In Memoriam

Poet and former Virginia Tech professor Nikki Giovanni died at 81. News4’s Jummy Olabanji spoke about memories from taking classes with Giovanni.

Nikki Giovanni, the poet, author, educator and public speaker who rose from borrowing money to release her first book to decades as a literary celebrity sharing her takes on everything from racism and love to space travel and mortality, has died. She was 81.

The comedian, who also appeared on Comedy Central and “Family Guy,” has died at the age of 39, his fiancée confirmed.

The model took to Instagram Nov. 30 to post a tribute to her beloved dad which included throwback photos of the pair together as well as solo shots of her and him. Paul died in a in a single-vehicle collision on Nov. 30, 2013. He was 40.

On the 11-year anniversary of Paul Walker’s death, his daughter Meadow Walker shared a heartbreaking tribute to the late “Fast & Furious” actor.

John Tinniswood, who held onto the title of world’s oldest man, died in England on Monday at age 112.

Zayn Malik kicked off his first official solo tour in Leeds, England, and included a tribute to his late friend Liam Payne, his former One Direction bandmate.

Russian ballet star Vladimir Shklyarov has died at the age of 39. The Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg, Russia share a statement about his death on their website. “This is a huge loss not only for the theatre’s staff, but for all of today’s ballet art. Our condolences to the artist’s family, loved ones, friends and all the numerous admirers...

“One Tree Hill” star Paul Teal has died at 35 after an apparent health battle. The actor’s death was announced by his partner, Emilia Torello, in a moving tribute on Instagram Nov. 17.

Liam Payne’s death at the age of 31 sent shockwaves through the music world and beyond. The singer spent more than half his life in the public eye after auditioning for “The X-Factor” as a teenager.

Zayn Malik and Harry Styles remembered their One Direction bandmate, Liam Payne, after his death. The two singers took to their respective Instagram accounts to share heartfelt tributes to their friend, reminiscing on their close bond and expressing how much they’ll miss him.

Singer Liam Payne, who came to fame with the beloved boy band One Direction, died at the age of 31. In the wake of Liam’s passing, Access Hollywood looked back on his music career over more than a decade.

A young single mother who was diagnosed with terminal cancer has died after raising $1 million for her own funeral and for her children. Erika Diarte-Carr died on Oct. 12, a family member confirmed on social media. The 30-year-old, who leaves behind son Jeremiah, 7, and daughter Aaliyah, 5, started a GoFundMe page to organize her funeral and “leave something behind for [her] babies.”

Mitzi Gaynor, the effervescent dancer and actor who starred as Nellie Forbush in the 1958 film of “South Pacific” and appeared in other musicals with Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly, has died. She was 93.

The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act became the first bill Barack Obama signed into law as president in 2009.

Cissy Houston, the mother of the late Whitney Houston and a two-time Grammy winner who performed alongside superstar musicians like Elvis Presley and Aretha Franklin, has died. She was 91.

Maggie Smith’s sons announced on Sept. 27 that the British acting legend had passed away at the age of 89. Over her more than 70-year career, she won 4 Emmys, one Tony, and 2 Oscars – one in 1970 for the drama “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” and other in 1978 for the comedy “California Suite.” Maggie was perhaps...

Maggie Smith, who won an Oscar for “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” in 1969 and won new fans in the 21st century as the dowager Countess of Grantham in “Downton Abbey,” has died, her publicist said Friday. She was 89.

Tito Jackson, brother of Michael Jackson and Jackson 5 co-founder, has died at the age of 70.

YouTube star Paul Harrell wanted fans to hear about his passing directly from him. The online personality, known for his popular videos on firearm safety and reviews, died at age 58 following a battle with pancreatic cancer. He shared the sad news in a prerecorded video titled “I’m Dead” that published on Sept. 3, in which he revealed that his...