Deaths Date 2020 | History by KabAstro

Deaths 1 - 200 of 1,002

Jan 7 André Abadie, French rugby union front rower (7 caps; SC Rieumois, SC Graulhetois, SC Albi), dies at 85
Jan 7 Edward Applebaum, American jazz pianist and contemporary classical music composer (The Princess In The Garden), dies at 85
Jan 7 Elizabeth Wurtzel, American author (Prozac Nation), dies of metastatic breast cancer at 52
Jan 7 George Perles, American football coach (Michigan State University 1983-94; Pittsburgh Steelers), dies from Parkinson's disease at 85
Jan 7 Khamis Al-Owairan, Saudi Arabian soccer midfielder (105 caps; Al-Hilal, Al Ittihad), dies from cancer at 46
Jan 7 Neil Peart, Canadian rock drummer and lyricist (Rush - "Limelight"; "Peaceable Kingdom"), dies from glioblastoma (brain cancer) at 67
Jan 8 Buck Henry [Henry Zuckerman], American Emmy Award-winning screenwriter (Get Smart; The Graduate; The Owl and the Pussycat), actor (1st 10-time host of SNL; The Man Who Fell To Earth), and director Heaven Can Wait), dies of a heart attack at 89 [1]
Jan 8 Edd Byrnes, American actor (77 Sunset Strip, Jack the Ripper), dies at 87
Jan 8 Peter T. Kirstein, British computer scientist 'European father of the internet' (Internet Protocol), dies at 86
Jan 9 Bobby Comstock, American pop-rock singer (The Counts - "Let's Stomp"), dies at 78
Jan 9 Pete Dye, American golf course designer (TPC at Sawgrass, Crooked Stick, Oakwood CC), dies of Alzheimer's disease at 94
Jan 9 Roscoe Nance, American sportswriter (USA Today; Mississippi’s first African American sportswriter at mainstream newspaper), dies at 71
Jan 9 Rudolf W. de Korte, Dutch businessman (Unilever) and politician (House of Representatives (VVD), 1977-86 & 1989-96), dies at 83
Jan 10 Guido Messina, Italian road and track cyclist (World C'ship gold individual 4000m pursuit 1948, 53, 54, 55, 56; Olympic gold team 1952), dies at 89
Jan 10 Petko Petkov, Bulgarian soccer forward (33 caps; Beroe Stara Zagora, Austria Wien), dies at 73

Jan 10 Wolfgang Dauner, German jazz-fusion pianist and composer (United Jazz + Rock Ensemble), dies at 84
Jan 12 Paulo Gonçalves, Portuguese rally racing motorcycle rider (FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship 2013), dies in motorcycle crash during Dakar Rally at 40
Jan 15 Bobby Brown, Scottish soccer goalkeeper (5 caps; Rangers, Falkirk) and manager (St Johnstone; Scottish national team 1967-71), dies at 96
Jan 15 Chris Darrow, American country-rock pioneer, singer-songwriter, guitarist, fiddler, bassist, and banjo plucker (Kaleidoscope; Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, 1967-70), dies from complications following a stroke at 75
Jan 15 Rocky Johnson, Canadian pro wrestler (father of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson; with Tony Atlas first black champions in WWE history), dies of a pulmonary embolism at 75
Jan 16 Barry Tuckwell, Australian horn player (London Symphony, 1955-68), dies at 88
Jan 16 Christopher Tolkien, British author and son of J. R. R. Tolkien, dies at 95
Jan 16 Efraín Sánchez, Colombian soccer goalkeeper (9 caps; San Lorenzo) and manager (Columbia), dies at 93
Jan 16 Peter Hammersley, British Rear-Admiral who served on and designed submarines, dies at 91
Jan 17 Bapu Nadkarni, Indian cricket all-rounder (41 Tests; top score 122; 88 wickets), dies at 86
Jan 17 Claudio Roditi, Brazilian jazz trumpeter, arranger, and composer, dies at 74
Jan 17 Derek Fowlds, British actor (Yes Minister, The Basil Brush Show), dies at 82
Jan 17 Morimichi Takagi, Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame second baseman (NPB All-Star 1966–67, 73, 79; Chunichi Dragons), dies at 78
Jan 17 Pietro Anastasi, Italian soccer striker (25 caps; Juventus, Ascoli, Inter), dies from motor neurone disease at 71
Jan 18 Mario Bergamaschi, Italian soccer midfielder (5 caps; Calcio Como, A.C. Milan, U.C. Sampdoria), dies at 91

