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In the year 1981
628 Notable deaths
Allyn Joslyn
Actor (1901–1981).
Born July 21st, 1901 in Milford.
Died January 21st, 1981 at 79 years old in Woodland Hills.
Natalia Pavlovna Paley
Member of the romanov family (1905-1981).
Born December 5th, 1905 in 16th arrondissement of Paris.
Died December 27th, 1981 at 76 years old in New York City.
Kaka Kalelkar
Indian social reformer, historian, educationist, and journalist (1885–1981).
Born December 1st, 1885 in Satara.
Died August 21st, 1981 at 95 years old
William Gopallawa
Sri lankan president (1897-1981).
Born September 17th, 1897 in Matale.
Died January 31st, 1981 at 83 years old in Colombo.
Cornelius Cardew
English composer and improviser.
Born May 7th, 1936 in Winchcombe.
Died December 13th, 1981 at 45 years old in London, Greater London (struck by vehicle).
Virginia Huston
American actress (1925-1981).
Born April 24th, 1925 in Wisner.
Died February 28th, 1981 at 55 years old in Santa Monica.
Hans Krebs
German-british biochemist (1900-1981).
Born August 25th, 1900 in Hildesheim.
Died November 22nd, 1981 at 81 years old in Oxford.
Nicolas de Gunzburg
American banker and socialite.
Born December 12th, 1904 in 16th arrondissement of Paris.
Died February 20th, 1981 at 76 years old in Manhattan.
Miroslav Krleža
Croatian writer (1893–1981).
Born July 7th, 1893 in Zagreb. [ref]
Died December 29th, 1981 at 88 years old in Zagreb. [ref]
Bruce Fraser, 1st Baron Fraser of North Cape
Royal navy admiral of the fleet (1888-1981).
Born February 5th, 1888 in Acton.
Died February 12th, 1981 at 93 years old in London.
Sutomo
Indonesian military person.
Born October 3rd, 1920 in Surabaya.
Died October 7th, 1981 at 61 years old in Mount Arafat.
Ferruccio Parri
Italian partisan and politician (1890–1981).
Born January 19th, 1890 in Pinerolo.
Died December 8th, 1981 at 91 years old in Rome.
Mariama Bâ
Senegalese writer (1929–1981).
Born April 17th, 1929 in Dakar. [ref]
Died August 17th, 1981 at 52 years old in Dakar (cancer). [ref]
Karl Richter
German organist, harpsichordist, and conductor (1926–1981).
Born October 15th, 1926 in Plauen.
Died February 15th, 1981 at 54 years old in Munich (cardioplegia).
Walter Mehring
German writer (1896–1981).
Born April 29th, 1896 in Berlin.
Died October 3rd, 1981 at 85 years old in Zurich. [ref]
Glauber Rocha
Brazilian film director, actor and writer (1939–1981).
Born March 14th, 1939 in Vitória da Conquista.
Died August 22nd, 1981 at 42 years old in Rio de Janeiro.
Gunichi Mikawa
Japanese admiral (1888–1981).
Born August 29th, 1888 in Takada-mura.
Died February 25th, 1981 at 92 years old in Ikoma.
Seishi Yokomizo
Japanese writer (1902-1981).
Died December 28th, 1981 at 79 years old in Toyama (colorectal cancer).
Patsy O'Hara
Irish republican (1957–1981).
Born July 11th, 1957 in Derry.
Died May 21st, 1981 at 23 years old in HM Prison Maze (starvation).
Frank Malina
American aeronautical engineer and painter (1912-1981).
Born October 2nd, 1912 in Brenham. [ref]
Died November 9th, 1981 at 69 years old in Boulogne-Billancourt.
Marthe Robin
French roman catholic mystic (1902-1981).
Born March 13th, 1902 in Châteauneuf-de-Galaure. [ref]
Died February 7th, 1981 at 78 years old in Châteauneuf-de-Galaure. [ref]
Wallace Harrison
American architect (1895–1981).
Born September 28th, 1895 in Worcester.
Died December 2nd, 1981 at 86 years old in New York City.
Sam Jones
American double bassist and cellist (1924-1981).
Born November 12th, 1924 in Jacksonville.
Died December 15th, 1981 at 57 years old in New York City.
Donald Wills Douglas, Sr.
American aeroplanes designer and businessman (1892–1981).
Born April 6th, 1892 in Brooklyn.
Died February 2nd, 1981 at 88 years old in Palm Springs.
Giovanni Bragolin
Italian painter (1911-1981).
Born January 15th, 1911 in Venice.
Died September 22nd, 1981 at 70 years old in Padua. [ref]
Deaths 176 to 200 of 628
It is the fate — the genetic and neural fate — of every human being to be a unique individual, to find his own path, to live his own life, to die his own death. Oliver Sacks