Famous Deaths on December 2

Hernán Cortés (1485-1547)

Spanish conquistador (defeated the Aztec Empire and colonized large parts of Mexico), dies of pleurisy at 61 or 62

1592 Alexander Farnese, land guardian of Netherlands (1579-92), dies at 46
1615 Louis des Balbes de Berton de Crillon, French general
1665 Catherine de Vivonne, marquise de Rambouillet, French socialite (b. 1588)
1694 Pierre Paul Puget, French artist, dies at 74
1719 Pasquier Quesnel, French theologist (La Foi), dies at 85
1723 Philippe II, Duke of Orléans and Regent of France (1715-23), dies at 49
1726 Samuel Penhallow, English-born American colonist and historian, dies at 61
1747 Vincent Bourne, English classical scholar (b. 1695)
1748 Charles Seymour, 6th Duke of Somerset, English politician, dies at 86
1763 Carl August Thielo, Danish composer and court organist, dies at 56
1774 Johann Friedrich Agricola, German (court) composer and organist, dies at 54
1810 Philipp Otto Runge, German Romantic painter, dies at 33

Marquis de Sade (1740-1814)

French philosopher and writer (Justine) and where the words sadism and sadist are derived from, dies at 74

1828 Simon Paap, Dutch dwarf (71 cm/28 inches tall) cabaret artist, dies at 39
1831 Traugott Maximilian Eberwein, German composer, dies at 56
1844 Eustachy Erazm Sanguszko, Polish general and politician, dies at 76
1845 Johann "Giovanni" Simon Mayr, German composer and music director (Cathedral of Bergamo, 1802-45), dies at 82
1849 Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen, Queen consort of William IV of the United Kingdom, dies at 57

John Brown (1800-1859)

American abolitionist and revolutionary (Harpers Ferry), hanged at 59

1860 Alfred Bunn, British theatrical manager (b. 1796)
1863 Jane Appleton Pierce, American 1st lady (1853-57) and wife of Franklin Pierce, dies of tuberculosis at 57
1864 Archibald Gracie III, Confederate brigadier general, dies in battle at Siege of Petersburg, Virginia aged 32
1880 Josephine Lang, German composer, dies at 65
1888 Franz Xaver Witt, German church musician, composer, and priest, dies at 54
1888 Namık Kemal, Turkish writer, journalist and political activist (Young Ottomans), dies at 47
1890 Cadmus M. Wilcox, American Major General (Confederate Army - American Civil War), dies at 66
1892 Jay Gould, American railroad developer and speculator, dies at 56
1899 Gregorio del Pilar, Filipino general (killed at Battle of Tirad Pass) (b. 1875)
1903 Victor Roger, composer, dies at 50
1915 Jan Malat, Czech composer, dies at 72
1916 Paolo Tosti, Italian composer, dies at 69
1918 Edmond Rostand, French poet and dramatist (Cyrano de Bergerac), , dies during the flu epidemic at 50
1918 Margit Kaffka, Hungarian writer, dies in the flu pandemic at 38
1919 Henry Clay Frick, American industrialist (built world's largest coke & steel operation) and art collector (Frick Collection), dies at 69
1923 Tomas Breton y Hernandez, composer, dies at 72
1924 Kazimieras Būga, Lithuanian philologist (b. 1879)
1925 Julio Garreta, Spanish composer (Sardanes), dies at 50

Vincent d'Indy (1851-1931)

