The Valley bid farewell to two Phoenix Suns icons. We lost prominent figures in music, media, food and politics. This year marked the death of one of the last Navajo Code Talkers. It's also the year Phoenix New Times lost a former reporter who helped give our paper its journalistic bona fides.
Here's our list, in alphabetical order but hardly definitive, of the most notable people who died last year.
BOBOO THE LION
June 2024For many, Boboo the Lion was the main attraction at the Phoenix Zoo, where he wowed visitors with his massive size, loud roars and, eventually, a pair of cubs.
Boboo (pronounced Bah-boo) came to the Phoenix Zoo in 2019 from the Columbus Zoo. For years, he remained the favorite animal for many families. Most notably, Baboo fathered two cubs with the zoo's female lion, Zuri. The cubs, who were born at the zoo on June 3, are the first African lions to be born at the zoo since 1976.
Boboo was humanely euthanized after an aggressive cancer attacked his kidneys and spleen. He had been in great health in May after his annual exam, the zoo said, meaning his disease had spread rapidly and without warning. The zoo said he'd suffered rapid weight loss and lost interest in food.
"The Zoo will definitely be quieter without his familiar roars and calls," the zoo said in a release. "We are comforted that he became a part of his own pride this year and his legacy will live on."
Beyond his legacy, the beloved features of the large cat will live on at the Phoenix Zoo through his cubs. — Itzia Crespo
JANA BOMMERSBACH
July 17They say to give people their flowers while they’re alive. In life, Jana Bommersbach received countless accolades: induction into the Arizona Women’s Hall of Fame, an Emmy for her Arizona Centennial special, "Outrageous Arizona," a Distinguished Service Award from the Arizona Press Club honoring a lifetime of work. But we see no reason to stop honoring this towering figure of Arizona letters after her passing on July 17.
Bommersbach joined the staff of Phoenix New Times in the late 1970s and her colleagues from those days remember her for her news chops, her ability to find compelling stories, her fierce work ethic and for being “feisty and honest.” In the years after New Times, she brought her signature talent to the Arizona Republic, Phoenix Magazine and to her books — both fiction and nonfiction, most notably “The Trunk Murderess: Winnie Ruth Judd,” about the infamous Phoenix murder case.
For her talent, for her spirit, for her gumption, for her resolve, for her voice, for the inspiration she still is to journalists in Arizona and beyond: Thank you, Jana. — Jennifer Goldberg
RENEE "LOVEY" BORENSTEIN
April 4Renee “Lovey” Borenstein died just a few weeks before her 90th birthday. The mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and family matriarch was the co-founder of the Valley deli and bagel shop chain Chompie’s.
Born in Brooklyn, New York, Borenstein moved to Arizona in 1978. A year later, she opened what was then called Chompie's Restaurant and Bagel Factory with her husband, Lou, and their children, Mark, Neal and Wendy. The family business started as a small deli selling New York-style bagels and sandwiches on 32nd Street and Shea Boulevard. Over the years, it has become a successful chain with locations in Phoenix, Chandler, Scottsdale and Glendale.
Frank Lara, director of marketing for JRI Hospitality and a 42-year employee of the restaurant company, described Borenstein as “the heart and soul of Chompie’s.”
Customers could often find Borenstein at her restaurants, where she frequently visited tables to offer a word of advice or friendly suggestion.
"In her more than 40 years presiding over Chompie’s, she was renowned for making each and every customer, employee, vendor and supporter feel like they were a member of our family,” Lara said. “And to her, they absolutely were.” – Tirion Boan
ANTHONY CANECCHIA
Oct. 12The founder of the state’s largest independently owned brewery leaves a lasting legacy in the brewing community and beyond. He was 51.
Brewing was a lifelong passion for Canecchia, who left his studies at the University of Arizona in 1996 to take his home brewing hobby to the next level. He honed his skills at Four Peaks Brewing Co. before founding SanTan in 2007. As the Chandler-based brewery steadily grew, Canecchia centered sustainability efforts, community and philanthropy. Later, he turned his attention to another passion and launched SanTan Spirits.