Jan 18 Peter Mathebula, South African boxer (WBA flyweight title 1980-81), dies at 67
Jan 18 Robert Maclennan, Baron Maclennan of Rogart, British politician (Member of Parliament 1966-2001; House of Lords, 2001-20), dies at 83
Jan 19 Jimmy Heath, American jazz saxophonist and composer, known as "Little Bird", dies at 93
Jan 19 Kazım Ayvaz, Turkish wrestler (Olympic gold lightweight, 1964; World C'ship gold welterweight, 1958; lightweight, 1962), dies at 81
Jan 19 Robert Parker, American saxophonist and soul singer ("Barefootin'"), dies at 89
Jan 19 Shin Kyuk-Ho, Korean businessman (Lotte Corporation), dies at 98
Jan 21 Morgan Wootten, American Basketball Hall of Fame coach (46 seasons DeMatha Catholic HS, Hyattsville, Maryland; National C'ships 1962, 65, 68, 78, 84), dies at 88
Jan 21 Terry Jones, Welsh comedian (Monty Python), dies from complications of dementia at 77
Jan 22 John Karlen, American actor (Harvey Lacey-Cagney & Lacey), dies at 86
Jan 23 Alfred Körner, Austrian soccer striker (47 caps; Rapid Wien), dies at 93
Jan 23 Frank Froehling, American tennis player (US C'ships 1963 runner-up; doubles, mixed doubles 1965 runner-up), dies at 77
Jan 23 Gudrun Pausewang, German children's and young adult literature writer (The Last Children of Schewenborn; Die Wolke), dies at 91
Jan 23 Jim Lehrer, American television news anchor (McNeil-Lehrer Report/PBS Newshour, 1975-2011), and novelist, dies at 85
Jan 24 Duje Bonačić, Croatian rower (Olympic gold coxless four 1952), dies at 90
Jan 24 Juan José Pizzuti, Argentine soccer striker and manager (12 caps; Racing Club de Avellaneda), dies at 92
Jan 24 Pete Stark, American politician (Rep-D-CA, 1973-2013), dies at 88
Jan 24 Rob Rensenbrink, Dutch soccer left winger or forward (46 caps; Anderlecht), dies of progressive muscular atrophy at 72
Jan 25 Gene Corrigan, American lacrosse player, coach and college athletics administrator (President of the NCAA 1995-97), dies at 91
Jan 25 Monique van Vooren, Belgian-American actress (Andy Warhol's Frankenstein), and writer, dies of cancer at 92

Jan 26 Bob Shane, American folk vocalist (Kingston Trio - "Tom Dooley"), dies at 85

Kobe Bryant (1978-2020)

Jan 26 American basketball guard (NBA champion 2000–02, 09-10; NBA MVP 2008; 18 x NBA All Star; LA Lakers; Olympic gold 2008, 12), dies in a helicopter crash at 41

