Historical Figures Who Died in 2022

P. J. O'Rourke (1947-2022)

Feb 15 American journalist and satirist (Parliament of Whores; National Lampoon), dies of lung cancer at 74

Feb 18 Héctor Pulido, Mexican football midfielder (43 caps; Cruz Azul, Club Jalisco AC), dies at 79
Mar 2 Tony Walton, British Tony, Oscar, and Emmy Award-winning set and costume designer (Pippin; Mary Poppins; All That Jazz), dies from stroke complications at 87
Mar 7 Raja, Sri Lanka's most revered elephant (carried golden casket of Buddhist relics at Esala Perahera pageant), dies at 68 [1]
Mar 8 Tomás Boy, Mexican football midfielder and manager (52 caps; Tigres UANL 413 games), dies from a pulmonary thromboembolism at 70
Mar 15 Eugene Parker, American solar astrophysicist (Parker Space Probe named after him), dies at 94
Mar 18 Don Young, American politician (US Representative from Alaska (R), 1973- 2022), dies at 88
Mar 18 Murray Day, New Zealand sports administrator (President World Squash Federation 1975-81), dies at 90

Madeleine Albright (1937-2022)

Mar 23 American diplomat (UN Delegate, 1993-97), and 1st female US Secretary of State (1997-2001), dies of cancer at 84

Mar 31 Georgi Atanasov, Bulgarian communist politician, (Prime Minister 1986-90), dies at 88
Apr 6 Fujiko F. Fujio [Motoo Abiko], Japanese manga cartoon artist (Doraemon), dies at 88
Apr 9 Jack Higgins [Harry Patterson], British novelist (The Eagle Has Landed), dies at 92
Apr 18 Sid Mark [Fliegelman], American disc jockey and 'Frank-ophile' (The Sounds of Sinatra, 1960-2022), dies at 88
Apr 19 Kane Tanaka, Japanese centenarian (world's 2nd oldest recorded person), dies as the world's oldest living person at 119 [1]
Apr 20 Bob Krueger, American Democrat politician and diplomat (U.S. ambassador to Botswana & Burundi), dies at 86
Apr 22 Mwai Kibaki, Kenyan economist and politician (President of Kenya, 2002-13), dies at 90
Apr 23 Johnnie Jones, American attorney, civil rights activist (1953 Baton Rouge Bus Boycott), and US Army veteran (Normandy Invasion - Purple Heart; Battle of the Bulge), dies at 102 [1]
Apr 23 Orrin Hatch, American politician (US Senator from Utah (R), 1977-2019) longest-serving Utah US Senator, dies at 88
Apr 25 J. Roy Rowland, American politician (Rep-D-GA, 1983-95), dies at 96
May 3 Norman Mineta, American politician and 1st cabinet member of Asian descent (Secretary of Transportation, 2001-06; US Representative (D)-CA, 1975-95), dies of a heart ailment at 90
May 6 George Pérez, American comic book artist (The Avenger; Teen Titans), dies of pancreatic cancer at 67
May 9 Midge Decter, American journalist and author (The Liberated Woman & Other Americans), dies at 94
May 11 Shireen Abu Akleh, Palestinian-American journalist (Al Jazeera), shot and killed by Israeli forces at 51 [1]
May 12 Robert McFarlane, American Marine Corps veteran and civil servant (National Security Adviser, 1983-85), involved in the Space Defense Initiative, and Iran-Contra Affair, dies at 84
May 13 Ben Roy Mottelson, American-Danish physicist (Nobel Prize for Physics 1975 for work on structure of the atomic nucleus), dies at 95 [1]
May 13 Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, 2nd President of the United Arab Emirates (2004-2022), dies at 73
May 16 Maurice Lindsay, British sports administrator (chairman Preston North End FC, Wigan Warriors RLFC; CEO RFL 1992-99), dies at 81
May 21 Jiří Zídek Sr., Czech basketball center (considered best Czech player ever; FIBA European All-Star 1966, 67; USK Praha) and coach (USK Praha, Sparta Praha), dies at 78
May 24 Thomas Ulsrud, Norwegian curler (World C'ship gold [skip] 2014; Olympics silver 2010), dies from cancer at 50
Jun 3 John Porter, American politician (Rep-R-IL, 1980-2001), dies at 87
Jun 8 Paula Rego, Portuguese-British artist (The Policeman’s Daughter), dies at 87
Jun 12 Philip Baker Hall, American actor (Secret Honor, Hard Eight, Magnolia), dies at 90
Jun 22 Yves Coppens, French anthropologist (co-discovered 'Lucy' skeleton), dies at 87
Jun 26 Jupiter, Amur tiger at Columbus Zoo and Aquarium (Ohio), dies of COVID-19 at 14
Jun 26 Margaret Keane, American painter whose husband claimed credit for her work (Big Eyes paintings), dies at 94 [1]
Jun 28 Cüneyt Arkın, Turkish film actor (The Adam Trilogy), dies at 84
Jun 28 Deborah James, British teacher, journalist, author (You, Me and the Big C), and charity campaigner, dies of cancer at 40
Jul 4 Remco Campert, Dutch writer and poet (son of Jan Campert), dies at 92

