Greater Manchester - and the nation - said goodbye to famous faces from all walks of life in 2019.
Stars from the sporting world, actors, musicians and entertainers were all lost.
Their work inspired, thrilled, amused and informed - and is destined to be looked back on with fondness.
Here the M.E.N. salutes their work and also pays tribute to just a few of the many unsung community champions from Greater Manchester who passed away in 2019.
January
Dianne Oxberry
Much-loved BBC presenter Dianne passed away at the Christie Hospital on January 10 after an illness.
The mother-of-two was 51.
Dianne was one of the most recognised faces on TV in the region, having worked on North West Tonight for more than 20 years.
Julia Grant
A Transgender activist and campaigner for Manchester's Gay Village, Julia was 64.
She owned Hollywood Showbar on Canal Street and was the star of BBC documentary A Change of Sex, back in 1979.
It is believed to be the first documentary film made about transgender issues and charted her transition.
Julia also published book Just Julia: The Story of an Extraordinary Woman in 1994 about her own transition and the struggles of transgender people.
She was actively involved in campaigning to protect Canal Street from developers.
Gene Okerlund
The most famous interviewer in wrestling history was 76.
Nicknamed 'Mean Gene', the legendary microphone king from Sisseton, South Dakota, appeared alongside the industry's greatest stars and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2006
February
Karl Lagerfield
The fashion icon died in Paris after a cancer battle.
The creative director of Chanel was one of the most influential and celebrated fashion designers of the 21st century.
Eric Harrison
Iconic former Manchester United coach Harrison died aged 81.
He was diagnosed with dementia in 2014 and spent his final few months in a nursing home.
During his 27 years as youth-team manager at United, Eric nurtured the likes of David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville and Paul Scholes into first-team players.
Harrison was awarded an MBE for his services to football in the 2018 New Year Honours.
Gordon Banks
The legendary England goalkeeper was 81.
Regarded as one of the game's greatest in his position, Banks was named FIFA goalkeeper of the year six times and earned 73 caps for England.
A national treasure, Banks was awarded an OBE in 1970 - the same year he made the so-called 'save of the century' to deny Brazil legend Pele at the World Cup in Mexico.
Albert Finney
A Salford lad who became one of Britain's most celebrated actors, Finney was 82 when he passed away peacefully after a short illness.
Finney received five Oscar nominations, but never won. He turned down a CBE in 1980 and refused a knighthood in 2000.
The actor was best known for his roles in Saturday Night, Sunday Morning, Erin Brockovich, Murder On The Orient Express, Skyfall and Annie.
March
Scott Walker
Walker Brothers star Scott was 76.
Born Noel Scott Engel, he starred in the American pop trio, popular in the 1960s and 1970s, alongside John Walker and Gary Leeds.
The trio enjoyed a meteoric rise to fame in the 1960s, especially in the UK, where song The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore became a huge hit.
After the group split in 1967, Walker embarked on an experimental solo career.
Michael Powell
Michael was chief librarian at Chetham's Library and died aged 64.
He worked at the library, the oldest free public reference library in the UK, for more than 30 years and was passionate about the history of Manchester.
Mike Thalassitis
The Love Island reality TV star was just 26.
His body was found in woods near his Essex home.
Thalassitis was a former League Two footballer who found fleeting fame on the ITV2 dating show in 2017.
His behaviour on the show saw him land the nickname 'Muggy Mike' as well as a reputation as a reality villain.
His death highlighted the vulnerabilities and pressures faced by the reality TV show contestants.
Luke Perry
Beverly Hills 90210 heartthrob Perry was 52 when he passed away after suffering a stroke.
He was rushed to hospital but never recovered.
Perry was best known for playing Dylan McKay in the teen show.
Keith Flint
Prodigy frontman and hell-raiser Flint died at the age of 49 on March 4.
The Firestarter singer was found dead at his home in Essex.
The Prodigy found huge fame after emerging from the underground rave scene in the early 1990s and became one of the UK's biggest acts.
Craig Bieszke
The much-loved Manchester club promoter was 35 and a well-known face on the city's social scene.
He promoted nights at celebrity haunt Panacea on John Dalton Street and was regularly snapped out and about with celebrity pals in the city centre, including reality TV's Ex On The Beach star Charlotte Dawson.
Also working in events and promotions, he was a model and grew up in Cheadle Hulme.
April
Peter Mayhew
The 7ft 3ins tall actor passed away in Texas at the age of 74.
A British-American, Mayhew played the Wookiee warrior Chewbacca in the revered Star Wars series of films, appearing in five movies in total, most recently 2015's The Force Awakens.
Ray Boddington
Ray, the iconic and much-loved frontman of Manchester band Piccadilly Rats, died on April 18, aged 77.
The singer, who was struck by a tram in Manchester city centre, was in hospital surrounded by his family.
Well known as a busker in his hometown, he had previously appeared on The X Factor and Judge Rinder.
Ray would have turned 79 on December 30 this year.
