Army Staff Sgt. Mark C. Wells, 31, San Jose; killed by hidden bomb in Afghanistan

The explosive ordnance disposal technician never said much to his family about his sensitive missions. He especially didn't seem to want them to know of the close calls his job entailed.

'Macho Man' Randy Savage dies at 58; flamboyant wrestler known for 'Ooh, yeah!' catchphrase

The charismatic Savage was a champion in Vince McMahon's World Wrestling Federation and later in Ted Turner's now-defunct World Championship Wrestling.

Nathaniel Davis dies at 86; U.S. ambassador to Chile when Allende was deposed

The longtime diplomat and Peace Corps official also taught political science at Claremont's Harvey Mudd College for 19 years until his retirement in 2002.

Bill Skiles dies at 79; half of the comedy team Skiles and Henderson

Most of the duo's humor was improvised, with Pete Henderson trying to tell a story amid Skiles' nutty distractions and digressions.

Garret FitzGerald dies at 85; former Irish prime minister

Garrett FitzGerald, a leader of Ireland's longtime No. 2 party, Fine Gael, was an early architect for peace in neighboring Northern Ireland.

Willard S. Boyle dies at 86; a father of the digital camera

Willard S. Boyle shared the 2009 Nobel Prize in physics for the invention at Bell Labs of the imaging device that is at the heart of digital cameras. He also helped develop widely used lasers and earned more than a dozen patents.

Harmon Killebrew dies at 74; Hall of Famer was one of baseball's premier home-run hitters

Harmon Killebrew, known for his towering drives, hit 573 homers in 22 seasons that included an American League pennant with the Minnesota Twins in 1965 and a most valuable player award in 1969. One manager said he could hit the ball out of any park, 'including Yellowstone.'

Joseph Wershba dies at 90; pioneering CBS producer

Joseph Wershba's work with Edward R. Murrow helped expose the tactics used by Sen. Joseph McCarthy to create the communist witch hunt of the 1950s.

Bob Flanigan dies at 84; founding member of the Four Freshmen

The group had a jazz-rooted vocal style and influenced the Beach Boys, the Lettermen, Manhattan Transfer and other vocal acts.

Mary Murphy dies at 80; small-town innocent in 'The Wild One'

Mary Murphy was a young beauty when she was discovered by a talent scout at a Beverly Hills coffee shop. She had several starring roles for Paramount in the 1950s and later appeared on TV but was best known for playing a wholesome girl in a town terrorized by a motorcycle gang led by Marlon Brando.

Jack Jones dies at 86; former longtime Los Angeles Times reporter

He was part of a reporting team that shared the 1966 Pulitzer Prize for the newspaper's coverage of the Watts riots and aftermath.

Charles McPhee dies at 49; self-proclaimed 'Dream Doctor' had syndicated radio show

The Washington, D.C., native decoded dreams on his nationally syndicated radio program until Lou Gehrig's disease forced him off the air. He 'made dream interpretation more present in pop culture,' a behavioral therapist said.

Army Cpl. Kenneth E. Necochea Jr., 21, San Diego; among 6 soldiers killed by suicide bomber in Afghanistan

He joined the Army two years after graduating from high school, wanting 'to do something more with his life' and to be on the front lines 'where the difference was being made.'

Vivian Myerson dies at 100; peace activist won early victory against LAPD spying

She and her husband contended that they were harassed by the LAPD's now-defunct Public Disorder Intelligence Division because of their leftist political beliefs.

Cornell Dupree dies at 68; versatile guitarist

Cornell Dupree, whose nearly five-decade career as a guitarist included recordings and performances with the likes of Miles Davis, Mariah Carey and Aretha Franklin, dies at his home in Texas.