Literary icon Joan Didion dies at 87. California-born writer, journalist and cultural critic, Joan Didion, died of complications from Parkinson’s disease on December 23 in Manhattan at the age of 87. Born and largely raised in Sacramento, she graduated from UC Berkeley and began her writing career while working at Vogue magazine. In both her fiction and non-fiction, Didion was often lauded as a keen observer of American life and politics.

New Orleans native Anne Rice, passed away in Rancho Mirage this last weekend at age 80 due to complications from a stroke. Her passing was announced by her son Christopher Rice, a successful author in his own right, via social media. Anne had spent many years in California, first in San Francisco in her early 20s through her late 40s, and then later that year to Ranch Mirage.

Children’s Book Illustrator, Floyd Cooper, passed away last Thursday, July 16, in Easton, Pennsylvania. Cooper, a native of Tulsa, OK had collaborated with various authors on dozens of books, including one for which he won the Coretta Scott King Award for his illustrations in Joyce Carol Thomas’ book The Blacker the Berry in 2009.