Famous Deaths on May 6

Charles III (1490-1527)

Duke of Bourbon, Constable of France (1515-21) and military leader who opposed King of France Francis I and fought for Holy Roman Emperor, dies in the Sack of Rome at 37

1540 Jean Luis Vives, Spanish scholar and Renaissance humanist thought of as the father of modern psychology, dies at 48
1596 Giaches de Wert, Franco-Flemish composer of madrigals, dies at approximately 60
1620 Hayyim ben Joseph Vital, Palestinian-born Kabbalist (b. 1543)
1631 Robert Bruce Cotton, English politician and antiquarian (his library formed basis of British Museum manuscript collection), dies at 60
1638 Cornelius Jansen, French Roman Catholic reform leader (Jansenism), dies at 52
1642 Frans Francken the Younger, Flemish painter, dies on 61st birthday
1666 Paul Siefert, German organist and composer, dies at 79
1678 Joseph Chabanceau de La Barre, French composer, dies at 44
1708 François de Laval, French clergyman, 1st Roman Catholic bishop of Québec, and saint, dies at 85
1727 Catharine I of Russia [Marta Samuilovna], wife of Peter the Great, dies at about 42
1739 Bernardus Smijtegelt, Dutch vicar (Gekrookte Reed), dies at 63
1757 Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Grafton, British politician, dies at 73
1757 Kurt Christoph Graf von Schwerin, Prussian field marshal, dies at 72
1757 Maximilian Ulysses Count Browne, Austrian field marshal, dies at 51
1776 James Kent, English composer, dies at 76
1794 Jean-Jacques Beauvarlet-Charpentier, French composer, dies at 59
1814 George Joseph Vogler, German composer, dies at 64
1836 Christian Ignatius Latrobe, English clergyman and composer (Selection of Sacred Music), dies at 78
1840 Francisco de Paula Santander, Colombian president and independence leader (b. 1792)
1841 John Thomson, Scottish composer, dies at 35
1852 Charles-Louis-Joseph Hanssens, Belgian composer, dies at 75
1856 William Hamilton, metaphysicist, dies

Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859)

German naturalist and explorer (Kosmos), dies at 89

Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)

American naturalist and pacifist (Walden Pond), dies of tuberculosis at 44

1864 Henry Livermore Abbott, US Union brigadier general, dies in battle
1864 Micah Jenkins, Confederate brigadier general (friendly fire), dies at 28
1870 James Young Simpson, Scottish obstetrician who popularized chloroform for medicinal use, dies at 58
1873 José Antonio Páez, President of Venezuela (1830-35), dies at 82
1877 Johan Ludvig Runeberg, Finnish poet (Finland's national anthem "Maamme"), dies at 73
1882 Lord Frederick Cavendish, English politician who was appointed Chief Secretary for Ireland in May 1882 and murdered only hours after his arrival in Dublin, dies at 45
1882 Thomas Henry Burke, assassinated by Fenian Invincibles, in Dublin
1890 Hubert Léonard, Belgian violinist, and pedagogue (Brussels Conservatoire, 1848-67), dies at 71
1891 Thomas Hare, English barrister and political reformer, dies at 85
1892 Ernest Guiraud, French opera composer (Piccolino; Sylvie), arranger (Bizet), and teacher, dies at 54
1904 Franz von Lenbach, German painter, dies at 67

Edward VII (1841-1910)

King of England (1901-10), dies at 68

1916 Dirk Bos, Dutch Liberal 2nd Member of Parliament, dies at 53
1916 Earl Ross Drake, American composer, dies at 50
1919 (Lyman) L. Frank Baum, American author (The Wonderful Wizard of Oz), dies of a stroke at 62
1924 Carel S Adama van Scheltema, poet/writer (socialism), dies at 47
1936 Hans Jelmoli, Swiss pianist and composer, dies at 59
1948 43 communist rebels, executed in Athens
1949 Arthur L Ochse, South African cricket fast bowler (3 Tests, 10 wickets, BB 4–79; Eastern Province), dies at 49
1949 Kunihiko Hashimoto, Japanese composer, violinist, conductor, and musical educator, dies of gastric cancer at 44

Maurice Maeterlinck (1862-1949)

Belgian playwright, poet and author (Blue Bird, Nobel 1911), dies at 86

1950 Agnes Smedley, writer, dies
1951 Élie Cartan, French mathematician (b. 1869)
1951 Henri Carton de Wiart, Belgian count and politician (Prime Minister of Belgium 1920-21), dies at 82
1952 Alberto Savinio [Andrea Francesco Alberto de Chirico], Italian composer (Capitano Ulisse), dies at 60

Maria Montessori (1870-1952)

