1050 – Guido of Arezzo, Italian music theorist and Benedictine monk, dies at about 59 [dates sketchy]
1464 – Thomas de Ros, 9th Baron de Ros of Helmsley, English politician, executed at 36
1807 – John Gunby, American Soldier in the American Revolutionary War, dies at 62
1978 – Selwyn Lloyd, British politician (Foreign Secretary, 1955-60; Exchequers, 1960-62; Leader of the House of Commons, 1963–64; Speaker of the House of Commons, 1971-76), dies of a brain tumor at 73
1981 – Jeannette Ridlon Piccard, 1st US woman free balloon pilot, dies
1995 – Toe Blake, Canadian Hockey HOF left wing (Stanley Cup 1935 Montreal Maroons; 1944, 46 Montreal Canadiens) and coach (Stanley Cup 1956-60, 1965-66, 68 Montreal Canadiens), dies at 82
1996 – Scott Brayton, American auto racer (4 x top 10 finishes Indianapolis 500; 2 x pole), dies in a practice accident at 37
2002 – László Kubala, Hungarian soccer striker (3 caps Hungary, 6 Czechoslovakia, 19 Spain, 4 Catalonia; FC Barcelona 186 games) and manager (Spain 1969–80), dies at 74
2009 – Mario Benedetti, Uruguayan journalist, novelist, and poet, dies from respiratory and intestinal problems at 88
2023 – “Superstar” Billy Graham [Eldridge Coleman], American pro wrestler (WWWF Heavyweight Champion 1977-78), dies of kidney, heart, and lung problems at 79
Category: Famous Deaths
Famous Deaths for 16th May 2026
1703 – Charles Perrault, French author and fairy tale writer (Tales of Mother Goose), dies at 75
1904 – N I Bobrikov, Russian governor-general in Finland, dies
1932 – William Pember Reeves, politician/poet, dies
1944 – George Ade, American playwright, writer and humorist (Counsel Widow, Fables in Slang), dies at 78
1978 – William Steinberg, German-American conductor (Pittsburgh Symphony, 1952-76; Boston Symphony, 1969-71), dies at 78
1981 – Ernie Freeman, American RandB and pop musician (“Raunchy”), session pianist, arranger, and music director (Reprise Records; Liberty Records), dies of a heart attack at 58
2003 – Mark McCormack, American businessman (b. 1930)
2009 – Ashley Massaro, American model, professional wrestler and winner of WWE Diva Search (2005), commits suicide at 39
2015 – Dean Potter, American free climber and BASE jumper, dies in a wingsuit flying accident at Yosemite National Park, aged 43
2025 – Brian Glanville, British journalist and football writer (The Sunday Times, 1958–92; World Soccer magazine), dies at 93
Famous Deaths for 15th May 2026
1746 – Giovanni Antonio Ricieri, Italian composer and castrato singer dies at 67
1785 – Karel Blazej Kopriva, Czech organist and composer, dies at 29
1886 – Emily Dickinson, American poet (Collected Poems) and one of the most important figures in American poetry, dies of nephritis at 55
1889 – Alfred Potocki, Austrian politician (Prime Minister, Governor, Viceroy of Galicia), dies
1937 – Phillip Snowden, British politician first Labour Chancellor of the Exchequer, dies at 72
1958 – Michael G the Boer, historian (Harbor of Amsterdam), dies at 91
1991 – Reno Browne, American Western actress, dies at 70
1994 – Ronnie Potsdammer, Dutch singer, songwriter and programmer, dies at 71
1995 – Johnny Van Derrick, British jazz violinist (Pink Panther Theme), dies at 68
2005 – Alan B. Gold, Quebec Chief Justice (b. 1917)
Famous Deaths for 14th May 2026
1608 – Charles III, Duke of Lorraine (1545-1608), known as “the Great”, dies at 65
1754 – Pierre-Claude Nivelle de La Chaussée, French writer (L’École des Mères), dies at 62
1938 – Jacobus C J “Jacques” Hermans, actor (Ghetto), dies at 81