French composer (Symphony on a French Mountain Air), and teacher, dies at 80

1933 Josef Gruber, Austrian organist and composer, dies at 78
1935 James Henry Breasted, American Egyptologist and anthropologist, dies at 70
1935 Martha Carey Thomas, American educator, suffragist, linguist and second President of Bryn Mawr College, dies of a coronary occlusion at 78
1935 State of California uses gas chamber instead of hanging for 1st time: Robert Lee Cannon (29) and Albert Kessel (28) executed for role in Folsom Prison escape attempt resulting in murder of warden and guard (San Quentin State Prison. Marin County)
1936 John Ringling, American circus owner (b. 1866)
1942 Karen Jønsson née (Pedersen), Danish jazz singer, pianist, songwriter, composer, and actress, dies of pneumonia at 33
1943 Nordahl Grieg, Norwegian poet, dramatist and novelist (The Defeat), dies at 41
1944 Eiji Sawamura, Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher (first no-hitter in Japanese pro baseball 1936), dies in battle when his ship torpedoed, at 27
1944 Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, Italian-French prose writer, novelist, poet, and dramatist (Futurism e Futurista), dies of cardiac arrest at 67
1944 JW Ummels, Dutch resistance fighter (House of Saxon-Nazi), dies
1949 Albert Ammons, American jazz, blues, and boogie-woogie pianist, dies at 42
1950 Constantin "Dinu" Lipatti, Romanian classical pianist and composer, dies of Hodgkins disease complications at 33
1951 Manuel Ugarte, Argentine diplomat, politician, newspaper owner, and author, dies at 79
1953 Ernie Hayes, English cricket all-rounder (5 Tests; Surrey CCC, Leicestershire CCC), dies at 77
1953 Francis Picabia, French avante-garde artist, writer and typographist (Amorous Parade), dies at 74
1953 Reginald "Snowy" Baker, Australian boxer (Olympic silver middleweight 1908), rugby union halfback (2 caps) and actor (The Sword of Valor), dies at 69
1953 Walter "Doc" Meanwell, English Basketball Hall of Fame coach (University of Wisconsin 1911–1917, 1920–1934), dies at 69
1957 Harrison Ford, American silent screen actor (Rubber Tires), dies at 73
1957 Leslie Henson, English comedian and actor (Lady Luck, Funny Face, Harvey), dies at 66
1957 Manfred Sakel, Polish neurophysiologist and psychiatrist, dies at 57
1963 Sabu [Dastagir], Indian actor (The Thief of Bagdad, Elephant Boy, Drum), dies of a heart attack at 39
1965 Maharajkumar of Vizianagram "Vizzy", Indian cricket batsman, captain, administrator, broadcaster and politician (3 Tests), dies at 59
1966 Bertus Brouwers, Dutch mathematician and philosopher (founder of modern topology), dies at 85
1967 Francis Spellman, American Bishop and Cardinal of Roman Catholic Church, dies at 78
1969 Kliment Voroshilov, Russian politician and military officer under Stalin (President of the USSR 1953-60), dies at 88
1969 Stephen Potter, English writer and humorist (School for Scoundrels, Shipbuilders), dies of pneumonia at 69
1972 Friedrich Christian Christiansen, German Luftwaffe general, dies
1972 Ip Man, Chinese martial artist, and a master teacher of Wing Chun, dies at 79
1972 Jose Limon, Mexican/US dancer (moor's pavane), dies at 64
1973 Watson Washburn, American tennis player (runner-up Wimbledon doubles 1924, US Nationals 1921, 23; founder International Tennis Hall of Fame), dies at 79
1974 Max Weber, Swiss Federal Councilor, dies at 77
1976 Danny Murtaugh, American baseball infielder and manager (World Series 1960, 71; Pittsburgh Pirates), dies from a stroke at 59
1976 William Tannen, American actor (Jailhouse Rock, Sitting Bull), dies at 65
1979 Vasily Pavlovich Solov'yov-Sedoy, Russian composer, dies at 72
1980 Richard Pindle Hammond, American composer dies at 83
1980 Romain Gary, Lithuanian-born French writer (b. 1914)
1981 Alexis Kagame, Rwandan philosopher, historian, poet and Tutsi intellectual and cultural leader, dies at 69
1981 Herman Jan Scheltema [NEM Pareau], Dutch jurist and poet, dies at 74
1981 Hershy Kay, American composer (Olympic Hymn, A Chorus Line), dies at 62
1981 Wallace Harrison, American architect (Metropolitan Opera House, United Nations complex), dies at 86
1982 David Blue [Cohen], American folk musician, dies of a heart attack while jogging in Greenwich Village at 41
1982 Giovanni Ferrari, Italian soccer midfielder and manager (44 caps; Juventus, Internazionale; mgr Italy), dies at 74
1982 Isador Goodman, South African-Australian composer, dies at 73
1982 Marty Feldman, English comedian (Young Frankenstein), dies of a heart attack at 49
1983 Atholl Mckinnon, South African cricket spin bowler (8 Tests, 26 wickets), dies from a heart attack at 51
1983 Fifi D'Orsay [Yvonne Lussier] Canadian-American vaudeville and film actress and singer known as the "French Bombshell" (The Life Jimmy Dolan; Dixie Jamboree), dies from cancer at 79
1985 Alex Courtney, actor (Sword of Justice), dies
1985 Aniello Dellacroce, American gangster (b. 1914)
1985 Philip Larkin, English poet and writer (North Ship, Jill), dies at 63

