- May 1 Yi Un, last Crown Prince of Korea, dies at 72
- May 3 Candelario Huízar, Mexican violist, horn player, and classical and canción composer ("Surco"), dies at 82
- May 4 Allison Beth Krause, American student, killed by soldiers of the Ohio Army National Guard at Kent State University while protesting against US military at 19
- May 4 Jeffrey Miller, American student, killed by soldiers of the Ohio Army National Guard at Kent State University while protesting against US military, at 20
- May 4 Sandra Scheuer, American student, killed by soldiers of the Ohio Army National Guard at Kent State University while protesting against US military, at 20
- May 4 William Schroeder, American student, killed by soldiers of the Ohio Army National Guard at Kent State University while protesting against US military at 20
- May 6 Wharton Esherick, American artist and sculptor who worked primarily in wood, dies at 82
- May 7 Carlos Estrada, Uruguayan composer and conductor, dies at 60
- May 9 Andrew Watson Myles, Canadian politician, dies at 86
- May 9 Percy Brier, Australian composer, dies at 84
- May 9 Walter P. Reuther, American worker's union leader & president of the CIO, dies in a plane crash at 62
- May 10 Mari Blanchard, American actress and femme fatale (Kathy-Klondike), dies of cancer at 47
- May 11 Johnny Hodges, American saxophonist, dies at 62
Nelly Sachs (1891-1970)
May 12 German-Swedish poet and playwright (O the Chimneys - Nobel Prize for Literature 1966), dies at 78
- May 12 Wladyslaw Anders, Polish army general (WWI and WWII), and politician (Parliament-in exile), dies at 78
- May 13 William Dobell, Australian portrait artist, dies at 70
- May 14 (Mary) "Billie" Burke, American radio, stage, silent and sound film actress (Zieigfield Follies; The Wizard of Oz; Merrily We Live), dies at 85
- May 17 Nigel Balchin, English author (My Executioner), dies at 61
- May 19 Ray Schalk, American Baseball Hall of Fame catcher (World Series 1917; Chicago White Sox) and manager (Chicago White Sox 1927-28), dies from cancer at 78
- May 19 Tadeusz Breza, Polish writer (The Bronze Gate), dies at 64
- May 21 E. L. Grant Watson, Australian biologist (b. 1885)
- May 21 Vinton Hayworth, American actor (Gen Schaeffer-I Dream of Jeannie), dies at 63
- May 22 Joseph W Krutch, American writer (Measure of Man), dies at 76
- May 23 Nydia Westman, actress (Going My Way, Young Mr Bobbins), dies at 68
- May 27 Emmy van Lokhorst, Dutch writer and literary critic, dies at 78
- May 29 Eve Hesse, German born Jewish American sculptor dies of a brain tumor aged 34
- May 29 John Gunther, American author and host (John Gunther's High Road), dies at 68
Terry Sawchuk (1929-1970)
May 31 Canadian Hockey HOF goaltender (Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs) who was a 4-time Vezina Trophy winner (Stanley Cup: 1952, 54, 55, 67), dies from liver injuries at 40
Assassination
Car Crash
Hanging
Killed in Action
Plane Crash
Poisoning