'Survivor' contestant Rudy Boesch, retired Navy SEAL, dead at 91

Famed astrologer Walter Mercado died Saturday in San Juan, Puerto Rico, according to family members. He was 87.

Former "Survivor" contestant and retired Navy SEAL Rudy Boesch died Nov. 1, 2019, at age 91.

FILE PHOTO: Actor Brian Tarantina, who has appeared in roles in “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” and “Gilmore Girls,” has died, his manager said Saturday. He was 60.

Actor-comedian John Witherspoon, who memorably played Ice Cube’s father in the “Friday” films, has died at age 77, his manager confirmed Oct. 29, 2019.

Former U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan, D-N.C., died Oct. 28, 2019, following a prolonged illness, her family said.

Former Michigan Rep. John Conyers, who represented the Detroit area for five decades before resigning in 2017, has died. He was 90.

The leader of the Islamic State group, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, is believed dead after being targeted by a U.S. military raid in Syria.

Former Raiders player and Hall of Famer Willie Brown died at age 78, according to reports.

Pictured: (l-r) John Clarke as Mickey Horton, Melissa Reeves as Jennifer Deveraux. Clarke died Oct. 16 at the age of 88.

Former Baltimore Mayor Thomas D'Alesandro III, the brother of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, has died. He was 90.

Actor Bill Macy, who played Bea Arthur’s husband Walter Findlay on the 1970s television show, "Maude," died Sept. 17. He was 97. 

Country music radio personality Bob Kingsley died at age 80 of bladder cancer.

U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., has died at age 68, his office announced Oct. 17, 2019. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Univision founder Emilio Nicolas Sr. died Saturday at his San Antonio home. He was 88. 

 

2017 File Photo - Actor Robert Forster attends the premiere of "Twin Peaks" at Ace Hotel in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic)

This 1997 file photo shows former Mouseketeer Karen Pendleton, who starred in the original run of "The Mickey Mouse Club" in the 1950s. She died Oct. 6, 2019, at age 73, multiple news outlets are reporting.

Larry Junstrom of .38 Special. Junstrom passed away at the age of 70.

Rip Taylor died Sunday, Oct. 6. He was 84. 

Ginger Baker, drummer in the iconic 1960s band Cream, died Oct. 6. He was 80.

Groundbreaking actress, singer and model Diahann Carroll died in Los Angeles on Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, according to her family. She was 84.

Bill Bidwill, who has been an owner of the Cardinals franchise in the NFL since 1962, died Oct. 2. He was 88.

Grammy-nomniated songwriter and producer Busbee died at age 43 of cancer.

Actor Rob Garrison, best known for his role as Tommy in “The Karate Kid” movies, died Sept. 27. He was 59.

Actor Sid Haig arrives at the "Hatchet II" Los Angeles premiere held at the Egyptian Theatre on September 28, 2010 in Hollywood, California. Haig died Sept. 21, 2019 at the age of 80. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

Actor Aron Eisenberg, who played Nog on "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," died Sept. 21, 2019, according to the official "Star Trek" website and Fox News. He was 50 years old. (Photo by David Livingston/Getty Images)

Barron Hilton, with his wife Marilyn, open a new Hilton Hotel during the 1960s. Barron Hilton died Sept 19. He was 91.

Howard "Hopalong" Cassady, who won the Heisman Trophy in 1955 for Ohio State, died Sept. 20 in Tampa, Florida. He was 85.

 

Cokie Roberts at National Archives Foundation Gala on October 21, 2017 in Washington, DC. Roberts died Tuesday at the age of 75. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for National Archives Foundation)

Mike Stefanik, the winningest driver in the history of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour series, was killed in a small plane crash Sept. 15. He was 61..

Ric Ocasek, famed frontman for The Cars rock band, was found dead in a Manhattan apartment on Sept 15, 2019. He was 75. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images For The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame)

Eddie Money performs during "FOX & Friends" All American Concert Series outside of FOX Studios on June 7, 2013 in New York City. Money died Sept. 13, 2019 at the age of 70. (Photo by Rob Kim/Getty Images)
 

Founder & Chairman, BP Capital Management T. Boone Pickens speaks at the 2016 Concordia Summit. Pickens died Sept. 11, 2019, at the age of 91. (Photo by Riccardo Savi/Getty Images for Concordia Summit)

Chris Duncan, who played for the St. Louis Cardinals from 2005 to 2009 and helped the team to a World Series title in 2006, died Friday. He was 38

Robert Mugabe, the former president of Zimbabwe, died Sept. 6. He was 95.

Actress Carol Lynley starred in the 1972 film, "The Poseidon Adventure."