Outside of the brewery and distillery, Canecchia was a loving son, brother and uncle and was a fan of "Star Wars," comic books and LEGO sets. News of Canecchia’s passing led to an outpouring of tributes from the community and other local brewers, who remembered him as both a caring, funny and goofy guy and a “trailblazer,” a “visionary” and a “champion” of craft beer. – Tirion Boan
ZANE COOLIDGE
Sept. 6Phoenix police officer Zane Coolidge was one of two officers shot on Sept. 3 while responding to a call that someone was trying to break into a car on McDowell Road and 15th Street. Three days later, Coolidge died from his wounds at 29 years old, leaving behind his wife and a 5-month-old daughter, as well as his mother, twin brother and sisters.
City officials, including Police Chief Michael Sullivan and Mayor Kate Gallego, lamented the loss of the young officer.
“We will forever honor and remember his bravery and selfless service to our community,” Gallego said in a press release.
A memorial for Coolidge was held on Sept. 18 at Dream City Church. Coolidge had worked for the Phoenix Police
Department for five years at the time of his death. The suspect who shot Coolidge, 41-year-old Saul Bal, was arrested and indicted for first-degree murder, among other charges.
Coolidge was the first Phoenix officer to die in the line of duty since 2021. Since 2017, seven Phoenix officers have died, three of whom perished from COVID-19. – TJ L’Heureux
DAMON DERING
April 25Theater and drag lovers have frequented Nearly Naked Theatre for decades, greeted by the smiling face of director Damon Dering before enjoying lively, provocative performances that shaped the city’s arts scene into what it is today.
Dering was a beloved Phoenix drag queen and theater director for Nearly Naked Theatre for two decades, where he created a welcoming space for vibrant performances that pushed the envelope. An iconic flame in Phoenix’s Queer community and theater world, Dering cast out-of-the-box actors in roles that more traditional theaters might never have offered them.
The actor and director also spent time in drag, eventually going on to win the titles of Miss Gay Phoenix America 1997 and Miss Gay Arizona America 1997.
In April, Dering passed away unexpectedly in his home. He was 53. — Itzia Crespo
RICHARD DE URIARTE
Sept. 23A beloved longtime member of the Arizona Republic’s editorial board, de Uriarte died in September at 77. He had been on hospice care after complications from a medical procedure the month prior.
Born in Darby, Penn., and growing up outside of Philadelphia, de Uriarte came to call Phoenix his home in 1979. In his early 30s, he moved to the Valley to join the Phoenix Gazette, where he covered politics and wrote editorials. He was also a member of the Republic’s editorial board for nearly two decades after the staff of the two papers merged in 1995.
“The important people of this city knew Richard, and they loved him,” The Republic’s editorial board wrote about de Uriarte after his death. “We knew him as ‘the conscience’ of the board. He was that fist that pounded the table — not in anger, but with passion — when important concerns of real people in this Valley were being ignored in our debates.”
Later, de Uriarte would take a buyout and serve as the manager of communications for Maricopa County from 2008 to 2015. And just like in his previous positions, he was beloved. Phoenix New Times awarded de Uriarte “Best Public Information Officer” in 2009. He served in various roles in Phoenix’s media and government sector for 44 years.
And after his death, sadness and love poured in for de Uriarte on social media.
“I had the honor of working with Richard when I was a reporter,” Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes wrote. “He was a wonderful mentor and friend. Sending my love to his family.”
“Richard de Uriarte was so good to me when I moved to PHX 25 years ago, because that's the way he was,” 12News Reporter Brahm Resnik wrote. “He touched so many lives. Truly a blessing for all of us.”
“No matter the topic, you could feel the passion in each of his words, and I will always admire his commitment to speaking up for those who couldn’t,” Gov. Katie Hobbs wrote. – Morgan Fischer
DUANE EDDY
April 30Duane Eddy, who died in April at 86, left an indelible mark on rock ‘n’ roll. The legendary guitarist, famously known as the “King of Twang,” helped shape the genre with his signature reverb-heavy playing style that influenced generations of rockers, from John Fogerty to Bruce Springsteen to Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys.
