Walter Hagen
Oct 6 Walter Hagen, American golfer (11 major titles, US Open 1914, 19), dies of throat cancer at 76
Sonja Henie
Oct 12 Sonja Henie, Norwegian figure skater (Olympic gold 1928, 32, 36), and actress (My Lucky Star), dies from leukemia at 57
- Oct 14 Arnie Herber, American Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback (NFL C'ship 1930, 31, 36, 39; First-team All-Pro 1932, 35, 36; Green Bay Packers, NY Giants), dies at 59
- Oct 15 Rod La Rocque, American actor (Mystery Woman), dies at 70
- Oct 15 Abdirashid Shermake, President of Somali Republic, shot by one of his bodyguards at 50
- Oct 16 Leonard Chess [Lejzor Czyż], Polish-American blues and R&B record company executive (Chess Records), dies at 52
Jack Kerouac
Oct 21 Jack Kerouac, American writer (Doctor Sax, On the Road), dies at 47
- Oct 21 Waclaw Sierpinski, Polish mathematician (Sierpinski triangle), dies at 87
- Oct 21 Oscar "TV Slim" Wills, American blues singer-songwriter and guitarist ("Flatfoot Sam"), dies in a car wreck at 53
- Oct 23 Tommy Edwards, American R&B singer-songwriter ("It's All In The Game"), dies from complications of cirrhosis of the liver at 47
- Oct 24 Otto Jochum, German composer, dies at 71
- Oct 27 Jaime Pahissa, composer, dies at 89
- Oct 28 Constance Dowling, actress (Blind Spot), dies of cardiac arrest at 49
- Oct 29 Vic Richardson, Australian cricketer (Aussie capt 1935-36), dies at 75
- Oct 29 George "Pops" Foster, American jazz upright bass player, tuba player, and trumpeter, dies at 77
- Oct 30 George "Pops" Foster, American jazz double bassist and tuba player (Louis Armstrong; Sidney Bechet; Earl Hines), dies at 77
- Oct 31 Hugo Pfister, Swiss composer, dies at 55