Hall of Fame center Jim Langer, the anchor of the Miami Dolphins' offensive line when the team went unbeaten in 1972, died Aug. 29. He was 71.

In this May 2014 file photo, actress Valerie Harper testifies before a senate committee in Washington. Harper, who played  Rhoda Morgenstern on back-to-back hit sitcoms in the 1970s, died Aug. 30, 2019, at age 80, after suffering from brain cancer.

TV personality, welder and driver Jessi Combs died at age 36 on Aug. 27 in a car crash while trying to break a land-speed record. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

Vince Naimoli brought major league baseball to the Tampa Bay area when he founded the then-Devil Rays.

 

In this Aug. 1, 2015, file photo, David Koch speaks at a summit hosted by Americans for Prosperity in Columbus, Ohio. Koch, a major donor to conservative causes and educational groups, died on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019. He was 79.

Paula Deen’s younger brother, Earl “Bubba” Wayne Hiers Jr., shown in this 2012 file photo, died Aug. 15 from pancreatic cancer. He was 65.

Former Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco, the first woman elected to head the state, died Sunday. She was 76. 

Former NFL player Cedric Benson, who played for the Cincinnati Bengals, Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers, died in a motorcycle-and-car accident at age 36.

Actor Peter Fonda, best known for his role in 1969's "Easy Rider," died August 16, 2019 at age 79.

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receivers coach Darryl Drake died early Sunday morning, Aug. 12, 2019, the team said.

Dango Nguyen, a former firefighter and actor who appeared during the third season of “The Walking Dead," died Aug. 10. He was 48.

Novelist Toni Morrison is presented with a Presidential Medal of Freedom by U.S. President Barack Obama during an East Room event May 29, 2012 at the White House. Morrison has died at the age of 88. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Pro wrestling legend 'Handsome' Harley Race died Aug.1, 2019 of complications from lung cancer. He was 76 years old. Race was considered one of the top champions in the sport and won then NWA championship seven times.

Hal Prince seen at the Meet & Greet for the Manhattan Theatre Club's Broadway Premiere of 'Prince of Broadway' in 2017. He died in Iceland in 2019 after a brief illness.

Hall of Fame linebacker Nick Buoniconti, who played in three Super Bowls and helped the Miami Dolphins to a perfect season in 1972, died July 31. He was 78.

Voice actress Russi Taylor, who voiced Minnie Mouse since 1986, died Friday, July 26, 2019, at the age of 75. She's pictured here with Minnie Mouse at a star ceremony at the Hollywood Walk of Fame on January 22, 2018, in Hollywood, California. 

Maxim Dadashev (L) of Russia battles with Antonio de Marco of Mexico during a super lightweight bout at Park Theater at Monte Carlo Resort and Casino in Las Vegas on October 20, 2018. Dadashev died in July 2019 at age 28.

This Tuesday, July 5, 2011, file photo shows NASA Mission Control founder Chris Kraft in the old Mission Control at Johnson Space Center in Houston. Kraft, the agency's first flight director, died Monday, July 22, 2019, at th age of 95. 

Art Neville of The Meters performs during the 2017 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. Neville died at age 81.

Russell Smith of The Amazing Rhythm Aces performs in London in 1998. Smith died of cancer at age 70 on July 12, 2019.

Former U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens died Tuesday, July 16, 2019, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., after suffering a stroke Monday. He was 99. (AP Photo/Danny Johnston, File)

Actress Denise Nickerson, best known as Violet from the 1971 film "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory," died July 10, 2019, at age 62, her family said in a Facebook post. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images)

Former major league baseball pitcher, whose 1970 bestselling book, "Ball Four," created a storm of controversy, died July 10. He was 80.

Award-winning television, film and theater actor Rip Torn died at the age of 88, on July 9. (AP Photo/Michael Caulfield, File)

FILE PHOTO: Former presidential candidate Ross Perot addresses the first California statewide convention of the Reform Party. The Texas billionaire has died, a family spokesperson said Tuesday, July 9, 2019. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

Cameron Boyce, who starred in the Disney Channel's "Descendants" TV movies and the series "Jessie," died at age 20, a family spokesperson said in a statement July 6, 2019. (Image Group LA via Getty Images) 

ANAHEIM, CA - JUNE 29: Tyler Skaggs #45 of the Los Angeles Angels pitches in the first inning of the game against the Oakland Athletics at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on June 29, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)

Luis Alvarez the terminally ill 9/11 first responder who gave an emotional plea in front of Congress before going into Hospice care, has died. He was 53. 

