2008 deaths

Margaret Ringenberg (née Ray; June 17, 1921 – July 28, 2008) was an American aviator, who had logged more than 40,000 hours of flying time during her career.

Allan Henry Spear (June 24, 1937 – October 11, 2008) was an American politician and educator from Minnesota who served almost thirty years in the Minnesota Senate, including nearly a decade as President of the Senate.

George Charles Deem Jr. (August 18, 1932 – August 11, 2008) was an American artist best known for reproducing vivid re-workings of classic images from art history. All artists rework the art of the past, at times imitating, at times extending, and at times rejecting the work of artists they admire. Deem moved the process of homage and change into uncharted territory. Art historian Robert Rosenblum has called Deem's unconventional thematic choices "free-flowing [fantasy] about the facts and fictions of art history."

Russell Errett Dickenson (April 12, 1923 – February 19, 2008) began his National Park Service (NPS) career as a ranger at Grand Canyon National Park in 1946 and served in a wide range of park and central office assignments — most prominently as head of National Capital Parks, deputy director, and Pacific Northwest regional director — before ascending to the directorship in May 1980. Having risen through the traditional ranks and enjoying the respect of his colleagues, Dickenson was enthusiastically welcomed to the job and supported in his effort to restore organizational stability after a succession of short-term directors. As when Walker's deputy, he preferred improving the service's stewardship of its existing parks to seeking new ones. The only Interior Department bureau chief to be retained by the Reagan administration in 1981, Dickenson obtained its support and that of Congress for the Park Restoration and Improvement Program, which devoted more than a billion dollars over five years to park resources and facilities. Dickenson retired in March 1985.
Dickenson was born in 1922. A Marine Corps veteran and graduate of Arizona State College (now Arizona State University), Dickenson worked his way up through the NPS ranks. A native of Melissa, Texas, he began his career in 1947 as a park ranger at Grand Canyon National Park and held field assignments in several other western parks. He also served as chief, Division of Resource Management in the Midwest Regional and in 1967, transferred to WASO as Chief of New Area Studies and Master Planning. He was Regional Director of the National Capital Regional from 1969 to 1973 and served as Deputy NPS Director from 1973 to 1975. Before becoming Director in 1980, Dickenson served as Pacific Northwest Regional Director for 4 ½ years. Dickenson has received numerous awards, including the Distinguished Service Award in 1972, for his work in urban park management.

Ana González Olea (May 4, 1915 – February 21, 2008) was an actress in Chilean theater, television and radio. She was commonly known by her nickname La Desideria.González was born in Santiago on May 4, 1915. She received the National Prize of Art of Chile in 1969 for her work.
González died on February 21, 2008, at 8:05pm in her apartment on Miraflores Street in Santiago, Chile. She was 92 years old. The cause of Gonzalez's death was septic shock and the failure of both her liver and kidneys. She was also ill with advanced Alzheimer's disease since 1995, which left her in poor health for the last two years of her life. Her funeral took place at the Church of La Merced in Santiago.

Virginia B. MacDonald (née Blue) (October 24, 1920 – July 12, 2008) was an American politician.
Born in El Paso, Texas, MacDonald went to the University of New Mexico. MacDonald lived in Arlington Heights, Illinois, and was involved with the Republican Party. She served in the Illinois Constitutional Convention of 1970. MacDonald served in the Illinois House of Representatives from 1973 to 1983. MacDonald then served in the Illinois State Senate from 1983 to 1993. She died at her home in Arlington Heights, Illinois.

Bruce Duncan "Utah" Phillips (May 15, 1935 – May 23, 2008) was an American labor organizer, folk singer, storyteller and poet. He described the struggles of labor unions and the power of direct action, self-identifying as an anarchist. He often promoted the Industrial Workers of the World in his music, actions, and words.

Warren John Ferguson (October 31, 1920 – June 25, 2008) was an American jurist who served as a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Sue Alexander (August 20, 1933 – July 3, 2008) was an American writer of children's literature. She authored 26 books for children as well as "scores of stories" for newspapers and magazines. She was also a children's book reviewer for the Los Angeles Times. She was a charter member and advisory board member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, which established two awards in her name in recognition of her efforts to educate and mentor aspiring writers.

Herman Le Compte (April 26, 1929, in Aalst – January 3, 2008, in Knokke) was a Belgian physician and gerontologist.