Jan 27 Alberto Naranjo, Venezuelan jazz drummer, composer and arranger, dies at 78
Jan 27 Jack Burns, American comedian (Burns & Schreiber), actor, and screenwriter (The Muppet Show), dies of respiratory failure at 86 [1]
Jan 28 Bob Nave, American rock and blues Hammond B-3 organist (Lemon Pipers - "Green Tambourine"), jazz radio DJ, and philanthropist, dies at 75
Jan 28 Chris Doleman, American Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive end (8 × Pro Bowl; 3 × First-team All-Pro; Minnesota Vikings), dies of brain cancer at 58
Jan 28 Marj Dusay [Marjorie Mahoney], American actress (Guiding Light - "Alexandra"; Bret Maverick - "Kate"), dies at 83
Jan 28 Mohammad Munaf, Pakistan cricket fast bowler (4 Tests, 11 wickets; Karachi, Sind), dies at 84
Jan 28 Nicholas Parsons, British presenter, comedian and actor "the ultimate quiz show host", dies at 96
Jan 29 Christoph Meckel, German writer, and graphic artist, dies at 84
Jan 29 Irina Laricheva, Russian trap shooter (World C'ships x 6 gold individual, team, double trap), dies at 55
Jan 29 Keith Nelson, New Zealand soccer striker (20 caps; Mount Wellington), dies at 72
Jan 29 Larry Eisenhauer, American football defensive end (AFL All-Star 1962, 63, 64, 66; Boston Patriots), dies at 79
Jan 30 Fred Silverman, American broadcasting executive and producer (ABC, NBC and CBS), dies at 82
Jan 30 John Andretti, American auto racer (NASCAR Cup Series: 2 wins, 37 top tens, 4 poles), dies from colon cancer at 56
Jan 30 Jörn Donner, Finnish director (Anna, Tenderness), dies at 86
Jan 31 César Zabala, Paraguayan soccer defender (49 caps; Cerro Porteño), dies of bladder cancer at 58
Jan 31 Johnny Bumphus, American boxer (WBA super lightweight title 1984), dies at 59
Jan 31 Mary Higgins Clark, American suspense novelist (Cry in the Night; Stillwatch), dies at 92
Feb 1 Andy Gill, British guitarist and record producer (Gang of Four - "Damaged Goods"), dies from multiple organ failure and pneumonia at 64
Feb 1 Peter Serkin, American concert pianist (TASHI quartet), and pedagogue (Juilliard; Curtis Institute; Yale; Bard College), dies from pancreatic cancer at 72
Feb 2 Ivan Král, Czech-American bass player, songwriter, record producer (Patti Smith; Iggy Pop; John Waite), dies of cancer at 71
Feb 3 Eric Parkin, British classical pianist and champion of British composers, dies at 95
Feb 3 George Steiner, French American literary critic and educator, dies at 90
Feb 3 Robert Alner, British racehorse trainer (Cheltenham Gold Cup: Cool Dawn 1998), dies at 76
Feb 3 Willie Wood, American Pro Football HOF safety (Pro Bowl 1962, 64–70; Super Bowl I, II; GB Packers), dies of dementia at 83
Feb 4 Alexander Skvortsov, Russian ice hockey left wing (Olympic gold 1984; World C'ship gold 1979, 81, 83), dies at 65
Feb 4 Benito Sarti, Italian soccer defender (6 caps; Juventus, Sampdoria), dies at 83

Daniel arap Moi (1924-2020)

Feb 4 Kenya's longest serving President (1978-2002), dies at 95

Feb 4 Edward Kamau Brathwaite, Caribbean poet (Born to Slow Horses) and academic, dies at 89
Feb 4 Giancarlo Bergamini, Italian fencer (Olympic gold foil, team 1956; silver foil team 1952, individual 1956), dies at 93
Feb 4 Willy Giefer, German composer (Everything That Breathes), dies at 89
Feb 5 Buddy Cage, American pedal steel guitarist (New Riders of the Purple Sage, Great Speckled Bird), dies from multiple myeloma at 73

Kirk Douglas (1916-2020)

