- Oct 1 Spyridon Marinatos, Greek archaeologist (b. 1901)
- Oct 2 Ina Seidel, writer, dies at 89
- Oct 4 Anne Sexton, American poet (Live or Die; Pulitzer 1967), dies at 45
- Oct 6 Helmuth Koinigg, Austrian Formula One driver (b. 1948)
- Oct 6 V. K. Krishna Menon, Indian nationalist, Minister of Defense (1957-62), dies at 78
Oskar Schindler
Oct 9 Oskar Schindler, Austrian businessman and subject of the novel "Schindler's Ark" and the film "Schindler's List", dies at 66
Oskar Schindler
- Oct 10 Marie Luise Kaschnitz, writer, dies at 73
- Oct 12 Joseph Frederick Wagner, composer, dies at 74
- Oct 12 Hendrik Diels, Flemish conductor, dies at 73
- Oct 13 Ed Sullivan, TV host (Ed Sullivan Show, Toast of the Town), dies at 73
- Oct 16 Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar, noted Carnatic musician (b. 1895)
- Oct 17 René A de Rooy, Suriname/Antillean poet, dies at 57
- Oct 24 David Oistrakh, Soviet violinist considered one of the preeminent violinists of the 20th century (Moscow Conservatory), dies at 66
- Oct 27 Rudolf Dassler, German founder of sportswear company Puma, dies at 76
- Oct 29 Victor E. van Vriesland, Dutch poet (Mirror of Dutch Poetry), dies at 82