Top 10 Saddest Deaths of 2015

So far this year, we've lost some treasured people: mathematicians, actors, musicians. And we'll only lose more.

These people have changed the world in their own ways, be it by thrilling sci-fi fans or by actively saving lives, and it's worth commemorating them with this list.

1. Sir Christopher Lee (June 7)

   

   Sir Christopher Frank Carandini Lee (1922-2015) was an English actor, singer, and author. He gained fame for villainous roles such as Dracula in the Hammer horror films, Francisco Scaramanga in the James Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun, Saruman in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies... read more

   Think of all the things he did in his life. All the memories and genius thoughts that he, and he alone, had stored in his incredible brain. The loss of that wealth of fascinating information is hugely sad. The man behind all that must have been incredible. I believe he was.

   A cinematic legend who can't be replaced. He absolutely perfected memorable roles like Saruman, Count Dooku, and Scaramanga, among others, and elevated the quality of every film he was in.

   I was devastated when he passed away. He was my all-time favorite actor. I grew up loving his films and getting scared along the way.

2. Satoru Iwata (July 11)

   

   Satoru Iwata was a Japanese game programmer and businessman. He served as Nintendo's fourth president. He was also the company's chief executive officer.

   Nintendo was, is, and always will be my favorite video game company. This man's accomplishments in the industry, whether at HAL or Nintendo, were immense. He saved games from development hell, helped bring Nintendo back to the top after the GameCube, and rescued entire companies from collapse.

   On his business card, he was a corporate president. In his mind, he was a game developer. But in his heart, he was a gamer. Rest in peace, Mr. Iwata-san.

   He worked not for himself but for the rest of the world. He cared more about his employees and the enjoyment of his players than fame and money.

3. Leonard Nimoy (February 27)

   

   Leonard Simon Nimoy (1931 to 2015) was an American actor, film director, photographer, author, singer, and songwriter. He is best known for his portrayal of Spock in the Star Trek franchise. Nimoy published several books of photography and poetry, and recorded multiple musical albums.

   He inspired a generation of people to explore space and help shape the future. He was a great actor who will truly be missed.

   Mr. Spock, my favorite character. May you live long and prosper. I had a crush on Mr. Spock since middle school. So sad to see him go.

   No need to fear. Sheldon will just grow another Leonard Nimoy.

4. B.B. King (May 14)

   

   Riley B. "B.B." King (1925-2015) was an American blues singer, electric guitarist, songwriter, and record producer. Nicknamed the "King of the Blues," he popularized a sophisticated style of soloing that influenced countless guitarists. King won 15 Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll... read more

   A truly influential musician throughout his life. He will be missed.

5. John Forbes Nash Jr. (May 23)

   

   John Forbes Nash Jr. (1928-2015) was an American mathematician who made fundamental contributions to game theory, differential geometry, and the study of partial differential equations. He shared the 1994 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences for his work on non-cooperative games. Nash's life and struggles... read more

   One of the founders of modern game theory who overcame many struggles with schizophrenia in the process. It was truly sad to see him go the way he did.

6. Terry Pratchett (March 12)

   

   Sir Terence David John "Terry" Pratchett (1948 to 2015) was an English author of fantasy novels, especially known for his comic Discworld series. He published over 70 novels, selling more than 100 million copies worldwide. Pratchett was knighted in 2009 for services to literature.

   One of the best fantasy writers of all time. At one point, Hogfather was my favorite childhood story.

7. Lemmy Kilmister (December 28)

   

   Ian Fraser Kilmister, known as Lemmy, was an English musician, singer, and songwriter who founded and fronted the rock band Motörhead. He was a bassist and singer known for his raspy voice and aggressive playing style. He died in 2015 from prostate cancer, cardiac arrhythmia, and congestive heart failure... read more

8. Scott Weiland (December 3)

   

   Scott Richard Weiland (October 27, 1967 - December 3, 2015) was an American musician, singer, and songwriter. During a career spanning three decades, Weiland was best known as the lead singer of the band Stone Temple Pilots from 1989 to 2002 and again from 2008 to 2013. He also served as the frontman... read more

9. Charles H. Townes (January 27)

   

   Charles Hard Townes, who lived from 1915 to 2015, was an American physicist and inventor of the maser. He shared the 1964 Nobel Prize in Physics for fundamental work in quantum electronics that led to the development of the laser. Townes held patents on maser and laser devices and authored several influential... read more

   The inventor of the maser, a device that creates coherent EM waves through the amplification of stimulated emission. It is an essential component of both radio telescopes and atomic clocks, and it was once considered physically impossible by Niels Bohr.

