Former Child Star Danielle Spencer From NY Who Became Beloved Veterinarian Dies At 60
For a generation, she was the wisecracking little sister on TV’s What’s Happening!!
But Danielle Spencer’s legacy stretched far beyond the spotlight.
Spencer, who charmed audiences as Dee Thomas on the hit late 1970s ABC-TV sitcom and later became a respected veterinarian and animal advocate, died Monday, Aug. 11 in Richmond, Virginia, at age 60 after a long battle with cancer.
The news was confirmed by her longtime friend and co-star Haywood Nelson via social media on Tuesday, Aug. 12.
Born June 24, 1965, in Trenton, New Jersey, Spencer moved north to New York City with her family …
Emerson Mom, 40, Dies After 2-Year Cancer Battle, Leaves Behind 2 Young Sons
Bergen County mom Kelly McGrath Baratta died Friday, Aug. 8, after a two-and-a-half-year battle with cancer. She was 40 years old.
A devoted wife and mother, McGrath-Baratta found her greatest joy in her husband Gerard and their two sons, Leo, 7, and Luca, 2 ½, according to her obituary on the Becker Funeral Home website. A kid at heart, she loved summers in LBI, planning family activities, and recently made a dream trip to Disney World happen before her passing, her obituary reads. She worked for years as a successful event planner, known for her eye for detail and creativity.
McGrath…
Son’s Strange Rants About Demons, Divine Gifts Preceded Murder-Suicide In Old Greenwich
Days before police say he killed his mother and then himself in a murder-suicide that shook a wealthy Connecticut town, 56-year-old Stein Erik Soelberg had been posting rambling and paranoid thoughts to his 100,000 Instagram followers, claiming he had “special gifts from God” and warning about tampered devices, brain implants, and a “massive, spiritual and kinetic war.”
Soelberg and his mother, Suzanne Adams, 83, were found dead Tuesday, Aug. 5, inside their Old Greenwich home (where the median home price is about $2.1 million), Greenwich police said Friday, Aug. 8.
Suzann…
York Teen Who Battled Cancer After Fatal House Fire Dies At 17
A York teenager whose cancer battle drew community-wide support following a tragic house fire has died, according to his family and his obituary published by Hooper Memorial Home.
Joshua Y. Lopez, 17, passed peacefully on Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025, in Harrisburg, surrounded by loved ones, according to his obituary from Hooper Memorial Home.
Born July 9, 2008, in Hollywood, Florida, Joshua moved to York with his family, where he attended the School District of the City of York and recently earned his high school diploma. His graduation took place just days before his death at Penn State Health …
Kelly Clarkson's Ex-Husband, Talent Manager Brandon Blackstock, Dies At 48
The music world and fans of Kelly Clarkson are mourning the loss of Brandon Blackstock, Clarkson’s former husband, longtime talent agent, and father of her two children.
Blackstock died after a three-year battle with cancer, his family announced Thursday, Aug. 7. He was 48 years old.
Blackstock was well known in the entertainment industry, both as a music manager and for his high-profile marriage to Kelly Clarkson, age 43.
Clarkson, who rocketed to fame as the original American Idol winner in 2002 and now hosts her own popular daytime talk show, had just postponed her Las Vegas resid…
Months After Wife's Death, Sparta Dad Battling Stage IV Cancer
A New Jersey father is facing a devastating diagnosis, just months after his wife died of the same.
Jeff Krajicek, of Sparta, was diagnosed in April with stage IV bladder cancer, according to a GoFundMe organized by Isabella Tracey. As of Thursday, July 17, the fundraiser had raised $17,000.
Jane Elizabeth Krajicek died of colorectal cancer on Monday, March 17. She was 62 years old.
"Just a few months after losing his beloved wife Jane, Jeff is yet again facing an unimaginable fight," Tracey wrote. "This past April, he was diagnosed with an aggressive stage IV Bladder Cancer."
The co…
