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In the year 1981
583 Notable deaths
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.
Born May 7th, 1936 in Winchcombe. [ref]
Died December 13th, 1981 at 45 years old in London, Greater London (struck by vehicle). [ref]
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
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.
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).
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.
Born August 29th, 1888 in Hiroshima.
Died April 25th, 1981 at 92 years old in Japan.
Seishi Yokomizo
Japanese writer.
Died December 28th, 1981 at 79 years old in Toyama (colorectal cancer).
Patsy O'Hara
Irish republican.
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]
Isobel Elsom
British actress (1893-1981).
Born March 16th, 1893 in Cambridge.
Died January 12th, 1981 at 87 years old in Woodland Hills (disease).
Furry Lewis
Blues guitarist and songwriter (1893–1981).
Born March 6th, 1895 in Greenwood.
Died September 14th, 1981 at 86 years old in Memphis.
Rosa Ponselle
American operatic soprano (1897–1981).
Born January 22nd, 1897 in Meriden.
Died May 25th, 1981 at 84 years old in Baltimore (cancer).
Paul Mattick
German-american marxist political writer and social revolutionary (1904-1981).
Born March 13th, 1904 in Słupsk.
Died February 7th, 1981 at 76 years old in Cambridge.
Deaths 176 to 200 of 583
Even trees do not die without a groan. Henry David Thoreau