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December 16th

183 Notable deaths

Blue Demon

Mexican professional wrestler and actor (1922-2000).

Born April 24th, 1922 in García Municipality.

Died December 16th, 2000 at 78 years old in Mexico City.

Agnes Martin

American painter (1912–2004).

Born March 22nd, 1912 in Macklin. [ref]

Died December 16th, 2004 at 92 years old in Taos. [ref]

Kakuei Tanaka

Japanese politician (1918-1993).

Born May 4th, 1918 in Futada.

Died December 16th, 1993 at 75 years old in Keio University Hospital (pneumonia).

Eliezer Ben-Yehuda

Hebrew linguist, grammarian, journalist, lexicographer, newspaper editor and zionist activist.

Born January 7th, 1858 in Lužki.

Died December 16th, 1922 at 64 years old in Jerusalem (tuberculosis).

Ernie Terrell

American boxer (1939–2014).

Born April 4th, 1939 in Belzoni.

Died December 16th, 2014 at 75 years old in Evergreen Park (dementia).

Robert W. Chambers

American artist, novelist, short story writer (1865–1933).

Born May 26th, 1865 in Brooklyn. [ref]

Died December 16th, 1933 at 68 years old in New York City. [ref]

Frank Gotch

American professional wrestler.

Born April 27th, 1878 in Humboldt.

Died December 16th, 1917 at 39 years old in Humboldt.

Sālote Tupou III of Tonga

Monarch of tonga (1918-1965).

Born March 13th, 1900 in Nukuʻalofa, Royal Palace of Nukuʻalofa.

Died December 16th, 1965 at 65 years old in Auckland.

Norman Podhoretz

American writer (1930–2025).

Born January 16th, 1930 in Brownsville.

Died December 16th, 2025 at 95 years old in Manhattan. [ref]

Laurens van der Post

South african writer (1906–1996).

Born December 13th, 1906 in Philippolis.

Died December 16th, 1996 at 90 years old in London.

Deaths 31 to 40 of 183

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Do not fear death. Death is always at our side. When we show fear, it jumps at us faster than light. But, if we do not show fear, it casts its eye upon us gently and then guides us into infinity. Laughing Bull