A final tribute to those who left their mark

Pope John Paul II's death prompted a remarkable outpouring of grief and respect from admirers of all faiths.

The throngs that brought parts of Rome to a standstill paid homage to a man who helped bring freedom to his native Poland, traveled tirelessly to more than 120 nations and inspired young people to maintain their faith.

He was among the notable people who died in 2005.

So, too, was Rosa Parks, whose history-making achievement played out one evening in 1955 on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Ala., when she refused to give up her seat.

"The only tired I was," she later wrote, "was tired of giving in."

When she died in October, a few weeks shy of the 50th anniversary of her arrest, she was mourned for a decision that energized the civil-rights movement and made the Rev. Martin Luther King a major leader.

Other heroes lost in 2005 included Simon Wiesenthal, who hunted Nazi criminals and campaigned against prejudice, and Shirley Chisholm, a pioneering black congresswoman.

In the arts, we lost playwright Arthur Miller; Nobel-winning novelist Saul Bellow, whose works throbbed with the alienation of the modern intellectual; and architect Philip Johnson, whose designs deeply influenced modernist style and its unorthodox successor, postmodernism.

Actress Anne Bancroft inspired audiences as the determined teacher Anne Sullivan in "The Miracle Worker" and raised eyebrows as the seductive Mrs. Robinson in "The Graduate." Johnny Carson amused "Tonight Show" viewers. Peter Jennings fought to keep international events in the spotlight in television newscasts.

The world of government and politics lost Chief Justice William Rehnquist, whose conservative rulings stressed the powers of the states.

A roll call of notables who died in 2005. (Cause of death of some younger notables is given when available.)

Shirley Chisholm, 80. First black woman elected to Congress; first black person to seek a major party's presidential nomination. Jan. 1.

Will Eisner, 87. Artist who revolutionized comic books ("The Spirit"), helped pioneer the graphic novel. Jan. 3.

Rosemary Kennedy, 86. Mentally disabled sister of President Kennedy; inspiration for the Special Olympics. Jan. 7.

Ruth Warrick, 88. Star of soap opera "All My Children" who launched her career in "Citizen Kane." Jan. 15.

Virginia Mayo, 84. Versatile Hollywood star of 1940s and 50s ("White Heat," "The Best Years of Our Lives"). Jan. 17.

Rose Mary Woods, 87. President Nixon's secretary who said she inadvertently erased part of the Watergate tape that had an 18 ½-minute gap. Jan. 22.

Johnny Carson, 79. Quick-witted "Tonight Show" host who became a national institution. Jan. 23.

Philip Johnson, 98. Architect who promoted the "glass box" skyscraper, then smashed the mold with daring postmodernist designs. Jan. 25.

Nick McDonald, 76. Officer who subdued Lee Harvey Oswald after Kennedy assassination. Jan. 27.

Max Schmeling, 99. German heavyweight whose bouts against Joe Louis set off a propaganda war. Feb. 2.

Ossie Davis, 87. Actor and civil-rights activist; his rich baritone and elegant bearing graced stage and screen. Feb. 4.

Robert Kearns, 77. Inventor of intermittent windshield wipers; won big judgments against automakers. Feb. 9.

Samuel W. Alderson, 90. Invented crash-test dummies. Feb. 11.

Rafik Hariri, 60. Tycoon who led the rebuilding of Lebanon as its prime minister. Feb. 14.

Uli Derickson, 60. Flight attendant who helped save passengers during the 1985 TWA hijacking. Feb. 18. Cancer.

John Raitt, 88. Robust baritone of Broadway ("Carousel") and Hollywood ("The Pajama Game"); father of singer Bonnie. Feb. 20.

Sandra Dee, 62. Teen-queen actress ("Gidget"); married Bobby Darin. Feb. 20. Complications of kidney disease.

Hunter S. Thompson, 67. Acerbic counterculture writer ("Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas"). Feb. 20. Suicide.

Guillermo Cabrera Infante, 75. Cuban-born novelist hailed as one of the most original voices in 20th-century Spanish literature. Feb. 21.

Simone Simon, 93. French screen star best known in U.S. for the 1942 thriller "Cat People." Feb. 22.

Peter Benenson, 83. Founded Amnesty International. Feb. 25.

Henry A. Grunwald, 82. Time magazine editor who led its shift from conservatism to more centrist view; later ambassador to Austria. Feb. 26.

Jef Raskin, 61. Conceived Apple's Macintosh computer. Feb. 26.

Peter Malkin, 77. Israeli agent who nabbed Nazi Adolf Eichmann in 1960. March 1.

Teresa Wright, 86. Sweet-faced, Oscar-winning actress ("Mrs. Miniver," "The Best Years of Our Lives"). March 6.

Chris LeDoux, 56. Rodeo champion turned country-music star ("Whatcha Gonna Do With a Cowboy"). March 9. Cancer.

The Rev. Nathaniel Urshan, 84. Longtime leader of United Pentecostal Church International. March 11.

