Gordon Lightfoot (1938-2023)
May 1 Canadian folk singer ("Sundown"; "The Wreck of The Edmund Fitzgerald"), dies at 84 [1]
- May 2 Alice Coleman, English geographer (directed UK Land Use Survey), dies at 99
- May 2 Bernard Lapasset, French rugby union executive (Chairman World Rugby 2008-16; President French Federation of Rugby Union 1991-2008), dies at 75
- May 2 Christian Larièpe, French soccer defender (FC Montceau Bourgogne) and sporting director (AS Saint-Étienne, FC Lausanne-Sport, FC Nantes), dies at 63
- May 2 Damir Šolman, Croatian basketball small forward (World Cup gold 1970, silver 1974 Yugoslavia; Olympic silver 1968, 76; FIBA European Selection 1974; Mladost Zagreb, Jugoplastika), dies at 74
- May 2 Frank Phillips, Australian golfer (Australian Open 1957, 61; Hong Kong Open 1966, 73; Singapore Open 1961, 65), dies at 90
- May 2 Tori Bowie, American athlete (Olympic gold 4×100 m relay, silver 100m, bronze 200m 2016; World C'ship gold 100m, 4x100m relay 2017), dies at 32
- May 3 Lance Blanks, American basketball guard (Detroit Pistons, Minnesota Timberwolves), executive (GM Phoenix Suns 2010-13), and broadcaster (ESPN, Longhorn Network), takes his own life at 56
- May 3 Linda Lewis [Fredericks], British pop-rock-soul singer-songwriter, and guitarist ("Rock-a-Doodle-Doo"), dies at 72
- May 4 Petr Klíma, Czech NHL right wing, 1985-99 (Detroit Red Wings; Edmonton Oilers, and 3 other teams), dies at 58
- May 5 Arsenio Iglesias, Spanish soccer manager (Deportivo La Coruña, Hércules, Zaragoza, Elche, Real Madrid), dies at 92
- May 5 Chris Strachwitz, German-born American folk, roots, and world music record producer and label founder (Arhoolie Records), dies at 91 [1]
- May 5 Siiri Rantanen, Finnish cross country skier (Olympic gold 3 × 5k relay 1956, bronze 1960; bronze 10k 1952), dies at 98
- May 5 Terry Lewis, Australian disgraced police officer (Commissioner of the Queensland Police Service, 1976-87), and convict (corruption, forgery), dies at 95
- May 6 André Carolus Cirino, Surinamese indigenous writer, dies at 93
- May 6 Marc Lalonde, French Canadian politician (30th Minister of Finance, 1982-84), dies at 93
- May 6 Menahem Pressler, Israeli-American classical pianist (Beaux Arts Trio, 1955-2008), and educator (Indian University, 1955-2023), dies at 99
- May 6 Newton N. Minow, American lawyer, statesman (FCC Chairman, 1961-63), and public broadcasting advocate, dies at 97 [1]
Vida Blue (1949-2023)
May 6 American baseball pitcher (6 x MLB All-Star; Cy Young Award & AL MVP 1971; World Series 1972, 73, 74 Oakland A's; SF Giants, KC Royals), dies at 73
- May 7 Don January, American golfer (PGA Championship 1967; 10 x PGA Tour wins; 22 x PGA Tour Champions wins), dies at 93
Grace Bumbry (1937-2023)
May 7 American mezzo-soprano (Venus in Tannhäuser, 1st Black singer to sing at Bayreuth Festival), dies at 86 [1]
- May 7 Larry Mahan, American rodeo rider (PRCA All-Around Champion 1966–70, 73; ProRodeo Hall of Fame), dies at 79
- May 7 Vic Stasiuk, Canadian ice hockey left winger (Chicago Black Hawks, Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins) and coach (Philadelphia Flyers, Vancouver Canucks), dies at 93
- May 8 Joe Kapp, American College / Canadian Football HOF quarterback (UC Berkeley; NFL C'ship & Pro Bowl 1969 Minnesota Vikings; CFL Grey Cup 1964 BC Lions; CFL All-Star 1963, 64), dies at 85
- May 8 Rita Lee [Jones], Brazilian rock singer, songwriter and musician (Os Mutantes), dies at 75 [1]