Desi Arnaz (1917-1986)

Cuban-American singer ("Babalú"), bandleader, actor (I Love Lucy - "Ricky Riccardo"), and television producer (The Untouchables),r, dies of lung cancer at 69

1986 John Curtis Gowan, American psychologist (b. 1912)
1987 Yakov Borisovich Zel'dovich, Russian physicist, dies at 73
1988 Tata Giacobetti, Italian jazz singer and lyricist (Quartetto Cetra), dies at 66

Aaron Copland (1900-1990)

American composer (Billy the Kid, Fanfare for Common Man), dies of Alzheimer's disease and respiratory failure at 90

1990 Robert Cummings, American actor (Love that Bob, Dial M For Murder), dies of kidney failure at 80
1991 George Lott, American tennis player (12 Grand Slam doubles titles), dies at 85
1992 Gary Mascaro, choreographer, dies at 43
1992 Loek Elfferich, Dutch journalist/historian (Treason in Rotterdam), die
1993 Cal Tinney, American comedian and actor (The Missouri Traveler, Stop Me If You Heard This One), dies at 85

Pablo Escobar (1949-1993)

Colombian drug lord, shot to death by Colombian Police at 44

1994 Donald John Urquhart, English librarian, dies at 85
1994 Norman Anderson, English lawyer, missionary and Arabist dies at 86
1995 Francis Joseph Quinn, academic, dies at 90
1995 Mária Telkes, Hungarian-American biophysicist ('the Sun Queen' who invented solar energy technologies), dies at 94 [1]
1995 Robertson Davies, Canadian novelist essayist and dramatist, dies at 82
1995 Roxie Roker, Bahamian-American actress (The Jeffersons- Helen Willis), dies of breast cancer at 66
1995 Stanley Devon, British photographer (British press photographer of the year 1948, 50), dies at 88
1997 Endicott Peabody, American politician (62nd Governor of Massachusetts), dies at 77
1997 Michael Hedges, American new-age guitarist, composer, and singer (Aerial Boundaries), dies in a car accident at 43
1997 Shirley Crabtree Jr. [Big Daddy], English pro wrestler (record-breaking 64-inch chest), dies from a stroke at 67
1997 Steve Hamilton, American baseball pitcher (New York Yankees) and basketball forward (Minneapolis Lakers), dies of cancer at 63
1998 Bob Haggart, American dixieland, swing jazz, and session double bass player, and composer ("What's New?"), dies at 84
1999 Charlie Byrd, American jazz and bossa nova guitarist (Desfinado), dies of lung cancer at 74
1999 Joey Adams [Joseph Abramowitz], American comedian, actor and columnist (ABC's Back That Fact), dies at 88
2000 Chris Antley, American Racing Hall of Fame jockey (Kentucky Derby 1991, 1999; Preakness 1999), dies of a drug overdose at 34
2000 Gail Fisher, American Emmy Award-winning actress (Mannix - "Peggy"), dies of kidney failure at 65
2002 Arno Peters, German historian (b. 1916)
2002 Ivan Illich, Austrian priest and philosopher (b. 1926)
2003 Alan Davidson, British author (Annabel stories) (b. 1924)
2003 Suzanne Cloutier, Canadian film actress (Othello), dies at 80
2004 Alicia Markova, English ballerina and choreographer (Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, 1925-32), dies aged 94
2004 Kevin Coyne, English musician, dies at 60
2004 Mona Van Duyn, American poet (b. 1921)
2005 Kenneth Lee Boyd, American convicted murderer (executed) (b. 1948)