10. Roddy Piper (July 31)

    

    Roderick George "Roddy" Toombs (1954-2015), better known by his ring name "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, was a Canadian professional wrestler and actor. He rose to fame in the World Wrestling Federation during the 1980s and starred in films such as John Carpenter's They Live (1988). Piper was inducted into the... read more

    Just yesterday, July 30, I was watching old '80s videos of Roddy Piper. Little did I know that his life would be cut short just hours later. He is a legend and will live on. So shocking and heartbreaking. I haven't felt this sorrowed by a celebrity death in years.

The Newcomers
11. ?

    Koopsta Knicca (October 9)

    
12. ?

    Hussein Fatal (July 10)

    
The Contenders

13. Ben E. King (April 30)

    

    Benjamin Earl King (1938 to 2015), known as Ben E. King, was an American soul and R&B singer and record producer. He co-composed and sang the 1961 hit "Stand by Me," which reached the US Top 10 and has since become a classic. King continued performing and recording into the 21st century.

    Stand by me. Oh, stand by me. Oh, stand. Stand by me, stand by me.

14. Dusty Rhodes (June 11)

    

    Virgil Riley Runnels Jr., better known as "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, was an American professional wrestler, booker, and trainer. He gained fame for his work with the National Wrestling Alliance, Jim Crockett Promotions, and the World Wrestling Federation, which later became WWE... read more

15. Errol Brown (May 6)

    

16. Wes Craven (August 30)

    

    Wesley Earl Craven, born on August 2, 1939, was an American film director, screenwriter, producer, and occasional actor. He is best known for creating iconic horror franchises such as A Nightmare on Elm Street and Scream. Craven died on August 30, 2015, in Los Angeles after battling a brain tumor.

17. Cilla Black (August 1)

    

    Priscilla Maria Veronica White, who lived from 1943 to 2015 and was known by her stage name Cilla Black, was an English singer, television presenter, actress, and author. She achieved chart success with hits such as Anyone Who Had a Heart in 1964. She later became a popular television host through Blind... read more

18. Nicholas Winton (July 1)

    

    Sir Nicholas George Winton (1909-2015) was a British humanitarian who organized the rescue of 669 mostly Jewish children from Czechoslovakia between 1938 and 1939. The operation later became known as the Czech Kindertransport. He received a knighthood in 2003 and numerous humanitarian awards in recognition... read more

19. Omar Sharif (July 10)

    

    Omar Sharif (born Michel Yusef Dimitri Chalhoub. 10 April 1932-10 July 2015) was an Egyptian actor, widely regarded as one of his country's greatest male film stars. He began his career in Egypt in the 1950s and later gained international recognition for his performances in American, British, French... read more

20. Chris Squire (June 27)

    

    Christopher Russell Edward Squire (1948-2015) was an English musician, singer, and songwriter best known as the bassist and sole continuous founding member of the progressive rock band Yes. His distinctive, trebly bass tone and melodic style influenced generations of bassists. Squire recorded 21 studio... read more

    The best bass player passed away on June 27, 2015. Listen to Heart of the Sunrise right away.

    I was the owner of a lonely heart the day he passed away.

21. Natalie Cole (December 31)

    

    Natalie Maria Cole was an American singer, voice actress, songwriter, and actress. The daughter of legendary American singer Nat King Cole, she rose to musical success in the mid-1970s as an R&B artist. She won multiple Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year for Unforgettable... with Love, a tribute... read more

22. Cynthia Lennon (April 1)

    

23. Maureen O'Hara (October 24)

    

    Maureen O'Hara, born Maureen FitzSimons (August 17, 1920 - October 24, 2015), was an Irish-American actress and singer. She was celebrated for her vivid red hair and striking beauty. O'Hara was best known for portraying passionate yet sensible heroines in Westerns and adventure films.

24. Rod Taylor (January 7)

    

    Rodney Sturt "Rod" Taylor (January 11, 1930 - January 7, 2015) was an Australian actor of film and television. He appeared in over 50 films, including The Catered Affair, The Time Machine, One Hundred and One Dalmatians, Seven Seas to Calais, and The Birds.... read more

25. Betsy Palmer (May 29)

    

    Friday the 13th was one of the first serious horror movies I ever saw. It isn't the shocker it was when I was younger, but it will always be special to me. Betsy Palmer's role as Mrs. Pamela Voorhees will always be one of the iconic roles in the annals of horror movie history.

26. James Horner (June 22)

    

    James Roy Horner (1953-2015) was an American composer, conductor, and orchestrator of film scores who wrote more than 100 soundtracks. He integrated choral and electronic elements and frequently drew on Celtic musical motifs. Horner won two Academy Awards for his score and song for Titanic (1997).

    I love history and the film Titanic a lot. I was devastated to hear he went missing, and I was hoping he was alright. When I was told he was found, I rejoiced. Then, I found out he was not only found, he was found dead from a plane crash. I felt like I was going to sob. Rest in peace, Mr. Horner.

27. Lee Kuan Yew (March 23)