1962 – Florence Auer, American actress (b. 1880)
1977 – Robert Maynard Hutchins, American educational philosopher (University of Chicago), dies at 78
1982 – Mariel-Henri Jaspar, Belgian minister who unsuccessfully attempted to establish a Belgian government in London during World War II, dies at 80
2002 – Derek Birley, English founding Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ulster and sports writer, dies at 75
2006 – Lewis “Lew” Anderson, American actor and musician (The Howdy Doody Show), dies of prostate cancer at 84
2007 – Ülo Jõgi, Estonian freedom fighter and war historian, dies at 86
2020 – Pepper Rodgers, American football coach (University of Kansas, UCLA, Georgia Tech; USFL: Memphis Showboats), dies at 88
Famous Deaths for 13th May 2026
1835 – John Nash, British town planner/architect (Regent’s Park), dies
1882 – Jules Nicolas Crevaux, French naval doctor and explorer (French Guiana and the Amazon), murdered on the Pilcomayo River at 35
1962 – Frank Jenks, American stage and screen actor (Colonel Flack, Zombies on Broadway), dies of cancer at 59
1970 – William Dobell, Australian portrait artist, dies at 70
2001 – Jason Miller, American actor and writer (Exorcist, Light of Day), dies at 62
2002 – Ruth Cracknell, Australian actress (Mother and Son), dies at 76
2019 – Jerome Callet, American musician and designer of brass instruments, dies at 89
2020 – Rolf Hochhuth, German playwright (Der Stellvertreter), dies at 89
2023 – Keiko Tanaka-Ikeda, Japanese gymnast (World C’ship gold balance beam 1954; Olympic bronze team 1964; first Japanese female to win a world title), dies at 89
2025 – José Mujica, 40th President of Uruguay (2010-2015), champion of the poor, and former urban guerrilla with the Tupamaros, dies at 89
Famous Deaths for 12th May 2026
1792 – Charles Simon Favart, French dramatist, dies at 81
1897 – Willem Roelofs, Dutch Revival painter and lithographer, dies at 75
1907 – Joris-Karl Huysmans, French writer (Against the Grain), dies at 59
1989 – Marcelle de Manziarly, French pianist and composer, dies at 89
1992 – Lenny Montana [Leonardo Passafaro], American professional wrestler (NWA Georgia), and actor (The Godfather), dies of a heart attack at 66
1996 – Homer Keller, American contemporary classical composer (Quiet Music for a Tree), and educator (University of Oregon, 1958-76), dies at 81
2021 – Higinio Vélez, Cuban baseball manager (Olympic gold 2004; Santiago de Cuba, Cuban National Series 1999–2001), dies from COVID-19 at 73
2023 – Bruce Robertson, New Zealand rugby union centre (34 Tests, 22 tries; Counties Manukau RFU), dies at 71
2024 – Ron Lynch, Australian rugby league forward (12 Tests; NSW 17 games, Parramatta 194 games), dies at 84
2025 – Yasunao Tone, Japanese-American avant-garde composer and multi-media artist (Fluxus), dies at 90
Famous Deaths for 11th May 2026
912 – Leo VI (the Wise), Byzantine Emperor (886-912) and writer (Problematica), dies at 45
1849 – Otto Nicolai, German composer and conductor, dies at 38 of a stroke
1881 – Henri-Frédéric Amiel, Swiss writer (Journal Intime), dies at 59
1917 – Otto Klauwell, German composer, dies at 66
1988 – Kim Philby, British spy and Soviet mole who was a member of the “Cambridge Five”, dies at 76
1989 – Jitka Snížková, Czech composer, music educator and musicologist, dies at 64
2001 – Henry Katzman, American pianist, songwriter (founding member of BMI), and landscape painter, dies at 89
2014 – Reg Gasnier, Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame centre and captain (36 Tests; 3 World Cups; St. George RLFC), dies at 74
