The Gumby animator, whose bendable creation became a pop culture phenomenon through countless satires, toys and revivals, died at age 89 on January 8, 2010. He was born October 12, 1921.
Famous both for his writing and his efforts to remain unfamous, the reclusive writer of “The Catcher in the Rye,” died January 27, 2010, at the age of 91. He was born January 1, 1919.
Charlie Wilson
A swashbuckling Democratic congressman from Texas immortalized in the book and movie "Charlie Wilson's War," Wilson died on February 10, 2010. He was 76.
Manute Bol
The 7-foot-6 Bol was one of the tallest players in the NBA and a basketball sensation. Following his hoops career, Bol devoted his life and almost all of his money to helping the people of his native Sudan. He died June 19 of complications from a rare skin disease.
Robert Byrd
After serving from 1959 to 2010, the senator from West Virginia was the longest-serving member in the history of the U.S. Congress. He died at the age of 92 on June 28, 2010
George Steinbrenner
Steinbrenner, the owner of the New York Yankees, died on July 13, 2010. As owner for more than three decades, he won 7 World Series Championships and 11 Pennants. He died of a heart attack at age 80.
Tony Curtis
He molded himself from a 1950s movie heartthrob to a respected actor, starring in "Sweet Smell of Success" in 1957. The following year, "The Defiant Ones" brought him an Academy Award nomination for his portrayal of a racist convict handcuffed to a black escapee, Sidney Poitier. In 1959, he donned women's clothing and sparred with Marilyn Monroe in Billy Wilder's "Some Like It Hot." The legendary actor, writer and artist died on October 29.
Edith Shain
A nurse at Doctor's Hospital in New York City was grabbed and kissed by an unknown American soldier on August 14, 1945 -- and went on to symbolize America's victory over Japan. Edith Shain, the white-clad nurse in the picture, died June 20 at age 91.
Jimmy Dean
A country music legend known for his smash hit about workingman hero "Big Bad John" and an entrepreneur known for his sausage brand, Jimmy Dean died June 13 at age 81.
Dennis Hopper
High-flying Hollywood wild man Dennis Hopper's memorable and erratic career included an early turn in "Rebel Without a Cause," an improbable smash with "Easy Rider" and a classic character role in "Blue Velvet." Hopper was a two-time Academy Award nominee, and in March 2010, was honored with a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame. He died May 29.
Gary Coleman
With his sparkling eyes and perfect comic timing, he became a star after "Diff'rent Strokes" debuted in 1978. Former child TV star Gary Coleman died May 28 at age 42 after doctors took him off life support. The star had slipped into a coma after suffering an intracranial hemorrhage at his home.
Erich Segal
The author of the hugely popular novel "Love Story" (and the screenplay for the Beatles "Yellow Submarine") died of a heart attack on January 17, 2010. He was 72. Born June 16, 1937.
Lena HorneAn enchanting jazz singer and actress and outspoken opponent of racism, Lena Horne died May 9. She was 92. In the 1940s, she was one of the first black performers hired to sing with a major white band, and later embraced activism, breaking loose as a voice for civil rights.
Don MeredithWhether crooning country tunes in the huddle as quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys or jawing with Howard Cosell in the broadcast booth as analyst on the groundbreaking ''Monday Night Football," "Dandy Don's" irreverent personality made him one of the most beloved figures in sports. He died December 5 after suffering a brain hemorrhage.
Morrie Yohai
The creator of the crunchy, finger-staining orange Cheez Doodles snack died at the age of 90 on July 27. He developed the tubular snack at his Old London Foods factory in the 1950s. Yohai, born in Harlem, was a pilot during World War II and graduated from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and received a master's degree from New York University.
Phil Harris
The fishing boat captain whose adventures off the Alaska coast were captured on the television show "Deadliest Catch" died February 9. He was 53. The reality show, which has filmed five seasons, was one of the Discovery Channel's most popular and depicts the crab fishing industry in the dangerous waters off Alaska.
Glen Bell
One of the founding fathers of fast food, Glen Bell is best known for founding the Taco Bell chain of restaurants, which serves more than 36.8 million consumers each week -- with more than 2 billion tacos and 1 billion burritos in the U.S. each year. Bell died Saturday, Jan. 16.
Archduchess Regina
Regina, Crown Princess of Austria, Hungary and Bohemia and wife of Otto von Habsburg, died February 3 at age 85. She married von Habsburg, the son of the last emperor of Austria, in 1951.
Dorothy Kamenshek
The former star of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League who helped inspire the lead character in the movie "A League of Their Own," died May 17 at age 84. Kamenshek, who also went by Dottie and Kammie, played for the Rockford Peaches in Illinois from 1943 to 1953. The left-handed infielder was a seven-time All-Star and chosen one of the top 100 female athletes of the century by Sports Illustrated.
Walter Frederick Morrison
The man who invented the Frisbee died in early February at age 90. Morrison's son, Walt, said that "old age caught up" with his father. Morrison sold the production and manufacturing rights to his "Pluto Platter" in 1957; the plastic flying disc was later renamed the "Frisbee," with sales surpassing 200 million discs.
"Where it stands now is that the State of Idaho has banned the objective study of the Bible and all religious texts -- whether it's for history...literature...music or whatever it happens to be -- from being used at all," reports