Feb 5 American actor (Spartacus, Gunfight at the O.K. Corral), dies at 103

Feb 6 Jan Liberda, Polish soccer forward (35 caps; Polonia Bytom), dies at 83
Feb 6 Lynn Evans [Carolyn Hargate], American pop vocalist (The Chordettes - "Mr. Sandman"; "Lollipop"), dies of a stroke at 95
Feb 6 Nello Santi, Italian opera conductor (Opernhaus Zürich; NY Metropolitan Opera), dies of a blood infection at 80
Feb 7 Harold Strachan, South African writer, anti-apartheid activist, and explosives expert, dies of liver disease complications at 94
Feb 7 James McGarrell, American painter, dies at 89
Feb 7 Li Wenliang, Chinese doctor who tried to raise the alarm over COVID-19, dies of COVID-19 in Wuhan at 34
Feb 7 Nexhmije Pagarusha, Albanian singer ‘the Nightingale of Kosovo’ and actress, dies at 86
Feb 7 Orson Bean, American actor and comedian (To Tell the Truth), killed in a traffic accident at 91
Feb 7 Steve Weber, American psychedelic folk guitarist, (The Holy Modal Rounders - "Bird Song"; "You've Got the Right String but the Wrong Yo-Yo"),dies at 76
Feb 8 Erhard Schnell, German automotive designer 'Father of the Opel GT', dies at 92
Feb 8 Paula Kelly, American dancer, choreographer, and actress (Night Court, 1984 - "Liz"), dies of heart failure at 77
Feb 8 Robert Conrad [Conrad R. Falk], American actor (Wild Wild West), dies at 84
Feb 9 (Doris) "Sorrel" Hays, American pianist and composer (The Glass Woman), dies of cancer at 78
Feb 9 Mirella Freni, Italian lyric soprano (Madame Butterfly), dies at 84
Feb 9 Sergei Slonimsky, Russian composer and pianist, dies at 87
Feb 10 Claire Bretécher, French cartoonist (Les Frustrés), dies at 79
Feb 10 George Colerick, English music writer and publisher (Romanticism and Melody; From The Italian Girl to Cabaret), dies at 94
Feb 10 Waqar Hasan, Pakistani cricket batsman (21 Tests, top score 189; member Pakistan's inaugural Test squad), dies at 87
Feb 11 (Bhekizizwe) Joseph Shabalala, South African singer, songwriter, founder and musical director of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, dies at 79
Feb 11 Katsuya Nomura, Japanese baseball catcher and manager (first NPB batter to win Triple Crown 1965; Nankai Hawks), dies of heart failure at 84
Feb 12 Tamás Wichmann, Hungarian sprint canoeist (World C'ship gold x 9; Olympic silver C-1 1000m 1972, C-2 1000m 1968; bronze C-1 1000m 1976), dies at 72
Feb 13 Jimmy Thunder, New Zealand boxer (IBO heavyweight title 1994-95), dies following brain surgery at 54
Feb 14 Garrett Fitzgerald, Irish rugby union coach and administrator (CEO Munster Rugby 1999-2019), dies at 65
Feb 14 Jimmy Conway, Irish soccer midfielder (20 caps Republic of Ireland; Fulham), dies at 73
Feb 15 A. E. Hotchner, American editor, novelist and playwright, dies at 102 [1]
Feb 15 Caroline Flack, British television presenter (Love Island), commits suicide at 40
Feb 15 David Sturtevant Ruder, American lawyer, college professor, and 23rd chairman of Security & Exchange Commission (1987-89), dies at 90
Feb 16 Barry Hulshoff, Dutch soccer defender (14 caps; European Cup 1971, 72, 73; Ajax Amsterdam), dies at 73
Feb 16 Harry Gregg, Irish soccer goalkeeper (25 caps Northern Ireland; Manchester United) and manager (Shrewsbury Town, Swansea, Crewe Alexandra), dies at 87
Feb 16 Larry Tesler, American computer scientist (invented copy, cut, paste), dies at 74
Feb 16 Tony Fernández, Dominican baseball shortstop (5 x MLB All-Star; 4 x Gold Glove; World Series 1993 Toronto Blue Jays), dies of polycystic kidney disease at 57

Mickey Wright (1935-2020)

Feb 17 American golfer (13 major titles; 82 LPGA Tour wins), dies from a heart attack at 85

Feb 17 Terry Lineen, New Zealand rugby union centre (12 caps; Auckland), dies at 84
Feb 19 Heather Couper, British astronomer and presenter (The Sky at Night), dies at 70
Feb 19 Jens Nygaard Knudsen, Danish toy designer (Lego mini-figure), dies at 78
Feb 19 Pop Smoke [Bashar Barakah Jackson], American rapper and singer-songwriter (Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon), shot and killed in a home invasion at 20
Feb 21 Lisel Mueller, German-American poet (Alive Together - Pulitzer Prize for Poetry 1997), dies at 96 [1]
Feb 21 Phil Maloney, Canadian ice hockey center (NHL: Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Chicago Black Hawks) and coach (Vancouver Canucks), dies at 92
Feb 23 János Göröcs, Hungarian soccer midfielder (62 caps; Újpesti Dózsa, Tatabányai Bányász), dies at 80
Feb 23 Stefan Florenski, Polish soccer defender (11 caps; Górnik Zabrze), dies at 86
Feb 24 Ben Cooper, American western actor (The Rose Tattoo; Outcast; Arizona Raiders), dies at 86
Feb 24 David Roback, American alternative rock guitarist, songwriter, and producer (Opal; Mazzy Star), dies of cancer at 61
Feb 24 Don Furner, Australian rugby league forward (1 Test) and coach (Australia 15 Tests; Eastern Suburbs, Canberra Raiders), dies at 87
Feb 24 Jahn Teigen, Norwegian pop-rock singer (Popol Ace; Eurovison Song Contest, 1978, 1982 & 1983), dies at 70
Feb 24 Jan Kowalczyk, Polish equestrian rider (Olympics gold show jumping individual; silver team 1980), dies at 78

