Welcome! Check out today's deaths, recent deaths, or our deaths stats.

Feeling experimental? Head on over to our newest (and darkest) feature: Next-2-Die™ predictions

December 31st

Capricorn Earth · Holly birth flower · Tanzanite birthstone · More...

🎉 Holiday on this date

🥂

New Year's Eve

Final evening of the Gregorian calendar year, celebrated worldwide with countdowns, fireworks, and gatherings.

cultural Observed December 31 each year.

All holidays on this date  »

277 Notable deaths

Joan Micklin Silver

American film director (1935-2020).

Born May 24th, 1935 in Omaha.

Died December 31st, 2020 at 85 years old in Manhattan. [ref]

Ronald Fairbairn

Scottish psychiatrist and psychoanalyst (1889–1964).

Born August 11th, 1889 in Edinburgh.

Died December 31st, 1964 at 75 years old in Edinburgh.

Gérard Debreu

French economist and mathematician (1921–2004).

Born July 4th, 1921 in Calais.

Died December 31st, 2004 at 83 years old in Paris.

Aleksis Kivi

National author of finland (1834–1872).

Born October 10th, 1834 in Palojoki. [ref]

Died December 31st, 1872 at 38 years old in Tuusula. [ref]

Lorenz Hackenholt

German nazi ss gas chamber executioner and holocaust perpetrator.

Born June 26th, 1914 in Gelsenkirchen.

Died December 31st, 1945 at 31 years old

Charles Koechlin

French composer, teacher and writer on music.

Born November 27th, 1867 in 16th arrondissement of Paris.

Died December 31st, 1950 at 83 years old in Rayol-Canadel-sur-Mer.

A. Edward Sutherland

Actor, film director (1895-1973).

Born January 5th, 1895 in London.

Died December 31st, 1973 at 78 years old in Palm Springs.

Arsenio Rodríguez

Cuban musician (1911–1970).

Born August 31st, 1911 in Matanzas.

Died December 31st, 1970 at 59 years old in Los Angeles (pneumonia).

David Swift

American director and producer (1919-2001).

Born July 27th, 1919 in Minneapolis.

Died December 31st, 2001 at 82 years old in Santa Monica (heart failure). [ref]

Angelo Amato

Cardinal of the roman catholic church (1938–2024).

Born June 8th, 1938 in Molfetta.

Died December 31st, 2024 at 86 years old in Rome. [ref]

Steve Gohouri

Ivorian footballer (1981-2015).

Born February 8th, 1981 in Treichville.

Died December 31st, 2015 at 34 years old in Krefeld (drowning). [ref]

Fabre Geffrard

President of haiti (1806-1878).

Born September 19th, 1806 in Anse-à-Veau.

Died December 31st, 1878 at 72 years old in Kingston.

Thomas Watson

American businessman and diplomat (1914-1993).

Born January 14th, 1914 in Dayton.

Died December 31st, 1993 at 79 years old in Greenwich (stroke).

Alexandre Auguste Ledru-Rollin

French politician (1807-1874).

Born February 2nd, 1807 in former 9th arrondissement of Paris. [ref]

Died December 31st, 1874 at 67 years old in Fontenay-aux-Roses. [ref]

Cyril Scott

English composer, writer, and poet (1879–1970).

Born September 27th, 1879 in Oxton.

Died December 31st, 1970 at 91 years old in Eastbourne.

Richard Sapper

German industrial designer (1932–2015).

Born May 30th, 1932 in Munich. [ref]

Died December 31st, 2015 at 83 years old in Milan.

Albert Plesman

Dutch businessman (1889–1953).

Born September 7th, 1889 in The Hague. [ref]

Died December 31st, 1953 at 64 years old in The Hague.

Michael Balint

Hungarian psychoanalyst (1896–1970).

Born December 3rd, 1896 in Budapest.

Died December 31st, 1970 at 74 years old in London.

Michael LeMoyne Kennedy

American lawyer and businessman (1958–1997).

Born February 27th, 1958 in Washington, D.C..

Died December 31st, 1997 at 39 years old in Aspen.

Gerhard Schröder

German politician (cdu), federal minister (1910-1989).

Born September 11th, 1910 in Saarbrücken.

Died December 31st, 1989 at 79 years old in Kampen (Sylt).

Randall Garrett

American writer (1927–1987).

Born December 16th, 1927 in Lexington.

Died December 31st, 1987 at 60 years old in Waco.

Bill Tytla

American animator (1904–1968).

Born October 25th, 1904 in Yonkers.

Died December 31st, 1968 at 64 years old in East Lyme.

Peter Thompson

English footballer (1942-2018).

Born November 27th, 1942 in Carlisle.

Died December 31st, 2018 at 76 years old [ref]

George Lewis

American musician (1900–1968).

Born July 13th, 1900 in New Orleans.

Died December 31st, 1968 at 68 years old in New Orleans.

Urbie Green

American jazz trombonist (1926–2018).

Born August 8th, 1926 in Mobile.

Died December 31st, 2018 at 92 years old in Hellertown. [ref]

Deaths 76 to 100 of 277

« 12/30
/
01/01 »

Death is a distant rumor to the young. Andrew A. Rooney