The godfather of Illinois' wine industry has passed away at the age of 83. more ›

Lura Lynn Ryan, wife of former Gov. George Ryan, passes away in a Kankakee hospital. more ›

The Chicago-born poet and musician best known for the song "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" died yesterday in New York City. He was 62. more ›

Sad news for those of us who grew up with the Empire Carpet jingle in our heads through years of watching local television. Elmer Lynn Hauldren, best known as the Empire Carpet Man, passed away at the age of 89. more ›

News is breaking that Elizabeth Taylor, one of the greatest actresses of all time, has passed away at the age of 79. One of the greatest actresses of Hollywood's Golden Age, Ms. Taylor's beauty and talent were later overshadowed by her personal life and troubles. more ›

One of the last remaining Delta Blues musicians was called home yesterday with the passing of Joe Willie "Pinetop" Perkins, who died of a heart attack in Austin, TX. more ›

The Cook County Medical Examiner Mesirow Financial and Sun-Times Media Group chairman James Tyree's death to be accidental as the result of an air embolism and dialysis catheter removal. Tyree had been battling stomach cancer for months and that, along with pneumonia, was listed as a secondary cause of death. more ›

News broke yesterday of the passing of Mesirow Financial and Sun-Times Media Group chairman James Tyree at the age of 53. Mr. Tyree had been battling stomach cancer for months. more ›

The Dade County (Fla.) medical examiner has ruled former Bears safety Dave Duerson's death a suicide. Duerson was found dead in his Miami home Thursday with a gunshot wound to the chest. more ›

From the office of corrections: We received a couple of tips after our Monday post on the rumors that Marie Wuczynski, owner of Marie's Riptide Lounge, passed away, which we were told by someone on the phone at the time was not true. So we decided to place another call into the venerable Bucktown tavern and spoke with Marie's longtime employee, Tina Congenie. Ms. Congenie confirmed that Marie did indeed pass away Monday morning. more ›

Another Cubs legend was lost over the weekend when Phil Cavarretta, the MVP winner of the last Cubs team to reach the World Series, passed away Saturday night. more ›

Cubs fans and other well-wishers are lining up outside Holy Name Cathedral right now to pay final respects to Ron Santo. The legendary Cubs third baseman and broadcaster passed away last week from complications related to bladder cancer at the age of 70. more ›

Cubs radio broadcaster and former third baseman Ron Santo has died at age 70. Suffering from complications of bladder cancer, Mr. Santo slipped into a coma on Wednesday according to his family, before passing away last night. more ›

"Naked Gun" star Leslie Nielsen passed away yesterday at the age of 84. Although he was best known for his comedic roles in the "Naked Gun" movies, "Airplane," and other films, when Mr. Nielsen came to Hollywood, he was often cast as a handsome leading man. Roger Ebert, who's more eloquent than anyone in conveying a sense of loss than we could ever hope to, compiled a series of videos of Nielsen as a tribute. more ›

Chicago lost one of its greatest champions of the arts yesterday with the passing of Dr. Margaret Burroughs at the age of 95. Born in Saint Rose, LA, Dr. Burroughs and her family settled on the South Side of the city in 1922. She then went on to graduate from the Chicago Teachers College and earned her Bachelors and Masters degrees in Fine Arts from the Art Institute of Chicago. more ›

Dan Rostenkowski, one of the lions of Illinois politics, passed away today at the age of 82. The burly Pole from the Northwest Side served in Congress for 35 years, from 1959 until 1994, when he was convicted of corruption charges and subsequently lost his seat to an unknown Republican named Michael Flanagan. During his Congressional tenure, especially his 13 years as Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, Rostenkowski was one of the most powerful members of the House, responsible for major reforms in Social Security, welfare reforms, trade legislation and the enactment of the Tax Reform Act of 1986. Rostenkowski was indicted and eventually convicted of corruption charges stemming from the Congressional post office scandal, a trial prosecuted by now Attorney General Eric Holder. more ›

Saxophonist and Velvet Lounge owner Fred Anderson, one of the giants of Chicago's jazz and improvised music scenes, passed away from complications following a cardiac arrest he suffered June 14. Mr. Anderson was 81. more ›

Anyone who planned on heading to Soul Queen in honor of founder Helen Maybell Anglin needn't bother. The Chicago Defender reports that the venerable South Side institution closes with Ms. Anglin: the licenses she held for the restaurant were non-transferable. Daughter D-Ella Pyrzynski said, "Soul Queen was her legacy, and that is how she wants to be remembered. I guess you can say it will be buried with her." The family plans on selling the building where Soul Queen is housed. [Chicago Defender, via] more ›