Katherine Johnson (1918-2020)

Feb 24 American NASA mathematician (portrayed in film Hidden Figures), dies at 101

Feb 24 Mario Bunge, Argentine-Canadian philosopher and physicist (pioneering work in epistemology), dies at 100 [1]
Feb 25 Dmitry Jazov, Russian Minister of Defense (1991 coup) and last Marshal of the Soviet Union, dies at 95

Hosni Mubarak (1928-2020)

Feb 25 Egyptian president (1981-2011) who was ousted during the Arab spring, dies at 91

Feb 26 Michael Medwin, English actor and film producer ("Four in a Jeep, Scrooge"; "Checkpoint"), dies at 96
Feb 26 Nexhmije Hoxha, Albanian wife of dictator Enver Hoxha 'Lady Macbeth of Albania', dies at 99
Feb 28 Freeman Dyson, American physicist (known for his work in quantum electrodynamics, solid-state physics, astronomy and nuclear engineering), dies at 96
Feb 28 Johnny Antonelli, American baseball pitcher (6 × MLB All-Star 1954, 56–59²; World Series, NL ERA leader 1954; SF Giants), dies from colon cancer at 89
Feb 28 Stig-Göran Myntti, Finnish soccer midfielder (61 caps; Vasa IFK), dies at 94
Feb 29 Andrei Vedernikov, Russian road cyclist (first Soviet to win individual amateur road race at World C'ships 1981), dies as a result of a falling tree at 60
Feb 29 Bill Roe, American sports executive (President USA Track & Field 2000-2008), dies at 69
Feb 29 Éva Székely, Hungarian swimmer (Olympic gold 200m breaststroke 1952; silver 1956; first WR 400m individual medley 1953), dies at 92
Feb 29 William O. Smith [Bill Smith], American classical and jazz composer and clarinetist (played with Dave Brubeck), dies at 93
Mar 1 Ernesto Cardenal, Nicaraguan Catholic priest, politician, poet, and writer, dies from ongoing heart and kidney issues at 95

Jack Welch (1935-2020)

Mar 1 American businessman and CEO of General Electric (GE), dies of renal failure at 84

Mar 1 Stefan Lindqvist, Swedish soccer midfielder (5 caps; IFK Göteborg), dies from Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis at 52
Mar 2 Henry N. Cobb, American architect (Pei Cobb Freed & Partners), dies at 93
Mar 2 James Lipton, American actor, writer and host of Inside the Actors Studio, dies at 93
Mar 3 Stanisław Kania, Polish communist politician, dies of pneumonia at 92
Mar 4 Alan Cartwright, British rock bass player (Procol Harum, 1972-77), dies at 75
Mar 4 Amo Houghton, American politician (Rep-R-New York, 1987-2005), dies at 93

Javier Pérez de Cuéllar (1920-2020)

Mar 4 Peruvian diplomat (5th Secretary-General of the United Nations, 1982-91; Prime Minister of Peru, 2000-01), dies at 100

Mar 4 Robert Shavlakadze, Georgian athlete (Olympic gold USSR high jump 1960), dies at 86
Mar 5 Antonio Permunian, Swiss soccer goalkeeper (11 caps; AC Bellinzona, FC Luzern), dies at 89

Henri Richard (1936-2020)

Mar 6 Canadian Hockey Hall of Fame center (record 11 Stanley Cups; 9 x NHL All Star; Montreal Canadiens), dies from Alzheimer's disease at 84

