May 15: Comings and Goings

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 May 15 honorees:

Birthdays

Jamie-Lynn Sigler - For hard-core fans of the HBO series "The Sopranos," it is hard to believe that Ms. Sigler, Meadow Soprano, is a full-fledged adult. Tony would be proud. Born on this day in Queens, New York, in 1981, she started singing and acting at the tender age of seven, and landed the temperamental teenage Soprano daughter role in 1997.

George Brett - If you're ever wondering about the best players in baseball history, you may want to include this third baseman. Born on this day in 1953 in Glen Dale, West Virginia, he played exclusively for the Kansas City Royals, and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999. His 3,154 career hits are the most by any third baseman in major league history, and 15th on the all-time list. Brett is one of four players in MLB history to accumulate 3,000 hits, 300 home runs, and a career .300 batting average. Here's the company he's in...Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, and Stan Musial.

Madeleine Albright - Born on this day in 1937 in Prague, Ms. Albright was the first woman to become United States Secretary of State. She was appointed by President Bill Clinton and was unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate. She is currently a professor at Georgetown University, where she has served as a lecturer in political science and international relations since 1982.

Deaths

Jerry Falwell - Often a controversial figure, Mr. Falwell was an evangelical Christian pastor, televangelist (The 700 Club), conservative commentator, and founding pastor of the Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg, Virginia. He also founded Lynchburg Christian Academy in 1967, Liberty University in 1971, and cofounded the Moral Majority in 1979. Supporters praised his social conservatism while detractors often accused him of hate speech. He passed away at the age of 73 in 2007 in Lynchburg General Hospital.

June Carter Cash - Anyone who saw the film, "Walk The Line," has a pretty good idea of the character, talent, and resilience of Ms. Carter Cash. Many believe she was singlehandedly responsible for the longevity country superstar Johnny Cash enjoyed. In addition to being so vital behind the scenes, she was a skilled singer, songwriter, actress, comedienne and author in her own right. She passed away at the age of 73 on this day in Nashville, Tennessee in 2003 of complications following heart valve replacement surgery. Johnny Cash passed away later that same year.