/ Stars that died in 2023

Sunday, June 1, 2014

Aamir Hayat Khan Rokhri, Pakistani politician, died from a heart attack he was 55.

Aamir Hayat Khan Niazi of Rokhri was a Pakistani politician, and member of the Punjab Provincial Assembly died from a heart attack he was 55..[1] He was a Pashtun from the Niazi tribe. Rokhri is his ancestral village. He is the son of the late Pakistani politician and political activist, Amir Abdullah Khan Rokhri, and came from the renowned Rokhri family which includes other of his distinguished relatives such as his cousins Gul Hameed Khan Rokhri and Gul Hameed's son Humair Hayat Khan Rokhri.

(12 August 1956 – 29 December 2011) 

Aamer Hayat Khan Rokhri was elected to the National Assembly in 1985. He was elected as an MPA in 1990, 2003 and in 2008 as an independent candidate. Apart from his stand in provincial politics, Aamir Hayat Khan Niazi also was controlling his thriving family business New Khan, a transport company. The company was founded by his late father, Amir Abdullah Khan Rokhri.
Aamer Hayat Khan Rokhri was also the President of Lahore City Cricket Association and had held that position since 1985. He was also the Secretary General of Pakistan Badminton Federation and President of Punjab Badminton Association. He was also a Member of the PCB Board of Governors. His effort to promote cricket and badminton in Pakistan will always be remembered, as he made financial contribution to run PCB for three decades from 1970 to 1990.[2] He died on 29 December 2011 due to heart failure in Lahore, Pakistan. He leaves behind a wife, two sons and a daughter.[3]
His son Shahrez Abdullah Rokhri has been elected the President of Punjab Badminton Association unopposed and his younger son Adil Abdullah Rokhri has been elected as MPA in by-elections.



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Leopold Hawelka, Austrian coffee house owner (Café Hawelka), died he was 100.

Leopold Hawelka was an Austrian coffee house owner, founder of Café Hawelka ("Künstlerkaffeehaus Hawelka")  died he was 100..

(April 11, 1911 – December 29, 2011[1])

Hawelka was born in Mistelbach. His parents were of Bohemian ancestry. His father was a shoemaker. At age 14, the family settled in Vienna, and he began to work in the Deierl restaurant, where he met Josefine Danzberger. They married in 1936 and opened their first café, Kaffee Alt Wien, on the Bäckerstrasse. They later opened a new café, Café Hawelka, on Dorotheergasse. During World War II, the Hawelkas were not able to operate their business. After the war, in September 1945, the Hawelkas reopened their café, the building of which survived the war largely intact.[2]
Josefine Hawelka died in March 2005. Their son, Günther Hawelka, continued baking the café's speciality, Buchteln pastries, using his mother's recipe.[3] Leopold turned 100 on April 11, 2011.[4]


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Rosman García, Venezuelan baseball player (Texas Rangers), died from traffic collision he was 32.

Rosman José García was a Venezuelan relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played from 2003 through 2004 for the Texas Rangers  died from traffic collision he was 32. Listed at 6' 2", 215 lb., he batted and threw right handed.[1]


(January 3, 1979 – December 29, 2011)


In part of two seasons, García posted a 1–2 record with 30 strikeouts and a 5.94 ERA in 53 innings pitched.[2]
On June 16, 1999, García became the first starting pitcher in Staten Island Yankees history. In 2008, he pitched for the Mexico City Red Devils of the Mexican League. In 14 starts, he was 4–5 with a 5.15 ERA and 44 strikeouts.[3]
Originally, García debuted at age 18 with the Tigres de Aragua of the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League during the 1997–1998 season. In 2011–12, he became the pitcher to play the most consecutive seasons for the Tigres, with 14.[4]
García died in a car accident in 2011 in the km 24 of the Autopista Regional del Centro located in the Miranda State, five days short of his 33rd birthday.[5]


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Teruo Sugihara, Japanese golfer, died from prostate cancer he was 74,

Teruo Sugihara (Japanese: 杉原輝雄, 14 June 1937 – 28 December 2011) was a Japanese professional golfer died from prostate cancer he was 74,.
Sugihara was born in Osaka. He won 28 tournaments (ranks sixth) and over ¥630 million on the Japan Golf Tour. He also won the 1969 Hong Kong Open.

Japan Golf Tour wins (28)



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Kaye Stevens, American singer and actress, died from breast cancer and blood clots she was 79.


Kaye Stevens was an American singer and actress  died from breast cancer and blood clots she was 79..

