*S*H. She earned an Oscar nomination for the role at the 1971 awards show. The comedy was later turned into a TV series starring Loretta Swit as the same fiery character. Eric Charbonneau/Shutterstock
Jamal Edwards
The British YouTube star died at the age of 31, the BBC reported on February 20. Edwards was an ambassador for The Prince's Trust and founded SBTV — a music platform that helped launch the careers of Ed Sheeran, Jessie J and more — in 2006. Nils Jorgensen/Shutterstock
Lindsey Pearlman
The Chicago Justice alum was found dead at 43 in Los Angeles. The LAPD confirmed her death on February 18, days after she was reported missing by her family and friends. Courtesy of Lindsey Pearlman/YouTube
Ivan Reitman
The filmmaker, best known for directing the original 1984 Ghostbusters and its 1989 sequel, died in his sleep in California on February 12. "Our family is grieving the unexpected loss of a husband, father, and grandfather who taught us to always seek the magic in life," his family told the Associated Press. "We take comfort that his work as a filmmaker brought laughter and happiness to countless others around the world. While we mourn privately, we hope those who knew him through his films will remember him always." Evan Agostini/Invision/AP/Shutterstock
Moses J. Moseley
The actor, who played a zombie on The Walking Dead, was found dead in Stockbridge, Georgia, on January 26. "Moses was loved by so many, and loved his friends, family and his fans," his manager said in a statement. ”He will be missed by so many, he was the light of your day when you were around him. He was always happy and excited about life. … Everyone is still in shock and still trying to process what is happening." Moseley’s death is under investigation. Courtesy of Moses J Moseley/Instagram
Carleton Carpenter
The actor died in January 2022 in Warwick, New York, his rep told Variety. He was 95.The Vermont native was famous for starring opposite Debbie Reynolds in the 1950 movie Two Weeks With Love. He worked with Judy Garland and Gene Kelly that year in Summer Stock. Shutterstock
Cheslie Kryst
The 2019 Miss USA winner died by apparent suicide on January 30 in New York City. She was 30 years old. KCR/Shutterstock
Kathryn Kates
The Law & Order: Special Victims Unit actress died at age 73 "after a hard fought battle with lung cancer," her agent told USA Today on January 26. Orange Is the New Black fans will remember her as Piper's mother-in-law. She also appeared in Lizzie McGuire, Seinfeld and dozens of other projects. She was last on the big screen in the 2021 Sopranos prequel movie, The Many Saints of Newark. Courtesy of Kathryn Kates/Instagram
Peter Robbins
The original Charlie Brown voice actor died by suicide at age 65, his family confirmed to San Diego's Fox 5 on January 26. Robbins started voicing the Peanuts character in 1963's A Boy Named Charlie Brown in 1963 and went on to star in several iconic specials, including A Charlie Brown Christmas and It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. He also appeared on classics such as Get Smart and The Munsters. The actor was open about his struggles with mental illness after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder. In 2019, he finished a four-year stint in prison after being convicted for making threats against several people and told Fox 5 that he wished he "had gotten treatment earlier by professionals." YouTube
Vachik Mangassarian
The character actor, best known for his appearances in Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Curb Your Enthusiasm, died of COVID-19 complications on January 22, according to Deadline. Netflix
Louie Anderson
The Emmy award-winning comedian died at a Las Vegas hospital on January 21 amid a battle with Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, a version of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Anderson was 68. Paul A Hebert/SIPA/Shutterstock
Meat Loaf
The "I'd Do Anything For Love" crooner's death was confirmed on January 21. He was 74. “Our hearts are broken to announce that the incomparable Meat Loaf passed away tonight surrounded by his wife Deborah, daughters Pearl and Amanda and close friends,” a statement on his official Facebook page read. “His amazing career spanned 6 decades that saw him sell over 100 Million albums worldwide and star in over 65 movies, including Fight Club, Focus, Rocky Horror Picture Show” and Wayne’s World. 'Bat Out of Hell’ remains one of the top 10 selling albums of all time. We know how much he meant to so many of you and we truly appreciate all of the love and support as we move through this time of grief in losing such an inspiring artist and beautiful man. … From his heart to your souls…don’t ever stop rocking!” Sergio Dionisio/EPA/Shutterstock
Clint Arlis
The Bachelorette alum’s family friend announced his death via Twitter on January 12. Arlis, who competed on Kaitlyn Bristowe’s season in 2015, was 34. ABC/YouTube
Ronnie Spector
The Ronettes singer, known for hits “Be My Baby,” “Baby I Love You” and “Walking in the Rain,” died on January 12 after a battle with cancer. She was 78. Spector’s family confirmed the news in a statement: “Ronnie lived her life with a twinkle in her eye, a spunky attitude, a wicked sense of humor and a smile on her face. She was filled with love and gratitude.” Larry Marano/Shutterstock
Bob Saget
The Full House actor died on January 9 in Orlando, Florida. He was found in his hotel room one day after performing a stand-up comedy set. Picture Perfect/Shutterstock
Sidney Poitier
The Hollywood legend, who became the first Black man to win the Oscar for best actor in the 1960s, died at the age of 94 in January. Picture Perfect/Shutterstock
Peter Bogdanovich
The Oscar-nominated director — known for his films The Last Picture Show, Paper Moon and What's Up, Doc? — died on January 6 of complications from Parkinson's disease. He was 82. Kristina Bumphrey/Starpix/Shutterstock
Kim Mi-soo
The South Korea native died on January 5 at the age of 29, her agency, Landscape, said in a statement. The actress was best known for her recent appearance on Snowdrop and Netflix’s Hellbound. Seokyong Lee/Penta Press/Shutterstock
Jay Weaver
The bassist and vocalist for the Christian rock band Big Daddy Weave passed away on January 2 following complications related to COVID-19. The 42-year-old musician was hospitalized a few days prior to his death. Rick Diamond/Shutterstock
Robert Bruce
The Comic Book Men star died at age 62, his brother, John Bruce, confirmed on January 1. "I'm very sad to announce the passing of my brother (Robert K Bruce),” John wrote via Twitter. “He was the original pop culturist and a key contributor to the series Comic Book Men! He was a bright, inspiring and humble man!" NJ.com later reported that Robert was found dead in a New Jersey storage facility that he called home. While foul play is not suspected, the outlet revealed that there is an investigation underway. Courtesy of Robert Bruce/Instagram
Max Julien
The Mack star died on January 1 at the age of 88. Julien was best known as the pioneer of the blaxploitation film genre, having written and produced Thomasine & Bushrod and Cleopatra Jones. He also appeared in The Black Klansman, Getting Straight, Uptight and How to Be a Player. Cinerama/Kobal/Shutterstock
Dan Reeves
The former NFL coach and player died at his home in Atlanta on January 1. He was 77. Reeves appeared in nine Super Bowls as a player, assistant coach and head coach throughout his career. He won Super Bowl VI as a player for the Dallas Cowboys and took home the Super Bowl XII trophy as an assistant coach for the same team. Jack Dempsey/AP/Shutterstock
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