Notable deaths of 2021

Irv Cross, former professional football player, speaks out against the current NFL retirement system and its lack of adequate pension, health and disability benefits for former NFL players, in Washington, D.C., on June 20, 2011. Cross, the first Black person in history to work as a full-time sports analyst on national TV, died on March 1, at the age of 81. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI

Conservative broadcaster Rush Limbaugh (L) gives as thumbs up after being awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by first lady Melania Trump during President Trump's State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on February 4, 2020. Limbaugh died on February 17, at the age of 70. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI

Johnny Pacheco take part in ceremonies on April 11, 2006, announcing the Latin Grammy Awards will be held for the first time ever in New York City. The co-founder of Latin music label Fania Records, died on February 16 at the age of 85. Photo by Ezio Petersen/UPI

Larry Flynt appears at the Adult Entertainment Expo in Las Vegas on January 11, 2008. The Hustler publisher died February 10 at the age of 78. Photo by Daniel Gluskoter/UPI

San Diego Chargers head coach Marty Schottenheimer watches from the sideline as the Chargers beat the Broncos 48-20, in San Diego, on December 10, 2006. The NFL icon who won 200 games as head coach, died on February 9 after a battle with Alzheimer's disease, at the age of 77. Photo by Earl S. Cryer/UPI

Mary Wilson arrives at the NAACP Image Awards in Los Angeles, on February 17, 2012. The Motown legend, known for being a founding member of The Supremes with Diana Ross and Florence Ballard, died on February 8, at the age of 76. Photo by Danny Moloshok/UPI

Former Secretary of State George Shultz listens to a speaker at a centenary celebration in San Francisco, on April 18, 2006. Shultz, who was also a distinguished fellow and professor at Stanford University, died on February 7 at the age of 100. Terry Schmitt)

Leon Spinks, former heavyweight boxing champion smiles as he watches a fight between him and Muhammad Ali during Enshrinement ceremonies for the Class of 2015 of the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame in St. Louis, on September 17, 2015. Spinks died after a battle with prostate cancer on February 7 at the age of 67. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI

Rep. Ron Wright, R-Texas, died on February 7 at 67, after battling lung cancer and contracting COVID-19. He is the first member of congress to die from the coronavirus. Photo courtesy of the U.S. House of Representatives/Wikimedia Commons

Christopher Plummer waves to the crowd during his hand & footprint ceremony immortalizing him in the forecourt of TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX in Los Angeles on March 27, 2015. The actor, best known for his role in "The Sound of Music," died on February 5 at the age of 91. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI

Cast member Hal Holbrook attends the premiere of "Planes: Fire & Rescue" in Los Angeles, on July 15, 2014. The actor, best known for his role of Mark Twain in a one-man show, died on February 2 at the age of 95. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI

Dustin Diamond poses for a photo at the Chiller Theatre Expo at the Sheraton Parsippany Hotel in Parsippany, N.J., on October 27, 2012. The actor, best known for his role as Samuel "Screech" Powers in "Saved by the Bell," died on February 1 at the age of 44 after a battle with cancer. Photo by Rob DiCaterino/Flickr

Cicely Tyson attends the Creative Arts Emmy Awards in Los Angeles on September 15, 2019. The actor died January 27 at the age of 96. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI

Cloris Leachman attends the premiers of Starz's television series "American Gods" at the ArcLight Cinema Dome in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles on April 20, 2017. The actor died January 26 at the age of 94. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI

Television and radio host Larry King is seen in the lobby of Trump Tower in New York City on December 1, 2016. The broadcaster died January 23 at the age of 87. File Photo by Albin Lohr-Jones/UPI

Baseball Hall of Famer Hank Aaron waves to fans before he presents the Hank Aaron Award to Giancarlo Stanton in San Francisco, on October 25, 2014. Aaron, also known as "Hammerin' Hank," died on January 22 at the age of 86. Photo by Terry Schmitt/UPI

Music producer Phil Spector (L), charged with fatally shooting actress Lana Clarkson, departs after appearing for a pretrial hearing at the Los Angeles Superior Court in Los Angeles, on October 27, 2005. Spector died of natural causes while incarcerated, for second-degree murder charges, on January 16 at the age of 81. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI

Tom Hanks (L and Joanne Rogers, widow of Mr. Rogers, shares a laugh at the Rally for Peace in Point State Park in Pittsburgh, on November 9, 2018. Rogers, who continued the work of supporting children and families following her husband's death, died on January 14 at the age of 92. Photo by Archie Carpenter/UPI

Siegfried Fischbacher (L) and Roy Horn of Siegfried & Roy, arrive at the premiere of the Beatles Love by Cirque du Soleil, at the Mirage in Las Vegas, on July 2, 2006. Siegfried, known as the magician in their act, died on January 14 following a battle with pancreatic cancer at the age of 81. Photo by Roger Williams/UPI

Tommy Lasorda throws out the ceremonial first pitch before Game 4 of the National League Championship Series with the Los Angeles Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, on October 15, 2013. The legendary Dodgers manager died on January 8 at age 93. Photo by Lori Shepler/UPI

Deezer D (R), greets St. Louis Cardinals fan Jon Kempker on the field, prior to a game with the New York Mets in St. Louis, on June 19, 1999. The actor, known for his role in "ER," died of a suspected heart attack on January 8 at age 55. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI

Tanya Roberts (L) and co-star Roger Moore discuss their James Bond film "A View to a Kill," at a press conference in San Francisco, on May 21, 1985. Roberts, known for roles as a Bond Girl and "That '70s Show," died on January 4 at age 65. Photo by Lloyd Francis/UPI