- May 9 Antonio Carbajal, Mexican soccer goalkeeper (32 caps; Club León 364 games) and manager (León, Unión de Curtidores, Atlético Morelia), dies at 93
- May 9 Denny Crum, American College Basketball & Basketball Hall of Fame coach (University of Louisville 1971-2001; NCAA C'ship 1980, 86; 6 x Final Fours), dies at 86
- May 9 Heather Armstrong 'Queen of the Mommy bloggers', American web writer (Dooce blog), dies of suicide at 47 [1]
- May 9 Jackie Zeman, American actress (General Hospital - "Bobbie Spencer"), dies of cancer at 70
- May 9 John Bland, South African golfer (British Senior Open 1997, 99, 2000 runner-up; US Senior Open 1997 runner-up), dies from cancer at 77
- May 10 Ed Flanagan, American football center (Pro Bowl 1969, 70, 71, 73; Detroit Lions, San Diego Chargers), dies from heart problems at 79
- May 10 Leonid Kravchuk, Ukrainian politician (1st President of Ukraine, 1991-94), dies at 88
- May 10 Rolf Harris, Australian-British comedian, actor, painter, singer-songwriter ("Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport"), and convicted sex offender, dies at 93 [1]
- May 10 Thelston Payne, West Indian cricket wicketkeeper (1 Test, 5 dismissals; 7 ODIs, HS 60; Barbados), dies from pancreatic cancer at 66
- May 11 Barry Newman, American film and television actor (Vanishing Point; Amy; Petrocelli), dies of throat cancer at 92
- May 11 Futoshi Nakanishi, Japanese Baseball HOF infielder (Nishitetsu Lions; Pacific League MVP 1956; 7×Best Nine Award) and manager (Nishitetsu Lions), dies at 90
- May 11 Kenneth Anger [Anglemeyer], American Underground Filmmaker (Magick Lantern Cycle), dies at 96
- May 12 Bruce Robertson, New Zealand rugby union centre (34 Tests, 22 tries; Counties Manukau RFU), dies at 71
- May 12 Don Denkinger, American baseball umpire (World Series: 1974, 80, 85, 91; MLB All-Star Game 1971, 76, 87; "The Call"), dies at 86
- May 12 Owen Davidson, Australian tennis player (mixed doubles Grand Slam 1967 [Lesley Turner Bowrey, Billie Jean King]; Australian Open doubles 1972, US Open doubles 1973), dies at 79
- May 13 Keiko Tanaka-Ikeda, Japanese gymnast (World C'ship gold balance beam 1954; Olympic bronze team 1964; first Japanese female to win a world title), dies at 89
- May 13 Weldon Olsen, American ice hockey center (Olympic gold 1960, silver 1956; Michigan State University), dies at 90
- May 14 Doyle Brunson, American poker player (10 x bracelets; World Series of Poker Main Event champion 1976, 77; Poker HOF), dies at 89
- May 14 Ferran Olivella, Spanish soccer defender (18 caps Spain, 2 Catalonia; FC Barcelona 214 games), dies at 86
- May 15 Ron Northcott, Canadian curler (World C'ship gold 1966, 68, 69), dies at 87
- May 16 Marlene Bauer Hagge, American golfer, co-founder LPGA (Woman's PGA C'ship 1956), dies after a fall at 89
- May 16 Nelsinho Rosa, Brazilian soccer coach (Saudi Arabia, Fluminense, Vasco da Gama), dies at 85
- May 16 Per Røntved, Danish soccer defender (75 caps; Werder Bremen, Brønshøj BK, Randers SK Freja), dies from cancer at 74
- May 16 Uwe Kitzinger, German-British political scientist, educator and administrator (President of Templeton College Oxford), dies of a heart attack at 95
- May 17 "Superstar" Billy Graham [Eldridge Coleman], American pro wrestler (WWWF Heavyweight Champion 1977-78), dies of kidney, heart, and lung problems at 79
- May 18 Buddy Melges, American sailor (Olympic gold Soling 1972; 5 x world champion; America's Cup skipper, America3 1992), dies at 93
