The past year has seen the deaths of some beloved public figures: Andy Rooney, Elizabeth Taylor, Betty Ford and Steve Jobs. It's also seen the historic passing of terror leaders and dictators such as Osama bin Laden, Kim Jong Il and Muammar Gaddafi.
In 2011, the inventor of the teleprompter, the inventor of the ebook, the last World War I veteran and the first female vice presidential candidate passed away.
Here is a list of many of the notable deaths from 2011:
Notable Deaths of 2011
Pete Postlethwaite(01 of121)
Pete Postlethwaite, actor, Feb. 16, 1946 - Jan. 2, 2011 (credit:Kirsty Wigglesworth, AFP / Getty Images)
Anne Francis(02 of121)
Anne Francis, actress, Sept. 16, 1930 - Jan. 2, 2011 (credit:Hulton Archive / Getty Images)
Gerry Rafferty(03 of121)
Gerry Rafferty, singer-songwriter, April 15, 1947 - Jan. 4, 2011 (credit:GAB Archive / Redferns)
Dick King-Smith(04 of121)
Dick King-Smith, children's book author, March 27, 1922 - Jan. 4, 2011 (credit:PA)
Bo Foster(05 of121)
Mayhew "Bo" Foster, Flew captured Nazi leader Hermann Goering from the Austrian Alps back to the 7th Army's headquarters in Germany for interrogation, Oct. 19, 1911 - Jan. 9, 2011 (credit:Mike Albans, AP)
Peter Yates(06 of121)
Peter Yates, director, July 24, 1929 - Jan. 9, 2011 (credit:AP)
Mississippi Winn(07 of121)
Mississippi Winn, oldest living African-American in the U.S., March 31, 1897 - Jan. 14, 2011 (credit:Robert Young, AP)
Susannah York(08 of121)
Susannah York, actress, Jan. 9, 1939 - Jan. 15, 2011 (credit:Getty Images)
John Dye(09 of121)
John Dye, actor, Jan. 31, 1963 - Jan. 10, 2011 (credit:Everett)
Margaret Whiting(10 of121)
Margaret Whiting, big band singer, July 22, 1924 - Jan. 10, 2011 (credit:Murray Garrett, Getty Images)
David Nelson(11 of121)
David Nelson, television personality, Oct. 24, 1936 - Jan. 12, 2011 (credit:Everett )
Don Kirshner(12 of121)
Don Kirshner, music promoter, April 17, 1934 - Jan. 17, 2011 (credit:Ron Galella, Ltd. / Wireimage)
Sargent Shriver(13 of121)
Sargent Shriver, former Peace Corps director, Democratic vice-presidential nominee.Nov. 9, 1915 - Jan. 18, 2011 (credit:Henry Burroughs, AP)
Maj. Richard "Dick" Winters(14 of121)
Maj. Richard 'Dick' Winters, decorated WWII veteran, leader of the "Band of Brothers". Jan. 21, 1918 - Jan. 2, 2011 (credit:Laura Rauch, AP)
Jack LaLanne(15 of121)
Jack LaLanne, fitness pioneer, Sept. 26, 1914 - Jan. 23, 2011 (credit:Toby Canham, Getty Images)
Samuel Ruiz(16 of121)
Samuel Ruiz, Bishop, human rights activist, Nov. 3, 1924 - Jan. 24, 2011 (credit:AP)
Gladys Horton(17 of121)
Gladys Horton, singer, May 30, 1944 - Jan. 26, 2011 (credit:Michael Ocs Archives / Getty Images)
Charlie Callas(18 of121)
Charlie Callas, actor, Dec. 20, 1924 - Jan. 27, 2011 (credit:Everett )
Nora Sun(19 of121)
Nora Sun, former U.S. trade consul, granddaughter of the founder of Asia's first republic in China. Aug. 6, 1937 - Jan. 29, 2011 (credit:Chiang Ying-ying, AP)
Maria Schneider(20 of121)
Maria Schneider, actress, March 27, 1952 - Feb. 3, 2011 (credit:Everett)
Tura Satana(21 of121)
Tura Satana, actress, exotic dancer. July 10, 1938 - Feb. 4, 2011 (credit:Everett)
