The University of North Carolina at Charlotte
The longest-tenured faculty member at UNC Charlotte passed away last week. Economics professor John Connaughton was well-known for his quarterly forecasts of the region’s economy, which he held as a live event for 25 years. He had taught at the school since 1978, with more than 6,000 students passing through his courses. Connaughton was 78 years old.
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Courtesy/NASCARNASCAR said Thursday that two-time Cup Series champion Kyle Busch has died at the age of 41. Busch was in his 22nd full-time season in NASCAR and won 63 races in the Cup Series. Busch's family said earlier in the day that he had been hospitalized for an unspecified severe illness. -
Adobe StockFollowing an increase in early voting and total ballots cast, Board of Elections officials say Tuesday's primary election went well.
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Former North Carolina Gov. Jim Hunt has died. The Wilson County native served the state for four terms as a Democrat, expanding the role of the governor and pushing for major education initiatives. Hunt was 88 years old. -
The movies Reiner directed, from A Few Good Men to The Princess Bride, weren't just good — they were people's favorites, the types of films people come back to again and again. -
Volunteers donate their time in communities across our region, whether at a homeless shelter, a food bank, or an after-school program. Charlotte resident Connie Oliphant, 86, was one of those people. According to an American Red Cross Survey, just over half of Americans lack basic swimming skills, and over the past four years, the retired teacher worked to help change that. A few weeks before she unexpectedly died last weekend, Oliphant shared insight about her coaching methods that gives adults life-saving skills and confidence in the water. -
David Grier “D.G.” Martin Jr., a former University of North Carolina system vice president, attorney, congressional candidate and longtime host of UNC-TV’s North Carolina Bookwatch, has died. The Charlotte Observer reports Martin passed away Tuesday after a battle with melanoma, with his wife by his side.
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Cabarrus County Commissioner Lynn Shue has died after lengthy health challenges. The former Cabarrus School Board chairman has served as a county commissioner since 2014. He had received two life-saving organ transplants and was undergoing treatment when some county commissioners tried to appoint Lamarie Austin-Stripling to a vacant seat on the board in April, but a court blocked the move. -
Cheney, who extolled the power of the presidency, died Monday, according to a statement from his family. The cause was complications of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease. -
LendingTree CEO Doug Lebda died Sunday in an ATV accident. The Charlotte-based company announced his death Monday morning. Lebda founded LendingTree in 1996, and it has since grown into one of Charlotte’s most prominent homegrown financial companies. Scott Peyree, who has been LendingTree’s president and chief operating officer, was appointed CEO effective immediately. -
Richardson, a former president at Baltimore's Morgan State University, led a lawsuit that ended in a historic settlement for four historically Black colleges and universities in Maryland. He was 81. -
A memorial service was held at NC A&T's Harrison Auditorium on Thursday for alumnus and civil rights leader Major General Joseph McNeil. He died on September 4, 2025, at the age of 83. -
The British musician co-founded the rock band Supertramp, which spurred hits like "Give A Little Bit" and "The Logical Song" in the 1970s.
MORE NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL OBITUARIES
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Actor Sam Neill died Monday at the age of 78. He had a wide-ranging career over some 50 years — but is perhaps most well-known for his role as Dr. Alan Grant in the Jurassic Park franchise.
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Sen. Lindsey Graham died Saturday at the age of 71. The South Carolina Republican was a committed advocate of U.S. military intervention abroad and a close ally of President Trump.
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In 2023, Neill disclosed he had been diagnosed with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, a rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Neill died on Monday in Sydney, according to a statement posted to the actor's social media page. -
NPR's Ayesha Rascoe talks with Illinois State Representative Sonya Harper about George E. Johnson, the entrepreneur who invented Afro Sheen and other Black hair care products, who died last week.
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His office said Graham died Saturday night after a "brief and sudden illness." The Republican senator was instrumental in enacting Trump's policy and staffing priorities. -
Pilot Wally Funk has died at 87. Denied the chance to become a NASA astronaut, she finally reached space at age 82 aboard a Blue Origin flight.
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Kimball, who died July 2, unearthed hundreds of pieces long thought lost, and co-wrote books about George and Ira Gershwin, Cole Porter and Eubie Blake. Originally broadcast in 1994.
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Tyler's biggest hit is a perfect encapsulation of what made her a star in the 1980s: An epic power ballad surging with emotion, delivered in a voice that sounded like it might tear the singer apart. -
George E. Johnson, the entrepreneur behind Ultra Sheen and Afro Sheen, has died at 99. NPR remembers how he built an empire based on Black hair care and Black pride.
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Vocalist Victor Willis, the former lead singer of the disco band The Village people, has died. He was not only the front man but he also co authored several of the group's hits.
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Musician Oliver Tree died this month at the age of 32. NPR's Scott Simon spoke with Tree in 2023 for his album "Alone in a Crowd" about seeking self-love after viral fame.
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David Bianculli offers an appreciation, then we listen back to a '06 interview with Burrows, who died June 19. He directed over 1,000 sitcom episodes, co-created Cheers and chose the cast for Friends.