- May 18 Denis Worrall, South African politician (DP), diplomat, and academic, dies at 87
Jim Brown (1936-2023)
May 18 American College-Pro Football HOF running back (Syracuse University; Cleveland Browns - NFL Rookie of the Year 1957; NFL MVP 1957, 58, 65; 8 x First-team All-Pro; 9 x Pro Bowl), actor (The Dirty Dozen; ...tick...tick...tick...), and civil rights activist, dies at 87 [1]
- May 19 Andy Rourke British rock bassist (The Smiths - "This Charming Man"; "Ask"), dies of pancreatic cancer at 59
- May 19 Brian Booth, Australian cricket batsman (29 Tests @ 42.21, 5 x 100s, 10 x 50s; NSW), dies at 89
- May 19 Martin Amis, British novelist (London Fields; The Rachel Papers), dies of esophageal cancer at 73
- May 19 Pete Brown, British musician and lyricist (Cream - "I Feel Free"; "White Room"; "Sunshine of Your Love"), dies at 82 [1]
- May 20 Rick Hummel, American sports writer (St. Louis Post-Dispatch; J. G. Taylor Spink Award 2007; president Baseball Writers' Association of America), dies at 77
- May 20 Sante Ranucci, Italian cyclist (gold UCI World C'ships amateur road race 1955), dies at 89
- May 20 Terry McDermott, American speed skater (Olympic gold 500m 1964, silver 1968), dies at 82
- May 21 Ed Ames [Edmund Dantes Urick], American popular singer (Ames Brothers - "My Cup Runneth Over"), and actor (Daniel Boone - "Mingo"), dies at 95 [1]
- May 21 Ray Stevenson, Northern Irish actor (King Arthur, Rome), dies at 58
- May 22 Claude Noel, Tobagonian boxer (WBA Lightweight title 1981), dies at 74
- May 23 (Isaac) "Redd" Holt, American jazz and soul drummer (Ramsey Lewis Trio, 1956-66 - "The In Crowd"; Young-Holt Unlimited - "Soulful Strut"), dies at 91
- May 23 Cotton Nash, American baseball outfielder (Chicago WS, Minnesota Twins) and basketball small forward (LA Lakers, SF Warriors, Kentucky Colonels), dies at 80
- May 23 Ingrid Haebler, Austrian pianist (Haydn/Mozart/Schubert), dies at 96
- May 23 Sheldon Reynolds, American soul and funk guitarist (Commodores, 1983-87; Earth, Wind & Fire, 1987-2002), dies at 63
- May 24 Bill Lee, American session double-bassist, and film score composer (Do The Right Thing; She's Gotta Have It), dies at 94
- May 24 George Maharis, American actor (Route 66 - "Buz"; The Happening; The Most Deadly Game), dies at 94 [1]
- May 24 Jerry Krause, American Basketball HOF coach (Eastern Washington University; director basketball operations Gonzaga 1985-2015), dies of colon cancer at 87
Tina Turner (1939-2023)
May 24 American singer (Ike & Tina - "Proud Mary"; solo - "What's Love Got To Do With It"), dies at 83 [1]
- May 25 Denny Stolz, American college football coach (Alma College, Michigan State University, Bowling Green State Uni, San Diego State Uni), dies at 89
- May 25 Frank Handlen, American artist of marine subjects, dies at 106
- May 26 Jack Lee, American rock singer and songwriter (Blondie - "Hanging on the Telephone"; Paul Young - "Come Back and Stay"), dies of colon cancer at 71
- May 26 Reuben Wilson, American jazz organist ("Got to Get Your Own"), dies of lung cancer at 88
- May 29 Vítězslav Mácha, Czech Greco-Roman wrestler (Olympic gold welterweight 1972, silver 1976; World C'ship gold 1974, 77), dies at 75
- May 30 John Beasley, American actor (Everwood; Rudy), dies at 79
- May 31 Theodoros Pangalos, Greek politician (Deputy Prime Minister), dies at 84
Assassination
Car Crash
Hanging
Killed in Action
Plane Crash
Poisoning