- 45 BC Gnaeus Pompeius, the Younger, Roman general
- 65 Seneca the Younger, Roman philosopher, statesman and dramatist
- 238 Gordian I, Roman Emperor, commits suicide, after losing battle at Carthage and the death of son Gordian II
- 238 Gordian II, Roman co-Emperor with his father Gordian I, killed in battle at Carthage
- 352 Julius I, pope (337-52), dies
- 434 Archbishop Maximianus of Constantinople
- 1125 Vladislaus I of Bohemia (1109-17, 1120-25)
- 1443 Henry Chichele, Archbishop of Canterbury
- 1550 Claude of Lorraine, duke of Guise, dies at 53
- 1555 Joanna of Castile (Joanna the mad), wife of Philip I of Castile dies at 75
- 1648 Catharina Belgica of Nassau, Countess of Hanau-Münzenberg and daughter of William of Orange, dies at 69
- 1675 Richard Bennett, English Colonial Governor of Virginia, dies at 65
- 1687 Ambrose Dixon, Virginia Colony pioneer
- 1690 Miguel Gómez Camargo, Spanish composer, dies at 71
Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet (1627-1704)
French bishop and writer (Louis XIV court preacher), dies at 77
- 1704 Johan van Waveren Hudde, Dutch mathematician (Concerning Reduction of Equations) and Mayor of Amsterdam (1672-1703), dies at 76
- 1748 William Kent, English sculptor/architect (Kensington Palace), dies
- 1760 Ernst Gottlieb Baron, German baroque composer, dies at 64
- 1777 Claude Prosper Jolyot de Crébillon, French satirical novelist (The Skimmer), dies at 70
- 1782 Metastasio, Italian poet and librettist (b. 1698)
- 1788 Carl Joseph Toeschi, German composer, dies at 56
- 1788 Charles-Antoine Campion, Italian composer, dies at 67
- 1795 Johann Kaspar Basselet von La Rosée, Bavarian general, dies at 84
- 1795 Rainieri de Calzabigi, Italian librettist and poet, dies at 80
- 1797 Joseph Anton Steffan [Josef Antonín Štěpán], Bohemian harpsichordist and composer, dies at 71
- 1814 Charles Burney, English music historian, dies at 88
Charles Messier (1730-1817)
French astronomer, comet hunter and cataloguer of nebulae and star clusters, now referred to as "M objects", dies at 86
- 1828 Jean Henri Appelius, Dutch lawyer and politician (Minister of Finance), dies at 60
- 1832 Shadrach Bond, American politician (1st Governor of Illinois, 1818 to 1822), dies of pneumonia at 58
- 1845 Hendrik Marcus de Kock, Dutch general and politician (Lieutenant Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies 1826-30), dies at 65
- 1850 Adoniram Judson, American Baptist missionary (b. 1788)
- 1859 John Emde, German evangelist, dies at about 84
- 1864 Thomas Green, US Confederate brigadier general, dies in battle at 50
- 1872 Nikolaos Mantzaros, Italian-Greek composer, dies at 76
- 1876 Joseph Dana Webster, American civil engineer and Brevet Major General (Union Army), dies at 64
Boss Tweed (1823-1878)
American politician and corrupt New York fraudster, dies in prison of pneumonia at 55
- 1881 James L. Lardner, American naval officer (American Civil War), dies at 78
- 1896 Alexander Ritter, German composer, dies at 62
- 1898 Elzéar-Alexandre Taschereau, Roman catholic archbishop of Quebec (b. 1820)
- 1902 Marie Alfred Cornu, French physicist (b. 1842)
- 1909 Hermann Kotzschmar, German-American composer, dies at 79
- 1910 William Graham Sumner, American sociologist (Folkways), dies at 69
Clara Barton (1821-1912)
American nurse and founder of the American Red Cross, dies of tuberculosis at 90
- 1914 Josef Nešvera, Czech composer, dies at 71
- 1921 William Strang, Scottish painter and engraver (illustrated Bunyan, Coleridge and Kipling), dies at 62
- 1922 František Ondříček, Czech violinist and composer, dies at 64