Shinzō Abe (1954-2022)

Jul 8 Prime Minister of Japan (2006-07 and 2012-2020), dies after being shot twice while giving a speech in Nara, Japan, at 67

Jul 18 Claes Oldenburg, Swedish-American pop artist (Clothespin; Alphabet; Good Humor), dies at 93 [1]
Jul 18 Ottavio Cinquanta, Italian sports executive (President International Skating Union 1994-2016; IOC Executive Committee 2000-08), dies at 83
Jul 22 James Lovelock, British scientist and environmentalist (Gaia hypothesis), dies at 103 [1]
Jul 26 David Ireland, Australian author (The Unknown Industrial Prisoner), dies at 94
Jul 31 Fidel V. Ramos, Filipino general and 12th President of the Philippines (1992-98), dies at 94
Jul 31 Mo Ostin [Ostrofsky], American record company executive (Verve; Reprise; Warner Bros,; Dreamworks), dies at 95
Aug 2 Hans Bangerter, Swiss football administrator (General Secretary UEFA 1960-89), dies at 98
Aug 3 Jackie Walorski, American politician (Rep-R-Indiana 2013-22), dies in a car accident at 58 [1]
Aug 5 Mark Paterson, New Zealand sailor (World C'ship gold Cherub 1978), dies at 74
Aug 7 David McCullough, American author (Truman; John Adams), popular historian, TV documentary host and narrator (Seabiscuit; The Civil War), dies at 89 [1]
Aug 9 Issey Miyake, Japanese avant-garde fashion designer, dies at 84 [1]
Aug 9 Raymond Briggs, British children's book author and illustrator (The Snowman; Fungus the Bogeyman), dies at 88
Aug 15 Frederick Buechner, American minister and author (Godric), dies at 96
Aug 18 Hadraawi [Mohamed Ibrahim Warsame], Somali poet who helped preserve the Somali language, dies at 79 [1]
Aug 29 Charlbi Dean [Kriek], South African actress (Spud films), dies of bacterial sepsis at 32

Mikhail Gorbachev (1931-2022)

Aug 30 General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (1985-91), dies after an unspecified long and grave illness at 91 [1]

Aug 31 Bill Turnbull, British television and radio presenter and journalist (Radio Clyde; BBC), dies of prostate cancer at 66

Elizabeth II (1926-2022)

Sep 8 Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland (country's longest reigning monarch 1952-2022), dies at 96

Sep 8 Gwyneth Powell, British actress (Grange Hill - "Mrs. McClusky", dies of surgical complications at 76
Sep 11 Javier Marías, Spanish translator and novelist (Corazón Tan Blanco - A Heart So White), dies of pneumonia at 70 [1]

Ken Starr (1946-2022)

Sep 13 American lawyer who investigated sitting US President Bill Clinton (Starr Report), dies from complications after surgery at 76