Beth Chapman, wife of "Dog the Bounty Hunter" star Duane "Dog" Chapman, died after a battle with throat cancer on June 26, 2019.

Author Judith Krantz poses in an undated file photo during an interview at her home in the Bel Air section of Los Angeles, Ca. Krantz died Saturday, June 22, 2019 in her Bel Air home of natural causes, her son, Tony Krantz, said. She was 91.

LttCol. Robert Friend, one of the last original Tuskegee Airmen, died at age 99 June 21.

Socialite, fashion designer, actress and artist Gloria Vanderbilt died at age 95.

cItalian director Franco Zeffirelli died in Rome on June 15. He was 96.

Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen died June 13 after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease. He was 75.

Geto Boys rapper Bushwick Bill, whose real name was Richard Shaw, died June 9 after battling stage 4 pancreatic cancer, his publicist said. He was 52.

Louisiana-born musician Dr. John, who had a hoodoo-infused stage persona and gravelly bayou drawl, died at age 77 on June 6, 2019, of a heart attack. His birth name was Mac Rebennack. He's seen here at the 2008 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.

Legendary New Orleans chef and civil rights icon Leah Chase has died at 96, according to a statement her family released to news outlets. 

Psychedelic rock pioneer Roky Erickson, who fronted the 13th Floor Elevators during the 1960s, died May 31. He was 71. 

Green Bay Packers quarterback and former Packers head coach Bart Starr died at age 85 in Birmingham, Alabama, in May 2019. (Stephen Cohen/Getty Images)

Rod Bramblett, left, the broadcasting voice for Auburn University sports, was killed in an automobile accident May 25, along with his wife, Paula. He was 53.

Keith Mitchell (left), Melvin Edmonds and Kevon Edmonds of After 7 attend a pre-party for 33rd annual Grammy Awards on Jan. 18, 1991. Melvin, brother of popular R&B vocalist and producer Kenny ‘Babyface’ Edmonds, died May 18, 2019, at age 65.

 

Renowned author Herman Wouk, known for "The Caine Mutiny," "The Winds of War," and other works, died Friday, May 17, 2019, according to his literary agent. He was 103.

Grumpy Cat attended  Super Bowl 50 events on February 4, 2016, in San Francisco, California. The cat that had become the face of the internet died May 14. She was 7.
 

Noted architect I.M. Pei, who designed the glass structures at the Louvre and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, died May 16. He was 102. 

Former WWE star Ashley Massaro died May 16. She was 39.

Comedian Tim Conway of the television show 'Inside Comedy' speaks during the Showtime portion of the 2012 Television Critics Association Press Tour. Conway died at the age of 85.

Doris Day, whose wholesome screen presence stood for a time of innocence in '60s films, died Monday, May 13, 2019, her foundation said. She was 97. (AP Photo, File)

Actress Peggy Lipton has died from colon cancer at the age of 72, according to news reports. Lipton’s death was announced May 11, 2019, by her daughters Kidada and Rashida Jones, according to the Los Angeles Times.

 

Actor Peter Mayhew at the premiere of 'Solo: A Star Wars Story'  on May 10, 2018 in Hollywood. Mayhew, who also played the Wokiee, Chewbacca, in the first three 'Star Wars' films, died at 74 on April 30, 2019 from a heart attack at home in Texas.

Director John Singleton speaks at the 70th Annual Directors Guild Of America Awards on Feb. 3, 2018 in Beverly Hills, California. Singleton died Monday, April 29, 2019 after suffering a stroke a week earlier. Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

Sen. Richard Lugar (R-Indiana) died Sunday, April 28, 2019 at the Inova Fairfax Heart and Vascular Institute in Virginia. He was 87. Photo: Darron Cummings/AP

Phil McCormack died Friday April 26, 2019. He was 58. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Stagecoach)

Henry Bloch, who founded H&R Block with his brother Richard in 1955, died April 23. He was 96. Photo: H&R Block/Globe Newswire

Paranormal investigator Lorraine Warren died April 18. She was 92

Georgia Engel, probably best-known for her role on the 'Mary Tyler Moore Show' in the 1970s, died April 12, 2019 in Princeton, New Jersey. (Photo:  L. Busacca/WireImage for AWRT)

Forest Gregg coached the two NFL teams based in Ohio and was a Hall of Fame offensive lineman for the Green Bay Packers.

NASHVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 23: Earl Thomas Conley performs "Holding Her And Loving You."2017 Nashville Songwriters Hall Of Fame Awards at Music City Center on October 23, 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee.