Oliver Harrison
Leading figures from across the world of boxing paid tribute to hugely respected coach Oliver Harrison following his death aged 59.
The Salford trainer, who ran Oliver's Gym in Pendleton, was in the corner for the early part of Amir Khan's professional career.
The Great Stromboli
Tributes were paid in April to The Great Stromboli - a fire eater and circus performer who dedicated his life to the art of entertainment, laughter and putting smiles on faces.
Real name Daniel Lynch, his career as a showman took him around the world, but home was always Stoneclough in Bolton.
Mr Lynch, who was 92, ran a touring sideshow which regularly starred at Belle Vue circus in Gorton during the 1950s and 60s.
And if fire eating and sword swallowing wasn't enough, the centrepiece of Stromboli's act, which he dubbed The Strangest Show on Earth, saw him strapped into a 16,000-volt electrified chair, which is now owned by the Museum of Science and Industry.
Waheed Chouihi
With a pair of scissors in hand and a cheeky grin on his face, Waheed Chouihi held court at the Village Barber in Werst Didsbury for 25 years.
He passed away from a suspected heart attack aged 52.
Bernard Halford
A legend at Manchester City, and life president, Halford was 77 when he passed away.
After five decades of service, he was known to many simply as 'Mr Manchester City'.
May
Judith Kerr
The Tiger Who Came To Tea author Judith Kerr was 95 when she died.
The legendary author and illustrator, who was awarded an OBE, stole the hearts of generations of children with her iconic book, among other classics, like the Mog series.
She died at her home in Barnes, South West London, following a short illness.
Niki Lauda
The Formula One racer was a three-time world champion, taking the F1 title for Ferrari in 1975 and 1977, and for McLaren in 1984.
Lauda was badly burned in 1976 in an infamous crash and later became an airline entrepreneur with Lauda Air.
He also underwent a double lung transplant.
Doris Day
The legendary singer and actress died after a showbiz career of more than 80 years.
One of Day's best-loved roles was the title role of Oscar award-winning 1953 western-themed musical Calamity Jane.
Freddie Starr
The comedian and impressionist, who became famous in the early 1970s, was also a singer.
Well known for a tabloid headline, in 2011 he was also a contestant on I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here.
Jonathan Ali
A hugely-respected BBC journalist and historian, Ali passed away aged 50 after an illness.
In 2018 a survey of journalists named him one of the most respected reporters in the country.
And in April 2017, when a fire broke out at the Christie Hospital while he was being treated, 'Jali' was first on the scene to report live on radio and TV.
Alan Taylor
The former Rochdale council leader was 75.
Mr Taylor first became leader of the Liberal Group in Rochdale in the 1980s before serving as Lib Dem council leader from 2006 to 2010.
June
Jose Antonio Reyes
The ex-Arsenal and Spain forward died in a car crash at the age of 35.
He was part of the club's famous 'Invincibles' side of 2004 that won the Premier League without losing a match.
He also played for Real Madrid.
Justin Edinburgh
Leyton Orient manager Edinburgh died tragically at the age of 49.
The former Tottenham Hotspur defender had travelled to Spain to watch his beloved Spurs, for whom he made 215 Premier League appearances, in the Champions League Final with friends and other former players.
But he was taken to hospital after suffering cardiac arrest shortly after returning home.
He left a wife and two children.
July
Paula Williamson
The former Coronation Street actress was found dead at her home in Stoke-on-Trent.
She was 38.
Williamson married infamous prisoner Charles Bronson but had filed for divorce at the time of her death.
The pair first struck up a relationship as penpals but eventually wed in late 2017.
Tanya Jones
Footballer turned film star Vinnie Jones' wife Tanya died after a six-year battle with cancer.
She was 53 and passed away at home in Los Angeles surrounded by her loved ones.
John McCririck
Sports broadcaster McCririck was 79.
Known as 'Big Mac' to many in the racing world, he was a familiar face on Channel 4's coverage of the sport for many years, with his career in television spanning four decades.
Echo the Dog
Echo was the most decorated fire service dog in the country.
He carried out more than 70 missions with Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service over 10 years and left a life-saving legacy behind him.
The specialist search and rescue Labrador was 16 and lived in Bolton with his owner.
Colin Blaney
Tributes were paid in July to former Manchester United football hooligan turned author Colin Blaney following his death.
Colin's 2004 book 'Grafters' exposed gang crime in Europe in the late 1970s and 'Undesirables: The Inside Story of the Inter City Jibbers', published 10 years later in 2014, chronicled his life as a member of a Manchester United hooligan firm.
The lifelong United fan, who turned his back on crime two decades ago and was known to many as 'Beaner', had been battling cancer.
He was 63.
August
Peter Fonda
Hollywood acting legend and star of Easy Rider, Fonda was 79.
He died after suffering respiratory failure, brought on by lung cancer, having recently being hospitalised with an unknown illness.
The 1960s icon was part of an acting dynasty; the son of Henry Fonda, the brother of Jane and the father of Bridget.