Italian physician/educationist, dies at 81

1960 Paul Abraham, Hungarian composer (Blume von Hawaii), dies at 67
1960 Vern Bickford, American baseball pitcher (MLB All Star 1949; no-hitter 1950; Boston / Milwaukee Braves), dies from cancer at 39
1961 Lucian Blaga, Romanian philosopher and poet (Transcendental censor), dies at 65
1963 Monty Wooley, American actor (The Bishop's Wife, The Man Who Came to Dinner), dies at 74
1963 Ted Weems [Wemyes], American jazz trombonist, violin player and big band bandleader (Somebody Stole My Girl; Heartache), dies of emphysema at 61
1963 Theodore von Kármán, Hungarian-born physicist (b. 1881)
1964 Harold Morris, American pianist and composer, dies at 74
1967 Zhou Zuoren, Chinese writer (b. 1885)
1970 Wharton Esherick, American artist and sculptor who worked primarily in wood, dies at 82
1971 Helene Weigel, Austrian/German actress (Metropolis), dies at 70
1972 Deniz Gezmiş, Turkish Left-wing Political Activist (b. 1947)
1973 Ernest MacMillan, Canadian organist, conductor and composer, dies at 79
1975 József Mindszenty [József Pehm], Hungarian cardinal who opposed fascism and communism in Hungary, dies at 83
1976 Karel Cruysberghs, Flemish religious writer (On the Pulpit), dies at 85
1978 Ethelda Bleibtrey, American swimmer (Olympic gold 100m, 300m, 4x100m freestyle relay 1920; first US female champion), dies at 76
1978 Ko van Dijk Jr, Dutch actor (Zaak M P), dies at 61
1982 Sam Baker, American silent film actor (The Missing Link; The Lost City; The Sea Beast), dies at 75
1983 Kai Winding, Danish-American Jazz musician and trombonist ("Georgia On My Mind"), dies of a brain tumor at 60
1984 Bonner Pink, Conservative Party politician
1984 Mary Cain, Mississippi newspaper editor and politician (b. 1904)
1985 Julie Vega, Filipina child actress and singer, dies at 16
1985 Pete Desjardins, American diver (Olympic gold 10m platform, 3m springboard 1928), dies at 78

William J. Casey (1913-1987)

American head of the CIA during the Iran-contra scandal (1981-87), dies of aspiration pneumonia at 73

1988 Paul Wilson, American doo-wop baritone singer (Flamingos, 1953-64 - "I Only Have Eyes For You"; "Lovers Never Say Goodbye"), dies at 53
1989 Earl Blaik, American College Football coach (NCAA C'ship 1944–46; AFCA Coach of the Year 1946; Army) and executive (AD Army 1948–59, dies at 92
1990 Charles Farrell, American actor (7th Heaven, My Little Margie), dies at 89
1991 Anthony van Kampen, writer (Ketelbinkie, Geschonden Eldorado), dies
1991 Thomas A Carlin, dies at 62
1991 Wilfrid Hyde-White, British actor (My Fair Lady, Peyton Place), dies at 87
1992 Gaston Reiff, Belgian athlete (Olympic gold 5,000m 1948), dies at 71
1992 Jilly Rizzo, restaurateur/friend of Frank Sinatra, dies in a car crash at 75

Marlene Dietrich (1901-1992)

German American actress and singer (The Blue Angel, Shanghai Express), dies in Paris at 90