- 1938 Feodor Chaliapine, Russian operatic bass-baritone singer (Man and Mask: Forty Years in the Life of a Singer), dies of leukemia at 65
- 1942 Johannes E Akkeringa, Dutch painter/etcher, dies at 80
Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945)
32nd US President (Democrat: 1933-1945), dies in office with the war almost won of a stroke at 63
- 1946 August Borms, Flemish nazi collaborator, executed at 67
- 1946 F Guicciardi, writer, dies
- 1947 Christian Frederik Leipoldt, South African poet, writer (Die Moormansgat) and physician, dies at 66
- 1951 Harold Vincent Milligan, American musician and composer, dies at 62
- 1953 Lionel Logue, Australian speech therapist who treated King George VI (The Kings Speech), dies at 73
- 1954 Pim Mulier, Dutch sports organizer, founded the Dutch Football and Athletics Association, Koninklijke HFC, established hockey in the Netherlands and President of the International Skating Union (1892-94), dies at 89
- 1959 Ernest Willem Mulder, Dutch conductor, composer, and teacher, dies at 60
- 1959 James Gleason, American writer and actor (Bishop's Wife, Flying Fool), dies at 76
Archibald McIndoe (1900-1960)
New Zealand plastic surgeon pioneer who rehabilitated badly burned Royal Air Force crew during WWII, dies in his sleep of a heart attack at 59 [or 11 April] [1]
- 1961 Nils-Eric Fougstedt, Finnish composer (Angoscia, Trittico sinfonico), dies at 50
- 1961 Philippine "Pine" Belder [Mary de Klerk], actress, dies at 93
- 1962 Antoine Pevsner, Russian-born French sculptor (Constructivist style), dies at 66
- 1962 M. Visvesvaraya, Indian civil engineer and statesman (19th Diwan of the Mysore Kingdom), dies at 100
- 1962 Ron Flockhart, Scottish auto racer (24 Hours of Le Mans 1956, 57), dies in plane accident at 38
- 1963 Alfred Métraux, Swiss anthropologist, dies at 60
- 1963 Herbie Nichols, American jazz pianist and composer ("Lady Sings the Blues"), dies of leukemia at 43
- 1964 Evert Willem Beth, Dutch mathematician and philosopher (Significs Group), dies at 56
- 1966 Sumokil, president of Republic South Moluccas, executed
- 1968 Heinrich Nordhoff, German automobile engineer and Volkswagen director (b. 1899)
- 1971 Ed Lafitte, American baseball pitcher (no-hitter 1914 Brooklyn Tip-Tops), dies at 85
- 1971 Wynton Kelly, American jazz pianist (Dizzy Gillespie; Miles Davis), dies of epileptic seizure at 39
- 1972 C W Ceram [Kurt Marek], German/American writer (1st American), dies at 57
- 1972 Henri Potiron, French composer, dies at 89
- 1974 Carl Jaffe, German actor (1st Man in Space, Escapement), dies at 72
Josephine Baker (1906-1975)
American-French song and dance revue artist (Folies-Bergere), actress, and civil rights activist, dies of a cerebral hemorrhage at 68
- 1976 Paul Ford, American actor (Phil Silvers Show), dies at 74
- 1977 Philip K Wrigley, American baseball executive (owner Chicago Cubs 1932-77), dies of a gastrointestinal hemorrhage at 82
- 1979 Pernell Charity, American blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter, dies at 58
- 1980 Clark McConachy, New Zealand billiards player (World Professional C'ships 1951), dies at 84
- 1980 William Tolbert, Liberian President (1971-80), killed with 27 others in a coup at 66
- 1981 Hans Chemin-Petit, German composer, dies at 78
- 1981 Hendrik Andriessen, Dutch organist and composer (Ballade of Merel; Te Deum), dies at 88
Joe Louis (1914-1981)
American boxer (world heavyweight champion 1937-49), dies of cardiac arrest at 66
Alan Paton (1903-1988)
South African author (Cry, the Beloved Country, Too Late the Phalarope) and anti-apartheid activist, dies of cancer at 85