Born in Corning, New York, in 1938, Eddy picked up a guitar at age 5. His family moved to Arizona in 1951, where he began performing professionally. In 1955, Eddy met singer, songwriter, and composer Lee Hazlewood at Coolidge’s KCKY radio station, where Hazlewood was a disc jockey. They collaborated on numerous projects, beginning with the guitarist’s stint in the station’s house band during Hazlewood's show.
In 1958, the duo recorded Eddy’s iconic hit “Rebel Rouser” at Phoenix’s Audio Recorders studio. The track’s signature twangy riff and echoing reverb, created with Eddy’s hollow-body Gretsch "Chet Atkins" guitar and an echo chamber fashioned from a 2,000-gallon repurposed water tank, were groundbreaking.
Eddy’s sound was revolutionary. “It was something nobody else had done, and something that was heard around the world," Arizona music historian John Dixon told New Times. "Duane Eddy influenced a whole generation or two of guitar players.” “Rebel Rouser” became a chart-topping success, followed by hits like “Peter Gunn” and “Because They’re Young.”
In 1994, Eddy was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Following his death from cancer in April in Franklin, Tennessee, tributes to Eddy throughout the music world credited his influence. Wrote Springsteen on Instagram: “Duane was a huge influence on my guitar stylings and without Duane there’s no ‘Born to Run’ riff." – Benjamin Leatherman
RON GOLDSTEIN
May 18Ron Goldstein treated many Phoenicians to the delicacy of his hometown of Buffalo, New York: chicken wings. Goldstein arrived in the Valley in the late 1960s and in 1979, he opened Long Wong’s in Scottsdale with his brother, Andy.
The eatery served its award-winning wings and other pub staples in an eclectic, kitschy and cheeky space. Goldstein’s nephew, Josh, worked alongside his uncle for 12 years and attributed the aesthetic choices to a previous family business: The Goldsteins ran an amusement park in Buffalo.
Behind the decor was a restaurateur who made sure all his guests were well fed and his team taken care of. Goldstein’s generosity stretched beyond the restaurant, as he often helped people in need with money or a job, friends and family recalled.
“Ronnie really never wanted to be seen,” Josh said. “He was more about changing people’s days with his food.”
Over the years, Goldstein expanded and franchised Long Wong’s. The chain included the Tempe location that became a music hotbed, hosting bands such as the Gin Blossoms, The Pistoleros and Dead Hot Workshop, who developed what would be dubbed the “Tempe Sound.”
Following Goldstein’s death, Long Wong’s published an ad in Phoenix New Times — a publication in which the restaurant was known to have run playful and provocative ads in its early days.
“The Long Wong’s family, near and extended, mourn the passing of our founder and friend, Ronald S. Goldstein,” read the ad copy, which was placed over a rainbow peace sign. “Thank you Ronnie for truly living the ‘Golden Rule’ and for so much more.”
Goldstein was 70 years old. He is survived by his wife Lori, brother Andy and nephew Josh, who helms the Long Wong’s on Thomas Road and 28th Street in Phoenix. – Sara Crocker
MICHAEL GRANT
July 15Michael Grant, who hosted the Arizona PBS daily political show “Arizona Horizon” for 25 years, died at 72 years old after battling a long illness.
Grant was the show's first host when it launched in 1981, moderating roundtable discussions on the show and conducting interviews. Before he found his way to “Arizona Horizon” host chair, Grant worked as a DJ and reporter for KOY radio in Phoenix.
Grant retired as the host of the show in 2006. A lawyer as well, he retired from practicing law in 2014.
"I have never worked with anyone as smart, influential and knowledgeable as Michael Grant," Mike Sauceda, executive producer at PBS Arizona, told The Arizona Republic at the time of Grant’s death. “He was amazing, as he would practice law all day and then come into the station half an hour before show time and be completely prepared for the night’s topics."
Outgoing Maricopa County Board of Supervisor Bill Gates wrote he was “saddened by the death of Michael Grant” on social media.
“I am honored to have known Michael and am grateful for his advice as I began my career in public service,” Gates wrote. – Morgan Fischer
JOHN KINSEL SR.
Oct. 19Before his death at 107, John Kinsel Sr. was one of three legendary Navajo Code Talkers still living.
Kinsel was born on the Navajo Nation near Lukachukai, Arizona. Kinsel’s father died when Kinsel was an infant, and as he grew, Kinsel assumed responsibility for his younger siblings and managing the family’s livestock.
