- Aug 1 Barry Hughart, American author of fantasy novels (Bridge of Birds), dies at 85
- Aug 1 [Donn Alan] DA Pennebaker, American documentary filmmaker (Don't Look Back), dies at 94
- Aug 3 Cliff Branch, American Pro Football HOF wide receiver (Super Bowl 1976, 80, 84 Oakland/LA Raiders; 3 × First-team All-Pro; 4 × Pro Bowl), dies at 71
- Aug 3 Henri Belolo, French disco music producer and songwriter (The Village People; The Ritchie Family), dies at 82
- Aug 3 Joe Longthorne, English singer, impressionist, and television presenter, dies of cancer at 64
- Aug 3 Mike Troy, American swimmer (Olympics 2 x gold 200m butterfly, 4×200m freestyle relay 1960), dies at 78
- Aug 4 Ivo Lill, Estonian glass artist, dies at 66
- Aug 4 Nuon Chea, Cambodian Khmer Rouge leader 'Brother Number Two', dies at 93
Toni Morrison (1931-2019)
Aug 5 American writer (Tar Baby, Beloved, Song of Solomon), first African American woman to win a Nobel Prize (2010), dies at 88
- Aug 6 Maurice Simon, American jazz saxophonist, dies at 90
- Aug 13 Kip Addotta, American stand-up comic, dies at 75
- Aug 14 (Graham) "Polly" Farmer, Australian rules footballer. 1953-71 (East Perth, Geelong, West Perth), dies at 84
- Aug 14 Ivo Malec, Croat-French composer (Miniatures pour Lewis Carroll; Lumina), dies at 94
- Aug 14 Reg Scarlett, West Indian cricket off-spinner (3 Tests 1960), dies at 84
- Aug 16 Anna Quayle, British actress (A Hard Day's Night; Stop the World - I Want to Get Off), dies at 86
- Aug 16 Felice Gimondi, Italian road cyclist (Tour de France 1965; Giro d'Italia 1967, 69, 76; Vuelta a España 1968), dies of a heart attack at 76
- Aug 16 Jim Hardy, American NFL quarterback, 1946-52 (Los Angeles Rams; Chicago Cardinals, Detroit Lions; Pro Bowl 1950), dies at 96
- Aug 16 Peter Fonda, American actor (Easy Rider, Ulee's Gold), dies at 79
- Aug 16 Princess Christina [Maria Christina], Dutch royal, singer, and dance therapist, dies of bone cancer at 72
- Aug 18 Jack Whitaker, American sportscaster (ABC, CBS), dies of natural causes at 95
- Aug 18 Kathleen Blanco, American politician, 1st female Governor of Louisiana (2004-08), dies from cancer at 76
- Aug 19 Larry "The Mole" Taylor, American session (The Monkees) and touring rock and blues bass player (Canned Heat - "On the Road Again"; John Mayall; Tom Waits), dies of cancer at 77
- Aug 20 Russ Conway, American sports journalist (Eagleson NHL scandal), dies of heart disease at 70
- Aug 21 Norma Croker, Australian sprinter (1st Olympic Gold from Queensland), dies at 84
- Aug 22 Bobby Dillon, American NFL defensive back (second to record 50 interceptions), dies of dementia at 89
David Koch (1940-2019)
Aug 23 American businessman and philanthropist (Koch Industries), dies at 79
- Aug 23 Mario Davidovsky, Argentine-American electro-acoustic composer (Synchronisms), dies at 85
- Aug 23 Sheila Steafel, South African British actress (The Frost Report), dies at 84
- Aug 25 Bob Bouber [Boris Blom], Dutch singer (ZZ & Masks), dies at 83
- Aug 25 Pál Benkő, Hungarian-American chess player, author (Grandmaster; record 8 US Open Championships), dies at 91
- Aug 25 Vince Naimoli, American businessman and MLB team owner (Tampa Bay Devil Rays), dies of progressive supranuclear palsy at 81
- Aug 27 Dawda Kairaba Jawara, Gambian Prime Minister (1962-70) and 1st President of the Gambia (1970-94), dies at 95
- Aug 27 Jessi Combs, American auto racer, television personality (women’s land speed class record [4 wheels] 2013, 16), dies in jet-powered high-speed race car crash at 39
- Aug 29 Randy Romero, American jockey (Breeder's Cup 1987-89; Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame 2010), dies from kidney and liver cancer at 61
- Aug 30 Franco Columbu, Italian bodybuilder, powerlifter, actor and author (Mr. Olympia 1976, 81), dies at 78
- Aug 30 Hans Rausing, Swedish-British industrial billionaire (Tetra Pak), and philanthropist, dies at 93
- Aug 30 Valerie Harper, American actress (The Mary Tyler Moore Show; Rhoda), dies of cancer at 80
- Aug 31 Wim Statius Muller, Curaçaoa conductor, pianist, and composer, dies at 89
Assassination
Drug Overdose
Gunshot Wound
Murder
Plane Crash
Suicide