1993 Ann Todd, English stage and screen actress (The Seventh Veil; The Paradine Case; The Passionate Friends), dies of a stroke at 84
1993 Minnie Gentry, actress (Def by Temptation), dies in NY at 77
1994 Fred Sadoff, actor (Quiet American), dies of AIDS at 67
1994 Haskell Sadler, American blues singer and guitarist, dies at 59
1994 Helen Lessore, English artist, dies at 86
1994 Montague Modlyn, broadcaster, dies at 72
1994 Moses Rosen, Chief Rabbi of Romania (1948-94), dies at 81
1995 Clarence Paul [Pauling], American songwriter, and record producer (Motown; Stevie Wonder - "Fingertips"), dies at 67
1995 Gottfried von Haberler, Austrian-American economist (international trade), dies at 94
1995 Hilda Toledano [Maria Pia de Braganca], Portuguese journalist and writer who claimed to be the bastard daughter of King Carlos I of Portugal, dies at 88
1995 Leonard "Red" Truss, American R&B singer (The Steelers - "Get It From The Bottom"), dies at 47
1995 Nicholas Palmer, TV writer/producer, dies at 57
1995 Noel Brotherston, Irish soccer winger (27 caps Northern Ireland; Blackburn Rovers 317 games), dies of a heart attack at 38
1996 Frank Hercules, Trinidadian-American novelist (On Leaving Paradise; Sunrise at Midnight), and teacher, dies at 85
1996 Geoffrey Dawes, English physiologist (fetal and neonatal physiology), dies at 78
1996 Geoffrey Hodges, bomb disposal expert, dies at 87
1996 Joseph Stone, American lawyer, Nuremberg Trial prosecutor, and labor arbitrator, dies at 79
1996 Leo Joseph Suenens, Belgian Roman Catholic cardinal (Second Vatican Council), dies at 91
1996 Michael Gerzon, British mathematician and audio pioneer (Ambisonics), dies at 50
1999 Dennis Riley, American composer (Masques (for wind quintet)), dies at 55
1999 Johnny Morris, British broadcaster and actor (Once in a Lifetime), dies at 82
2000 Leonard Salzedo, British orchestral, ballet, and film composer (The Witch Boy; Requiem Sine Voxibus, Hammer Films), dies at 78
2002 Murray Adaskin, Canadian violinist, composer, conductor (Saskatoon Symphony), and teacher (University of Saskatchewan), dies at 96
2002 Otis Blackwell, American songwriter ("Fever"; "Don't Be Cruel"; "Great Balls Of Fire"; All Shook Up"), dies of a heart attack at 70
2002 Saleh Selim, Egyptian football midfielder (10 caps; Al-Ahly Cairo SC 354 games) and executive (President Al-Ahly SC 1980-88, 1992-2002), dies at 71
2004 Barney Kessel, American jazz guitarist (The Wrecking Crew), dies at 80
2004 Philip Kapleau, American Zen teacher and founder (Rochester Zen Center in New Haven), dies at 91
2006 Grant McLennan, co-founder of Australian band The Go-Betweens (b. 1958)
2006 Lillian Asplund, last American RMS Titanic survivor (b. 1906)
2006 Lorne Saxberg, Canadian television journalist (b. 1958)
2006 Shigeru Kayano, Japanese Ainu activist (b. 1926)
2007 Curtis Harrington, American film director (b. 1926)
2007 Enéas Carneiro, Brazilian politician (b. 1938)
2007 Đorđe Novković, Croatian pop singer-songwriter (Pro Arte), and television personality (Hrvatski Idol), dies at 63
2009 Valentin Varennikov, Soviet-Russian general and statesman, dies at 85
2010 Robin Roberts, American Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher (7 x MLB All Star; won 28 consecutive complete games 1952-53; Philadelphia Phillies), dies at 83
2012 George Lindsey, American actor (Andy Griffith Show -"Goober"), dies at 83
2013 Giulio Andreotti, Italian Prime Minister, dies at 94
2014 Antony Hopkins [Reynolds], British composer, pianist, conductor (Intimate Opera Company, 1954-62), writer, and radio broadcaster (Talking About Music, 1954-92), dies at 93
2014 Farley Mowat, Canadian author, dies at 92
2014 Jimmy Ellis, American boxer (WBA heavyweight title 1968-70), dies from dementia at 74
2014 Leslie Thomas, Welsh writer (The Virgin Soldiers), dies at 83
2015 Errol Brown, British-Jamaican singer-songwriter (Hot Chocolate - "You Sexy Thing"), dies at 71
2015 Jim Wright, American Democratic politician and Speaker of the House (1987-89), dies at 92
2016 Niklaus Schilling, Swiss film director (Dormire, Atem, Rheingold), dies at 72
2016 Reg Grundy, Australian media and television mogul (Neighbours, Prisoner), dies at 92
2017 Steven Holcomb, American Bobsledder (Olympic gold, 2010), dies in his sleep, with mix of alcohol and prescription medication found in his blood, at 37
2018 Brad Steiger, American author and paranormal researcher, dies at 82
2018 Cirilo Bautista, Filipino writer and poet, dies at 76
2018 Eric Geboers, Belgian motocross racer (5 x world champion; 39 x career Grand Prix wins), dies in a drowning accident at 55
2018 George G. Hall, Northern Irish applied mathematician, dies at 93
2018 Herbert E. Brekle, German typographer and linguist, dies at 82
2018 Khaled Mohieddin, Egyptian military officer (member of the Revolutionary Command Council), dies at 95
2019 Seymour Nurse, West Indian cricket batsman (29 Tests @ 47.60, 6 x 100; TS 258; Barbados), dies at 85
2020 Brian Howe, British rock singer (Bad Company, 1986-93 - "This Love"; "Holy Water"), dies of a heart attack at 66
2020 Steve Blackmore, Welsh rugby union prop (4 caps; Cardiff RFC), dies from a brain tumour at 58
2021 Carlos Timoteo Griguol, Argentine soccer midfielder (Atlanta, Rosario Central) and manager (Ferro Carril Oeste, Real Betis, River Plate), dies from COVID-19 at 84
2021 Kentaro Miura, Japanese manga author (Berserk), dies at 54
2021 Pervis Staples, American gospel vocalist (The Staple Singers -"Uncloudy Day"), dies at 85
2022 George Pérez, American comic book artist (The Avenger; Teen Titans), dies of pancreatic cancer at 67
2023 Menahem Pressler, Israeli-American classical pianist (Beaux Arts Trio, 1955-2008), and educator (Indian University, 1955-2023), dies at 99
2023 Newton N. Minow, American lawyer, statesman (FCC Chairman, 1961-63), and public broadcasting advocate, dies at 97 [1]