December 22nd
235 Notable deaths
Joe Cocker
British singer (1944–2014).
Born May 20th, 1944 in Sheffield.
Died December 22nd, 2014 at 70 years old in Crawford (lung cancer). [ref]
Joe Strummer
British singer, musician and songwriter (1952–2002).
Born August 21st, 1952 in Ankara.
Died December 22nd, 2002 at 50 years old in Broomfield (congenital heart disease).
Beatrix Potter
British children's writer and illustrator (1866–1943).
Born July 28th, 1866 in West Brompton.
Died December 22nd, 1943 at 77 years old in Near Sawrey (pneumonia).
Chris Rea
English male singer-songwriter and guitarist (1951–2025).
Born March 4th, 1951 in Middlesbrough.
Died December 22nd, 2025 at 74 years old in London. [ref]
Samuel Beckett
Irish writer (1906–1989).
Born April 13th, 1906 in Foxrock. [ref]
Died December 22nd, 1989 at 83 years old in 14th arrondissement of Paris.
George Eliot
English novelist, essayist, poet and journalist (1819–1880).
Born November 22nd, 1819 in Nuneaton. [ref]
Died December 22nd, 1880 at 61 years old in London (kidney disease). [ref]
Ram Dass
American spiritual teacher, author and psychologist.
Born April 6th, 1931 in Boston.
Died December 22nd, 2019 at 88 years old in Maui. [ref]
Ma Rainey
American blues singer (1886–1939).
Born April 26th, 1886 in Columbus.
Died December 22nd, 1939 at 53 years old in Columbus (myocardial infarction).
Christine Cavanaugh
American voice actress (1963–2014).
Born August 16th, 1963 in Layton.
Died December 22nd, 2014 at 51 years old in Cedar City (leukemia).
Stephan Bonnar
American mixed martial artist (1977–2022).
Born April 4th, 1977 in Hammond.
Died December 22nd, 2022 at 45 years old [ref]
Elena Mukhina
Soviet artistic gymnast (1960–2006).
Born June 1st, 1960 in Moscow.
Died December 22nd, 2006 at 46 years old in Moscow. [ref]
Frances Xavier Cabrini
Italian-american catholic nun, misionary and saint (1850-1917).
Born July 15th, 1850 in Sant'Angelo Lodigiano.
Died December 22nd, 1917 at 67 years old in Chicago.
Stella Tennant
Scottish model (1970–2020).
Born December 17th, 1970 in London.
Died December 22nd, 2020 at 50 years old in Duns. [ref]
Darryl F. Zanuck
American film producer (1902–1979).
Born September 5th, 1902 in Wahoo.
Died December 22nd, 1979 at 77 years old in Palm Springs (cancer).
Paddy Ashdown
British politician and diplomat (1941–2018).
Born February 27th, 1941 in New Delhi.
Died December 22nd, 2018 at 77 years old in Bristol (bladder cancer). [ref]
Butterfly McQueen
American actress (1911-1995).
Born January 7th, 1911 in Tampa.
Died December 22nd, 1995 at 84 years old in Augusta.
Bolaji Badejo
Nigerian actor (1953–1992).
Born August 23rd, 1953 in Lagos.
Died December 22nd, 1992 at 39 years old in Lagos (sickle-cell disease).
Don DeFore
American actor (1913–1993).
Born August 25th, 1913 in Cedar Rapids.
Died December 22nd, 1993 at 80 years old in Los Angeles (myocardial infarction).
Dwight Lyman Moody
American evangelist (1837–1899).
Born February 5th, 1837 in Northfield.
Died December 22nd, 1899 at 62 years old in Northfield.
Sajid Khan
Indian actor (1951–2023).
Born December 28th, 1951 in Mumbai.
Died December 22nd, 2023 at 71 years old in Kayamkulam. [ref]
James Broun-Ramsay, 1st Marquess of Dalhousie
Scottish politician and civil servant (1812–1860).
Born April 22nd, 1812 in Midlothian.
Died December 22nd, 1860 at 48 years old in Midlothian.
Tony Britton
English actor (1924-2019).
Born June 9th, 1924 in Birmingham.
Died December 22nd, 2019 at 95 years old in London Borough of Hillingdon. [ref]
Kenneth Tobey
American actor (1917–2002).
Born March 23rd, 1917 in Oakland.
Died December 22nd, 2002 at 85 years old in Rancho Mirage.
Robert Keith
American actor (1898–1966).
Born February 10th, 1898 in Fowler.
Died December 22nd, 1966 at 68 years old in Los Angeles.
Franca Sozzani
Italian journalist and editor-in-chief of vogue italia (1950-2016).
Born January 20th, 1950 in Mantua.
Died December 22nd, 2016 at 66 years old in Milan (disease). [ref]
Deaths 1 to 25 of 235
It is not length of life, but depth of life. Ralph Waldo Emerson