- Aug 1 Anatoly Kremer, Russian composer and conductor (Eksperiment), dies at 82
- Aug 1 Cilla Black [Priscilla White], British pop singer ("Anyone Who Had a Heart"), and TV personality (Blind Date), dies at 72
- Aug 2 Forrest Bird, American aviator and inventor (1st respirators and ventilators), dies at 94
- Aug 3 Adam Walacinski, Polish composer, dies at 86
- Aug 3 Coleen Gray [Doris Bernice Jensen], American actress (Apache Drums, The Killing), dies at 92
- Aug 3 Mel Farr, American NFL running back (Pro Bowl 1967, 70; Detroit Lions), dies of a massive heart attack at 70
- Aug 3 Robert Conquest, English historian and poet (The Great Terror), dies at 98
- Aug 4 Gerd Natschinski, German composer, dies at 86
- Aug 4 Les Munro, New Zealand WWII pilot (Dambusters Raid), dies at 96
- Aug 5 George Cole, English actor (Minder), dies at 90
Louise Suggs (1923-2015)
Aug 6 American golfer and co-founder of LPGA (11 major titles, US Open 1949, 52), dies of natural causes at 91
- Aug 7 Frances Oldham Kelsey, Canadian-American FDA Director (stopped thalidomide use in the US), dies at 101
- Aug 9 David Nobbs, English comedic writer (The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin), dies at 80
- Aug 9 Frank Gifford, American College-Pro Football HOF halfback (USC; 6 × First-team All-Pro, 8 × Pro Bowl; NY Giants) and broadcaster (ABC Monday Night Football), dies at 84
- Aug 10 Buddy Baker, American auto racer (Daytona 500 1980; 19 x NASCAR Cup Series wins), dies at 74
- Aug 11 Harald Nielsen, Danish soccer forward (14 caps; Olympic silver 1960; Frederikshavn fI, Bologna FC), dies at 73
- Aug 11 Serge Collot, French violist (Paris Opera, 1957-86; Le Trio à Cordes Français, 1960-92), and music educator (Conservatoire de Paris, 1969-89), dies at 91
- Aug 12 John Scott, English organist and choirmaster, dies at 59
- Aug 12 Per Hjort Albertsen, Norwegian organist, composer, and educator, dies at 96
- Aug 12 Stephen Lewis, British stage and screen comic actor, screenwriter and playwright (In The Buses - "Blakey"; Last of the Summer Wine - "Smiler"), dies at 88
- Aug 14 Gordon "Jazz" Summers, British music manager (Wham; Snow Patrol), dies at 71
- Aug 14 Karen Stives, American equestrian rider (Olympic gold team, silver individual 1984), dies at 64
- Aug 14 [Donald William] Bob Johnston, American music producer (Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash), dies at 83
- Aug 15 Julian Bond, American civil rights leader and politician (D-Ga), dies at 75
- Aug 16 Jacob Bekenstein, American-Israeli theoretical physicist (Bekenstein-Hawking radiation), dies of a heart attack at 68
- Aug 17 Arsen Dedić, Croatian singer-songwriter and poet, dies at 77
- Aug 17 Jan Fotek, Polish composer (Musica Cromatica), dies at 76
- Aug 17 Yvonne Craig, American actress (Batgirl), dies at 78
- Aug 18 (Alan) "Bud" Yorkin, American film and television producer and director (Divorce American Style; All in the Family; Sanford And Son), dies at 89
- Aug 18 Louis Stokes, American politician (Rep-D-OH, 1969-99), dies at 90
- Aug 18 Roger Smalley, British-Australian pianist, conductor, and composer (Gloria Tibi Trinitas), dies at 72
- Aug 20 Egon Bahr, German journalist and politician (Ostpolitik policy), dies at 93
- Aug 20 Melody Patterson, American actress (F Troop), dies at 66
- Aug 20 Piotr Warzecha, Polish composer, dies at 74
- Aug 21 Anna Kashfi [Joan O'Callaghan], Welsh actress and 1st wife of Marlon Barando, dies at 80
- Aug 21 Bob Hepple, South African-born academic and Nelson Mandela's lawyer, dies at 81
- Aug 21 Jimmy Evert, American tennis coach (father of Chris Evert), dies at 91
- Aug 22 Andy Mapple, English water skier (World Slalom C'ship 1981, 89, 95, 97, 99, 2001), dies at 52
- Aug 22 Arthur Morris, Australian cricket batsman (46 Tests, 12 x 100, HS 206, BA 46.48; NSWCA), dies at 93
- Aug 22 Charles Tomlinson, British poet and translator, dies at 88
- Aug 23 Asher Ben-Yohanan, Israeli composer, dies at 86
- Aug 23 Jean Darling, American child actress (Our Gang), dies at 93
- Aug 24 Justin Wilson, English auto racer (International Formula 3000 C'ship; Champ Car Series 4 wins), dies as a result of on track accident at 37
- Aug 24 Vardo Rumessen, Estonian classical pianist, musicologist, politician, and independence advocate, dies at 73
- Aug 25 Frank E. Petersen, American soldier and both the 1st African American Marine Corps aviator and Marine Corps general, dies at 83
- Aug 25 Ian Smith, South African cricket leg-spin bowler (9 Tests), dies at 90
- Aug 26 P J Kavanagh [Patrick Joeseph], British poet, actor and journalist (The Perfect Stranger), dies at 84
- Aug 27 Darryl Dawkins, American basketball center (Philadelphia 76ers, NJ Nets; NBA breaking a backboard rule), dies of a heart attack at 58
- Aug 27 George Cleve, Austrian-American conductor (Winnipeg Symphony, 1968-70; San Jose Symphony, 1972-92; San Francisco Midsummer Mozart Festival, 1974-2015), dies of liver failure at 79
Al Arbour (1932-2015)
Aug 28 Canadian Hockey Hall of Fame defenceman, coach and executive (coach NY Islanders Stanley Cup 1980-83), dies of Parkinson's disease and dementia at 82
Wes Craven (1939-2015)
Aug 30 American filmmaker (A Nightmare on Elm Street, Scream), dies at 76
- Aug 31 Colin Hope, British Industrialist (Turner and Newall), dies at 83
Assassination
Drug Overdose
Gunshot Wound
Murder
Plane Crash
Suicide