September
Robert Mugabe
Former Zimbabwean prime minister Mugabe liberated Zimbabwe from the injustices of a racist minority rule system.
But by the time he was ousted, after nearly forty years in power, he had himself been condemned as a tyrant against a backdrop of land seizures, violence, corruption and economic decline.
He was 95 when he died in Singapore, where he was receiving medical care.
Jacques Chirac
The former French president was 86.
The controversial leader was in office for 12 years, but saw his legacy tarnished when he was convicted of corruption in 2011.
Chirac - nicknamed 'Le Bulldozer' - served as president between 1995 and 2007, having earlier served as Prime Minister for two spells, and Mayor of Paris between 1977 and 1995.
He was also nicknamed Houdini because of his knack for wriggling out of tight spots.
Leah Bracknell
The actress, famous for playing Zoe Tate in Emmerdale, died from lung cancer.
Aside from starring on our TV screens, she was also a yoga teacher.
The soap star was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer in 2016 and died just three years later, leaving behind her husband and two children.
She was 55.
Vic Lezal
Manchester music impresario Vic was 73.
He made his name as the leader of Vic Lezal And the Professionals, which was the house band at The Ritz nightclub from 1973 for 37 years.
His 16-piece covers band performed behind pop stars such Little Richard, Andy Williams and Engelburt Humperdinck when they came to Manchester.
Although he never left his modest home in New Moston, he made his fortune not as a band leader but by acting as the manager for a series of other bands.
And he joked about how he once turned down The Stone Roses just before they made it big.
October
Peter Sissons
Sissons was the face of shows including the BBC Nine O'Clock News and the Ten O'Clock News for a decade from 1993 until 2003.
He'd previously read the news on both ITV and Channel 4, and he was also well known as a host of Question Time.
He was 77.
David Meek
David spent 38 years as the M.E.N.'s United reporter, taking over the role when his predecessor Tom Jackson was killed in the Munich air disaster.
He went on to cover United's first European Cup win on the famous night at Wembley in 1968 when the Red Devils, including goalscorers Bobby Charlton, George Best and Brian Kidd, became the first English team to win the trophy, as well as the club's 1974 relegation to the Second Division following Sir Matt Busby's retirement and the first decade of Sir Alex Ferguson's trophy-laden reign.
Following his retirement from the M.E.N., David, of Sale and later Milton Keynes, went on to write Fergie's programme notes, helped set up the United museum at Old Trafford and scripted the panels for the Munich memorial tunnel at the ground.
Shahed Mohammed
Tributes were paid in October to the much-loved owner of a clothes shop who kitted out generations of south Manchester school children.
Shahed Mohammed, who owned uniform shop Shareen Fashions in Chorlton, passed away after a long battle with cancer.
The dad-of-three ran the family business for decades, and was well known across the suburb for his sense of humour and kind and generous nature.
When Shahed, 54, retired on health grounds and closed the shop in 2018, it marked the end of an era for Chorlton's high street.
November
Gary Rhodes
The flamboyant TV chef, famed for his spiky hair, fell ill suddenly while filming a new show and died at home in Dubai.
He was 59.
Clive James
James, the Australia-born TV star, died aged 80 almost 10 years after he was diagnosed with leukaemia.
He moved to England in 1961 and shot to fame with his work as a book critic and TV columnist.
After studying in Cambridge alongside other big names including Germaine Greer, he went on to write for The Times and The Observer as a TV critic.
He became a small screen star himself in 1982 by delivering cutting criticism on TV shows on his own ITV programme, Clive James On Television.
December
Bob Willis
Former England cricket captain Willis was 70.
The pace bowler played 90 Tests for England and was a popular figure in broadcasting following his retirement from cricket in 1984.
Willis' most famous moment as a player came in the 1981 Ashes series as his eight for 43 fired England to a remarkable win in the third Test at Headingley.
He is England's fourth highest wicket-taker of all time with 325 wickets.
Jeffrey Worrall
Jeffrey Worrall, known to everybody as Jeff, sold ice-creams to customers from his van in Partington and Urmston for more than 15 years.
The 53-year-old died suddenly after suffering from a bleed on the brain.
Jeff, who has six children and three grandchildren, was previously fit and healthy.
He was known for giving out free ice creams to families struggling for money.
David Bellamy
The iconic TV and naturalist was 86.
The larger than life character inspired a generation who grew up with his enthusiastic, eccentric presenting style on a host of BBC shows from the 1970s onwards.
He was an iconic presence, known for communicating passionately through a characteristic speech impediment with his trademark bushy beard and wild grey hair.
Martin Peters
England's 1966 World Cup-winning hero Martin Peters died before Christmas at the age of 76.
Peters won 67 caps for England, scoring 20 goals from midfield including one on July 30, 1966, as England beat West Germany 4-2 to win the World Cup at Wembley.
He also played 364 times for West Ham United, scoring 100 goals, between 1962 and 1970, before moving to Tottenham Hotspur.