(July 21, 1932 – December 28, 2011)


Born Catherine Louise Stephens, her big break in show business came at the Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas, when the headliner for the night, Debbie Reynolds, became ill and Stevens filled in for the night. She then went on to do small shows at the Plaza Hotel's Persian Room, New York's Waldorf Astoria, and Caesars Palace on the Las Vegas Strip. She went on to appear on such television game shows as Match Game, Hollywood Squares, Celebrity Sweepstakes, The Price is Right, and Password.

Acting

Stevens started out in film in 1962 in The Interns, where she played the character Didi Loomis, and its 1964 sequel, The New Interns. In 1963 she appeared in "The Man from the Diners Club". In 1975 she had a role in another movie, Let's Switch! and in 1983 appeared in the film, Jaws 3.

Vietnam

Stevens went on a USO tour with Bob Hope in 1965. She traveled to Vietnam with Hope and a group of fellow entertainers in the hopes of boosting the morale of thousands of American soldiers. She was quoted as saying “I came back in 1965 and my life was in shambles because of what I saw.”
She later became an alcoholic and her marriage ended in divorce. It wasn’t until 1985 that she finally made a call to N-E-W-H-O-P-E, a telephone counseling service. That call changed her life for the better and she found a new faith in Jesus and started her own ministry. The Brewer Christian College and Graduate Schools (Florida) awarded Stevens with a Doctor of Humane Letters for her humanitarian efforts as well as her role in supporting the US soldiers in Vietnam with Bob Hope's USO tour.[citation needed]

Singing career

After Stevens big break at the Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas, she went from singing to small audiences to singing sold out audiences in New York City, Miami and Los Angeles. From there she went on tour with The Rat Pack, Johnny Carson and Bob Hope.

Soap opera work

In her role on Days of our Lives, Stevens introduced a new song, “You Light Up My Life” to the television audience. Her new song was a huge success and soon after Kaye decided that she had to write new songs and create an album. “I knew then that if I got the kind of response from one song, I had to do an album of inspirational, motivational, spiritual-pop music”.[citation needed]

Personal life

Stevens, an only child, was born in Pittsburgh as Catherine Louise Stephens. Her family eventually moved to Cleveland, where Stevens got her start as a drummer and singer as a teenager. She later married bandleader and trumpet player Tommy Amato. The couple performed throughout the eastern United States. She was married five times. She had no children. Amato predeceased Stevens.[1]

Later years and death

In her last 20 years, Stevens did Christian ministry and only performed Christian or patriotic music.[2]
She lived in retirement in Summerfield, Florida. Stevens died on December 28, 2011, aged 79, after battling breast cancer and blood clots. She left no immediate survivors.[3]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
On TV Hollywood Squares Herself TV Game Show
On TV Tattletales Herself TV Game Show
On TV To Tell the Truth Herself TV Game Show
On TV Celebrity Sweepstakes Herself TV Game Show
On TV $25,000 Pyramid Herself TV Game Show
On TV The Price is Right Herself TV Game Show
On TV Password Herself TV Game Show
1964 Toast of the Town Singer Talk Show, 5 Episodes
1962-1964 The Ed Sullivan Show Singer/Comedian Talk Show, 6 Episodes
1967 The Dean Martin Show Herself Talk Show, 2 Episodes
1967 Everybody's Talking Herself Talk Show, 1 Episode
1967 The Hollywood Palace Herself -Singer 1 Episode
1968 Family Affair Julie Madden 1 Episode
1969 Playboy After Dark Singer 1 Episode
1973 The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson Herself Talk Show, 4 Episodes
1974 Match Game Herself TV Game Show, 15 Episodes
1974-1979 on television Days of our Lives Jeri Clayton
1975 Let's Switch! Flo Moore
1979 CHiPs Woman in Phone booth 3 Episodes
1979 240-Robert Valerie Barnes 1 Episode
1983 Jaws 3-D Mrs. Kellender
1989 B.L. Stryker
1 Episode
1989 Police Woman Roz 1 Episode
1990 Superboy Mother 1 Episode
1992 Miss America: Behind the Crown Monica

Albums

  • “Ruckus at the Rivera” – Columbia Records
  • “Kaye Stevens Live at the Copa” – Liberty Records
  • “Not So Great Songs from Not So Great Movies” –Liberty Records
  • “Playgirls” –Liberty Records
  • “The Grass Will Sing For You” – Liberty Records
  • “The Temptation Shows guest starring Kaye Stevens” –Motown Records

Singles

  • “You Brought Me Back To Love Again” – Sun Records
  • “Someone Must Have Hurt You A Lot” – Capitol Records
  • “Friends are Friends Forever” – NLT Records
  • “I'm Going Back to Tennessee” – NLT Records


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Jon Roberts, American drug trafficker, died from cancer he was 63.