John Paul Getty III(22 of121)
John Paul Getty III, troubled oil heir, kidnap victim. Nov. 4, 1956 - Feb. 5, 2011 (credit:Getty Images)
Peggy Rea(23 of121)
Peggy Rea, actress, March 31, 1921 - Feb. 5, 2011 (credit:Everett)
Gary Moore(24 of121)
Gary Moore, rock musician, April 4, 1952 - Feb. 6, 2011 (credit:Martin Van Dijl, AFP / Getty Images)
Betty Garrett(25 of121)
Betty Garrett, actress, May 23, 1919 - Feb. 12, 2011 (credit:ABC / Getty Images)
Kenneth Mars(26 of121)
Kenneth Mars, actor, April 14, 1936 - Feb. 12, 2011 (credit:Universal / Everett)
George Shearing(27 of121)
George Shearing, jazz piano legend, Aug. 13, 1919 - Feb.14, 2011 (credit:YouTube)
Len Lesser(28 of121)
Len Lesser, actor, Dec. 3, 1922 - Feb. 16, 2011 (credit:Craig Schwartz, AP)
Duke Snider(29 of121)
Duke Snider, baseball player, Sept. 19, 1926 - Feb. 27, 2011 (credit:Hulton Archive / Getty Images)
Frank Buckles(30 of121)
Frank Buckles, the last surviving American WWI veteran. Feb. 1, 1901 - Feb. 27, 2011 (credit:Getty)
Jane Russell(31 of121)
Jane Russell, actress, June 21, 1921 - Feb. 28, 2011 (credit:Getty Images)
Annie Girardot(32 of121)
Annie Girardot, French actress, Oct. 25, 1931 - Feb. 28, 2011 (credit:AFP / Getty Images)
Mikhail Simonov(33 of121)
Mikhail Simonov, Russian Sukhoi fighter jet designer, Oct. 19, 1929 - March 4, 2011 (credit:Vlad Lukin, Sukhoi Company Press Service / AP)
Alberto Granado(34 of121)
Alberto Granado, Argentine-Cuban doctor, writer and scientist. Aug. 8, 1922 - March 5, 2011 (credit:Dave Hogan, Getty Images)
David Broder(35 of121)
David Salzer Broder, journalist, Sept. 11, 1929 - March 9, 2011 (credit:Getty Images)
Joe Morello(36 of121)
Joe Morello, jazz drummer, July 17, 1928 - March 12, 2011 (credit:Michael Ochs Archive / Getty Images)
Owsley "Bear" Stanley(37 of121)
Owsley "Bear" Stanley, Sound Engineer and former LSD cook. Jan. 19, 1935 - March 13, 2011 (credit:Ed Perlstein, Redferns / Getty Images)
Michael Gough(38 of121)
Michael Gough, English character actor, Nov. 23, 1916 - March 17, 2011 (credit:Christine Loss, AP)
Warren Christopher(39 of121)
Warren Minor Christopher, former U.S. Secretary of State, Oct. 27, 1925 - March 18, 2011 (credit:AP)
Joseph William "Pinetop" Perkins (40 of121)
Joseph William "Pinetop" Perkins, blues musician, July 7, 1913 - March 21, 2011
Elizabeth Taylor(41 of121)
Elizabeth Taylor, actress, Feb. 27, 1932 - March 23, 2011 (credit:Hulton Archive / Getty Images)
Olga Ulyanova(42 of121)
Olga Ulyanova, niece of Soviet founder Vladimir Lenin, 1922 - March 25, 2011 (credit:Mikhail Metzel, AP)
Geraldine Ferraro(43 of121)
Geraldine Ferraro, first female vice presidential candidate. Aug. 26, 1935 - March 26, 2011 (credit:Ron Frehm, AP)
José Alencar(44 of121)
José Alencar, former Brazilian vice president, Oct. 17, 1931 - March 29, 2011 (credit:Sergio Marques, Getty Images)
Ange-Felix Patasse(45 of121)
Ange-Felix Patasse, deposed President of the Central African Republic, Jan. 25, 1937 - April 5, 2011 (credit:Desirey Minkoh, AFP / Getty Images)
Betty Ford(46 of121)
Betty Ford, former First Lady of the United States, founder of the Betty Ford Clinic. April 8, 1918 - July 8, 2011 (credit:Hulton Archive / Getty Images)
