2016 has been a year of many ups and downs: many people left us and many events occurred both good and bad. To even list all the people that were lost in 2016 would be pages upon pages: however, this is a list of some of the more well-known losses this year.

January:  

David Bowie died on January 10, 2016 at the age of 69 of liver cancer. Bowie was known for his role in the Labyrinth and his songs Space Oddity, Under Pressure and Life on Mars?

Four days later, Alan Rickman died on January 14, 2016 at the age of 69 of pancreatic cancer. Rickman was best known for his role as Professor Snape in the Harry Potter movie series. He was also in Love Actually, Die Hard and Robin Hood.

February:

On February 19, Harper Lee died at the age of 89. She is best known for her book, To Kill a Mockingbird and its sequel, Go Set a Watchman.

March:

On March 29, Patty Duke died at the age of 69 of Sepsis. She was best known in The Patty Duke Show, The Miracle Worker, which was a play about Helen Keller, and Valley of the Dolls.

April:

Prince Rogers Nelson died on April 10, 2016, at the age of 57 of a drug overdose. Prince was an icon that introduced so many new outlooks on the music world, he was an empire. He is best known for his songs “Purple Rain,” “I Wanna Be Your Lover,” and “The Most Beautiful Girl in the World.”

May:

On May 28, 2016 a child fell into the gorilla pit at the Cincinnati zoo and was grabbed and dragged by Harambe, a male gorilla in the enclosure, who was then shot to death to save the boy.

June:  

On June 3, 2016, Muhammad Ali died at the age of 74. The heavyweight boxer champion was remembered as one of the best fighters of his time and became an Olympic gold medalist in 1960.

On June 12, 2016, a gunman killed 49 people and wounded 53 in a terrorist attack known as the Orlando Nightclub Shooting.

July:

On July 2, Elie Wiesel died at the age of 87 from ongoing weakening of health. The Holocaust survivor is best known for his book, Night or Un di Velt Hot Geshvign (And the World Remained Silent).

August:

On August 29, 2016, Gene Wilder died at the age of 83 from complications with Alzheimer’s disease.  Wilder is best known for his role as Willy Wonka in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. He was also in Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein and The Producers.

September:

On September 25, Arnold Palmer died at the age of 87 of a cardiovascular disease. He is known as one of the best known sports figures. Palmer won the Vardon Trophy for lowest scoring average at a PGA four times. The golfer was “Athlete of the Decade” in the 1960s.

October:

From September 28 – October 10, Hurricane Matthew raged on, killing 1,000 people.

November:

On November 25, 2016 Fidel Castro, Cuban dictator, died at the age of 90.

On November 7, Leonard Cohen died at the age of 82. The Canadian singer-songwriter is best known for his songs “Hallelujah,” “Dance Me to the End of Love” and “Suzanne.”

December:

On December 6, 2016, John Glenn, who was the first American to orbit earth, died at the age of 95.

On December 13, 2016, Alan Thicke died of a heart attack at age 69. Another Canadian singer-songwriter and also talk show host was best known for his role on Growing Pains as Dr. Jason Seaver.