EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) -- Big-voiced R&B diva Vesta Williams, perhaps best-known for her 1980s hits \"Don't Blow A Good Thing" and \"Congratulations," has been found dead of a possible drug overdose in a Southern California hotel room. She was 53.

Sue Carolyn Carey was born in Vanport, Oregon on Nov. 4, 1944, to Rev. Booker T and Mrs. Gracie Carey. Sue was employed as a cook at the Oregon Health Science University; Language Arts Teacher at Sabin Elementary School; USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) Coordinator with the Albina Ministerial Alliance Family Day & Night Care, and Health Coordinator at Albina Head Start

Our beloved Aunt Eva died peacefully in her sleep at home.  She was the third child of seven children born to Ralph and Susie Green, in Burleson County, Caldwell, Texas.  All have preceded her in death. Eva was not afraid of work; however, she decided to better her living conditions by continuing her education.

Dr. Booker T. Lewis Jr. died on July 20, 2011 in Portland, Or., at the age of 88. A funeral will be held at 10 a.m., Thursday, July 28, at St. Philip the Deacon Episcopal Church, 120 NE Knott Street, with the interment to follow at Willamette National Cemetery.

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) -- Carl Gardner, original lead singer of the R&B group the Coasters, has died in Florida. He was 83.
Gardner's wife Veta said her husband died Sunday at a Port St. Lucie hospice following a long bout with congestive heart failure and vascular dementia.
Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, the Coasters had a string of hits in the late 1950s

NEW YORK (AP) -- Clarice Taylor, the actress and comedian best known for playing grandmothers on "The Cosby Show" and "Sesame Street," has died at the age of 93.
Taylor died of congestive heart failure in her home in Englewood, N.J., on Monday, said her son, William Taylor.

C. Raymond Merriwether, 86, died peacefully at his home in Kirkland, Wa. in the company of his loving wife of 32 years, Barbara Merriwether, and close family members, after a long and heroic battle with cancer, on Monday evening, May 23, 2011. For more than 40 years, his successful career focused on the fields of health care management, architecture, engineering and property development. He developed and operated residential complexes and designed single- family residences before turning his focus toward the health care industry

Tony Alabi, host of KBOO radio program "Africa O-Ye" (known on the air as Firefly) died on Monday, January 24, 2011 of a stroke.

Paul Joseph Anctil died peacefully at home in Portland on March 23, 2011 after a final bout with cancer. He was 75.
Anctil was the founder of Anctil Heating and Cooling, North Williams Avenue.

Over four decades, Evelyn was an active participant in various volunteer community organizations including the Black United Front. She was a member of the Shining Star of Unity #1379 and the Mahogany Red Hatters. Evelyn could be found at marches, rallies and other cultural events that focused on Black people and what was right, just, and fair. She was a long-time community activist.