Sidney Lumet(47 of121)
Sidney Lumet, film director, June 25, 1924 - April 9, 2011 (credit:Jon Kopaloff, FilmMagic)
William Lipscomb(48 of121)
William Nunn Lipscomb Jr., Nobel Prize-winning chemist, Dec. 9, 1919 - April 14, 2011 (credit:AP)
Walter Breuning(49 of121)
Walter Breuning, last American man born before 1900. Sept. 21, 1896 - April 14, 2011 (credit:Michael Albans, AP)
Pietro Ferrero Jr.(50 of121)
Pietro Ferrero Jr., CEO of Ferrero chocolate, Sept. 11, 1963 - April, 18th 2011 (credit:AP)
Chris Hondros(51 of121)
Chris Hondros, photojournalist, March 14, 1970 - April 20, 2011 (credit:Katie Orlinsky / Getty Images)
Tim Hetherington(52 of121)
Tim Hetherington, war photographer, filmmaker. Dec. 5, 1970 - April 20, 2011 (credit:Outpost Films / AP)
Norio Ohga(53 of121)
Norio Ohga, Former President and Chairman of Sony, Jan. 29, 1930 - April 23, 2011 (credit:Richard Drew, AP)
Śri Sathya Sai Baba(54 of121)
Śri Sathya Sai Baba, Indian Guru and spiritual leader. Nov. 23, 1926 - April 24, 2011 (credit:AP)
Poly Styrene(55 of121)
Poly Styrene, singer, July 3, 1957 - April 25, 2011 (credit:Hulton Archive / Getty Images)
Phoebe Snow(56 of121)
Phoebe Snow, singer, July 17, 1950 - April 26, 2011 (credit:Ebet Roberts / Getty Images)
Orlando Bosch(57 of121)
Orlando Bosch, anti- Castro terrorist and CIA backed operative, Aug. 18, 1926 - April 27, 2011 (credit:AP)
Ernesto Sabato(58 of121)
Ernesto Sabato, Argentine writer, painter and physicist. June 24, 1911 - April 30, 2011 (credit:Getty)
Henry Cooper(59 of121)
Sir Henry Cooper, boxing legend, May 3, 1934 - May 1, 2011 (credit:Getty)
Osama bin Laden(60 of121)
Osama bin Laden, al-Qaeda leader, March 10, 1957 - May 2, 2011 (credit:AP)
Jackie Cooper(61 of121)
Jackie Cooper, actor, Sept. 15, 1922 - May 3, 2011 (credit:Hulton Archive / Getty Images)
Claude Stanley Choules(62 of121)
Claude Stanley Choules, last surviving World War I combat veteran. March 3, 1901 - May 5, 2011
Arthur Laurents(63 of121)
Arthur Laurents, playwright, director, July 14, 1917 - May 5, 2011 (credit:Carolyn Cole, Los Angeles Times / MCT)
Severiano "Seve" Ballesteros Sota(64 of121)
Severiano "Seve" Ballesteros Sota, professional golfer, April 9,1957 - May 7, 2011 (credit:AP)
Lidia Gueiler(65 of121)
Lidia Gueiler, first female President of Bolivia, Aug. 28, 1921 - May 9, 2011 (credit:Keystone / Getty Images)
Burt Reinhardt(66 of121)
Burt Reinhardt, CNN President, April 19, 1920 - May 10, 2011 (credit:Alan Greth, AP)
Derek Boogaard(67 of121)
Derek Boogaard, professional hockey player, June 23, 1982 - May 13, 2011 (credit:Bruce Bennett, Getty Images)
Harmon Killebrew(68 of121)
Harmon Killebrew, Hall of Fame baseball player, June 29, 1936 - May 17, 2011 (credit:Harry Harris, AP)
Randy Savage(69 of121)
"Macho Man" Randy Savage, professional wrestler, November 15, 1952 - May 20, 2011 (credit:WWE / AP)
Bill Hunter(70 of121)
Bill Hunter, actor, February 27, 1940 - May 21, 2011 (credit:Kristian Dowling, Getty Images)
Joseph Brooks(71 of121)
Joseph Brooks, composer, May 1, 1938 - May 22, 2011 (credit:AP)
Xavier Tondo(72 of121)
Xavier Tondo, cyclist, November 5, 1978 - May 23, 2011 (credit:Lionel Cironneau, AP)