Sep 14 Bill Pearl, American bodybuilder (5 x Mr. Universe), dies from Parkinson's disease at 91
Sep 16 Allen Aylett, Australian Rules football midfielder (North Melbourne FC 220 games) and executive (president North Melbourne FC 1971-76, 2001-05; chairman VFL 1977-84), dies at 88
Sep 16 Mahsa Amini, Iranian women whose death sparks nationwide protests, dies at 22 in suspicious circumstances allegedly after being beaten in by Iranian Morality Police [1]
Sep 25 James Florio, American politician and author of federal 'Superfund' legislation (49th Governor of New Jersey, 1990-94; US Representative from New Jersey, 1975-90), dies of heart failure at 85 [1] [2]
Sep 26 Yusuf al-Qaradawi, Egyptian Muslim scholar ("Sharia and Life" on Al Jazeera), dies at 96
Oct 4 Lucienne Schmidt-Couttet, French alpine skier (World C'ship gold Giant Slalom 1954), dies at 95
Oct 13 James "Jim" McDivitt, American Air Force Brigadier General and NASA astronaut (Gemini 4, Apollo 9), dies at 93
Oct 14 Stanislav Kropilák, Slovak basketball power forward-center (4 × FIBA European Selection; 5 × Czech Player of the Year; BK Inter Bratislava), dies at 67
Oct 17 Carmen Callil, Australian publisher working in the UK (Virago Press), dies at 84

Dietrich Mateschitz (1944-2022)

Oct 22 Austrian businessman (founder, owner Red Bull Racing; FC Red Bull Salzburg, RB Leipzig; co-creator Red Bull energy drink), dies of pancreatic cancer at 78

Oct 24 Ashton Carter, American military civilian official (Secretary of Defense, 2015-17), and academic administrator, dies of a heart attack at 68
Oct 27 Bahaa Taher, Egyptian writer (1st winner International award for Arabic Fiction 2008), dies at 87
Oct 27 Gerald Stern, American poet, (The One Thing in Life), essayist (Some Secrets), and educator, dies at 97 [1]
Nov 1 Dida, elephant "Queen" of Tsavo East National Park, Kenya, dies of natural causes aged about 65 [1]
Nov 1 Norman D. Shumway, American politician (Rep-R-California, 1979-91), dies at 88
Nov 3 Ray Guy, American College-Pro Football HOF punter (Southern Miss; Super Bowl 1976, 80, 84; 6×First-team All-Pro; 7×Pro Bowl; Oakland/LA Raiders), dies from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at 72
Nov 4 Michael Doyle, Irish-American priest (Pastor of Sacred Heart - Camden, 1974-2020), poet. and anti-war activist (Camden 28), dies at 88 [1] [2]
Nov 7 Michael Butler, American theatrical producer (Hair; Lenny), dies at 95
Nov 9 Ham Kee-yong, South Korean runner (Boston Marathon 1950), dies at 91
Nov 11 (Leo) Gallagher, American stand-up comic and watermelon smasher, dies of multiple organ failure at 76 [1]
Nov 12 Carroll Hubbard Jr., American politician (Rep-D-Kentucky, 1975-93), dies at 85
Nov 20 Hebe de Bonafini, Argentine human rights activist (co-founded Mothers of Plaza de Mayo), dies at 93 [1]
Nov 22 Greg Bear, American sci-fi author (Eon, Eternity), dies following surgery at 71 [1]
Nov 28 (Trevor) Tom Phillips, English visual artist, printmaker and collagist, dies at 85
Nov 28 Rob Armitage, Canadian curler (World C'ship gold 2013), dies from pancreatic cancer at 65

Nov 30 General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (1989-2002) and President of the People's Republic of China (1993-2003), dies of leukemia and multiple organ failure at 96

Dec 17 P-22, Californian mountain lion and LA celebrity, put to sleep due to age and injuries at 12 [1]
Dec 17 Philip Pearlstein, American abstract landscape and Modernist Realist figure painter, dies at 98
Dec 19 Ali Ahmed Aslam, Pakistani-Scottish restaurateur (credited with creation of Chicken Tikki Masala), dies at 77
Dec 19 Aonghas MacNeacail [Angus Nicolson], Scottish poet Gaelic activist, dies at 80 [1]
Dec 21 John Harries, British atmospheric physicist (provided 1st direct observational evidence of carbon dioxide increase - greenhouse effect), dies at 76 [1]
Dec 28 Arata Isozaki, Japanese architect (Pritzker Prize - 2019; Art Tower Mito; Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art; Walt Disney headquarters), dies at 91 [1] [2]
Dec 29 Dave Davis, American ten-pin bowler (PBA Tournament of Champions 1968, 75; PBA National C'ship 1965, 67), dies from kidney failure at 80