Celebrities we lost in 2018

With the year coming to a close, here is a sad look back on some of the celebrities we lost in 2018. Although some of the greats lived long successful lives, over 30% of the list was lost to suicide or drug related deaths; many in their 20’s and 30’s. To all, rest in peace.

Penny Marshall (October 15, 1943 – December 17, 2018)
The Laverne & Shirley star died at 75 as a result of difficulties from diabetes.

Colin Kroll (1984 - December 16, 2018)
The Vine and HQ Media co-founder died at 34 of a suspected drug overdose.

Nancy Wilson (February 20, 1937 – December 13, 2018)
The triple Grammy-winning singer died at 81 of what was described by her manager as a "long illness."

Peter Shelley (April 17, 1955 – December 6, 2018)
Lead singer for The Buzzcocks passed away at 63 of an apparent heart attack.

George H. W. Bush (June 12, 1924 – November 30, 2018)
The 41st president of the United States died in his Houston home at 94 after suffering from a years-long fight with vascular Parkinsonism.

Harry Leslie Smith (25 February 1923 – 28 November 2018)
The social justice activist, author and war veteran died of natural causes at 95.

Stephen Hillenburg (August 21, 1961 – November 26, 2018)
The SpongeBob SquarePants creator died at 57 following a battle with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis).

Bernardo Bertolucci (March 16, 1941 – November 26, 2018)
The Academy Award-winning director died following his battle with cancer at 77.

Devin Lima (March 18, 1977 – November 21, 2018)
The LFO singer died at 41 after a year-long fight with cancer.

Ethel Ayler (May 1, 1930 - November 18, 2018)
The singer and actress best known for her roll on the Cosby Show  died at 88-years-old.

William Goldman  (August 12, 1931 – November 16, 2018)
The Oscar-winning screenwriter behind such classic films as All the President’s Men, The Princess Bride, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, died at his Manhattan home of colon cancer and pneumonia at the age of 87.

Roy Clark (April 15, 1933 – November 15, 2018)
The country star passed away due to complications of pneumonia at age 85.

Kim Porter (December 15, 1970 - November 15, 2018)
At 47, the former model and mother to three of Sean "Diddy" Combs' children, passed away inside her Los Angeles home. Cause of death is pending additional tests.

Stan Lee (December 28, 1922 – November 12, 2018)
The Marvel Comics originator passed away of cardiac arrest at 95.

Sondra Locke (May 28, 1944 – November 3, 2018)
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter actress died of cardiac arrest after her long fight with bone and breast cancer at 74.

Oli Herbert (July 10, 1974 - October 16, 2018)
The All That Remains guitarist died at 44 by drowning with antidepressants found in his system.

Big Jay McNeely 0 (April 29, 1927 – September 16, 2018)
The legendary R&B saxophonist died of prostate cancer at age 91.

Mac Miller (January 19, 1992 – September 7, 2018)
At the age of 26, the rapper of an accidental overdose of fentanyl and cocaine.

Burt Reynolds (February 11, 1936 – September 6, 2018)
The renowned actor of Boogie Nights stardom and Smokey and the Bandit died of a heart attack at age 81.

Vanessa Marquez (December 21, 1968 – August 30, 2018)
The ER actress was shot and killed by police after pulling a BB gun during an altercation.

Neil Simon (July 4, 1927 – August 26, 2018)
The prolific playwright passed away at age 91 of complications from pneumonia.

John McCain (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018)
The U.S. senator and decorated Vietnam War veteran died at 81 of glioblastoma (brain cancer).

Kyle Pavone (1990 - August 25, 2018)
The We Came As Romans vocalist passed away a 28 of an accidental drug overdose in his native Michigan.

Robin Douglas Leach (29 August 1941 – 24 August 2018)
The man who showcased the “champagne wishes and caviar dreams” of the rich and famous in his decades of journalism for magazines and TV, at age 76

Ed King (September 14, 1949 – August 22, 2018)
The former guitarist for Lynyrd Skynyrd who co-wrote the band’s iconic hit “Sweet Home Alabama”. King also co-founded the psychedelic rock band Strawberry Alarm Clock and was an uncredited co-writer of that band’s only No. 1 pop single, “Incense and Peppermints,” which topped the chart in 1967. King died at 68.

Aretha Franklin (March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018)
The Queen of Soul died of pancreatic cancer at 76-years-old.

Jill Janus (September 2, 1975 – August 14, 2018)
The Huntress frontwoman died by suicide at age 43.

Charlotte Rae (April 22, 1926 – August 5, 2018)
Actress best known for her roll in Diff'rent Strokes died of cardiac arrest at age 92.

Richard Swift (March 16, 1977 – July 3, 2018)
Swift was a producer, songwriter, singer guitarist and former member of The Shins, The Arcs and the Black Keys. Swift died at 41 from complications from hepatitis, as well as liver and kidney distress do to his years of alcohol abuse.

Joe Jackson (July 26, 1928 – June 27, 2018)
The famous Jackson family patriarch died at 89 of pancreatic cancer.

Vinnie Paul (March 11, 1964 – June 22, 2018)
The Pantera drummer died at his Las Vegas home at age 54 of dilated cardiomyopathy and coronary artery disease.

XXXTentacion (January 23, 1998 - June 18, 2018)
The "SAD!" rapper was assassinated in his home state of Florida at age 20.

Anthony Bourdain (June 25, 1956 – June 8, 2018)
The celebrity chef died at age 61 by suicide after he was discovered inside his room at Le Chambard in France.

Jackson Odell (July 2, 1997 - June 8, 2018)
The Modern Family actor died at 20-years-old of an accidental overdose.

Alan O'Neill (1971 – 6 June 2018)
The Sons of Anarchy alum died of coronary artery disease at 47-years-old.

Kate Spade (December 24, 1962 – June 5, 2018)
The fashion designer and businesswoman died by suicide at age 55 in her Manhattan apartment.

Margot Kidder (October 17, 1948 – May 13, 2018)
The Superman actress died by suicide of a self-inflicted drug and alcohol overdose at age 69.

Scott Hutchison (November 20, 1981 – May 10, 2018)
The Frightened Rabbit singer died by suicide at age 36.

Verne Troyer (January 1, 1969 – April 21, 2018)
The Austin Powers favorite took his own life by alcohol poisoning at 49.

Avicii (September 8, 1989 – April 20, 2018)
The Swedish DJ died by suicide at age 28 following a years-long struggle with depression as well as drug and alcohol addiction.

Barbara Bush (June 8, 1925 – April 17, 2018)
The wife and former First Lady of George H. W. Bush died at 92 after discontinuing treatments for congestive heart failure and pulmonary disease.

R. Lee Ermey (March 24, 1944 – April 15, 2018)
The Full Metal Jacket actor died at age 74 of pneumonia-related complications.

Stephen Hawking (January 8, 1942 – March 14, 2018)
The famous theoretical cosmologist and physicist passed away as a result of difficulties from ALS at 76.

John Mahoney (June 20, 1940 – February 4, 2018)
The Fraiser performer, who suffered from cancer in the head and neck, passed away at age 77 from multiple ailments, including brain disease, lung cancer, and seizures.

Mark Salling (August 17, 1982 – January 30, 2018)
The Glee alum died by suicide by hanging at age 35.

Dolores O'Riordan (September 6, 1971 – January 15, 2018)
The Cranberries frontwoman died by drowning due to alcohol intoxication at age 46 in January.