- May 1 Assaf Dayan, Israeli actor (He Walked Through the Fields), dies at 68
- May 1 Juan de Dios Castillo, Mexican soccer coach (Copa Centroamericana 2011 Honduras; El Salvador), dies of skin cancer at 63
- May 2 Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., American actor (77 Sunset Strip; Scruples; The F.B.I.), dies at 95
- May 2 Jessica Cleaves, American soul singer and songwriter (The Friends of Distinction - "Grazing In The Grass"; Earth, Wind & Fire; Parliament Funkadelic), dies of complications from a stroke at 65
- May 3 Bobby Gregg, American drummer and record producer (Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone"), dies at 78
- May 3 Gary Becker, American economist (Nobel 1992) and recipient of Presidential Medal of Freedom 2007, dies from complications following surgery at 83
- May 3 Jim Oberstar, American politician, dies at 79
- May 4 Ross Lonsberry, Canadian NHL hockey left winger, 1966-81 (Stanley Cup, 1974, 1975 - Philadelphia Flyers, and 3 other teams), dies of cancer at 67
- May 5 Butler Derrick, American politician (Rep-D-SC, 1974-95), dies at 77
- May 6 Antony Hopkins [Reynolds], British composer, pianist, conductor (Intimate Opera Company, 1954-62), writer, and radio broadcaster (Talking About Music, 1954-92), dies at 93
- May 6 Farley Mowat, Canadian author, dies at 92
- May 6 Geoffrey Maitland Smith, British accountant (Sir Charles Clore; Paul McCartney) and businessman (CEO of Sears, 1978-95), dies at 81
- May 6 Jimmy Ellis, American boxer (WBA heavyweight title 1968-70), dies from dementia at 74
- May 6 Leslie Thomas, Welsh writer (The Virgin Soldiers), dies at 83
- May 6 William H Dana, American aeronautical engineer, US Navy pilot, NASA test pilot (X-15), and astronaut, dies at 83
- May 7 Will Gaines, American-British tap dancer, dies at 86
- May 8 Roger L. Easton, American scientist, inventor and designer of GPS, dies at 93
- May 9 Mary Stewart, British sci-fi author (Crystal Cave), dies at 97
- May 9 Mel Patton, American athlete (Olympic gold 200m, 4x100m relay 1948; WR 100 yards 9.2s 1948), dies at 89
- May 10 Nash the Slash [Jeff Plewman], Canadian progressive rock electric violinist, mandolin player, keyboardist and composer (FM), dies of a suspected heart attack at 66
- May 11 Ed Gagliardi, American bass guitarist (Foreigner, 1976-79 - "Feels Like The First Time"), dies from cancer at 62
- May 11 Reg Gasnier, Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame centre and captain (36 Tests; 3 World Cups; St. George RLFC), dies at 74
- May 12 Cornell Borchers, German actress (The Big Lift, Floodtide, Istanbul), dies at 89
- May 12 H. R. Giger, Swiss surrealist artist (album cover art for ELP - "Brain Salad Surgery"; Debbie Harry - "'KooKoo"), and Oscar-winning special effects designer (Alien), dies from injuries from a fall at 74
- May 14 Stephen Sutton, English cancer blogger (Stephen's Story), dies at 19
- May 15 Jean-Luc Dehaene, Belgian Prime Minister (1992-99), dies from a fall at 73
- May 17 Gerald Edelman, American biochemist (Nobel 1972), dies from natural causes at 84
- May 18 Dobrica Cosic, Serbian writer and President (1992-93), dies at 92
- May 18 Jerry Vale [Gennaro Vitaliano], American pop singer ("Arriverderci Roma"; "Have You Looked Into Your Heart"), dies at 83
- May 18 Wubbo Ockels, Dutch physicist and astronaut, dies from renal cell cancer at 68
- May 19 Jack Brabham, Australian auto racer and team owner (World F1 champion 1959, 60, 66 [only man to win F1 C'ship driving one of his own cars]), dies of liver disease at 88
- May 19 Michael Aldrich, British inventor (Online shopping), dies at 72
- May 19 Sante Kimes 'Dragon Lady', American convicted con artist and murderess, dies at 79
- May 20 Phil Sharpe, English cricket batsman (12 Tests, 1 x 100, 4 x 50, HS 111; Yorkshire CCC, Derbyshire CCC), dies at 77
- May 21 Teodor Grigoriu, Romanian composer, dies at 87
- May 22 Mathew Cowles, American actor, dies at 69
- May 23 Mona Freeman, American actress, dies at 87
- May 24 David Allen, English cricket all-rounder (39 Tests, 5 x 50, 122 wickets, BB 5/30; Gloucestershire CCC), dies at 78
- May 24 Stormé DeLarverie, American gay rights leader (Stonewall protests), dies at 93
- May 25 Berniece Baker Miracle, American writer (My Sister Marilyn) and half-sister of Marilyn Monroe, dies at 94
- May 25 Herb Jeffries [Umberto Alejandro Ballentino], American actor and director (The Bronze Buckaroo, Mundo depravados), dies of heart failure at 100
Wojciech Jaruzelski (1923-2014)
May 25 Polish general and 1st President of Poland (1989-90), dies at 90
- May 26 Didymos I, Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan (2005-10), dies at 92
- May 26 Manuel Uribe Garza, Mexican man who suffered from morbid obesity (peak weight of 600 kg), dies at 48
- May 27 Helma Sanders-Brahms, German director and writer (Apple Trees; Germany, Pale Mother), dies of cancer at 73
- May 28 David Nadien, American concert and session violin virtuoso, dies of pneumonia at 88
- May 28 James K. Randall, American composer, dies at 84
Maya Angelou (1928-2014)
May 28 American author ("I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings"), poet and actress (Nyo-Roots), dies at 86
- May 29 Karlheinz Böhm, Austrian actor, dies at 86
- May 29 Stefans Grové, South African composer (Nonyana, The Ceremonial Dancer; Cyclops; Glimpses), dies at 91
- May 31 Marilyn Beck, American newspaper columnist and entertainment reporter, dies at 85
- May 31 Martha Hyer, American actress (Day of the Wolves, Night of the Grizzly), dies at 89
Assassination
Car Crash
Hanging
Killed in Action
Plane Crash
Poisoning