National Obituaries

LONDON (AP) — Sinéad O’Connor, the gifted Irish singer-songwriter who became a superstar in her mid-20s and was known as much for her private struggles and provocative actions as for her fierce and expressive music, has died at 56.

VANCOUVER — Pat Carney, who pioneered roles for women in Canadian politics and journalism, has died at the age of 88. Her niece, Jill Carney, confirmed in a statement that the former MP and senator passed away late Tuesday.

ATLANTA (AP) — Hugh “Sonny” Carter Jr., who helped organize the “Peanut Brigade” that helped elect his cousin Jimmy to the White House and later enforced the president’s frugal ways in the West Wing, has died. He was 80.

CHICAGO (AP) — Rocky Wirtz, who won three Stanley Cup titles as owner of the Chicago Blackhawks and presided over the team during one of the NHL's biggest scandals, has died. He was 70.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Johnny Lujack was one of the faces of Notre Dame's golden age, the second of three Irish players to win the Heisman Trophy in the 1940s and the quarterback of three national championship teams.

TOKYO (AP) — Renowned Japanese mystery writer Seiichi Morimura, whose nonfiction trilogy “The Devil’s Gluttony” exposed human medical experiments conducted by a secret Japanese army unit during World War II, died Monday. He was 90.

LONDON (AP) — Trevor Francis, a former England forward who became Britain’s first 1 million pound soccer player when he moved to Nottingham Forest from Birmingham in 1979, has died. He was 69.

Reaction to the death of Tony Bennett at age 96: “So sad to hear of Tony’s passing. Without doubt the classiest singer, man, and performer you will ever see. He’s irreplaceable. I loved and adored him. Condolences to Susan, Danny and the family.

NEW YORK (AP) — Tony Bennett, the eminent stylist whose devotion to classic American songs and knack for creating new standards graced a decadeslong career that brought him admirers from Frank Sinatra to Lady Gaga, died Friday. He was 96.

Brian O’Neill, a longtime NHL executive who helped oversee the league's first major expansion and was tasked with drafting its first 12-team schedule, has died at age 94. The NHL confirmed O'Neill's death in a release on Friday.