Huguette Clark Gower(73 of121)
Huguette Clark Gower, heiress, June 9, 1906 - May 24, 2011 (credit:AP)
Jeff Conaway(74 of121)
Jeff Conaway, actor, Oct. 5, 1950 - May 27, 2011 (credit:Getty)
James Arness(75 of121)
James Arness, actor, May 26, 1923 - June 3, 2011 (credit:Michael Ochs Archive / Getty Images)
Dr. Jack Kevorkian(76 of121)
Dr. Jack Kevorkian, doctor, May 26, 1928 - June 3, 2011 (credit:Michael Loccisano, Getty Images)
MF Husain(77 of121)
MF Husain, artist, Sept. 17, 1915 - June 9, 2011 (credit:Chris Jackson, Getty Images)
Laura Ziskin(78 of121)
Laura Ziskin, film producer, March 3, 1950 - June 12, 2011 (credit:Jesse Grant, WireImage)
Clarence Clemons(79 of121)
Clarence Clemons, saxophonist, Jan. 11, 1942 - June 18, 2011 (credit:Getty Images)
Frederick Chiluba(80 of121)
Frederick Chiluba, second President of Zambia, April 30, 1943 - June 18, 2011 (credit:Getty)
Peter Falk (81 of121)
Peter Falk, actor, Sept. 16, 1927 - June 23, 2011 (credit:Getty Images)
Itamar Franco(82 of121)
Itamar Franco, former President of Brazil, June 28, 1930 - July 2, 2011 (credit:Getty)
Lucien Freud(83 of121)
Lucien Freud, painter, Dec. 8 1922 - July 20, 2011 (credit:Stephan Agostini, AFP / Getty Images)
Michael S. Hart(84 of121)
Michael S. Hart, inventor of the e-book and founder of the Gutenberg Project. 1947 - Sep. 6, 2011 (credit:Gutenberg Project)
Elliot Handler(85 of121)
Elliot Handler, cofounder of Mattel, April 9, 1916 - July 21, 2011 (credit:Mark Sullivan, WireImage)
Nguyen Cao Ky(86 of121)
Nguyen Cao Ky, Former South Vietnamese Vice President, Sept. 8, 1930 - July 23, 2011 (credit:Hoang Dinh Nam, AFP / Getty Images)
Amy Winehouse(87 of121)
Amy Winehouse, singer, Sept. 14, 1983 - July 23, 2011 (credit:Matt Dunham, AP)
Charles 'Bubba' Smith(88 of121)
Charles 'Bubba' Smith, NFL player, actor. Feb. 28, 1945 - Aug. 3, 2011 (credit:Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images)
Marshall Grant(89 of121)
Marshall Grant, Musician / Bassist in Johnny Cash band Tennessee Two, May 5, 1928 - Aug. 7, 2011 (credit:Mark Humphrey, AP)
Jack Layton(90 of121)
Jack Layton, Canadian politician, July 18, 1950 - Aug. 22, 2011 (credit:Geoff Robins, AFP / Getty Images)
Richard William Hamilton(91 of121)
Richard William Hamilton, painter, Feb. 24, 1922 - Sept. 13, 2011
Wangari Muta Mary Jo Maathai(92 of121)
Wangari Muta Mary Jo Maathai, human rights activist, April 1, 1940 - Sept. 25, 2011 (credit:AP)
Anwar al-Awlaki(93 of121)
Anwar al-Awlaki, American-born al-Qaeda supporter, April 21, 1971 - Sept. 30, 2011 (credit:SITE Intelligence Group / AFP / Getty Images)
Ralph Marvin Steinman(94 of121)
Ralph Marvin Steinman, Nobel Peace Prize recipient, Immunologist. Jan.14, 1943 - Sept. 30, 2011
Steve Jobs(95 of121)
Steven Paul Jobs, cofounder of Apple, Feb. 24, 1955 - Oct. 5, 2011 (credit:AP)
Arthur C. Nielsen Jr.(96 of121)
Arthur C. Nielsen Jr., businessman, 1919 - Oct. 5, 2011 (credit:Nielsen / AP)
Fred L. Shuttlesworth(97 of121)
Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, U.S. civil rights activist, March 18, 1922 - Oct. 5, 2011 (credit:AP)
Frank Kameny(98 of121)
