Carl Macek - the man who brought us Robotech - passed away last Saturday as a result of a heart attack.

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/44714
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Macek

Although there was controversy and criticism surrounding Carl Macek's contribution to animé in the West, one cannot deny that he did have a profound influence in helping to raise awareness of animé in Western countries, long before the words "manga" and "anime" were known to most English speakers. For better or worse, he did make a lasting contribution to animé in English speaking countries.

Bob Forward has mentioned that he worked with Macek on C.O.P.S. and found him to be a likable person.