Mar 6 McCoy Tyner, American jazz pianist (John Coltrane Quartet), dies at 81
Mar 7 Mart Crowley, American playwright (Boys in the Band), dies at 84
Mar 7 Matthew Watkins, Welsh rugby union centre (18 caps; Newport, Llanelli Scarlets), dies from pelvic cancer at 41

Max Von Sydow (1929-2020)

Mar 8 Swedish actor (Hawaii, Exorcist, Dune, Game of Thrones), dies at 90

Mar 9 Keith Olsen, American rock record producer and sound engineer (Fleetwood Mac - Fleetwood Mac; Grateful Dead - Terrapin Station; Joe Walsh - The Confessor), dies of cardiac arrest at 74
Mar 9 Lorenzo Brino, American actor (7th Heaven - "Sam"), dies in single vehicle car crash at 21
Mar 11 Charles Wuorinen, American contemporary classical pianist, conductor, and Pulitzer Prize-winning composer (Time's Encomium; Marimba Variations; Brokeback Mountain), dies at 81
Mar 11 Michel Roux, French chef and restaurateur (Le Gavroche, 1st Michelin three-starred restaurant in Britain), dies at 78
Mar 12 Don Burrows, Australian jazz musician, dies at 91
Mar 12 John Chalstrey, British surgeon and politician (668th Lord Mayor of London. 1995-96), dies at 88
Mar 12 John Lyons, British linguist, academic, and administrator (Master of Trinity Hall, 1985-2000), dies at 87
Mar 13 Barbara Harris, 1st American Episcopal female bishop, dies at 89

Breonna Taylor (1993-2020)

Mar 13 African American medical technician, shot and killed by police officers in her home at 26 [1]

Mar 13 Dana Zátopková, Czech athlete (Olympic gold women's javelin 1952, silver 1960), dies at 97
Mar 14 Genesis P-Orridge [Neil Megson], British avant-garde rock singer-songwriter, and performance artist (Throbbing Gristle; Psychic TV), dies of leukemia at 70
Mar 14 Phil Phillips [Baptiste], American singer-songwriter (Sea of Love), dies at 94
Mar 15 Roy Hudd, British comedian, radio host (News Huddlines, 1975-2001), author (Underneath The Arches), and actor (Lipstick On Your Collar), dies at 83
Mar 15 Suzy Delair, French actress and singer (The Murderer Lives at Number 21, Utopia, White Paws), dies at 102
Mar 16 Stuart Whitman, American actor (Johnny Thunder; The Mark; The Comancheros; Cimarron Strip), dies at 92
Mar 17 Lyle Waggoner, American actor (The Carol Burnett Show; Wonder Woman), dies from cancer at 84
Mar 17 Roger Mayweather, American boxer (WBA & lineal super featherweight title 1983-84, WBC light welterweight 1987-89; IBO light welterweight; IBO welterweight 1994-95), dies at 58
Mar 18 Alfred M. Worden, American Colonel USAF, NASA astronaut (Apollo 15), dies of a stroke at 88
Mar 20 Borislav Stanković, Serbian Basketball Hall of Fame administrator (International Basketball Federation secretary general 1976-2002), dies at 94

Kenny Rogers (1938-2020)

Mar 20 American pop and country singer-songwriter ("The Gambler"; "Through the Years") and entrepreneur (Kenny Rogers Roasters), dies of natural causes at 81

Mar 21 John Sparrow, British banker and bureaucrat (Chairman of British Horserace Betting Levy Board, 1991-99), dies at 86
Mar 21 Lorenzo Sanz, Spanish businessman and football executive (president Real Madrid 1995-2000; owner Málaga CF), dies from COVID-19 at 76
Mar 21 Ted Graham, Lord Graham of Edmonton, English politician, House of Lords (chief opposition whip), dies at 94
Mar 22 Eric Weissberg, American singer and musician (Duelling Banjos), dies of Alzheimer’s at 80
Mar 22 Julie Felix, American-born British-based folk-rock singer-songwriter, and BBC presenter (The Frost Report; Once More With Felix), dies at 81
Mar 22 Stan Bronstein, American rock saxophonist (Elephant's Memory), dies at 81
Mar 23 Benjamin Smit, Curacaos architect (St Elizabeth Hospital), dies at 97