William Safire

William Safire, Nixon Speechwriter and Times Columnist, Is Dead at 79

William Safire, a speechwriter for President Richard M. Nixon
and a Pulitzer Prize-winning political columnist for The New
York Times who also wrote books on politics and a treasury of
articles on language, has died at age 79.

Irving Kristol

Irving Kristol, Godfather of Neoconservatism, Is Dead at 89

Irving Kristol, the political commentator who, as much as
anyone, defined modern conservatism and helped revitalize the
Republican Party in the late 1960s and early 1970s,
setting the stage for the Reagan presidency and the years of
conservative dominance that followed, died Friday. He was 89.

Patrick Swayze

Hollywood actor Patrick Swayze, best known for his roles in the hit films "Dirty Dancing" and "Ghost," has died after a long battle with pancreatic cancer, his publicist said Monday.

Mary Travers

Mary Travers, one-third of the popular 1960s folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary who were perhaps best known for their hit "Puff (The Magic Dragon)," died in a Connecticut hospital after battling leukemia for several years. She was 72.

Henry Gibson

– Henry Gibson, the veteran comic character actor best known for his role reciting offbeat poetry on "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In," has died. He was 73.