VERA LYNN

I couldn’t see the lone piper.

Buckingham Palace says Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, has died at 96.

Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, has died at age 96.

The world also said goodbye to U.S. Rep. John Lewis, a lion of the civil rights movement who died in July. Other former political figures who died this year include Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak, New York Mayor David Dinkins, Arizona Gov. Here is a roll call of some influential figures who died in 2020 (cause of death cited for younger people, if available):___JANUARY___David Stern, 77. The guitarist who supplied the scratching, seething sound that fueled the highly influential British punk band Gang of Four. He fused African rhythms with funk to become one of the most influential musicians in world dance music.

LONDON World War II-era aircraft flew over the late singer Vera Lynns village in southeastern England on Friday, offering a final tribute to the Forces Sweetheart who buoyed the morale of Britain during the conflict and beyond. The planes flew past Lynn's beloved village of Ditchling, where crowds lined the narrow streets to pay tribute to her before a private funeral. Members of the military walked alongside, offering a guard of honor as the cortege passed. Lynn, who serenaded the nation with sentimental favorites such as Well Meet Again and The White Cliffs of Dover, died June 18. Ahead of the day, a giant portrait of Lynn was beamed onto the White Cliffs of Dover to commemorate her life.