Ivan Bortnik, Russian actor, Died at 79

Ivan Sergeyevich Bortnik was born on April 16, 1939 and died on January 4, 2019.

He was a Soviet and Russian film and theater actor.

Ivan Bortnik is a People's Artist of Russia (2000).

He debuted in movie in 1961.

From 1967 he has been an actor with Taganka Theatre.

He was a close friend of Russian singer-songwriter, poet, and actor Vladimir Vysotsky.

Ivan Bortnik passed away at 79 years old.

Pegi Young, American educator, philanthropist, and singer-songwriter, Died at 66

Margaret "Pegi" Young (née Morton) was born on December 1, 1952, and died on January 1, 2019.

She was an American singer, songwriter, environmentalist, educator and philanthropist.

Young made her debut as a singer in 1983 after she became a member of The Pinkettes, the backing vocalists of Neil Young's Rock-a Billy Shocking Pinks tour.

Young made her first nationwide TV appearance at the Academy Awards in 1994, singing backup on the song "Philadelphia", composed by her husband Canadian folk rock musician Neil Young.

She met future husband Neil Young during 1974 when she was working as a waitress at a diner near his ranch, a story he tells in the 1992 song "Unknown Legend".

They couple got married during August 1978.

They had two children, Ben and Amber, in addition to her becoming stepmother to his first child, Zeke.

There children Ben and Zeke are diagnosed with cerebral palsy, and Amber with epilepsy.

During July 2014, Neil filed for divorce in California.

Pegi Young passed away at 66 years old due to cancer.

Perry Deane Young, American journalist and playwright, Died at 77

Perry Deane Young was born on March 27, 1941, and died on January 1, 2019.

He was a journalist, author, playwright, historian, and professional gardener.

Young was the author of Two of the Missing, the story entails about fellow journalists Sean Flynn and Dana Stone, who disappeared during the Vietnam War and whose fates remain unknown, and the co-author of The David Kopay Story, a biography of 1970's professional football player David Kopay, who revealed in 1975 that he was gay.

He knew about his sexuality difference from an early stage, writing candidly about it in Two of the Missing, and has written or co-written books with gay-related themes, including The David Kopay Story and Lesbians and Gays and Sports.

Young resided in the basement of a non-profit counseling and support group in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, working around the building in lieu of rent, from 1993 until his death.

Perry Deane Young passed away at 77 years old.

Dragoslav Šekularac, Serbian football player, Died at 81

Dragoslav Šekularac was born on November 8, 1937 and died on January 5, 2019.

He was a Serbian football player and coach, nicknamed Šeki.

Šekularac was fast and crafty with the ball, displaying creative skills that turned a lot of heads.

With his maximal self-confidence along with impeccable technical ability, he was one of the biggest showmen and crowd draws in the history of Yugoslav football.

Šekularac's was well known in FPR Yugoslavia during the early 1960s transcended sports as he easily became one of the most recognizable individuals in the country.

Whilst he was a coach, Šekularac led several clubs in Canada, Colombia, Australia, Serbia, Mexico, and Spain, and the Guatemala national team in the 1986 FIFA World Cup qualification.

He was considered one of the most vital players in the history of Red Star Belgrade, he is one of only five players to have been awarded the Zvezdina zvezda status.

Dragoslav Šekularac passed away at 81 years old.

Ivan Dimitrov, Bulgarian footballer, Died at 83

Ivan Milanov Dimitrov was born on May 14, 1935 and died on January 1, 2019.

He was a Bulgarian footballer.

 He played as a defender for the Bulgarian national team.

In his club years, he made 340 appearances in the Bulgarian League, playing for Stroitel Sofia, Torpedo Sofia, Zavod 12 Sofia, Lokomotiv Sofia, Spartak Sofia and Akademik Sofia. 

He was capped 70 times for the Bulgaria national football team. Dimitrov made an appearance in the 1962 and 1970 FIFA World Cups.

Dimitrov also entered in the men's tournament at the 1960 Summer Olympics.

Ivan Milanov Dimitrov passed away at 83 years old.

Dagfinn Bakke, Norwegian artist, Died at 85

Dagfinn Bakke was born on August 16, 1933 and died on January 1, 2019.

He was a Norwegian painter, illustrator and graphical artist.

Bakke was born in Lødingen, and settled in Svolvær.

Since 1952, Bakke worked as the illustrator for the magazine Magasinet For Alle, and from 1956 to 1992 for the newspaper Lofotposten. Bakke was the illustrator of several books.

Bakke was represented at the National Gallery of Norway and other art galleries.

Dagfinn Bakke passed away at 85 years old.

Steve Ripley, American musician , Died at 69

Paul Steven Ripley was born on January 1, 1950, in Boise, Idaho and died on January 3, 2019.

He was an American recording artist, record producer, songwriter, studio engineer, guitarist, and inventor.

During 1977 he started out the music industry.

Steve Ripley was also the leader/producer of country rock band The Tractors.

 He died from cancer on January 3, 2019, two days after his 69th birthday, at his home in Pawnee, Oklahoma.

He was 69 years old.