Deaths in the last half of the year 2021 in the United States. For the first half of the year, see 2021 deaths in the United States (January–June).
July
July 1 – The Patriot, 59, professional wrestler (AWA, AJPW, WWF) (b. 1961)Del Wilkes, former Gamecocks' football star and pro wrestler, dies at 59 July 3 Robert Correia, 82, politician, mayor of Fall River (2008–2010) and member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives (1977–2008) (b. 1939)Former State Rep and Fall River Mayor Robert Correia passes away Haunani-Kay Trask, 71 American-born Hawaiian nationalist and author (b. 1949)Haunani-Kay Trask, Hawaiian scholar and activist, dies at 71 July 4 Sanford Clark, 85, rockabilly singer ("The Fool", "Houston") (b. 1935)Rockabilly performer Sanford Clark dead at 85 from COVID-19 Terry Donahue, 77, Hall of Fame college football coach (UCLA Bruins) and executive (San Francisco 49ers) (b.1944)Terry Donahue, winningest UCLA football coach, dies at 77 Dennis Gorski, 76, politician, member of the New York State Assembly (1975–1987), Erie County, New York executive (1988–1999) (b. 1944)Former Erie County Executive Dennis Gorski passes away at 76 Anne H. Hopkins, 79, academic administrator and president of University of North Florida (b. 1941)University of North Florida's only woman president, Anne Hopkins, dies at age 79 Richard Lewontin, 92, evolutionary biologist (b. 1929) Richard Lewontin: Pioneering evolutionary biologist dies aged 92 July 5 Didi Contractor, 91, German-American architect (b. 1929)Didi Contractor, champion of low-waste buildings, is no more Richard Donner, 91, film and television director and producer (The Goonies, Tales from the Crypt, Lethal Weapon films) (b. 1930)Richard Donner Dies: 'Superman', 'Lethal Weapon' And 'The Goonies' Director Was 91 James Kallstrom, 78, FBI agent and television host (The FBI Files) (b. 1943)James Kallstrom, FBI Agent Who Led Investigation Into TWA Flight 800, Dies At 78 William Smith, actor (Laredo, Rich Man, Poor Man) (b. 1933)William Smith, Action Actor and Star of 'Laredo' and 'Rich Man, Poor Man,' Dies at 88 July 6 Tom Buford, 72, politician, member of the Kentucky Senate (since 1991) (b. 1949)Kentucky State Senator Tom Buford dies at 72 Suzzanne Douglas, 64, actress (The Parent 'Hood, How Stella Got Her Groove Back, Jason's Lyric) (b. 1957)Suzzanne Douglas, 'The Parent 'Hood' star, dead at 64 William H. Pauley III, 68, judge for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York (1998–2018), senior judge (since 2018).Federal judge who sentenced Michael Cohen and heard NYC lead paint cases dead at 68 July 7 Greg Clark, 49, football player (San Francisco 49ers) (b. 1972)Former San Francisco 49ers tight end Greg Clark dead at the age of 49 Robert Downey Sr., 85, actor (To Live and Die in L.A.), film director (Up the Academy, Putney Swope), and producer (b. 1936)Robert Downey Sr., actor and filmmaker dad of Robert Jr., dead at 85 Bob F. Griffin, 85, politician, member (1971–1996) and speaker (1981–1996) of the Missouri House of Representatives (b. 1935)Bob Griffin, longest-serving Missouri House speaker, forced out by scandal, dies at 85 Priscilla Johnson McMillan, 92, historian and journalist (b. 1928)Priscilla McMillan, Who Knew Both Kennedy and Oswald, Dies at 92 Eddie Payne, 69, college basketball coach (USC Upstate Spartans, Oregon State Beavers, East Carolina Pirates) (b. 1951)Eddie Payne, former Wake Forest basketball player and Greensboro College coach, dies at 69 Chick Vennera, 74, actor (Yanks, The Milagro Beanfield War, Animaniacs) (b. 1947)Chick Vennera Dies: 'Thank God It's Friday', 'The Golden Girls' Actor Was 74 Chris Youngblood, 55, professional wrestler (WWC, FMW) (b. 1966)Chris Romero a.k.a. Chris Youngblood passes away July 8 – Walter Thomas McGovern, 99, jurist and senior judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington (since 1987) (b. 1922)Walter McGovern, federal judge in Seattle for half a century, dies at 99 July 10 Byron Berline, 77, fiddle player (b.1944) David Carter, 67, football player (Houston Oilers, New Orleans Saints) (b. 1953)WKU Hall of Famer, All-American Center David Carter Passes Away Gwendolyn Faison, 96, politician, mayor of Camden, New Jersey (2000–2010) (b. 1925)Gwendolyn Faison, Camden's first woman mayor, remembered as a 'trailblazer' Travis Fulton, 44, mixed martial artist (b. 1977)Travis Fulton, man with most MMA fights, dead after apparent suicide in jail cell Sonny Jackson, 82, college football coach (Nicholls Colonels, McNeese State Cowboys) (b. 1938)Sonny Jackson, Nicholls' winningest football coach, dies at age 82 July 11 Charlie Robinson, 75, actor (Night Court, Love & War) (b. 1945)Charlie Robinson, veteran actor on 'Night Court' and 'Buffalo Bill,' dies at 75 Jerry Steele, 82, basketball coach (Guilford Quakers, Carolina Cougars, High Point Panthers) (b. 1939)High Point University Mourns Loss of Legendary Basketball Coach Jerry Steele July 12 Edwin Edwards, 93, politician, U.S. Representative and four-time Governor of Louisiana (b. 1927)Former La. Governor Edwin Edwards has died at 93 Bertram Firestone, 89, industrial real estate developer, thoroughbred breeder and horse owner (Genuine Risk) (b. 1931)Prominent Owner/Breeder Bert Firestone Dies at 89 Alex Gibbs, 80, football coach (Denver Broncos, Atlanta Falcons) (b. 1941)Broncos mourn passing of former offensive line coach Alex Gibbs Paul Orndorff, 71, professional wrestler (WWF, WCW) (b. 1949)WWE Hall of Famer 'Mr. Wonderful' Paul Orndorff Dies at 71 Joshua Perper, 88, Romanian-born pathologist and toxicologist, chief medical examiner of Broward County, Florida (1994–2011) (b. 1932)Dr. Joshua Perper, Broward medical examiner who conducted Anna Nicole Smith autopsy, dies at 89 John L. Rotz, 86, Hall of Fame jockey (b. 1934)Hall of Fame Jockey John Rotz Passes Away at 86 July 13 Shirley Fry, 94, Hall of Fame tennis player (b. 1927) Margaret Richardson, 78, lawyer and public official, commissioner of internal revenue (1993–1997) (b. 1943)Margaret Richardson, IRS commissioner during Clinton's first term, dies at 78 July 14 Sam Belnavis, 81, automobile racing executive (b. 1939)Sam Belnavis, NASCAR 's first full-time minority car owner and diversity pioneer, dies at 81 Dan Forestal, 38, politician, member of the Indiana House of Representatives (2012–2020) (b. 1983)Dan Forestal, former Indiana lawmaker, dies at 38 Jeff LaBar, 58, rock guitarist (Cinderella, Naked Beggars) (b. 1963) Julian L. Lapides, 89, politician, member of the Maryland House of Delegates (1963–1967) and senate (1967–1994) (b. 1931)Julian 'Jack' Lapides, former Maryland state senator from Baltimore, dies July 15 Yoel Kahn, 91, Russian-born Chabad rabbi (b. 1930)Rabbi Yoel Kahn, leading student of Lubavitcher Rebbe, passes away Jean Kraft, 94, mezzo-soprano (b. 1927) Jerry Lewis, 86, politician, member of the California State Assembly (1969–1978) and U.S. House of Representatives (1979–2013), chair of the House Appropriations Committee (2005–2007) (b. 1934)Former Rep. Jerry Lewis, who served the High Desert and other communities for nearly 50 years, dies at 86 Dennis Murphy, 94, sports entrepreneur, co-founder of the American Basketball Association and World Hockey Association (b. 1926)Dennis Murphy, co-founder of pro sports leagues, dies at 94 Gloria Richardson, 99, civil rights activist (Cambridge movement) (b. 1922) Hugo F. Sonnenschein, 80, economist (Sonnenschein–Mantel–Debreu theorem) (b. 1940)Hugh Sonnenschein, controversial former University of Chicago president, dead at 80 July 16 Doug Bennett, 75, politician, member of the Michigan House of Representatives (2005–2010) (b. 1946)Former state Rep. Doug Bennett dies in motorcycle crash Stephen Hickman, 72, illustrator (b. 1949)Stephen Hickman, Award-Winning Sci-Fi/Fantasy Painter, Has Passed Away Biz Markie, rapper ("Just a Friend") (b. 1964)Rapper Biz Markie, Known