Arthur C. Clarke was 90. He was a visionary science fiction writer who won worldwide acclaim with more than 100 books on space, science and the future.

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Anthony Minghella was 54. He won an Oscar for directing "The English Patient," one of a series of literary adaptations that include "The Talented Mr. Ripley" and "Cold Mountain."

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Ola Brunkert was 62. He was a former session drummer with Swedish pop band Abba.

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Kenny Reardon was 86. He scored 122 points in 341 games with the Montreal Canadiens and is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.

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J.I. Albrecht was 77. He had front-office stints with the Montreal Alouettes, Toronto Argonauts, Ottawa Rough Riders and expansion Shreveport Pirates.

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Gary Gygax was 69. He co-created the fantasy game Dungeons & Dragons and helped start the role-playing phenomenon.

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Jeff Healey was 41. He was a legendary Juno-winning rock and jazz musician who taught himself to play guitar by laying the instrument across his lap.

Fourteen months ago I shared a little story about Jeff Healey after I read he had major surgery to remove cancerous tissue from both lungs. I'm sharing that story again here as I remember a fantastic musician and local legend.

I always liked Jeff Healey. I had the 45 single for "Confidence Man" and See the Light on cassette. It was a solid album with "Angel Eyes", one hell of a sweet tune. I liked Jeff Healey well before a priest told me we were related.

Apparently, I had a distant relative in Ireland who was a Roman Catholic priest. I met him in the early 90s when he was visiting my grandmother. He asked me if I knew the blind musician Jeff Healey. When I answered in the affirmative, he continued to tell me that Jeff Healey was a second cousin of mine. I thought that was pretty cool.

You'll be missed, cuz.

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William F. Buckley Jr. was 82. He was the erudite Ivy Leaguer and conservative herald who showered huge and scornful words on liberalism as he observed, abetted and cheered on the right's post-World War II rise from the fringes to the White House.

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Robin Moore was 82. He was the author best known for writing "The French Connection" and "The Green Berets."

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Willie P. Bennett was 56. He was a revered singer-songwriter who was an integral part of Canada's folk music scene, starting in the 1970s, as he played at festivals across the country.

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