During World War II, Kinsel was a member of the second cohort of code talkers, training with some of the original 29 young Navajo men who developed the code system. He served in the 9th Regiment, 3rd Marine Division from October 1942 to January 1946.
He served in several notable battles, including the critical American victory at the island of Iwo Jima, where Kinsel was injured. He was one of six Navajo code talkers who transmitted more than 800 messages without making an error during the five-week battle.
He returned home and worked as an instructional aide at a Chinle school and built a log cabin for his family.
“Mr. Kinsel was a Marine who bravely and selflessly fought for all of us in the most terrifying circumstances with the greatest responsibility as a Navajo Code Talker,” Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren said in a written statement.
Kinsel was remembered by his son, Ronald, as a dedicated family man. – TJ L’Heureux
AL MCCOY
Sept. 21Al McCoy came to the Valley intent on calling baseball games. Instead, he became the voice of pro basketball for generations of Phoenix Suns fans. He died in September at 91.
Known for his catchphrases — “Zing go the strings,” “Heartbreak Hotel” and especially “Shazam!” — McCoy called 51 seasons of Suns basketball, from 1972 to 2023. That included three trips to the NBA Finals, in 1976, 1993 and 2021. He gave words to the greatness of Connie Hawkins, Charles Barkley, Steve Nash and Devin Booker. By the time he retired from broadcasting after 51 seasons, having set the record for longest-tenured team announcer in NBA history, he was every bit the franchise legend they were.
“His peak lasted 51 years,” said current Suns radio announcer Jon Bloom. “The voice never wavered. The most identifiable broadcasters are the ones you don’t need to see or hear more than a couple words, and you know who they are. That’s Al McCoy.”
McCoy was born in Iowa, arriving in Phoenix in 1958 to call Triple-A baseball games for the Phoenix Giants. For the next 14 years, he bounced around broadcasting jobs in the Valley — boxing, minor-league hockey and ASU football and basketball. Suns architect Jerry Colangelo handed him the headset for Suns games in 1972 after McCoy submitted a demo tape of him calling a 1966 NBA preseason game.
For more than a half-century thereafter, McCoy hardly ever took the headset off. He grinded through 82 games a season and many postseason runs, hardly ever missing a day of work. “It meant that much to him,” said former Suns player and current broadcast analyst Eddie Johnson. “For the life of me, I don’t know how he did it that long.” As players and coaches came and went, McCoy’s voice was always there to welcome fans to another game of Suns basketball.
In 2007, McCoy won the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame’s Curt Gowdy Media Award. In 2017, the Suns inducted him into their Ring of Honor. In 2023, at 90 years old, he retired from broadcasting.
“I never heard him blow a call,” said current Suns television announcer Tom Leander. “He was always ready for the moment and gave the perfect description. That’s why there are so many iconic calls on file. He nailed it every time.” – Zach Buchanan
MIKE "BAM BAM" SVERSVOLD
May 11There’s a saying: “Old punks never die, they just stand in the back.” We wish it were true. But the Phoenix music community lost a legend this year when drummer Michael "Bam Bam" Sversvold died on May 11 at just 57 years old after a long-term battle with an autoimmune disease.
Sversvold — who was a member of seminal punk group Jody Foster’s Army, as well as Rabid Rabbit, The Harvest, Medieval Knievels, Project Terror and many other outfits — was known in the scene as both a stunning talent and a genuinely nice guy. That's why friends and fellow musicians packed The Rhythm Room for a tribute show in July. JFA performed an acoustic set, and other bands Sversvold either was a member of or influenced took to the stage to share memories, rock out and pay their respects to the late, great figure of the Phoenix music scene.
We like to think Bam was there in spirit — standing in the back. — Jennifer Goldberg
DICK VAN ARSDALE
Dec. 16When NBA basketball came to Phoenix, so did Dick Van Arsdale, who died this December at 81. The Indiana University product was three years into his professional career when the Suns selected him in the 1968 expansion draft, making the 6-foot-5 shooting guard the “Original Sun.”
