Her life was marked by tragedy, including the bizarre death of her fourth husband, but that did not stop her from giving away millions.
Author: Clay Risen
Cardinal Cláudio Hummes, Close Ally of Pope Francis, Dies at 87
An advocate for the poor, he was a force behind the progressive turn taken by many Latin American Catholics in the 1970s and ’80s.
Gerda Weissmann Klein, Honored Holocaust Survivor, Dies at 97
Her story was told in an Oscar-winning documentary, and her message of hope and love in the face of overwhelming evil was an inspiration to millions.
Budi Tek, 65, Dies; His Fortune Built a Vast Trove of Asian Art
He was one of the world’s top collectors, and his immense Yuz Museum in Shanghai helped establish the region’s bustling art scene.
Evgeny Maslin, Russian General Who Secured Nuclear Arsenal, Dies at 84
He persuaded Ukraine and other post-Soviet states to give up their weapons, then worked with the U.S. to safeguard and dismantle thousands of them.
Frank Dutton, Detective Who Took On Apartheid Crimes, Dies at 72
A lauded South Africa police official, he dug into cold cases from the days of white rule. “The finest detective that this country has ever produced.”
Grichka and Igor Bogdanoff, Twins in an Uneasy Spotlight, Die at 72
In France they were science-loving TV celebrities (molded by plastic surgery) whose own research was suspect, maybe a hoax. They died within days of each other.
Sabine Weiss, Last of the ‘Humanist’ Street Photographers, Dies at 97
Like Robert Doisneau and Brassaï, she shot life in postwar Paris as it really was. But she also won fame for her reporting and fashion work.
April Ashley, London Socialite and Transgender Pioneer, Dies at 86
She modeled for Vogue, partied with John Lennon and Mick Jagger, and married into minor nobility, all while fighting for legal recognition of her gender.
Marie-Claire Blais, Acclaimed French Canadian Novelist, Dies at 82
Though largely unknown outside Canada, she was often ranked alongside Margaret Atwood and Alice Munro as one of the country’s greatest living writers.