- May 3 Wylie Watson, dies at 77
- May 4 Juan María Thomas Sabater, Spanish composer, dies at 69
- May 9 Alfred Mendelsohn, Romanian composer, and conductor (Romanian National Opera, 1944-63), and teacher, dies at 56
- May 9 Wilhelmus Marinus Bekkers, Dutch Roman Catholic bishop of Hertogenbosch, dies at 58
- May 12 Felix Martin Julius Steiner, German Heer and Waffen-SS officer (b. 1896)
- May 13 Henk [Hendrik M] Randwijk, Dutch poet and editor in chief (Vrij Nederland), dies at 56
- May 14 Georgia BD Camp Johnson, American poet/playwright, dies at 88
- May 14 Megan Lloyd George, English politician (1st female MP for Welsh - Carmarthen), dies at 64
- May 15 Kathryn Forbes, American short story writer (mama's bank account), dies at 58
- May 16 Randy Turpin, British boxer (NYSAC, NBA and The Ring middleweight titles 1951-53), shot dead in his home at 37
- May 18 Paul Althaus, German theologist (That Christian Wahrheit), dies at 78
- May 19 Tortoise, reportedly given to Tonga's King by Captain James Cook in 1773, dies at around 193
- May 21 Pat O'Malley, silent film actor (Wild One, Quiet Man), dies at 75
- May 22 Tom Goddard, English cricket off-spin bowler (8 Tests; 22 wickets @ 26.72; Gloucestershire), dies at 65
- May 23 Demchugdongrub, Mongolian politician (b. 1902)
- May 23 Ruth Gates, Denton TX, actress (Aunt Jenny-Mama), dies at 79
- May 24 Emil Fahrenkamp, German architect (Shell-Haus in Berlin), dies at 80
Jim Barnes (1886-1966)
May 24 English golfer (PGA C'ship 1916, 19; US Open 1921, British Open 1925; World Golf HOF), dies at 80
- May 25 Ricardo Castillo, Guatemalan composer, dies at 71
- May 26 Don Castle, American actor (Born to Speed; The Invisible Wall), and television producer (Lassie), dies of accidental pain medication overdose at 48
- May 26 Neal Dodd, actor (Only Women, You Belong to Me), dies at 86
- May 30 Bob Thompson, African American painter, dies of a drug overdose at 28
Assassination
Car Crash
Hanging
Killed in Action
Plane Crash
Poisoning