Aldo Moro
May 9 Aldo Moro, Five times Prime Minister of Italy, assassinated by the Marxist-Leninist terrorist organization Red Brigades at 61
Robert Menzies
May 15 Robert Menzies, 12th Prime Minister of Australia (1939-41, 1949-66) and its longest-serving, dies of a heart attack at 83
- May 16 William Steinberg, German-American conductor (Pittsburgh Symphony, 1952-76; Boston Symphony, 1969-71), dies at 78
- May 17 Selwyn Lloyd, British politician (Foreign Secretary, 1955-60; Exchequers, 1960-62; Leader of the House of Commons, 1963–64; Speaker of the House of Commons, 1971-76), dies of a brain tumor at 73
- May 19 George Gladstone, cricketer (one Test WI v England 1930), dies
- May 20 Ivan Harold Browning, American stage and screen actor and singer (Shuffle Along - "I'm Just Wild About Harry"), dies at 87
- May 21 Jo Spier [Joseph Spier], Dutch cartoonist and water color painter, dies at 77
- May 22 Bjarne Brustad, Norwegian composer, dies at 83
- May 26 Cybele, Greek actress (b. 1887)
- May 28 Arthur Brough, English actor (b. 1905)
- May 29 Carl Reynolds, American baseball outfielder (2nd player in MLB history to hit home runs in 3 consecutive innings 1930; Chicago White Sox), dies at 75
- May 31 József Bozsik, Hungarian footballer (b. 1925)