May deaths 2011 May deaths 2011. In May we said farewell to many beloved figures, including a beef-jerky-selling superstar, a last-surviving veteran and a math pioneer. Jeff Conaway 1950-2011 Conaway lit up the screen as Kenickie in "Grease" (1978) and as the pretentious struggling actor Bobby in TV's classic sitcom "Taxi." He appeared on three seasons of "Babylon 5" in the '90s. In later years, the actor struggled to overcome drug and alcohol addictions. Ernest Wilkins Jr. 1923-2011 Wilkins was the youngest student ever at the University of Chicago. His life was a series of firsts for math and science and African-Americans. Jackie Cooper 1922-2011 Cooper was the youngest Academy Award nominee, for his role in a 1931 film, until another actor usurped him in 1979. Cooper went on to TV roles and TV production. Mary Murphy actress 1931-2011 Murphy was a film and TV actress who shared the silver screen with the big names of Hollywood. Her big break cam...