Jon Pernell Roberts , was a noted drug trafficker and government informant who, after leaving the northeast where he associated with the Gambino crime family, operated in the Miami area and was an associate of Colombia's Medellín Cartel during the growth phase in cocaine trafficking, 1975–1985 died from cancer he was 63.. After his arrest, he was able to avoid a lengthy prison sentence by becoming a cooperating witness and proactive informant for the federal government. He is the coauthor with Evan Wright of American Desperado.[1]


(born John Riccobono; June 21, 1948 – December 28, 2011)


Early life

Roberts was born in New York City to Sicilian American parents.[2] His father Nat Riccobono had earlier moved with his brothers from Sicily and made a living through involvement with various shady businesses throughout New York in the late 1940s.[2] After being apprehended by police for kidnapping, Roberts was given an opportunity to expunge his record with military service. Roberts claims to have served with the 101st Airborne for four years in Vietnam. He received injuries during the war that required a metal plate to be attached to his skull. After working for members of the New York Mafia as a club manager and restaurateur, he moved to Miami to distance himself from business partners he believed were targeted by rival criminals.[3]. However in his book American Desperado he claims he moved to Miami because both the mafia and law enforcement were after him because he was suspected in the murder of a police officer.

Introduction to Cartel

As demand for cocaine increased, Roberts found his Cuban suppliers unable to meet his demand. Through Roberts' girlfriend, he met Mickey Munday. Munday was a trafficker who introduced Roberts to Medellín agent Rafael "Rafa" Cardona Salazar. At first, Munday was apprehensive of Roberts, who had driven up in a black Mercedes Benz, which Munday described as having "drug dealer written all over it". He also stated that Roberts' flashy car and flamboyant lifestyle made Roberts look like "someone I wanted nothing to do with".[4]
Nevertheless, Roberts and Munday began working under the supervision of Max Mermelstein, who had an agreement with Salazar to manage the transportation of cocaine from Colombia to Miami. He then oversaw the delivery of the loads to cartel safehouses in the Miami area. Roberts was able to increase his monthly cocaine business through this direct connection. Mermelstein and Munday established the routes for trips to Colombia, using boats, tow truck companies, safehouses, and airstrips, thereby setting up an effective transportation route for the cartel. Roberts claims to have made over $100 million USD dealing cocaine during this period. He spent $50 million of that money on his extravagant lifestyle.[4]

Horses

In American Desperado, Roberts describes: "After I made my first big score selling coke to Bernie Levine in California, Danny Mones told me racehorses were a good way to launder money." He and Danny Mones "started Mephisto Stables in 1977".[5][6]
In Chapter 62 of the book, Roberts recounts a variety of processes by which he used horses to launder money. Additionally, "[He] also learned how to fix races. There were many tricks."[5]
Also in chapter 62, Roberts describes another benefit to horses: "Dealing cocaine had promoted me into high society. Owning racehorses took me into the stratosphere." He recounts prominent people he met through his racehorse connections, such as "Judge Joe Johnson, who hosted horse auctions", and through him, "We got friendly with Cliff Perlman, who owned Caesar's Palace. When I'd go to Caesar's and get comped, everybody assumed it was because of my Mafia connections. No, I was connected to Caesar's Palace by a Kenucky judge." Through the same circle, "We ended up becoming friends with Al Tannenbaum[7] and his girlfriend, Gloria. Al was a guy who'd made it big in stereos."
He describes a particular horse in the epigraph to his book:[5]
Desperado, the horse that I thought would win the Derby and make me famous as something more than a gangster, was a baby when I got him. He hadn't been trained how to run, but he could already fly on the grass. He had good instincts. He didn't like other horses. You don't want a sociable horse. They stay in the pack. You want a horse who likes to run in front of all the other horses. Desperado was a killer. I named him Desperado because I saw myself in his eyes.
Roberts also describes an honest jockey he had hired, and that jockey's demise:
At Calder, I had a jockey named Nick Navarro who worked for me. He was one of the good guys. He wouldn't hold horses or charge them or run them on dope. He was very skilled, and when I ran my horses clean, I used Nick.
One day in 1977 [sic] he ran a race for me at Calder. I walked up to him after he finished. He put his hand up to wave, and there was a powerful explosion. A bolt of lightning came out of the sky and hit him.
Multiple news outlet reports support Jon's recollection, except they fix the date one year later. As they document: on December 28, 1978, jockey Niconar "Nick" Navarro was killed by a direct lightning strike after completing the second race at Calder Race Course. The remaining eight races at the track that day were cancelled.[8][9]

