As 2022 comes to an end, we would like to take a moment to pay our respects to those that passed away throughout the year. Among the people that we remember there are a number of talented folk that we acknowledge. Some famous and some not so well known, from royalty, actors, sportsmen and musicians.
January
Sidney Poitier was an American actor, film director, diplomat, and respected humanitarian. He died at his home of heart failure on 6 January..
Musician Marvin Lee Aday, better known by his stage name Meat Loaf, sold more than 100 million albums worldwide, his most famous being his 1977 debut record, "Bat Out of Hell." His death was announced on 20 January, aged 74. No official cause of death was released.
February
Glenn Wheatley started his music career as the bassist for Masters Apprentices before becoming the high-profile manager for Little River Band, John Farnham, and Delta Goodrem. He died on 1 February, aged 74, due to complications from COVID-19.
Rugby league Immortal Johnny Raper died aged 82, on 22 February after a battle with dementia. Under grey skies at the SCG, Johnny Raper's white casket, draped with the famous Red V, graced a ground that saw many iconic moments during his impressive career. Friends, family, and dignitaries joined in remembering the St George legend at a state funeral.
March
Shane Warne was described as Australia's finest cricketer since Sir Donald Bradman; he was loved and admired by many Australians. On 4 March his death, caused by a heart attack, shocked sports fans across the world.
The former Australian wicketkeeper, Rod Marsh was regarded as "a colossal figure in Australian cricket" throughout his long, illustrious career. Marsh suffered a heart attack and died in an Adelaide hospital on 4 March. He was 74 years old.
Actor William Hurt was one of Hollywood's leading men of the 1980s, starring in movies such as "Broadcast News," "Body Heat" and "The Big Chill. William died on 13 March following complications due to prostate cancer. He was 71 years old.
April
Australian golfing great, Jack Newton was the 1979 Australian Open champion. He also won once on the PGA Tour and was a three-time winner on the European Tour. Newton died aged 72, on 15 April due to health complications.
May
Australian cricket great Andrew Symonds died in a car crash on 14 May, aged 46, leaving the Australian cricket community in shock following the unexpected deaths of Shane Warne and Rod Marsh. He played 26 Tests for Australia as well as 198 one-day internationals and 14 Twenty internationals.
Veteran Australian journalist and former Four Corners host Caroline Jones died on 20 May after a fall in her Sydney home. She was 84.
June
Brett Tuggle was a musician and songwriter; he notably performed with Fleetwood Mac and David Lee Roth in Van Halen. He died at home on 19 June of complications related to cancer. Tuggle was 70.
July
Japan's longest-serving prime minister, Shinzo Abe, was assassinated on 8 July in a shocking act by a man with a homemade gun. Abe was 67.
Ivana Trump was born and raised in Gottwaldov, Czechoslovakia. She moved to New York in 1976, married Donald Trump in 1977, and divorced in 1992. Ivana Trump died aged 73 on 14 July after a fall in her home.
August
Entertainment superstar, Olivia Newton-John, famed for her roles in movies such as Grease, and hit songs like Physical, devoted much of her life to philanthropy and cancer research. Olivia died on 8 August, at the age of 73, after a decades-long battle with cancer.
The NRL community was shocked when premiership-winning coach Paul Green died on 11 August, aged 49. Green played 162 first-grade matches between 1994-2004, winning the prestigious Rothmans Medal in 1995 as the game's best and fairest. He played State of Origin for Queensland and represented Super League's Australian team in 1997.
Melbourne fashion icon, hairdresser, socialite, and philanthropist Lillian Frank died on 13 August, aged 92.
Judith Durham, singer, songwriter, and musician, was the lead singer of the legendary Australian band The Seekers, died on 5 August, aged 79, following complications from chronic lung disease.
September
Queen Elizabeth II's 70-year reign is the longest in the history of the British monarchy. She ascended to the throne in 1952 at the age of 25. Queen Elizabeth has overseen 15 prime ministers in England and has met with 13 of the last 14 US Presidents. She married Prince Philip in 1947. They were married for 73 years until his death in 2021. Queen Elizabeth II died on 8 September at the age of 96.
October
Loretta Lynn was a music icon spanning six decades. She died in her sleep on 4 October following a successful career as a country music singer and songwriter. She was 90.
Julie Powell was best known as a food writer and the inspiration behind the 2009 movie "Julie & Julia." She died of cardiac arrest at her home in upstate New York on 26 October, aged 49.
Angela Lansbury's acting career began in 1942; her career spanned eight decades; in 2014, Queen Elizabeth II appointed her Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire. She died on 11 October at her home in Los Angeles. She was 96.
Scottish actor Robbie Coltrane was best known for playing the role of Hagrid in the Harry Potter movies. He was appointed OBE in 2006 by Queen Elizabeth II. Robbie Coltrane died in Scotland, aged 72, on 14 October of several medical conditions.
Singer, songwriter, and pianist Jerry Lee Lewis's first hit, "Whole Lotta Shakin Goin On," was the song that shot him to worldwide fame; he followed with his major hit, "Great Balls of Fire." Jerry Lee Lewis died on 28 October, aged 87, after several years of poor health.
November
Peter Reith was a former Howard government minister; he died on 8 November surrounded by family after a "brave battle" with Alzheimer's disease, a family spokesman said.He was 72.
December
Emmy award-winning US actor Kristie Alley who was a well-known star of Cheers and Veronica’s Closet, passed away 5 December at age 71.