2006 is over, make way for 2007. Why is it that the years seem to fly by. I'm not getting older as fast as it seems am I? Before I go for a box of hair color at the store today let's take a look at the past year. One of the things that I look forward to every year is to see who passed away during the past 12 months. Yeah, I know it's kind of creepy but I must not be the only one who does it. ESPN shows the sports people that have passed and all three networks show famous people. It seems to be the one thing that makes the past year seem longer. As we enjoy our New Years Eve celebrations tonight remember for a moment the ones that we have lost. Whether in your own family or the ones that are known to everyone, take a second and remember. Then live life to it's fullest because it's the only one you will get.
2007 will start with the funeral of former President Gerald Ford. Other notables include.

Politics:

Former Texas Gov. Ann Richards, Sept. 13 Former Texas Gov. Anne Richards, the witty and flamboyant Democrat who went from homemaker to national political celebrity, died on Sept. 13 at her home after a battle with cancer surrounded by her family. She was 73.

Former U.N. Ambassador Jeane Kirkpatrick, Dec. 8 Former United Nations Ambassador Jeane Kirkpatrick, a one-time Democrat who switched to the Republican Party and became a heroine of conservatives, died on Dec. 8. She was 80.

Patricia Kennedy Lawford, a sister of President John F. Kennedy whose wedding to actor Peter Lawford in the 1950s was one of the first marriages of politics and Hollywood and provided her brother with many of his closest entertainment industry ties, died on Sept. 17. She was 82.

Entertainment:

Actress Shelley Winters, Jan. 14 Shelley Winters, a blond bombshell of the 1940s who evolved into a character actress best remembered for her roles as victims, shrews and matrons, died of heart failure on Jan. 14. She was 85

Actor Chris Penn, Jan. 24 Actor Chris Penn, 40, was found dead on Jan. 24 in his Santa Monica, Calif., condominium. Authorities are investigating the cause of his death but said they do not suspect foul play. Penn, the younger brother of actor Sean Penn, specialized in working-class, regular-guy characters, and had roles in a long list of movies and television shows during a career of more than two decades.

Actor/political activist Al Lewis, Feb. 3 Al Lewis, a longtime political activist best known for his television role as Grandpa Munster on "The Munsters" sitcom, died on Feb. 3 after years of failing health. He was 95.

Actor Franklin Cover, Feb 5 Franklin Cover, who became a familiar face as George and Louise Jefferson's neighbor in the long-running TV sitcom "The Jeffersons," died on Feb. 5. He was 77

Actor Dennis Weaver, Feb. 24 Actor Dennis Weaver, the slow-witted deputy Chester Goode in the TV classic western "Gunsmoke" and the New Mexico deputy solving New York crime in "McCloud," died on Feb. 24. He was 81

Actor Darren McGavin, Feb. 25 Darren McGavin, the husky, tough-talking actor who starred in the TV series "Mike Hammer," played a grouchy dad in the holiday classic "A Christmas Story" and had other strong roles in such films as "The Man with the Golden Arm" and "The Natural," died on Feb. 25. He was 83.

Actress Maureen Stapleton, March 13 Actress Maureen Stapleton, the Oscar-winning character actress whose subtle vulnerability and down-to-earth toughness earned her dramatic and comedic roles on stage, screen, and television, died on March 13. She was 80.

Actor Don Knotts, Feb. 24 Don Knotts, the saucer-eyed, scarecrow-thin comic actor best known for his roles as the high-strung, small-town deputy Barney Fife on the 1960s CBS series "The Andy Griffith Show" and the leisure-suit-clad landlord Ralph Furley on ABC's '70s sitcom "Three's Company," died on Feb. 24. He was 81.

Actor Paul Gleason, May 27 Actor Paul Gleason, who played the go-to bad guy in "Trading Places" and the angry high school principal in "The Breakfast Club," died of mesothelioma, a rare form of lung cancer linked to asbestos, on May 27. He was 67.

TV mogul Aaron Spelling, June 23 Aaron Spelling, a one-time movie bit player who created a massive number of hit series, from the vintage "Charlie's Angels" and "Dynasty" to "Beverly Hills 90210" and "Melrose Place," died on June 23. He was 83

Actress June Allyson, July 8 June Allyson, the sunny, cracked-voiced "perfect wife" of James Stewart, Van Johnson and other movie heroes, died on July 8. She was 88

Actor Barnard Hughes, July 11 Barnard Hughes, who won a Tony for his portrayal of the curmudgeonly title character in Hugh Leonard's "Da," died on July 11 after a brief illness. He was 90.