2005 Nat Mayer Shapiro, American painter (b. 1919)
2005 Van Tuong Nguyen, Australian drug smuggler (hanged) (b. 1980)
2006 Dave Mount, English rocker (Mud), dies at 59
2006 Mariska Veres, Dutch singer (Shocking Blue), dies of cancer at 59
2007 Henry Cele, South African actor (Shaka Zulu), dies at 66
2007 Thomas F. Torrance, Scottish Protestant theologist, dies at 94
2008 (Edward) "Ted" Rogers, Canadian entrepreneur (Rogers Communications), MLB team owner (Toronto Blue Jays), and philanthropist, dies of congestive heart failure at 75
2008 Kathleen Baskin-Ball, American United Methodist Pastor
2008 Odetta [Odetta Holmes], American folk singer (Sanctuary), actress and civil rights activist, dies of heart disease at 77
2008 Renato de Grandis, Italian composer, dies at 81
2009 Eric Woolfson, Scottish singer and producer (The Alan Parsons Project), dies at 64
2009 Foge Fazio, American college football coach (University of Pittsburgh), dies of leukemia at 71
2009 Maggie Jones, English actress (b. 1934)
2010 Ron Santo, American Baseball Hall of Fame third baseman (9 x MLB All Star; 5 x Gold Glove; Chicago Cubs), dies from bladder cancer at 70
2011 Howard Tate, American soul singer and songwriter ("Ain't Nobody Home"; "Get It While You Can"), dies of complications of multiple myeloma and leukemia at 72
2012 Israel Keyes, American serial killer, commits suicide awaiting trial at 34
2013 Jean-Claude Beton, Algerian-born French businessman, entrepreneur and soft-drink manufacturer (Orangina), dies at 88
2013 Pedro Rocha, Uruguayan soccer midfielder and manager (52 caps; Peñarol, São Paulo F.C.), dies from mesencephalic atrophy at 70
2013 Vernon Shaw, President of Dominica (1998-2003), dies at 83
2014 Bobby Keyes, American Saxophonist, dies at 70
2014 Don Laws, American figure skater and coach (Scott Hamilton, Patrick Chan, Tiffany Chin), dies from heart failure at 85

Jean Béliveau (1931-2014)

Canadian Hockey Hall of Fame center (Hart Trophy 1956, 64; Art Ross Trophy 1956; Conn Smythe Trophy 1965; record 17 Stanley Cups), dies at 83

2014 Josie Cichockyj, British wheelchair athlete (wheelchair racing [WR 5,000m], basketball, tennis, table tennis), dies from cancer at 49
2015 Anthony Valentine, British actor (Colditz), dies at 76
2015 John Charles Eaton, American composer, dies at 80
2016 Paul de Wispelaere, Flemish writer and critic, dies at 88
2016 Sammy Lee, American diver (Olympic Gold 10m platform 1948, 52), dies from pneumonia at 96
2019 Francesco Janich, Italian soccer defender (6 caps; Bologna), dies at 82
2019 Fred Storey, Canadian curler (World C'ship gold 1966, 68, 69), dies at 87
2020 Pamela Tiffin, American actress (One, Two, Three; Viva Max!), dies at 78 [1]
2020 Pat Patterson, Canadian pro wrestler (WWE Hall of Fame; creator Royal Rumble), dies from cancer at 79
2020 Rafer Johnson, American decathlete (Olympic gold 1960), dies from stroke complications at 86
2020 Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, French politician, President of France (1974-81), dies of COVID-19 at 94
2020 Warren Berlinger, American actor (Larry-Joey Bishop Shop, Take Two), dies at 83