The world as a whole lost a lot of good people this past year, from world leaders, actors, and comedians to other highly influential people that were around since before my parents were born. I won’t be able to cover everyone, but I’ll touch on those who definitely influenced me as much as I can.

Robbie Coltrane: He played the beloved character Hagrid in the Harry Potter films, but he also played parts in other movies including Goldeneye, Van Helsing, and Ocean’s Twelve.

Queen Elizabeth: She was the longest serving British monarch, and her 70 year reign was something that was a bedrock of many people’s lives. The fact she’s gone now is sad. She was definitely someone who deserves mention for her influence over so many.

Mikhail Gorbachev: The man who helped to end the Cold War when I was just a baby was another person who had massive influence.

Nichelle Nichols: She played Lieutenant Uhura in the original Star Trek series, and became as iconic as Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner. She also appeared in some of the Star Trek films including Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.

Shinzo Abe: The former Prime Minister of Japan, this man was tragically killed in an assassination this year. He was the longest serving Prime Minister in Japan’s history.

Bob Sagat: Like many who grew up when I was a kid, I remember him and his role on Full House, and while I personally wasn’t a particular fan of the series, he will be missed by many.

Kevin Conroy: He was Batman to me, having famously portrayed the superhero’s voice in various animated media, and his passing will leave a hole that I don’t really think can be filled. He will definitely be missed by many.

Kazuki Takahashi: He created Yu-Gi-Oh, and while he is no longer with us, he went out a real and true bad ass saving others from drowning.

James Caan: I grew up watching James Caan, and he played so many amazing characters that his loss will be dearly felt from now on.  He appeared in many films including The Godfather, El Dorado, Brian’s Song, and Bottle Rocket.

Barbara Walters: I grew up watching her on the news, so learning that she died right at the end of the year was a shock. She influenced many people and reported on so many groundbreaking stories.  She was also a great interviewer and definitely a journalism pioneer.

My Grampy, Fran Malnati: My grandfather passed in late November this past year. While I’m still incredibly sad he’s gone, he lived a long life doing what he loved which was serving the American people. He served in the Korean War. He continued to serve others throughout his entire life even after that by becoming a volunteer firefighter (and I distinctly remember him actually going to fires while I was visiting) and participating heavily in his local church’s activities including the food pantry. He was also a farmer, and he only quit working a couple years ago. His farm is still being worked on today. I’ll miss you Grampy, but 91 years of doing what you loved to do was one hell of a life.