George F. Kennan, 101. Diplomat, Pulitzer-winning historian; gave the name "containment" to Cold War policy. March 17.

Andre Norton, 93. Science-fiction author; wrote popular "Witch World" series. March 17.

John DeLorean, 80. Automotive innovator. March 19.

James Callaghan, 92. Served three years as British prime minister in 1970s. March 26.

Johnnie Cochran Jr., 67. Became legal superstar during O.J. Simpson trial. March 29.

Howell Heflin, 83. Three-term Alabama senator; influential voice on judicial nominations. March 29.

Fred Korematsu, 86. Challenged World War II internment of Japanese Americans. March 30.

Terri Schiavo, 41. Brain-damaged woman whose case became a national controversy. March 31.

Saul Bellow, 89. Nobel-winning author of "Herzog," "Humboldt's Gift." April 5.

Dale Messick, 98. Created long-running comic strip "Brenda Starr, Reporter." April 5.

Prince Rainier III, 81. His fairy-tale marriage to Grace Kelly brought Hollywood glamour to Monaco. April 6.

Andrea Dworkin, 58. Feminist author; anti-porn crusader. April 9. Had osteoarthritis, other ailments.

Maurice Hilleman, 85. Microbiologist; helped save millions of lives with vaccines for chickenpox and other maladies. April 11.

Zhang Chunqiao, 88. One of the Gang of Four that terrorized China during the Cultural Revolution. April 21.

Sir John Mills, 97. Oscar-winner for "Ryan's Daughter"; Hayley's father. April 23.

Bob Hunter, 63. Co-founded environmental group Greenpeace. May 2.

David Hackworth, 74. Vietnam veteran who spoke out against the war, later a journalist. May 4.

Lloyd Cutler, 87. White House counsel to Presidents Carter and Clinton; longtime lawyer. May 8.

Frank Gorshin, 72. Impressionist; Emmy-nominated for role as the Riddler on "Batman" TV series. May 17.

Thurl Ravenscroft, 91. Voice of Tony the Tiger ("They're grrrrreeeat!"). May 22.

Ismail Merchant, 68. With partner James Ivory, produced intelligent film dramas ("The Remains of the Day"). May 25.

Eddie Albert, 99. Actor; the befuddled city-slicker-turned-farmer on "Green Acres." May 26.

George Mikan, 80. Pro basketball's first dominant big man; led Minneapolis Lakers to five championships. June 1.

Anne Bancroft, 73. Won 1962 Oscar as Helen Keller's teacher in "The Miracle Worker"; achieved even greater fame in "The Graduate." June 6.

Dana Elcar, 77. Round-faced actor whose real-life struggle with blindness was written into his role on "MacGyver." June 6.

Percy Arrowsmith, 105. He and wife Florence, 100, held world record for longest marriage, 80 years. June 15.

James Weinstein, 78. Publisher of reformist magazine In These Times. June 16.

Gene Miller, 76. Won Pulitzers for Miami Herald stories that led to release of people wrongly convicted of murder. June 17.

Larry Collins, 75. Co-author of "Is Paris Burning?," best-seller on Nazi occupation of French capital. June 20.

Jack Kilby, 81. Nobel laureate whose 1958 invention of the integrated circuit opened the way for microchips, the brains of computers, electronic gadgets. June 20.

Charles D. Keeling, 77. Scientist whose study of carbon-dioxide in atmosphere helped trigger global-warming fears. June 20.

Cardinal Jaime Sin, 76. One of Asia's top religious leaders, aided the "people power" revolts that ousted two Philippine presidents. June 21.

Shana Alexander, 79. Veteran journalist; her skirmishes with James Kilpatrick on "60 Minutes" were spoofed on "Saturday Night Live." June 23.

John Walton, 58. Billionaire Wal-Mart heir; philanthropist. June 27. Plane crash.

Shelby Foote, 88. Brought Southern storyteller's touch to his multivolume work on the Civil War, and landmark PBS series. June 27.

Luther Vandross, 54. Grammy winner with lush voice on such hits as "Here and Now," the bittersweet "Dance With My Father." July 1. Stroke.

Gaylord Nelson, 89. Former Wisconsin governor and senator; founded Earth Day. July 3.

Hank Stram, 82. Football coach; took Kansas City Chiefs to two Super Bowls. July 4.

James Stockdale, 81. Ross Perot's 1992 running mate; retired vice admiral who received Medal of Honor after enduring 7 ½ years in a North Vietnamese prison. July 5.

Retired Gen. William Westmoreland, 91. Commanded U.S. troops in Vietnam. July 18.

James Doohan, 85. As "Star Trek" chief engineer, he responded to the command "Beam me up, Scotty." July 20.

Sir Richard Doll, 92. British scientist who first established link between smoking, lung cancer. July 24.

King Fahd, 84. Saudi Arabian leader who sought to modernize his kingdom while balancing change against orthodox Islam. Aug. 1.

Jay Hammond, 83. Two-term Alaska governor; helped create oil-royalty fund that dispenses annual checks. Aug. 2.