2018 – Scott Hutchinson, Scottish musician (Frightened Rabbit), found dead after a suffering from mental illness at 36
2022 – Shireen Abu Akleh, Palestinian-American journalist (Al Jazeera), shot and killed by Israeli forces at 51
Famous Deaths for 10th May 2026
1859 – John Archduke of Austria, dies
1891 – Karl Wilhelm von Nägeli, Swiss botanist (famous for his work on plant cells), dies at 74
1914 – Sir William Alexander Smith, Scottish founder of the Boys’ Brigade, dies at 59
1943 – Arnaud/Armand Fraiteur, Belgian resistance fighter, hanged
1965 – Hubertus van Mook, Dutch colonial administrator (Acting Governor General of the Dutch East Indies 1942-48), dies at 70
1995 – Harold Berens, comedian, dies at 92
2000 – (André) “Dédé” Fortin, Canadian rock and ska singer-songwriter (Les Colocs), dies by suicide at 37
2004 – Alf Valentine, Jamaican cricketer (great West Indian lefty spinner), dies at 74
2006 – Soraya [Lamilla], Colombian-American singer-songwriter, guitarist, arranger and record producer (“Amor En Tus Ojos / Love In Your Eyes”‘; “Casi”), dies of breast cancer at 37
2021 – Néstor Montelongo, Uruguayan soccer utility (36 caps; Montevideo Wanderers, Peñarol, Nacional, Racing), dies at 66
Famous Deaths for 9th May 2026
1880 – George Brown, Birtish-Canadian journalist, publisher (Toronto Globe), Premier of Canada West (Liberal: 1858) and one of the Fathers of Confederation, dies at 61 after being shot in the leg on March 25
1919 – James Reese Europe, American ragtime and early jazz arranger, composer, and bandleader in New York, and with the military in France during WWI, dies of a stab wound (received during an argument with one of his drummers), at 38
1957 – Heinrich Campendonk, German painter and wood carver, dies at 67
1968 – Harold Gray, American comic strip artist who created “Little Orphan Annie” (1924), dies at 74
1990 – Patrick Piggott, British pianist, composer, and musicologist (The Life and Music of John Field; The Innocent Diversion – Music in the Life and Writings of Jane Austen), dies at 74
1997 – Willy Hess, Swiss musicologist, composer and famous Beethoven scholar, dies at 90
2001 – William T. Stearn, British botanist, dies at 90
2009 – Chuck Daly, American Basketball Hall of Fame coach (2-time NBA champion Detroit Pistons), dies of pancreatic cancer at 78
2018 – Omar Daoud, Libyan footballer, dies in a traffic collision at 35
2019 – Freddie Starr, English comedian and singer (The Freddie Starr Showcase), dies at 76
Famous Deaths for 8th May 2026
1785 – Étienne François, duc de Choiseul, French statesman, dies at 65
1806 – Robert Morris, English-born merchant and American founding father who signed the US Declaration of Independence, dies at 72
1887 – Alexander Ulyanov, Russian revolutionary and brother of Vladimir Lenin, hanged for the attempted assassination of tsar Alexander III at 21
1936 – Oswald Spengler, German historian and philosopher (Underworld of Abendlandes), dies at 55
1979 – Talcott Parsons, American sociologist, dies at 76
2008 – Eddy Arnold, American country music singer (“Make The World Go Away”; “Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye”), dies at 89
2016 – William Schallert, American character actor (Patty Duke Show – “Martin”; Get Smart – “The Admiral”), dies at 93
2018 – Mahmoud Hammoud, Lebanese politician and diplomat, dies at 82 or 83
2018 – Anne V. Coates, British film editor (Lawrence of Arabia; The Elephant Man), dies at 92
2025 – David Souter, American jurist (105th Supreme Court Justice, 1990-2009), dies at 85