- 1988 Charles Melvin Price, American politician (Rep-D-Illinois 1945-88), dies at 83
- 1989 Abbie Hoffman, yippie peace activist of the 60's, dies at 52
- 1989 Gerald Flood, British actor (Doctor Who, Patton), dies of a heart attack at 61
- 1989 Herbert Mills, American pop singer (The Mills Brothers - "Paper Doll"; "Lazy River"), dies at 77
Sugar Ray Robinson (1921-1989)
American boxer (world welterweight champion 1946-51; middleweight champion 1951-52, 55, 58), dies of Alzheimer's disease at 67
- 1991 James Schuyler, American poet (Pulitzer 1980), dies
- 1992 Joe Medwick, American R&B singer, and songwriter ("Further On Up The Road"), dies at 61
- 1993 Isaac Rojas, vp of Argentina (1955-58), dies
- 1993 Patience Jarvis, dies of melanoma at 56
- 1994 Harry la Fontaine, Danish/US resistance fighter/producer, dies at 81
- 1994 Q. T. Macon, American blues singer and guitarist ("Blow Wind"), dies at 60
- 1995 Chris Pyne, British jazz, touring, and session trombonist (Mike Gibbs; Ronnnie Scott; Humphrey Lyttelton), dies at 56
- 1996 Marthe Robert, French essayist and translator who influenced Sigmund Freud, dies at 82
- 1996 William Wilkinson, English conservationist and businessman, dies at 63
George Wald (1906-1997)
American physiologist and biologist (Nobel Prize 1967, vitamin A in retina), dies at 90
- 1999 Boxcar Willie [Travis Martin], American soldier (USAF) and singer ("King Of The Road"), dies of leukemia at 67
- 2000 Niaz Ahmed, Pakistani cricket fast bowler (2 Tests, 3 wickets; Dacca, Public Works Dep't, East Pakistan, Railways; only East Pakistani to play Test cricket), dies at 54
- 2001 Alberto Erede, Italian conductor, dies at 91
- 2001 Harvey Ball, American inventor and designer of popular 'smiley-face' graphic, dies at 79
- 2003 Cecil H. Green, American manufacturer (b. 1900)
- 2006 Puggy Pearson, American poker player (World Series of Poker Main Event 1973; 4 x World Series of Poker bracelets), dies from heart failure at 77
- 2006 Rajkumar [Singanalluru Puttaswamayya Muthuraju], Indian actor and singer in Kannada cinema and cultural icon, dies at 76
- 2007 Kevin Crease, Australian TV anchor (b. 1936)
- 2008 Cecilia Colledge, British figure skater (World C'ship gold ladies singles 1937; Olympic silver 1936; first female to land a two rotation jump), dies at 87
- 2008 Danny Davis [George Nowlan], American session trumpeter, pop-country music bandleader (The Nashville Brass - "I Saw the Light"), singer (Speed Racer theme), and record producer (Connie Francis), dies of a heart attack at 83
- 2008 Jerry Zucker, Israeli-born American businessman (b. 1949)
- 2008 Patrick 'Paddy' Hillery, 6th President of Ireland, EEC Commissioner and Irish Minister (b. 1923)
- 2009 Edward Harper, English composer and pianist, dies at 68
- 2009 John Maddox, British science writer and editor (Nature), dies at 83
- 2009 Kirby Laing, English Construction head (John Laing & Son), dies at 92
- 2010 Michel Chartrand, French Canadian union activist, dies at 93
- 2010 Palito [Reynaldo Hipolito], Filipino slap-stick comedian and actor, dies at 76
- 2010 Peter Haskell, American actor (Bracken's World, Rituals), dies at 75
- 2011 Eddie Joost, American baseball shortstop (MLB All Star 1949, 52; World Series 1940 Cincinnati Reds; Philadelphia Athletics) and manager (Philadelphia A's), dies at 94
- 2012 Andrew Love, American saxophonist (The Memphis Horns), dies of Alzheimer's disease at 70
- 2012 George Mesterhazy, Hungarian-American jazz pianist, and arranger, dies at 56