Franklin Edward "Frank" Kameny, gay rights activist, May 21, 1925 - Oct. 11, 2011 (credit:AP)
Norman Corwin(99 of121)
Norman Lewis Corwin, writer, producer and teacher. May 3, 1910 - Oct. 18, 2011 (credit:Getty)
Dan Wheldon(100 of121)
Dan Wheldon, IndyCar driver, June 22, 1978 - Oct. 16, 2011 (credit:AJ Mast, AP)
Moammar Gadhafi(101 of121)
Moammar Gadhafi, Libyan leader, June 1942 - Oct. 20, 2011 (credit:Amr Nabil, AP)
Necmattin Erbakan(102 of121)
Necmettin Erbakan, Prime Minister of Turkey, Oct. 29, 1926 - Oct. 20, 2011 (credit:Burhan Ozbilici, AP)
Jimmy Savile(103 of121)
Jimmy Savile, British TV and radio star. Oct. 31, 1926 - Oct. 29, 2011 (credit:Getty Images)
Dorothy Rodham(104 of121)
Dorothy Rodham, mother of Hillary Rodham Clinton, June 4, 1919 - Nov. 1, 2011 (credit:Elise Amendola, AP)
Norman Ramsey(105 of121)
Norman Ramsey, American Physicist and Nobel Prize winner. Aug. 27, 1915 - Nov. 4, 2011 (credit:AP)
Andy Rooney(106 of121)
Andy Rooney, radio and TV writer, Jan. 14, 1919 - Nov. 4, 2011 (credit:Carlos Rene Perez, AP)
Joe Frazier(107 of121)
Joe Frazier, heavyweight boxing champion, Jan. 12, 1944 - Nov. 7, 2011 (credit:Hulton Archive / Getty Images)
Heavy D(108 of121)
Heavy D, actor, rapper, producer. May 24, 1967 - Nov. 8, 2011 (credit:Getty)
Bil Keane(109 of121)
Bil Keane, cartoonist, Oct. 5, 1922 - Nov. 8, 2011 (credit:Paul O'Neill, East Valley Tribune / AP)
Evelyn Lauder(110 of121)
Evelyn Lauder, socialite and philanthropist. Aug. 12, 1936 - Nov.12, 2011 (credit:Getty)
Karl Slover(111 of121)
Karl Slover, actor, Sept. 21, 1918 - Nov.15, 2011 (credit:Charles Sykes, AP)
Ted Forstmann(112 of121)
Theodore Joseph "Ted" Forstmann, businessman, philanthropist. Feb. 13, 1940 - Nov. 20, 2011 (credit:Getty Images)
Ante Markovic(113 of121)
Ante Markovic, former Yugoslavia's last prime minister, Nov. 25, 1924 - Nov. 28 2011 (credit:AP)
Patrice O'Neal(114 of121)
Patrice Lumumba Malcolm O'Neal, comedian, Dec. 7, 1969 - Nov. 29, 2011 (credit:Getty Images)
Harry Morgan(115 of121)
Harry Morgan, actor, April 10, 1915 - Dec 7, 2011 (credit:AP)
Joe Simon(116 of121)
Joe Simon, comic book writer, artist and publisher. Oct. 11, 1913 - Dec. 14, 2011 (credit:Charles Sykes, AP)
Boris Chertok(117 of121)
Boris Chertok, Russian rocket designer, Mar. 1, 1912 - Dec. 14, 2011 (credit:Natalia Kolesnikova, AFP / Getty Images)
Christopher Hitchens(118 of121)
Christopher Hitchens, author and journalist, April 13, 1949 - Dec. 15, 2011 (credit:David Levenson, Getty Images)
Kim Jong Il(119 of121)
Kim Jong Il, leader of North Korea, Feb. 16, 1941 - Dec. 17, 2011 (credit:Xinhua / AP)
Václav Havel(120 of121)
Václav Havel, first President of the Czech Republic, Oct. 5, 1936 - Dec. 18, 2011 (credit:Getty Images)
Sultan Al-Khair(121 of121)
Prince Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud "Sultan Al-Khair", Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Dec. 30, 1929 - Oct. 22, 2011 (credit:Wikimedia Commons)
CORRECTION: A previous version of this article stated that Walter Breuning was the last American born before 1900. He was in fact that last American man born before 1900.
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages.