Joe Ames, 86, deep-voiced anchor and eldest member of the 1950s singing group the Ames Brothers; Dec. 22, in Los Angeles, after a heart attack.
Arthur Appleton, 92, leading thoroughbred horse breeder and owner as well as former president and chairman of Chicago’s Appleton Electric Co.; Jan. 15, in Ocala, Fla., of natural causes.
Walter Bowart, 68, journalist who channeled the cultural chaos of the 1960s into print as the co-founder of one of the era’s first underground newspapers; Dec. 18, in Inchelium, Wash., of colon cancer.
Kennith Burns, 81, early leader of the Mattachine Society, one of the country’s first gay-rights organizations; Dec. 16, in Burbank, Calif., of lung failure.
Don Cardwell, 72, former Cub who pitched a no-hitter and later helped the New York Mets win the 1969 World Series; Jan. 14, in Winston- Salem, N.C.
Giuliano Ciannella, 64, Italian tenor who sang with Lyric Opera of Chicago during the 1980s; Jan. 13, in Ferrara, Italy, after a long illness.
Bobby Fischer, 64, Chicago-born, Brooklyn-bred eccentric genius many considered the greatest chess player ever and the only American of the modern era to win a world title ; Jan. 17, in Reykjavik, Iceland, of kidney failure.
Dr. Judah Folkman, 74, groundbreaking researcher who worked to cut off cancer from its blood supply, curing the disease in mice and giving humans hope for a cure; Jan. 14, in Denver, apparently of a heart attack.
Georgia Frontiere, 80, owner of the NFL Rams for nearly three decades and the first woman to take control of a league franchise; Jan. 18, in Los Angeles, after battling breast cancer.
Leo Janos, 74, former speechwriter for President Lyndon Johnson whose ghostwriting talents were displayed in legendary test pilot Chuck Yeager’s best-selling autobiography; Jan. 11, in Los Angeles, of cancer.
Richard Knerr, 82, co-founder of Wham-O, the toy company that popularized the Hula Hoop, Frisbee and other fads that became classics; Jan. 14, in Arcadia, Calif., after a stroke.
Randy Leslie, 46, 24-year Bellwood police veteran who rose through the ranks to become deputy chief; Jan. 11, in Elmhurst, of multiple myeloma.
Paul MacLean, 94, neuroscientist who developed the concept of the three-part brain — one part controlling involuntary actions, one controlling emotions and the third involved in thought processes; Dec. 26, in Potomac, Md., of a heart attack.
Maila Nurmi, 85, entertainer whose “Vampira” TV persona pioneered the spooky-yet-sexy Goth aesthetic; Jan. 17, in Hollywood.
Clyde Otis, 83, songwriter and record producer who was one of the first black executives at a major record company, in his case Mercury Records; Jan. 8, in Englewood, N.J.
Brad Renfro, 25, actor whose career began promisingly with a childhood role in “The Client” but faded as he struggled with drugs and alcohol; Jan. 15, in Los Angeles.
John Stroger, 78, pioneering black Cook County Board president who was well-schooled in the art of Chicago politics that ultimately installed his son as his successor; Jan. 18, in Chicago, of complications from a massive stroke he had nearly two years ago.
