By Thomas Sellers Jr.
All of us must go and leave this world one day.
Every year has lowlights of well-known figures passing away. From the famous to the infamous, death comes knocking for us all. The year 2025 will be marked by two shocking murders that rocked the world. If you look at the passing of entertainer Rob Reiner and TurningPoint USA founder Charlie Kirk from a political lens, it shook both sides of the aisle.
Among the notable deaths of 2025 were singer D’Angelo from my teenage years. Common Jeopardy answer, Jane Goodall, left us on October 1. Another honorable mention is child-actor icon Danielle Spencer. She brought Dee Thomas to lift on the sitcom “What’s Happening?” Sassy with a hint of innocence, Dee will keep audiences laughing for another lifetime.
10. Diane Keaton
January 5, 1946-October 11, 2025
One of the best actresses of her era, Diane Keaton could do comedy or drama. Some of the highlights from her catalog she left us are “Annie Hall,” “The Godfather,” “Manhattan” and “Reds.” She was nominated for multiple Academy Awards and she took home the gold statue for her iconic role in “Annie Hall.”
Keaton’s range was also on display with each role she played. She could be the bad girl or make your heart melt as the protagonist.
9. Dick Cheney
January 30, 1941-November 3, 2025
We lost a vice president around election time of 2025. To some infamous and others a respected Republican, Dick Cheney was one of our Nation’s strongest VPs. His vice presidency was powerful and polarizing, especially helping the United States fight the War on Terrorism.
Cheney was unapologetically and a force on foreign policy. Some will remember those as negatives because he wasn’t afraid to share his opinion. He is even known for his hunting accident. Cheney is proof no political figure is perfect but can be effective.
8. Pope Francis
December 17, 1936-April 21, 2025
Whenever the world bids farewell to a Pope, it is major news. Pope Francis took over as the 266th Pope on March 13, 2013, elected after Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation. Pope Francis led the Catholic Church until his passing in April. His simple legacy was trying to rebuild his church from its ruins for God.
7. Robert Redford
August 18, 1936-September 16, 2025
Another legendary actor made his final curtain call in 2025. Robert Redford was introduced to my life via “Indecent Proposal” in 1993. Then I ventured back and discovered he has a library of classics like “The Natural.”
Redford had a successful second act as a director. He won an Academy Award for “Ordinary People: in 1981 and “Quiz Show” in 1995.” Toss in his Best Actor Award for 1974’s “The Sting,” Redford had one of the best careers in Hollywood history.
Other highlights for Redford were “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” “The Way We Were,” and “All the President’s Men.” Add the fact he was a sex symbol, Redford had a pretty great tenure in Tinsel Town.
6. Ozzy Ozbourne
December 3, 1948-July 22, 2025
If Ozzy Ozbourne had passed away in 2005, he would not make my countdown at all. I would have known him for just being the chicken-head bitter.
Then my beloved colleague Christina Morgan introduced her undying devotion for the lead singer of Black Sabbath. I thought the man who struggled to talk on his reality show with his family couldn’t sing. But his vocal talents were impressive. Then I watch Ozzy be a loving family man in “The Osbournes.”
Don’t judge a book by the chicken-blood stain over. Ozzy was cool and over the past 20 years I’ve grown to respect him and love his music. Thanks Bud for introducing me to a legend.
5. Hulk Hogan
August 11, 1953-July 24, 2025
Here are a few categories to consider for this legend.
“Face of the 1980s”
“An American Icon”
“Face of Professional Wrestling”
Hulk Hogan, born Terry Bollea, qualifies for all of these and few others. He wasn’t the best grappler, but he had the biggest impact on growing the industry.
Even your grandmother knew who he was in the 1980s.
By the 1990s he had another massive run in the business as “Hollywood Hogan.” While his acting on the big and small screens were not the best, Hogan just seemed to have a golden touch majority of his time.
He was the main event of the first “WrestleMania” in 1985. We flash more than 40 years later and Hogan’s roller coaster ride called life is over. He had more highs and lows.
4. George Foreman
January 10, 1949-March 21, 2025
From a predetermined sport to the most brutal game in the world — boxing. The oldest Heavyweight champion ever passed away just 10 days into the new year. “Big” George Foreman rose from poverty in Houston to a beloved wealthy figure across the world.
After the man with the most powerful fist in boxing won the Olympic gold medal at the age of 19, he took on the heavyweight division during a golden era in the 1970s.
He won the title and then “The Greatest” Muhammad Ali pulled off an upset to beat Foreman.
Several years away from the sport, Foreman came back older and fatter. But he still had those powerful fists. In 1994, Foreman pulled off an upset of his own beating Michael Moore for the world title at the age of 45.
Oh yeah, he is also known for those grills. America said goodbye to a beloved figure and official icon.
3. Malcolm-Jamal Warner
August 18, 1970-July 20, 2025
I have an older sister and two younger brothers, so the character Theo Huxtable was my unofficial big brother.
For eight seasons actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner played the role and helped a young black boy grow up into a man on the small screen.
I enjoyed Theo maturing from a goofy, scheming child into a humbled mentor.
Warner went on to do other shows, a few movies and work behind the camera.
Warner was more than a good actor, he was a role model. He allowed me to believe in myself and chase my dreams.
Warner wasn’t thuggish, loud or crude. He wore glasses and casual styles I gravitated toward in my life. Theo was cool. Warner was a standard.
2. Rob Reiner
March 6, 1947-December 14, 2025
The final passing I am recognizing came as a shock to the country. I met Rob Reiner back in 2000 as he campaigned for Democratic Presidential nominee Al Gore in Memphis.
He was passionate and had a lot to say. I asked him one question and got a 7 minute response.
When I arrived at those headquarters to meet him, I knew he was “Meathead” on the legendary sitcom “All in the Family.”
Later I had to learn about his iconic dad, career as a director and his political passions.
With so many things to be remembered for and by, Reiner’s death will cast a shadow over all his achievements.
Reiner’s apparent murder in his home alongside his wife will be right up there with his classic films, “This is Spinal Tap,” “Misery,” “A Few Good Men,” and “The Bucket List.”
1. Charlie Kirk
October 14, 1993-September 10, 2025
In my lifetime, I’ve never seen anything like I watched on “X” that September day. Charlie Kirk was assassinated by a gunman on a college campus in Utah. In March 1981, President Ronald Reagan was shot but survived. On July 13, 2024, Presidential candidate Donald Trump was shot at a rally in Pennsylvania. Trump bounced back quickly. Kirk wasn’t coming back. His fatal shot was just as brutal as it was sudden.
The Right-Wing commentator and founder of Turning Point USA was holding one of his typical events at Utah Valley University in September having discourse with hundreds. Then the “Prove Me Wrong” style event came to a tragic end.
The Kirk assassination will have a lasting impact and now his legacy is being redefined and reshaped as you read this. With varying opinions on Kirk, we all should agree nobody should be murdered for speech.
THOMAS SELLERS JR. is the editor of The Millington Star and both the sports editor and a weekly personal columnist for West 10 Media/Legacy Media. Contact him by phone at (901) 433-9138, by fax to (901) 529-7687 and by email to thomas@legacy-media.net
