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December 5th
246 Notable deaths
Nelson Mandela
First president of south africa and anti-apartheid activist (1918–2013).
Born July 18th, 1918 in Mvezo. [ref]
Died December 5th, 2013 at 95 years old in Houghton Estate (respiratory disease). [ref]
Kirstie Alley
American actress (1951–2022).
Born January 12th, 1951 in Wichita.
Died December 5th, 2022 at 71 years old in Tampa (colorectal cancer). [ref]
Princess Alice of Battenberg
Member of the house of battenberg (1885–1969).
Born February 25th, 1885 in Windsor Castle.
Died December 5th, 1969 at 84 years old in Buckingham Palace.
August Ames
Canadian pornographic actress.
Born August 23rd, 1994 in Antigonish.
Died December 5th, 2017 at 23 years old in Camarillo (hanging).
Richard Speck
American mass murderer (1941–1991).
Born December 6th, 1941 in Kirkwood.
Died December 5th, 1991 at 49 years old in Joliet (myocardial infarction).
Claude Monet
French painter (1840–1926).
Born November 14th, 1840 in Paris. [ref]
Died December 5th, 1926 at 86 years old in Giverny (lung cancer).
Bob Dole
American politician (1923–2021).
Born July 22nd, 1923 in Russell.
Died December 5th, 2021 at 98 years old in Washington, D.C. (lung cancer). [ref]
Jayaram Jayalalithaa
Indian actress, former chief minister of tamil nadu (1948–2016).
Born February 24th, 1948 in Melukote.
Died December 5th, 2016 at 68 years old in Chennai (cardiac arrest). [ref]
Norman Lear
American television writer and producer (1922-2023).
Born July 27th, 1922 in New Haven.
Died December 5th, 2023 at 101 years old in Los Angeles (cardiac arrest). [ref]
Shoeless Joe Jackson
American baseball player (1887–1951).
Born July 16th, 1887 in Pickens County.
Died December 5th, 1951 at 64 years old in Greenville (myocardial infarction).
Frank Gehry
Canadian and american architect (1929–2025).
Born February 28th, 1929 in Toronto. [ref]
Died December 5th, 2025 at 96 years old in Santa Monica. [ref]
Aurobindo Ghosh
Indian bengali philosopher, yogi, maharishi, poet and nationalist (1872–1950).
Born August 15th, 1872 in Sri Aurobindo Bhawan.
Died December 5th, 1950 at 78 years old in Pondicherry.
Michael I of Romania
Last king of romania (r. 1927–1930, 1940–1947).
Born October 25th, 1921 in Foișor Castle. [ref]
Died December 5th, 2017 at 96 years old in Aubonne (leukemia). [ref]
Dave Brubeck
American jazz pianist and composer (1920–2012).
Born December 6th, 1920 in Concord.
Died December 5th, 2012 at 91 years old in Norwalk (myocardial infarction, heart failure).
Pedro II of Brazil
2nd and final emperor of brazil (r. 1831–89).
Born December 2nd, 1825 in Rio de Janeiro.
Died December 5th, 1891 at 66 years old in Paris (pneumonia).
Denny Laine
British rock musician (1944–2023).
Born October 29th, 1944 in Tyseley.
Died December 5th, 2023 at 79 years old in Naples (lung disease). [ref]
Dynamite Kid
British professional wrestler (1958-2018).
Born December 5th, 1958 in Golborne.
Died December 5th, 2018 at 60 years old in Ince-in-Makerfield. [ref]
Jim Rohn
American motivational speaker.
Born September 17th, 1930 in Yakima.
Died December 5th, 2009 at 79 years old in West Hills (pulmonary fibrosis). [ref]
Amrita Sher-Gil
Hungarian-indian painter (1913–1941).
Born January 30th, 1913 in Budapest.
Died December 5th, 1941 at 28 years old in Lahore.
Beverly Garland
American actress (1926–2008).
Born October 17th, 1926 in Santa Cruz.
Died December 5th, 2008 at 82 years old in Hollywood Hills (disease). [ref]
Nina Foch
American actress (1924–2008).
Born April 20th, 1924 in Leiden.
Died December 5th, 2008 at 84 years old in Los Angeles (myelodysplastic syndrome). [ref]
Robert Aldrich
American film director, screenwriter and producer (1918–1983).
Born August 9th, 1918 in Cranston.
Died December 5th, 1983 at 65 years old in Los Angeles (kidney failure).
Karlheinz Stockhausen
German composer (1928–2007).
Born August 22nd, 1928 in Mödrath castle.
Died December 5th, 2007 at 79 years old in Kürten (heart failure). [ref]
Robert Walker Jr.
American actor (1940–2019).
Born April 15th, 1940 in New York City, Queens.
Died December 5th, 2019 at 79 years old in Malibu. [ref]
Ekaterina Svanidze
First wife of josef stalin (1885–1907).
Born April 14th, 1885 in Baji.
Died December 5th, 1907 at 22 years old in Tbilisi (tuberculosis, typhus).
Deaths 1 to 25 of 246
Death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be because death is very likely the single best invention of life. It is life’s change agent, it clears out the old to make way for the new. Steve Jobs