'Goldfinger' actress Tania Mallet, pictured in 2013, died in 2019 at age 77. (Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images)

Rapper Nipsey Hussle, who was shot and killed in Los Angeles on March 31, 2019, attends the 61st Annual Grammy Awards at Staples Center on February 10, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. Photo: David Crotty/Patrick McMullan via Getty Image

The godfather of surf guitar, Dick Dale, plays his gold Fender Stratocaster at the Marriott Hotel for the Fender NAMM party in Anaheim, California on January 18, 2008. He died on March 16, 2019 at age 81.

Cyclist Kelly Catlin, a member of the 2016 U.S. women’s pursuit team that won the silver medal at the Rio Olympics, died Thursday night by suicide, according to family members. (Photo: Felipe Dana/AP)

Baseball legend Babe Ruth's daughter, Julia Ruth Stevens, has died, her family said March 9, 2019, in a Facebook post. She was 102.

FILE PHOTO: Freeda Foreman daughter of George Foreman poses in the ring for the camera during a press conference at the Regent Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. She was found dead in her home March 8. (Harry How/Getty Images)

Organized crime boss Carmine "The Snake" Persico died March 8. He was 85.  

Actor Jan-Michael Vincent, best known for his portrayal in the 1980s of Stringfellow Hawke on the television show "Airwolf," died Feb. 10, 2019, according to a death certificate. He was 74. (CBS via Getty Images)

Best-selling author Dan Jenkins, who wrote "Semi-Tough" and was a respected golf writer and columnist, died March 7. He was 89.

King Kong Bundy, WWE legend, died on March 4, 2019 at age 61.

Luke Perry speaks onstage at the Riverdale Sneak Peek and Q&A during New York Comic Con at The Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden. Perry died March 4, 2019 after suffering a stroke. He was 52. (Andrew Toth/Getty Images for New York Comic Con)

NHL great Ted Lindsay, who won four Stanley Cups with the Detroit Red Wings, died March 4.  He was 93. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Keith Flint of The Prodigy performs live on stage at O2 Academy Brixton on December 21, 2017 in London, England. Flint was found dead at his home on March 4. He was 49. (Simone Joyner/Getty Images)

Janice Freeman, a former contestant on "The Voice," died at age 33. 

Actor Nathaniel Taylor, who played Rollo on the 1970s television series "Sanford and Son," died Feb. 27. He was 80.

Actress Katherine Helmond arrives at the 11th Annual Art Directors Guild Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on February 17, 2007 in Beverly Hills, California. She died Feb. 23, 2019, according to her talent agency. (Michael Buckner/Getty Images)

Jeraldine Saunders, creator of "The Love Boat," died at age 96 from complications of a December kidney stone surgery. (Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images)

Beverley Owen, right, who played Marilyn Munster during the first season of "The Munsters" television show during the 1960s, died Feb. 21. She was 81.  Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 01: Peter Tork of The Monkees performs live on stage at Town Hall on June 1, 2016 in New York City. (Matthew Eisman/Getty Images)

Actor Vinny Vella died at age 72 of liver cancer, his rep said. (Cindy Ord/Getty Images/Getty Images)

FLORENCE, ITALY - APRIL 22: Karl Lagerfeld attends the Conde' Nast International Luxury Conference at Palazzo Vecchio on April 22, 2015 in Florence, Italy. 

Keyboard-flautist Kofi Burbridge died Feb. 15. He was 57.

Gordon Banks, the goalkeeper for England's 1966 World Cup champions, died Feb. 12. He was 81. (Clive Mason/Getty Images)

British actor Albert Finney arrives to the premiere of his new film ‘Erin Brockovich’ in Los Angeles, CA 14 March 2000. Finney died at the age of 82. (LUCY NICHOLSON/AFP/Getty Images)

John Dingell, D-Mich. is seen on Capitol Hill in Washington. Dingell, the longest-serving member of Congress in American history who mastered legislative deal-making, has died at age 92. (AP Photo/Lauren Victoria Burke, File)

Baseball Hall of Famer Frank Robinson, a two-time MVP and the first black manager in major league history, died Feb 7. He was 83.

Kristoff St. John, the actor best-known for his portrayal of Neil Winters on the long-running TV drama “The Young and the Restless,” died on Sunday, Feb. 3, 2019. He was 52. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for NAACP)

Character actor Dick MIller, who starred in "Gremlins" and "A Bucket of Blood," died Jan. 30. He was 90.

R&B singer songwriter James Ingram died of brain cancer at age 66 on January 29, 2019.

 New York city chef Fatima Ali, right, who appeared on the "Top Chef" reality cooking contest show, died Jan. 25. She was 29.

NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty (L) congratulates 2012 Hall of Fame inductee Glenn Wood during Hall of Fame Voting Day at the NASCAR Hall of Fame on June 14, 2011. Wood died at the age of 93. (Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR)

Actress Carol Channing performs at the opening night of her show 'Razzle Dazzle' on July 23, 2004 in Hollywood, California. She has died at the age of 97. (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

Alex Nordstrom (left) and Blake Nordstrom attend a dinner to celebrate the opening of the Chanel Ephemeral Boutique at Canlis on Nov. 28, 2017, in Seattle. Nordstrom co-president Blake Nordstrom died Jan. 2, 2019, at age 58, the company said.

Daryl Dragon (R) and his then-wife Toni Tennille, of the group the Captain and Tennille. Dragon died Jan. 2 of renal failure. Photo: Michael Ochs Archives

Bob Einstein, who appeared on "Curb Your Enthusiasm” died Jan 2 after a recent cancer diagnosis. He was 76. Einstein was the older brother of Albert Brooks, according to Deadline. 

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Louisiana native Ernest J. Gaines. whose literary works included 1971's "The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman," died Nov. 5., He was 86.

FILE PHOTO: Gert Boyle, the colorful chairwoman of Columbia Sportswear who starred in ads proclaiming her as "One Tough Mother," died Sunday, Nov. 3, 2019. She was 95. 

Vera Clemente, the widow of Pittsburgh Pirates legend Roberto Clemente, has died at the age of 81, according to reports.

Former Michigan State star Charles Rogers, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2003 NFL draft, died Nov. 11. He was 38. 

K-pop star Goo Hara was found dead at her Seoul, South Korea, home Nov. 24. She was 28.

Actor Michael J. Pollard, who earned an Academy Award nomination for his role in "Bonnie and Clyde," died Nov. 20. He was 80.

FILE - In this Sept. 1997 file photo, former Minnesota Vikings kicker Fred Cox holds his original Nerf football, among his other souvenir balls, in Monticello, Minnesota. He died Nov. 20, 2019, at the age of 80. (Jean Pieri/Pioneer Press via AP)

John McKissick, who coached 63 seasons at Summerville High School in South Carolina and won a record 621 games, died Nov. 28. He was 93.

British television chef and restaurateur Gary Rhodes died Tuesday, according to his family. He was 59.

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Pat Sullivan, the quarterback who was the first Heisman Trophy winner for Auburn in 1971, died Dec. 1. He was 69.

Former Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman Sam Davis was found dead Sept. 10 after he was reported missing from an assited living facility. He was 75.

Rapper Juice Wrld died after suffering a seizure at Chicago's Midway Airport on Dec. 8. He was 21. Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP

Actor Ron Leibman, who appeared in movies, theater and television in a career that spanned six decades and won a Tony for Tony Kushner's iconic play ”Angels in America," has died after an illness. (Kevin Mazur/Getty Images)

Marie Fredriksson, singer for the Swedish pop duo Roxette, died Dec. 9, 2019, multiple news outlets are reporting. She was 61.

Philip McKeon, who played teenager Tommy Hyatt on the popular '70s and '80s sitcom "Alice," died Dec. 10, 2019, at age 55. 

By Michelle Ewing

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Former "Survivor" contestant and retired Navy SEAL Rudy Boesch has died at age 91, multiple news outlets are reporting.

>> Read more trending news

According to The Associated Press, Boesch, who suffered from Alzheimer's disease and had been in hospice care, died Friday in Virginia Beach, Virginia, the SEAL Veterans Foundation said.

"It is with a broken heart that we inform you that Master Chief Rudy Boesch passed away last night. Master Chief was a legend in the SEAL and Special Operations community," the foundation said in a Facebook post Saturday. "Rudy proudly served our Nation from 1944-1990, and his impact on so many individuals continues today."

In 2000, the Bronze Star recipient finished third on the first season of "Survivor." Boesch, who was 72 at the time, remains the oldest contestant in the series' history, the AP reported. He also appeared on "Survivor: All Stars" in 2004.

"Survivor" host and executive producer Joel Probst took to Twitter on Saturday to pay tribute to Boesch, calling him "a legend."

"Rudy is a true American hero," Probst wrote.

The series' official account shared Probst's post, adding, "Our hearts go out to Rudy's family and friends. He will be greatly missed."

Season 1 winner Richard Hatch also praised Boesch on social media.

"Ours was an interesting bond, Dear Rudy!" Hatch wrote. "You and I helped open minds and undermine prejudices. While your time here has passed, you will remain loved and iconic, dear friend!"

Boesch is survived by three daughters, the AP reported.

– The Associated Press contributed to this report.