There will be a public wake for former First Lady Maggie Daley on Sunday at the Chicago Cultural Center. more ›

Former Bears safety Dave Duerson, one of the hardest hitters on the 1985 Bears, has been found dead in his Miami home according to breaking new reports. Cause of death wasn't released by the Miami-Dade county coroner. more ›

The passing of actor Tom Bosley made me and possibly others feel just the slightest bit older yesterday. Mr. Bosley, best remembered as family patriarch Howard "Mr. C" Cunningham on "Happy Days," was a Chicago native; attended DePaul; performed at the suburban Woodstock Opera House alongside Paul Newman; was a Navy veteran; and a Tony Award winner for his portrayal of legendary New York Mayor Fiorello La Guardia in "Firoello." more ›

Two days after the passing of Albertina Walker, soul music pioneer and man-mountain Solomon Burke died at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport at the age of 70. The son of a preacher who once said "I'll sing as long as I draw breath" was en route to a concert appearance in Amsterdam. more ›

If you've ever been to The Empty Bottle then you've seen Radley the Cat. Sometimes wandering outside, sometimes keeping an eye on the bar, and sometimes simply quietly passing judgment on the bands playing from the back of the room. We just got the sad word that Radley passed away at 2:32 this afternoon. more ›

"Red" Kerr succumbed to cancer at 76, just weeks after the Bulls honored the man who served the franchise for nearly its entire existence. A chicago native, Kerr starred for Tilden High School and the University of Illinois before joining the NBA, where he was an All Star and NBA Champion. Drafted by his hometown Chicago Bulls in the expansion draft as a player, Kerr instead retired from playing and served as the Bulls first head coach, and remains the only NBA coach to lead a team to the playoffs in its inaugural season. He returned to the Bulls as a broadcaster and announced their games on TV for 35 years. more ›

If ever a person had a name that befitted his or her personality, she was Eartha Kitt, the original "sex kitten." The mixed-race daughter of South Carolina farmers passed away yesterday at the age of 81. In her passing, Ms. Kitt joins Charlie Chaplin and Jame Brown on the list of entertainers who died on Christmas Day. more ›

Former Bush Press Secretary Tony Snow has died Saturday of colon cancer. He was 53. more ›

We've always been very skeptical of that old saying that death comes in threes. The sad fact of the matter is that people are dying all the time. Even a cursory browse of the Invitational Celebrity Dead Pool ought to be enough to convince. But alas it's one of those myths that seems to die hard. more ›

This was not a very happy week for the -ist network as one of our own, Phillyist co-editor Star C. Foster, passed away early in the week. Her wit, intelligence, and good nature shone through the site, making Phillyist an immensely fun read. She was loved by many and will be missed by all. Phillyist paid tribute to her this week with a heartfelt letter to her and an obituary. And now, the awkward... more ›

Don't expect to find glögg at the Hopleaf this winter. The Reader's "Food Chain" blog reported Wednesday that they won't be making any this winter, due to the passing of "Mr. Hans" himself. Hans Gotling passed away on December 4th (you can read his obituary here). He was a Streets & San employee, a 47th Ward precinct captain, and the owner of the Hopleaf's previous incarnation, Clark Foster Liquors. But he'll be most remembered... more ›

A pall hangs over the ‘Ist-a-verse this morning, as we received word yesterday that Phillyist editor Star C. Foster passed away due to a pulmonary embolism caused by a tumor that had metastasized in her leg and traveled to her heart. more ›

Chicagoist has mentioned this before: when it comes to martinis we tend to be purists. If it isn't three chilled shots of gin with a lemon twist , it isn't a martini. Years of practicing mixology have also shown us that the sweeter cocktails can also knock one on his ass. The really pretty ones lead to a lot of impulse buys. more ›

As a Chicago legend received the credit that eluded so many of his forefathers, a former contender for Greatest Band in the World is in danger of becoming the Most Important Band in the World. Last night, Eric Clapton inducted Buddy Guy into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In doing so, he stated that for him, Guy symbolizes “what Elvis probably is for other people" (though we can’t help but think he meant... more ›