for Hit Song 'Just a Friend,' Dies at Age 57 Harry M. Rosenfeld, 91, newspaper editor (The Washington Post) (b. 1929)Rosenfeld, editor for Post's Watergate coverage, dies at 91 July 17 John "Bam" Carney, 51, politician, member of the Kentucky House of Representatives (since 2009) (b.1969)Former Kentucky House Majority Floor Leader John 'Bam' Carney dies at 51 Mat George, 26, podcast host (b. 1995)Mat George, podcast host, killed in hit-and-run at 26 Robby Steinhardt, 71, singer and violinist (Kansas) (b. 1950Robby Steinhardt, Violinist and Co-Lead Vocalist of Kansas, Dead at 71 July 18 – Bernie Hansen, 76, politician, member of the Chicago City Council (1983–2002) (b. 1944)Former longtime lakefront Ald. Bernie Hansen dies at 76 July 19 Layne Flack, 52, poker player (b. 1969)Layne Flack, Six-Time WSOP Bracelet Winner, Dead at 52 Jenny Lynn, 49, bodybuilder (b. 1972) Chuck E. Weiss, 76, songwriter and vocalist (b. 1945)Chuck E. Weiss Dies: Los Angeles Music Scene Fixture And Actor Was 76 July 22 Greg Knapp, 58, football coach (New York Jets, Atlanta Falcons) (b. 1963)Jets assistant Greg Knapp has reportedly died as result of bike accident Gary Leif, 64, politician, member of the Oregon House of Representatives (since 2018) (b. 1957)Oregon state representative Gary Leif dies in Roseburg July 23 David Lust, 53, politician, member of the South Dakota House of Representatives (2007–2015, 2016–2019) (b. 1968)Death of former House Majority Leader David Lust stuns South Dakota political world Steven Weinberg, 88, theoretical physicist, Nobel Prize laureate (1979) (b. 1933)Steven Weinberg, UT physics professor and Nobel laureate, dies at 88 July 24 Rodney Alcala, 77, serial killer (b. 1943)Infamous 'Dating Game Killer' Rodney Alcala Dies Of Natural Causes Jackie Mason, 93, comedian and actor (The Simpsons, The Jerk, Caddyshack II) (b. 1928)Jackie Mason Dies: Rabbi Who Later Rose To Fame As A Comedian, Actor & Author Was 93 July 26 Rick Aiello, 65, actor (Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, Do the Right Thing, The Sopranos) (b. 1955)Danny Aiello's Son Rick Aiello Dead at 65 Albert Bandura, psychologist (b. 1925)Albert Bandura, Leading Psychologist of Aggression, Dies at 95 Mike Enzi, 77, politician, United States Senator from Wyoming (1997–2021) (b. 1944) Mike Howe, 55, heavy metal singer (Metal Church, Heretic) (b. 1965)Metal Church Singer Mike Howe Dead At 55 Joey Jordison, 46, heavy metal drummer (Slipknot, Murderdolls, Sinsaenum) (b. 1975)Joey Jordison, Founding Slipknot Drummer, Dead at 46 David Von Ancken, 56, television and film director (Seraphim Falls, Tut, The Vampire Diaries) (b. 1965)David Von Ancken Dies: 'Code Black', 'Hell On Wheels' & 'Seraphim Falls' Director Was 56 July 27 Jack Carlisle, 91, college football coach (East Tennessee State) (b. 1929)Great Mississippi high school football coach Jack Carlisle died at 91 Saginaw Grant, 85, actor (The World's Fastest Indian, The Lone Ranger, "Ozymandias" episode of Breaking Bad) (b. 1936)American Indian Actor Saginaw Grant, 85, Passes Away Dusty Hill, 72, Hall of Fame musician (ZZ Top) and songwriter ("Tush") (b. 1949) July 28 Wade Cook, 71, author.Wade Cook Obituary (2021) Nancy Frankel, 92, sculptor (b. 1929)Police: Woman says she killed 92-year-old roommate Pete George, 92, weightlifter, Olympic champion (1952) (b. 1929)Olympedia – Pete George Ron Popeil, 86, inventor and businessman (Ronco) (b. 1935)R.I.P. Ron Popeil: 5 of the TV Pitchman's Best Inventions July 29 Robert Dove, 82, politician and academic, parliamentarian of the United States Senate (1981–1987, 1995–2001) (b. 1938)Senator McConnell Pays Tribute to Former Senate Parliamentarian Bob Dove Richard Lamm, 85, politician, governor of Colorado (1975–1987) (b. 1935)Former Colorado Governor Richard 'Dick' Lamm Dies at 85 John Landon, 71, politician, member of the Iowa House of Representatives (since 2013) (b. 1950)Iowa state Rep. John Landon dies at 71