Notable Deaths In Illinois: Remembering Those We Lost In 2021

ILLINOIS — At the end of each December, looking back at the year that was is often a great way to prepare for the next 12 months. 2021 was a unique year in many ways, and one we'll not soon forget.

Sadly, we lost many important people that helped shape Illinois and beyond during their lifetimes. As we prepare to begin a new chapter with the start of 2022, Patch remembers a few of the people we lost.

FEBRUARY

• Rennie Davis, one of the "Chicago Seven" activists who was tried for organizing an anti-Vietnam War protest outside the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago in which thousands clashed with police in a bloody confrontation that horrified a nation watching live on television, died on Feb. 2. He was 80. Read more: Rennie Davis, 'Chicago Seven' Activist, Dies At 80
• Syed Abdul Majid, pioneer and pillar of the South Asian Muslim community in the Chicago area, passed away Feb 2, 2021, at the age of 84. Read more: Skokie Obituary: Syed Abdul Majid, 84
• Karen Lewis, a chemistry teacher turned acerbic union leader, died Feb.8, according to multiple media reports. She was 67. Read more: Chicago Teacher Turned 'Acerbic' CTU President Karen Lewis Dies
• The flag outside of Oak Lawn Community High School was lowered to half-mast in memory of Andy Washack, who died Feb. 26 from complications due to coronavirus. He was 18. Read more: Oak Lawn Community High School Mourns Senior Who Died Of COVID-19

MARCH

• Journalist. Traveler. Doodler. Borderline Misanthrope. Bibliophile. Insomniac. Those are the words Abhinanda Datta used to describe herself on a social media profile. Datta, a lover of words both in her professional career and personal life, died unexpectedly Wednesday, March 17, in Evanston. She was 28. Read more: Remembering Abhinanda: A Life Dedicated To Making A Difference
• Stuart D. Gordon, 73, of Highwood, passed away at home on March 24, 2021, after battling bone cancers for the past year. True to his nature, he never stopped fighting. Stuart was born August 11, 1947 in Chicago. He went to University of Wisconsin and then University of Illinois for law school. A driven attorney for almost 50 years, he shone bright in the courtroom. Read more: Highwood Obituary: Stuart Gordon, 73

MAY

• Thomas Karones, who at age 91 decided to run for mayor of Oak Lawn in the 2021 election, died after complications from a medical procedure on May 31. He was a 54-year resident of the village. Read more: Oak Lawn Mayoral Candidate And Neighbor Tom Karones, Dies at 91
• Kevin Clark, the 32-year-old musician and Highland Park native who appeared in the 2003 film "School of Rock," died after he was struck and killed by a car while cycling in Chicago. Read more: 'School Of Rock' Drummer Struck And Killed By Car While Biking

JUNE

• Scott Allan Baeseman, 52, of Highland Park, IL, died peacefully in Wisconsin at the home of his sister, Jody Baeseman and Steve Schlei, surrounded by his family, on June 6, 2021. Read more: Highland Park Obituary: Scott Baeseman, 52
• Fritzie Fritzshall, a survivor of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Nazi concentration camp who dedicated her life to fighting hate and ensuring the horrors of the Holocaust would not be forgotten or repeated, died June 18 at the age of 91. Read more: Illinois Holocaust Museum President Fritzie Fritzshall Dies At 91
• Donald Rumsfeld, the former U.S. secretary of defense under two presidents, has died. His family confirmed the death at his New Mexico home June 30. He was 88. Rumsfeld grew up in Winnetka and graduated from New Trier High School. Read more: Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary Of Defense For 2 Presidents, Dies

JULY

• Dr. Marjorie Ann Joy (Courney), better known as Marge to colleagues, friends and the residents she served as an elected official in Oak Lawn, died July 2 surrounded by her family. She was 82. Read more: Dr. Marjorie 'Marge' Joy, Former Oak Lawn Trustee, Dies at 82
• The Oak Lawn Police Department is mourning the loss of beloved retired police K9, Lucifer, who crossed the rainbow bridge on July 17 after eight years of loyal service to his human police colleagues and the residents of Oak Lawn. Lucifer was 14 years old when he died of cancer last weekend. Read more: Oak Lawn Police Service Dog Lucifer Crosses Rainbow Bridge
• A college senior and licensed flight instructor from Lake Forest died after a plane crash last month in Wisconsin. Kylie Murray, 21, a 2018 Lake Forest High School graduate, was working for Cub Air flight school at Hartford Municipal Airport at the time of the fatal crash, authorities said. Read more: Lake Forest Woman Dies In Wisconsin Plane Crash