Comedian-actor Red Buttons, July 13 Red Buttons, the carrot-topped burlesque comedian who became a top star in early television and then in a dramatic role won the 1957 Oscar as supporting actor in "Sayonara," died on July 13. He was 87

Actor Jack Warden, July 19 Jack Warden, an Emmy-winning and Academy Award-nominated actor who played gruff cops, coaches and soldiers in a career that spanned five decades, died on July 19. He was 85

Actor Mako, July 21 Mako, the Japanese-American acting pioneer who opened the doors for Asian Americans to Hollywood, died of esophageal cancer at his home in southern California on July 21. He was 72.

Television talk show host Mike Douglas . Douglas, who drew on his affable personality and singing talent during 21 years as a talk show host, died in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Aug. 11, on his 81st birthday.

Actor Bruno Kirby, Aug. 14 Bruno Kirby, a veteran character actor known for playing the best friend in two of Billy Crystal's biggest comedies, "When Harry Met Sally" and "City Slickers," died from complications related to leukemia on Aug. 14. He was 57

Actor Glenn Ford, Aug. 30 Actor Glenn Ford, who played strong, thoughtful protagonists in films such as "The Blackboard Jungle,""Gilda" and "The Big Heat," died on Aug. 30. He was 90.

Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin, Sept. 4 "The Crocodile Hunter", Steve Irwin, 44, who made a career out of getting dangerously close to deadly beasts, was stabbed through the heart on Sept. 4, by a stingray during filming of a new TV program on Australia's Great Barrier Reef

Actor Pat Corley, Sept. 11 Actor Pat Corley, who served sage advice along with drinks as Phil the barkeep on "Murphy Brown," died on Sept. 11. He was 76.

Actor Edward Albert, son of the late screen veteran Eddie Albert who first gained fame co-starring with Goldie Hawn in the 1970s film, "Butterflies Are Free," and later became an outspoken environmental activist, died on Sept. 22. He was 55.

Actress Jane Wyatt, Oct. 20 Jane Wyatt, the actress who for six years on "Father Knows Best" was one of TV's favorite moms, died on Oct. 20. She was 96.

Actor Jack Palance, Nov. 10 Jack Palance, the craggy-faced menace in "Shane," "Sudden Fear" and other films who turned to comedy at 70 with his Oscar-winning self-parody in "City Slickers," died on Nov. 10. Palance died of natural causes at his home in Montecito, Calif., surrounded by family,. Palance was 85

Director Robert Altman, Nov. 20 Robert Altman, the caustic and irreverent satirist behind "M-A-S-H," "Nashville" and "The Player" who made a career out of bucking Hollywood, died on Nov. 20. He was 81.

Actor Peter Boyle, Dec. 12 Peter Boyle, the actor known for playing everything from a tap-dancing monster in "Young Frankenstein" to the curmudgeonly father in the long-running TV sitcom "Everybody Loves Raymond," died on Dec. 12. He was 71.

Actor Mike Evans, Dec. 14 Mike Evans, best known as Lionel Jefferson in the TV sitcoms "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons," died of throat cancer on Dec. 14 at his mother's home in Twentynine Palms, Calif. He was 57.

Music:

'Godfather of Soul' James Brown, Dec. 25 James Brown, the undeniable "Godfather of Soul," died of heart failure on Christmas morning. He was 73.

Pink Floyd co-founder Syd Barrett, July 11 Syd Barrett, the troubled genius who co-founded Pink Floyd but spent his last years in reclusive anonymity, has died, it was announced on July 11. He was 60

Keyboardist Billy Preston, June 6 Billy Preston, the exuberant keyboardist who landed dream gigs with the Beatles and the Rolling Stones and enjoyed his own series of hit singles, including "Outta Space" and "Nothing From Nothing," died on June 6. He was 59

Soul pioneer Wilson Pickett, Jan. 19 Wilson Pickett, the soul pioneer best known for the fiery hits "Mustang Sally" and "In The Midnight Hour," died of a heart attack on Jan. 19. He was 64.

Singer Lou Rawls, Jan. 6 Lou Rawls, the velvet-voiced singer who started as a church choir boy and went on to sell more than 40 million albums and win three Grammys in a career that spanned nearly five decades and a range of genres, died on Jan. 6. He was 72.

