Tom Fuentes, longtime O.C. Republican Party leader, dies at 63

Tom Fuentes was chairman of the Orange County Republican Party from 1985 to 2004. He helped maintain its powerhouse status and is remembered as 'the godfather of every idealistic person in the party, young and old.'

Mike McGrady, journalist behind sexy bestselling hoax, dies at 78

'Naked Came the Stranger' was concocted by Newsday columnist Mike McGrady with two dozen colleagues to prove that a poorly written potboiler could succeed with enough sex. It became a sensation in 1969 when the hoax was exposed.

Frank Edward Ray dies at 91; hero in Chowchilla school bus hijacking

In 1976, the school bus driver helped lead 26 children to safety after they'd been abducted and buried by three young men planning to seek ransom.

Doug Dillard dies at 75; banjo player, member of the Dillards band

Doug Dillard played with his brothers in the bluegrass group, performed as a solo artist and collaborated with numerous other country, bluegrass, rock and pop musicians.

Donna Summer dies at 63; diva of disco

An icon of dance music, Donna Summer left an enduring legacy that helped open the way to techno and house music.

Peter Fuller dies at 89; his horse lost its Kentucky Derby crown

Thoroughbred owner waged a four-year court battle over the disqualification of Dancer's Image because of a drug found in the colt's system.

Mary Richardson Kennedy, wife of RFK Jr., found dead in New York

Mary Richardson Kennedy, the estranged wife of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., was found dead in New York on Wednesday afternoon. She was 52.

Carlos Fuentes dies at 83; Mexican novelist

A towering literary figure at home and abroad, he was pivotal in raising the profile of the hemisphere's Spanish-language writing in the second half of the 20th century.

Harold A. 'Red' Poling dies at 86; former Ford chairman and CEO

Harold Poling steered the automaker through the recessions of the early 1980s and early '90s. He also approved spending $3 billion to engineer the Taurus.

Donald 'Duck' Dunn dies at 70; bassist for Booker T. & the MG's

As a key part of the integrated house band at Memphis' Stax Records, Dunn set the funky tone for soul hits from Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett and Sam & Dave. He later joined John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd in the Blues Brothers.

Joyce Redman dies at 96; actress twice nominated for Oscars

Joyce Redman, a veteran of the London and Broadway stage, earned Oscar nominations for 'Othello' and for 'Tom Jones,' in which she had an erotically charged dinner-eating scene opposite Albert Finney.

C. David Heymann dies at 67; controversial bestselling biographer

His accounts of the rich and famous often were criticized as inaccurate or dishonest, including a book on heiress Barbara Hutton that was recalled. But that didn't keep his other works from making the bestseller list.

Horst Faas dies at 79; Pulitzer Prize-winning combat photographer

Best known for his work in Vietnam, he carved out new standards for covering war with a camera and led 'Horst's army' of young photographers, whom he recruited and trained.

'Sweet Joe' Russell dies at 72; singer with the Persuasions

With his powerful but sweet tenor, Russell spent half a century harmonizing with the vocal group widely regarded as the 'kings of a cappella.'

Carroll Shelby dies at 89; cult classic car designer

He retired from racing and built the Cobra, which married Ford V-8 engines with a lightweight British chassis. He later worked with Ford on the Mustang.

Willie Middlebrook dies; photographer documented African American life

Known for the painterly quality of his photos, he often used self-portraits to explore conflicting ideas about identity.

Mort Lindsey dies at 89; Judy Garland's musical director

A veteran conductor, arranger and composer, Mort Lindsey was the musical director for Judy Garland's famed 1961 Carnegie Hall concert.

Vidal Sassoon dies at 84; hair stylist revolutionized the field

He changed women's styles with his sleek, geometric cuts, popularized the hand-held blow dryer and helped launch the age of the signature hair salon.

Nicholas Katzenbach dies at 90; attorney general under Johnson

The lawyer helped write the civil rights and voting rights acts of the '60s. While working for his predecessor, Robert F. Kennedy, he faced down Gov. George Wallace to desegregate the University of Alabama.

Kenneth Leventhal dies at 90; key figure in Southland real estate

Kenneth Leventhal, a pioneer in the accounting field, became a major player in Southern California real estate after World War II.