“We couldn’t find a better player on or off the floor to build our team,” team architect Jerry Colangelo told the Arizona Republic in 1970. “If I could field five Vans, what I’d lack in height and rebounding, I’d offset with fight and desire.”
Van Arsdale went on to star with the Suns for nine seasons, making three consecutive All-Star appearances and leading the franchise to its first NBA Finals berth in 1976. In his last season as a player, he got to play alongside his twin brother, Tom, with whom he’d played in high school and in college.
Van Arsdale retired from playing in 1977, but he didn’t leave the Suns. He instead took up the headset, serving as a color commentator on Suns broadcasts. In 1987, the Suns asked him to fill in as head coach after firing John MacLeod. After that, Van Arsdale joined the front office.
The Suns retired Van Arsdale’s No. 5 after he hung up his sneakers, and he became part of the inaugural class inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor in 1999. In 2005, after suffering a stroke that nearly killed him, Van Arsdale turned to art, opening a studio in Old Town Scottsdale with his brother. – Zach Buchanan
JIM WEIERS
April 19Longtime Arizona politician and Republican Party leader Jim Weiers died in April after a battle with congestive heart failure at 70 years old. The multi-time Arizona House Speaker was a leader in the state Republican Party throughout the 2000s.
Weiers was born in Deadwood, South Dakota. When he was 12, Weiers and his family moved to sunny Phoenix. He became a business leader and he had several businesses throughout his life.
In his early 40s, he ran for the state House of Representatives to represent a Phoenix district. Weiers served in the legislature for 14 years, including 12 years in the House — including three terms as Speaker — and two years in the Senate.
His time in the public eye was sometimes controversial. He was involved in a scheme to run fake Green Party candidates to help struggling GOP ones, was accused of covering for a convicted pedophile whom he’d mentored and benefitted from the embezzlement of Fiesta Bowl funds by former Fiesta Bowl CEO John Junker.
Weiers is survived by his brother, current Glendale Mayor Jerry Weiers. The two served together in the Arizona House, making the duo the first brothers in Arizona history to serve in the body at the same time. In a statement after his brother’s passing, Jerry Weiers cited his brother as the reason he entered politics.
“Throughout his life, Jim demonstrated high ethics and integrity, and was motivated by the honor of serving others — servant leadership is what we should all strive for,” Weiers wrote. “There was no challenge too great nor issue too small for Jim to tackle.”
Three days after his death, Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs ordered that flags around the state Capitol be lowered to half-staff in memory of Weiers.
“I am saddened to hear of the passing of Speaker Weiers, a man who worked tirelessly for his community and who was a champion of maintaining positive bipartisan relationships in order to better serve the people of Arizona,” Hobbs wrote in a statement. “Our thoughts are with his wife Gina and his entire family during this difficult time.”
Weiers is survived by his wife, Gina, four children and 12 grandchildren. – Morgan Fischer
MAX WILSON
July 30Max Wilson came to the Valley in 1959 to serve in the U.S. Air Force and work at Luke Air Force Base. He ended up staying for more than six decades before dying in September at 81.
Wilson was most well-known for serving on the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors from 2002 to 2013. His successor, current Supervisor Clint Hickman, dubbed him “Mr. West Valley” in a press release announcing his death on July 31 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease.
After leaving the military in 1963 and serving at the base as a civilian, Wilson noticed airmen and their families were having difficulty finding places to live.
“He made it his literal business to find them homes, starting a career in real estate development that not only supported military families, but also contributed to the economic development of the West Valley,” Hickman said in the press release. “I’m grateful for Max’s service to our community.”
Wilson originally ascended to the powerful body by appointment in 2002, later winning four elections to the board. He was remembered in 2013 by Phoenix New Times for mostly keeping his head down and mostly supporting Joe Arpaio during the controversial, problematic sheriff’s reign. Still, Arpaio threatened him during a feud over the county budget and named Wilson as a conspirator in a bogus 2009 racketeering lawsuit that was later withdrawn. Wilson stepped down from his supervisor role in March 2013 for health reasons.
Before becoming a supervisor, Wilson also served on the Litchfield Park City Council, including as vice mayor.
He was survived by his wife, Judy, four daughters, eight grandchildren and sixteen great-grandchildren. – TJ L’Heureux