Robin Cook, 59. British foreign secretary; quit Tony Blair's Cabinet in 2003 to protest Iraq war. Aug. 6.

Peter Jennings, 67. ABC News anchor, part of a triumvirate that dominated network news for two decades. Aug. 7.

John H. Johnson, 87. Publisher whose Ebony, Jet magazines countered stereotypical coverage of blacks. Aug. 8.

Barbara Bel Geddes, 82. Oscar-nominated actress ("I Remember Mama"); Miss Ellie Ewing in "Dallas." Aug. 8.

Matthew McGrory, 32. Deep-voiced 7-foot-plus actor; the gentle giant in the movie "Big Fish." Aug. 9. Heart problem.

Ted "Double Duty" Radcliffe, 103. Negro Leagues star given nickname by Damon Runyon. Aug. 11.

Mo Mowlam, 55. British politician; helped forge Northern Ireland peace accord. Aug. 19.

Robert A. Moog, 71. His synthesizers revolutionized music in the 1960s. Aug. 21.

Brock Peters, 78. Played black man falsely accused of rape in "To Kill a Mockingbird." Aug. 23.

Bob Denver, 70. Bumbling namesake of "Gilligan's Island" who delighted generations of TV fans. Sept. 2.

Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, 81. Singer and guitarist, playing blues, country, jazz and Cajun music. Sept. 10.

Gordon Gould, 85. Coined word "laser," won legal battle to secure patent rights. Sept. 16.

Don Adams, 82. Fumbling agent Maxwell Smart in TV's Bond spoof "Get Smart." Sept. 25.

M. Scott Peck, 69. Wrote best-seller "The Road Less Traveled," other self-help books. Sept. 25.

Constance Baker Motley, 84. Civil-rights lawyer who took part in key desegregation cases; first black female federal judge. Sept. 28.

Nipsey Russell, 80. Witty actor-comedian who was a staple of TV game shows; Tin Man in "The Wiz." Oct. 2.

Jack White, 63. Reporter who won Pulitzer for uncovering President Nixon's underpayment of income taxes. Oct. 12.

Vivian Malone Jones, 63. One of two blacks whose enrollment at the University of Alabama led to George Wallace's infamous "stand in the schoolhouse door" speech. Oct. 13.

Ba Jin, 100. One of China's most revered communist-era writers. Oct. 17.

Shirley Horn, 71. Jazz pianist and vocalist; revered as master interpreter of American standards. Oct. 20.

Edward Roybal, 89. Hispanic leader; spent three decades in Congress as advocate for minorities, the poor. Oct. 24.

Wellington Mara, 89. New York Giants owner; one of NFL's most influential leaders. Oct. 25.

Al Lopez, 97. Hall of Fame catcher; managed pennant-winning teams in 1954 (Indians) and 1959 (White Sox). Oct. 30.

Skitch Henderson, 87. Began a television tradition as first bandleader of "The Tonight Show." Nov. 1.

Robert Eugene Bush, 79. Received Medal of Honor while in his teens for bravery at Okinawa. Nov. 8.

Peter F. Drucker, 95. Deeply influenced world of business with books stressing innovation, entrepreneurship. Nov. 11.

Ralph Edwards, 92. Broadcasting pioneer who spotlighted stars and ordinary people as host of the popular show "This Is Your Life." Nov. 16.

Alfred Anderson, 109. British World War I veteran; last survivor to have witnessed the spontaneous "Christmas Truce" of 1914. Nov. 21.

Pat Morita, 73. Nominated for Oscar for role as martial-arts teacher in "The Karate Kid." Nov. 24.

George Best, 59. One of the most dazzling players in soccer history. Nov. 25. Alcohol abuse.

Jean Parker, 90. Actress; Beth to Katharine Hepburn's Jo in 1933's "Little Women." Nov. 30.

Frederick Ashworth, 93. Weaponeer aboard B-29 that dropped atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan, in 1945. Dec. 3.

Eugene McCarthy, 89. Former Minnesota senator whose anti-war campaign toppled Lyndon Johnson in 1968. Dec. 10.

Richard Pryor, 65. Actor-comedian whose profanely personal insights into race relations made him a top Hollywood star. Dec. 10.

James Ingo Freed, 75. Architect; lead designer of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington. Dec. 15.

William Proxmire, 90. Former Wisconsin senator who fought government waste with "Golden Fleece" awards. Dec. 15.

John Spencer, 58. Played powerful chief of staff, later vice-presidential candidate, on TV's "The West Wing." Dec. 16.

Jack Anderson, 83. Muckraking columnist renowned for his tenacity; on Nixon's "enemies list." Dec. 17.

Vincent "The Chin" Gigante, 77. Mafia boss who avoided jail for years by feigning mental illness. Dec. 19.

Norman Vaughan, 100. Dog handler and driver in Adm. Richard Byrd's 1928 expedition to the South Pole; Mount Vaughan named for him. Dec. 23.

Michael Vale, 83. Sleepy-eyed baker in Dunkin' Donuts commercials. Dec. 24.