Famous Widows:

Nellie Connally, Sept. 1 Nellie Connally, widow of former Texas Gov. John Connally and the last remaining survivor who was riding in President Kennedy's limousine when he was assassinated, died on Sept. 1. She was 87.

Coretta Scott King, Jan. 31 Coretta Scott King, who turned a life shattered by her husband's assassination into one devoted to enshrining his legacy of human rights and equality, has died. She was 78

Sports:

Sportscaster Curt Gowdy, Feb. 20 From broadcast booths at the World Series, Super Bowl and Olympics to the lakes where he fished, Curt Gowdy was part of the experience for generations of sports fans. He was their amiable storyteller for 16 All-Star baseball games, numerous Rose Bowls and several NCAA basketball Final Fours, delivering drama and excitement in ear-pleasing tones. On Feb. 20, Gowdy died of leukemia at his winter home in Palm Beach. He was 86.

Baseball Hall of Famer Kirby Puckett, March 6 Kirby Puckett, a Hall of Fame outfielder who won two World Series in a 12-year baseball career with the Minnesota Twins, died on March 6, a day after suffering a stroke at his Arizona home. He was 45.

Pitcher Steve Howe, April 28 Steve Howe, the relief ace whose promising career was derailed by drug and alcohol abuse, died on April 28 when his pickup truck rolled over in Coachella, Calif. He was 48.

Former heavyweight boxing champ Floyd Patterson, May 11 Floyd Patterson, who avenged an embarrassing loss to Ingemar Johansson by beating him a year later to become the first boxer to regain the heavyweight title, died May 11. He was 71.

Former NFL fullback Craig Heyward, May 27 Former NFL fullback Craig "Ironhead" Heyward died on May 27 after a 7 1/2-year fight with a recurring brain tumor. He was 39

Golf great Byron Nelson, Sept. 26 Byron Nelson, whose record of winning 11 consecutive professional events in 1945 remains one of golf's most unassailable records, died on Sept. 26. He was 94.

Negro Leagues star Buck O'Neil, Oct. 6 Buck O'Neil, the goodwill ambassador for the Negro Leagues who fell one vote shy of the Hall of Fame, died on Oct. 6. He was 94.

New York Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle, Oct. 11 New York Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle was killed when his small plane crashed into a 50-story Manhattan condominium tower on Oct. 11. He was 34.

Former major league pitcher Joe Niekro, Oct. 27 Former major league pitcher Joe Niekro, Houston's career victory leader with two 20-game wins, died from a brain aneurysm on Oct. 27. He was 61

Former heavyweight champion Trevor Berbick, Oct. 28 Former heavyweight champion Trevor Berbick, who lost his heavyweight title to Mike Tyson and was the last boxer to fight Muhammad Ali, was found dead on Oct. 28 in a church courtyard in Kingston, Jamaica. He was 52.

Former Boston Celtics coach Red Auerbach, Oct. 28 Red Auerbach, who coached the Boston Celtics to nine NBA championships in the 1950s and 1960s, died of a heart attack on Oct. 28. He was 89.

All-Star pitcher Johnny Sain, Nov. 7 Johnny Sain, a three-time All-Star who teamed with Warren Spahn to make up one of baseball's most fabled pitching tandems, died on Nov. 7. He was 89.

Ex-Michigan coach Bo Schembechler, Nov. 17 Bo Schembechler, who became one of college football's great coaches in two decades at Michigan, died on Nov. 17 after taping a TV show on the eve of the Wolverines' No. 1 vs. No. 2 showdown with perennial rival Ohio State. He was 77.

Other Notables:

Journalist Ed Bradley, Nov. 9 CBS newsman Ed Bradley died of leukemia at New York's Mount Sinai Hospital on Nov. 9. He was 65.

Animator Joe Barbera, Dec. 18 Joe Barbera, half of the Hanna-Barbera animation team that produced such beloved cartoon characters as Tom and Jerry, Yogi Bear and the Flintstones, died of natural causes on Dec. 18. His wife Sheila was at his side. He was 95.

Last Titanic survivor Lillian Gertrud Asplund, May 6 Lillian Gertrud Asplund, 99, the last survivor of the Titanic who remembered its sinking

For a complete list check http://www.mcall.com/ for all 143 notables with photos of each.
Have a safe and Happy New Year