AUGUST

• The Will County Sheriff's Office announced that Lt. Steve Egan, a member of the sheriff's department since 1989, was killed Aug. 6 while riding his motorcycle in western Iowa during his vacation. He was 68. Read more: Motorcycle Crash Kills Long-Time Will County Sheriff's Lieutenant
• In a neighborhood where kids grow up placing their hands over their hearts at the passing casket of a fallen police officer or firefighter, residents of the 19th Ward gathered for an all too familiar vigil, to celebrate the life of Officer Ella French, and to offer prayers for all Chicago police officers. She died in the line of duty on Aug. 7. Read more: Healing Words For CPD Officers At Vigil for Ella French
• Tony Esposito, a Hall of Fame goaltender who played almost his entire 16-year career with the Chicago Blackhawks, has died following a brief battle with pancreatic cancer, the team announced on Aug. 10. He was 78. Read more: Blackhawks Hall Of Fame Goaltender Tony Esposito Dies At 78

SEPTEMBER

• Allison Payne, the former Emmy-award-winning anchor at WGN, died earlier this month at age 57, her former employer announced over the weekend. Read more: Former WGN-TV Emmy-Winning Anchor Allison Payne Dies At Age 57
• After recently being diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer, Canine Diesel of the Lake County Sheriff's Office died Sept. 11 in the company of his partner, Deputy Craig Sommerville. Canine Diesel was seven and was set to celebrate his eighth birthday. Read more: Lake County Sheriff's Office Mourns The Passing Of Canine Diesel

NOVEMBER

• The Schaumburg Police Department is mourning the loss of one of its finest. Officer Ross Urso, 50, died Nov. 3 following a two-and-a-half-year battle with cancer. Read more: Schaumburg Police Mourn Loss Of Veteran Officer
• Eugene "Skip" Sullivan, perhaps the most beloved coach and teacher in the history of Oak Lawn Community High School, died Nov. 25 after living with Parkinson's disease for almost two decades. He was 70 years old. Read more: Inspirational OLCHS Coach and Teacher Skip Sullivan, Dies At 70
• Virgil Abloh, the artistic director for Louis Vuitton menswear and founder of Milan-based fashion brand Off-White, died Sunday of cancer. He was 41. Read more: Virgil Abloh, Artistic Director For Louis Vuitton, Dies Of Cancer
• Every time pitcher Lamarr Hoyt took the mound for the "Winning Ugly" White Sox during his Cy Young Award-season in 1983, a great calm came over the clubhouse. Hoyt died at home in South Carolina on Nov. 29 after a long battle with cancer. He was 66. Read more: White Sox 1983 Cy Young Winner Lamarr Hoyt Dies Of Cancer At 66

DECEMBER

• Pete the Greek, as Panagiotis Tritsarolis was known to breakfast crowd regulars at Cal Harbor, loved to work. That was the best of him, his family said. Tritsarolis died suddenly on Dec. 7 at home. He was 74. Read more: Cal Harbor Restaurant Owner 'Pete the Greek' Loved To Work
• Nicknamed "The Mouth of the South," Joe Simon — an R&B singer turned ordained minister — charted 51 U.S. pop and R&B hits between 1964 and 1981. The longtime Buffalo Grove resident died on Dec. 13 at the age of 85. Read more: R&B Legend, Buffalo Grove Resident Joe Simon Dead At 85
• Felix Pasteris, a soft-spoken centenarian who battled COVID-19, cancer and the Nazis, died Dec. 20 at age 100, a family friend confirmed to Patch. Read more: 100-Year-Old WWII Veteran Who Battled COVID And Cancer Dies