Molly Blank

Disability rights activist -- via the Denver Post.

Vincent Ferrizzi

Singer and musician -- via legacy.com.

Patsy Garrett

Actress and singer -- via Variety.

Chikao Otsuka

Actor and voice actor -- via sonicstadium.org.

Yao Beina

Singer -- via crienglish.com.

Ervin Drake

Songwriter and lyricist -- via the Washington Post. AKA Ervin Druckman. He wrote the classics "It Was a Very Good Year" and "I Believe," and the lyrics for such hits as "Perdido," "Tico Tico," and "Good Morning Heartache."

Sid Smith

TV producer and director -- via the Hollywood Reporter.

German Cobos

Actor -- via westernboothill.blgospot.com.

Kim Fowley

Songwriter, performer, and producer -- via the Rolling Stone.

Elaine Summers

Dancer, choreographer, and multimedia artist -- via the New York Times.

Wes Kenney

TV producer and director -- via Variety.

Sonny Fossett

Clown -- via the Telegraph. AKA Ronald Mole.

A.J. Masters

Country music singer, songwriter, and musician -- via the Tennessean.

Alfous "Al" Ferrier

Rockabilly star  -- via legacy.com.

Maureen Budway

Singer -- via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Al Bendich

Lawyer who defended Ginsberg and Bruce from obscenity charges -- via the New York Times.

Jake Berthot

Artist -- via Painter's Table.

Frank Glazer

Pianist -- via bates.edu.

Mark Juddery

Writer, journalist, and humorist -- via the Canberra Times.

Trevor Ward-Davies

Bassist for Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich -- via the Guardian.

Louise Kane

Actress -- via westernboothill.blogspot.com. AKA Louise Kane Grueneberg. She died in March, 2014, but it has become public knowledge only now.

Al Delugach

Journalist -- via the L.A. Times. also, one of the last rewrite men -- those at daily publications that can take a stack of disparate facts, quotes, and ideas and craft a compelling and accurate new story out of them in record time.

Bernard Williams

Production manager, assistant director, and producer -- via the Hollywood Reporter. Helped to create films such as "A Clockwork Orange," "The Bounty," "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels," and "What About Bob?"

Al Martinez

Journalist and columnist -- via the L.A. Times.

Lawrence Gushee

Musicologist -- via the News-Gazette.

Robert Kinoshita

Artist, art director, set and production designer; creator of Robbie the Robot -- via the Hollywood Reporter. He actually invented three iconic robots for film and TV -- Tobor in "Tobor the Great," Robby the Robot in "Forbidden Planet," and Robot in "Lost in Space."

Gene Kemp

Children's writer -- via the Guardian.

Dottie Thomas

Medical researcher who helped develop bone-marrow transplants -- via the Seattle Times.

Elena Obratztsvoa

Mezzo-soprano -- via the Huffington Post.

Tim Drummond

Bassist -- via Rolling Stone.

Clifford Adams

Trombonist; best known for his involvement with Kool & the Gang -- via E Online.

Bryan Woolley

Journalist and writer -- via the Dallas Morning News.

Carlo Scibelli

Tenor -- via contactmusic.com.

Lee Sandlin

Writer -- via the Chicago Tribune.

Gilberto Perez

Film scholar, historian, and critic -- via Sarah Lawrence College. Here's a warm personal remembrance from Jonathan Rosenbaum -- 

Elisabetta Catalano

Photographer -- via La Stampa.

Willie "Popsy" Dixon

Drummer and vocalist with the Holmes Brothers -- via ABC News.

Jashodhara Bagchi

Writer, critic, scholar, and women's rights activist -- via the Times of India.

Chic Littlewood

Entertainer, TV host, and actor -- via tvnz.co.nz.

Chashi Nazrul Islam

Filmmaker -- via the Daily Star.

Julio Scherer Garcia

Editor and journalist -- via the New York Times.

Walter Kuhr

Accordionist, musician, entrepreneur, and "evangelist" of the accordion -- via the New York Times.

Carl N. Degler

Historian, writer, and teacher -- via the New York Times. He wrote a commonly used history textbook, "Out of Our Past," that actually contemplates different viewpoints. 

Annis "Big Red" Jensen

Roller derby athlete -- via sfgate.com.

Joan Lazer Reed

Psychologist; formerly a child actress in radio, theater, film, and TV -- via legacy.com.

Deathcetera: the week in death and mourning news

DEATH

Opening up the conversation: Sarah Kliff on discussing death and dying in Vox

The horror of the hot zone: a doctor fights Ebola – via NPR

On being a death doula – from Laura Saba via Confessions of a Funeral Director

Medicolegal Death Investigator Training Course draws forensic pathologists . . . and crime novelists . . . and TV crime-show writers . . . – from Art Holliday at KDSK

What social media gets wrong about death and mourning – from Scaachi Koul at the Globe and Mail

Antiquers collect mourning jewelry made from hair -- by Illise Carter at Racked

MOURNING

Public displays of grief tightly controlled by Chinese government – via AP

Touching ceremony for Little Jimmy Dickens in Nashville – by Nancy Krum at People Magazine

In Judaism, special foods comfort mourners – from Tal Trachtman Alroy at the Jewish Daily Forward

FUNERALS

Widow, mother fight at soldier’s funeral after three-year wait – from Angus Howarth at the Scotsman

‘Wrestling with Death’: is this a reality show we need? – from Kelly P. Kissel at AP

Interview with mortician Gina Krotee – by Amanda Chatel at Bustle

Why become a mortician? – from Erik Lacitis at the Seattle Times

Dozens die at funeral from beer poisoned with crocodile bile – via the Daily Mail

OBITS

A meditation on writing and reading obituaries – from Chris Reagle at Wicked Local Plymouth

Guy writes songs based on obits – via Rachel Martin at West Virginia Public Radio

Brian Clemens

Writer, producer, and director; creator of "The Avengers" and "The Professionals" -- via the BBC. This prolific creator did much to shape my young imagination. In "The Avengers" and other projects, Clemens brought together adventure, fantasy, sci-fi, horror, and humor in a cheeky mix that was pure fun to watch. In a lowest-common-denominator medium, Clemens assumed the audience was intelligent and would probably like something challenging, and preposterous and silly, to watch. Besides the two hit TV series listed above, Clemens wrote for shows such as "Danger Man," "Remington Steele," "Father Dowling," and "Perry Mason." AND he wrote a trio of B-movie gems: "Doctor Jeykll and Sister Hyde," "The Golden Voyage of Sinbad," and "Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter," the last of which he directed as well. Oh, vale, dear pulp master!