April 24: Births and Deaths

Birthdays are a wonderful daily occurrence in our lives. It is rare to weave through one's day without becoming privy to an announcement or celebration of a birthday or two, whether they belong to family, friends, or other eminent figures. Remembering those who have passed each day is, perhaps, just as noteworthy an endeavor, for if their memories are kept alive, one might argue, so too are their spirits.

Here is a sampling of April 24 honorees:

Birthdays

Kelly Clarkson - One of the most popular entertainers of this generation, Clarkson was born on this date in 1982 in Burleson, Texas. She burst on the scene after a magical run through the "American Idol" competition in 2002. Since then, she's recorded four hit albums, sold more than 20 million records worldwide, and has already charted eight singles in the Billboard Top 100.

Chipper Jones - Having just re-signed with the Atlanta Braves, Larry Wayne "Chipper" Jones is virtually assured of spending his entire baseball career with one team...practically unheard of in contemporary baseball. Jones was born on this day in 1972 in Deland, Florida, and started playing for the Braves in 1993. A .310 career hitter, he has helped lead his team to multiple playoff appearances and one World Series championship.

Barbara Streisand - The multi-talented singer and actress was born on this date in 1942 in Brooklyn, New York. Arguably, Ms. Streisand is the most commercially and critically successful female entertainers ever. Very few entertainers can boast her across the board accomplishments...two Academy Awards, nine Grammy Awards, four Emmy Awards and a Tony Award. The icing on the cake? She was inducted as a Kennedy Centre Honoree in 2008.

Deaths

Estée Lauder - A Queens, New York native, she became one of the most successful American cosmetics entrepreneurs. Famously, after years dabbling with cosmetics, she persuaded Saks Fifth Avenue to place an order in 1948, and has been a household name ever since. After more than 50 years and 2,000 products, among them the Clinique line of allergy-tested products and the Aramis line of men's toiletries, she passed away at the age of 97 on this date in 2004.

Erma Bombeck - Ms. Bombeck wrote more than 4,000 newspaper columns in her prolific career, and published 15 books. She was an American humorist extraordinaire who deftly and comically chronicled suburban home life from 1965 to 1996, the year she passed away on this date. She was a native of Dayton, Ohio.

Bud Abbott - One half of one of the most popular comedy teams ever, straight man Bud Abbott passed away on this date in 1974 at the age of 78. The pair's hilarious "Who's On First?" routine is still considered a classic today.