Downfall

Mermelstein acted as high-level trafficker working under cartel member Salazar and with the Munday transportation group. He was apprehended in 1985 by Miami Police as a multi-kilo dealer. Mermelstein was implicated by a California trafficker who gave information to the DEA in return for a lighter sentence; this trafficker was busted along with John DeLorean during a 25-kilo cocaine sting. Mermelstein then turned state's witness against the Medellín Cartel and supplied information that lead to the dismemberment of Medellín in Miami. On the morning of September 20, 1986, a little over a year after Mermelstein's arrest, the DEA (in conjunction with local and federal authorities) raided sites across Florida used to store and transport cocaine by Munday and Roberts. Roberts was arrested and then went on the run, becoming a fugitive living in Colombia and other parts of the world. He was later apprehended and became a cooperating witness and proactive informant for the federal government.[4]

Later years and Death

According to his ex-wife and various other sources, Roberts used his past to gain trust within the criminal community and report their activities to the authorities in order to maintain his prison-free status. Others have also accused Roberts of being a confidential informant; one of the Fort Lauderdale officers who arrested him in 1997 for stalking an ex-girlfriend, possession of a firearm, and resisting arrest w/ violence — testified he "found out later he's been a snitch or something. He was a CI for somebody."[2][3]
Gus Garcia-Roberts provides, in paragraph one of a 2009 Miami New Times article titled "Jon Roberts: Cracked Cowboy (Threats, violence, and kilos of coke are just the start for this cocaine cowboy)" and the line that follows, descriptions of Jon Roberts' lifestyle when the latter lived in Hollywood (a Florida suburb), Roberts' upcoming media projects, and Jon's character at that juncture:
Former mega-smuggler Jon Roberts, who flooded Miami with $2 billion worth of cocaine in the '80s, naps away his days in a quiet lakefront Hollywood home. But soon, if what he says is true, a book, a high-octane movie, and videogame contracts will again make him a player. But he doesn't want you to know this. He's worried this article could spoil the publicity for his book deal. When I told him last week this story would be published, the craggy, gray-mustached ex-gangster vowed, "You will never write another word in this town again... I will go on TV and tell them everything in your article is bold-faced lies. I hope you get hit by a truck, you little scumbag." "The outburst is in character with Roberts' gangster-flick biography, which he described in an on-the-record interview before changing his mind about publication".[3]
In 2011, Garcia-Roberts interviewed Roberts' American Desperado co-author Evan Wright for a Miami New Times article (coincidentally dated one month before Roberts' death). In the article, titled "American Desperado: Co-Author Evan Wright on Coke Cowboy Jon Roberts' Memoir", the two authors discuss the book as well as their impressions and experiences when interviewing Roberts. For example, they share that Roberts was not completely reformed in his later days:
Garcia-Roberts: In the book, you write that Jon--who as a felon is not allowed to have guns--showed you silencers he kept buried in his backyard. One of his dogs regularly killed other dogs and cats in the neighborhood. Were you ever afraid during your time staying with Jon in Hollywood? Wright: Jon doesn't live in Hollywood anymore, and he's very sick, so I think I can say this. My most uncomfortable moment came when I was doing an interview, and he gets a call. He says, "Oh, that's my police friends. They're selling me some unmarked guns."[10]
Roberts died of cancer on 28 December 2011, aged 63.[2][3][11][12]



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Lucia Rikaki, Greek stage, film and television director, died from cancer she was 50.

Lucia Rikaki  was a Greek film director, documentarist, writer and producer died from cancer she was 50..[1] 
(Greek: Λουκία Ρικάκη; 14 July 1961, Piraeus – 28 December 2011, Athens)
 From 1979 to 1981 Rikaki studied art history, graphic design, cinema and photography at the Dartington College of Arts in Devon, England.[2] She is best known for her documentaries about socially sensitive issues such as immigration, education and the lives of the disabled in Greece.[1]



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Dickey Betts died he was 80

Early Career Forrest Richard Betts was also known as Dickey Betts Betts collaborated with  Duane Allman , introducing melodic twin guitar ha...