- 2013 Marv Harshman, American College/Basketball HOF coach (Pacific Lutheran, Washington State Uni, Uni of Washington; Pac-10 Coach of the Year 1982, 84), dies at 95
- 2013 Michael France, American screenwriter, dies from complications from diabetes at 51
- 2013 Robert Byrne, American chess player (FIDE Grandmaster), dies from Parkinson’s disease at 84
- 2014 Beverly Hanson, American golfer (Western Open 1956; Titleholders C'ship 1958; Women's PGA C'ship 1955), dies of Alzheimer's & COPD at 89
- 2014 Fred Ho [Houn], American jazz baritone saxophonist, composer (Year of the Tiger), playwright, writer and social activist, dies of colon cancer at 56
- 2014 Hal Smith, American baseball catcher (MLB All-Star 1957, 59, 59²; St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates), dies at 82
- 2015 Sheila Kitzinger, British author, anthropologist & child birth educator, dies at 86
- 2016 Alan Loveday, New Zealand and British violinist, dies at 88
- 2016 Anne Jackson, American stage actress (Twice Around the Park), dies at 90
- 2016 Arnold Wesker, British playwright (Chips with Everything), dies at 83
- 2016 David Gest, American television producer, dies at 62
- 2017 Barry “Frosty” Smith, American rock, country and blues touring and session drummer (Lee Michaels; Roky Erikson; Doug Sahm), dies at 71
- 2018 John Melcher, American politician (Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Montana), dies at 93
- 2019 Forrest Gregg, American Pro Football HOF tackle (9 x Pro Bowl; 7 × First-team All-Pro; Green Bay Packers) and coach (Cleveland Browns, Toronto Argonauts, Cincinnati Bengals, GB Packers), dies of Parkinson's disease at 85
- 2019 Georgia Engel, American actress (The Mary Tyler Moore Show, 1972-77 - "Georgette"; Hot In Cleveland, 2011-15 -"Mamie-Sue"), dies at 70
- 2019 Tommy Smith, English soccer defender (1 cap; Football League Div 1 1966, 73, 76, 77; FA Cup 1965, 74; European Cup 1977; Liverpool 467 games), dies at 74
- 2020 Doug Sanders, American golfer (4 x runner-up in major C'ships; 20 PGA Tour titles), dies at 86
- 2020 Francisco Aritmendi, Spanish athlete (International Cross Country Championships 1964), dies of COVID-19 at 81
- 2020 Glenn Beckert, American baseball second baseman (MLB All-Star 1969-72; Gold Glove Award 1968; Chicago Cubs), dies at 79
- 2020 Jim Frey, American MLB manager (Kansas City Royals, American League C'ship 1980; Chicago Cubs), dies at 88
- 2020 John Horton Conway, British mathematician (cellular automaton Game of Life), dies of COVID-19 complications at 82
- 2020 Peter Bonetti, English soccer goalkeeper (7 caps; World Cup 1966; Chelsea 600 games), dies at 78
Stirling Moss (1929-2020)
British auto racer (16 x F1 Grand Prix; World F1 Drivers C'ship runner-up 1955-58; 12 Hours of Sebring 1954) and broadcaster (ABC F1, NASCAR), dies at 90
- 2020 Tim Brooke-Taylor, English comedian (The Goodies), dies of COVID-19 complications at 79
Gilbert Gottfried (1955-2022)
American stand-up comedian, and actor (SNL; Aladdin - "Iago the Parrot"; The Afflac Duck), dies at 67
- 2022 Sergei Yashin, Russian Hockey HOF left winger (Olympic gold USSR 1988; HC Dynamo Moscow, EC Wilhelmshaven-Stickhausen), dies at 60
- 2022 Shirley Spork, American golfer and administrator (co-founder LPGA; Women's PGA C'ship runner-up 1962), dies at 94
- 2024 Don Donoher, American College Basketball HOF coach (University of Dayton 1964-89), dies at 92
- 2024 Robert MacNeil, Canadian-American Emmy Award-winning broadcast journalist (PBS, 1975-95; NBC Weekend News, 1965-67), and novelist, dies at 93 [1] [2]
Assassination
Drug Overdose
Gunshot Wound
Murder
Plane Crash
Suicide