Famous Dead Writers: Recent Writer Deaths and Obituaries
Over 8,000 obituaries of famous dead writers. Notable deaths, news, info, and memorial pages.
Rabilal Tudu dead at age 76
Rabilal Tudu, an Indian Santali-language writer, playwright and banker,
died on June 4, 2026, at the age of 76. Born in 1949 in Nowara village in Bardhaman district, West Bengal,…
Jim Wooten dead at age 88
Jim Wooten, an American journalist who worked for ABC News and wrote books,
died on June 4, 2026, at age 88. Born in the United States, he joined ABC News…
Reha Muhtar dead at age 66
Reha Muhtar, a Turkish anchorman, columnist and television reporter,
died on June 3, 2026, at age 66. Born in Istanbul on July 21, 1959, he began his career as a…
Jagannath Prasad Das dead at age 90, Writer, poet, novelist
Jagannath Prasad Das, the Indian writer and poet known for his work in Odia,
died on June 3, 2026, at the age of 90. Born in Puri on April 26,…
Lieke Marsman dead at age 35
Lieke Marsman, a Dutch poet and writer,
died on June 3, 2026, at the age of 35. Born in Den Bosch in 1990, she grew up in Zaltbommel and later…
Matthieu d’Epenoux dead at age 60
Matthieu d'Epenoux, a French businessman and board game designer,
died on June 3, 2026, at the age of 60. Born on October 10, 1965, he founded the board game publishing…
Norma Yaeger dead at age 96
Norma Yaeger, an American stockbroker and businesswoman,
died on June 3, 2026, at age 96. Born Norma Hason on May 5, 1930, in Brooklyn, she became a trailblazer in the…
Wei-Wen Yu dead at age 102
Wei-Wen Yu, a Chinese-born American civil engineer and academic known for his work on cold-formed steel structures,
died on June 2, 2026. He was 102. Yu was born in Weifang,…
Josep Maria Cadena dead at age 90
Josep Maria Cadena
died on June 2, 2026. He was a Spanish journalist and art critic. Cadena was born in Barcelona on September 6, 1935, and died in the same…
Homa Mirafshar dead at age 89
Homa Mirafshar, an Iranian poet and songwriter,
died on June 2, 2026, at age 89, according to a death announcement. Born Homa Homayoun in Tehran on February 22, 1937, she…
Min Htin Ko Ko Gyi dead at age 65, Burmese film director, poet and political prisoner
Min Htin Ko Ko Gyi, a Burmese film director, poet and political prisoner,
died on June 2, 2026. He was 65. Born in 1961, he was also known as a…
Lyuben Dilov Jr. dead at age 61
Lyuben Dilov Jr., the Bulgarian writer, journalist and lawmaker,
died on June 2, 2026, from complications of a heart attack. He was 61. Born in Sofia on November 19, 1964,…
Mildred Pitts Walter dead at age 103
Mildred Pitts Walter, an American writer whose children’s books often featured African-American protagonists,
died on June 2, 2026, at age 103. Born Mildred Pitts on September 9, 1922, in Sweetville,…
Aleksandr Ivanchenko dead at age 80
Aleksandr Ivanchenko, a Russian writer born on June 1, 1945,
died on June 1, 2026. Born in Krasnoturyinsk, in the Sverdlovsk region, he studied at the Maxim Gorky Literature Institute…
Keith Anthony Morrison dead at age 84
Keith Anthony Morrison, a Jamaican-American painter,
died on June 1, 2026, at age 84. Born in Linstead, Jamaica, he studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, earning…
Stéphane-Albert Boulais dead at age 76
Stéphane-Albert Boulais, a Canadian writer and film critic,
died on June 1, 2026, at the age of 76. Born in Maniwaki, Quebec, on June 17, 1949, he studied at Laval…
Bruce Van Sant dead at age 88
Bruce Van Sant
died on June 1, 2026. He was an American-born Dominican sailor and author. His books included "Tricks of the Trades" (2002), "Margarita Cat" (2010) and "The Gentleman's…
Hilde Lynn Helphenstein dead at age 40
Hilde Lynn Helphenstein
died on May 31, 2026. She was an American art critic and influencer. Tags Writers, 31 May 2026, America, Cancer, Helphenstein, Hilde, May 2026, May 31
Robert Kya-Hill dead at age 95
Robert Kya-Hill, the American actor born Robert Hill on December 4, 1930,
died on May 31, 2026, at age 95. He also worked as a director, playwright, musician, composer and…
Matthew Spender dead at age 81
Matthew Spender, the English sculptor and writer whose death was announced on May 31, 2026, died at 81. Born in London in 1945, he was also a painter and biographer,…
Tomi Reichental dead at age 90
Tomi Reichental, a Slovak-born Irish Holocaust survivor and author,
died on May 31, 2026, at the age of 90. Born Tomáš Reichental in Merašice, then in Czechoslovakia and now Slovakia,…
Speight Jenkins dead at age 89
Speight Jenkins, the American music director and critic who guided Seattle Opera for more than three decades,
died on May 30, 2026, at age 89. Born in Dallas, Texas, on…
Josefina Molina dead at age 89, Spanish film director, screenwriter and television producer
Josefina Molina, the Spanish film director, screenwriter and television producer,
died on May 30, 2026. She was 89. Born in Córdoba, Spain, on November 14, 1936, Molina became one of…
Steve Barrow dead at age 80
Steve Barrow, the British reggae producer and historiographer who co-founded the Blood and Fire record label,
died on May 30, 2026, at the age of 80. Born on September 29,…
Jutta Zilliacus dead at age 100
Jutta Zilliacus, a Finnish-Estonian politician, journalist and author,
died on May 30, 2026, at the age of 100. Born Jutta Armelle Zilliacus in Helsinki on July 25, 1925, she worked…
Sidney Moko Mead dead at age 99
Sidney Moko Mead, a New Zealand Māori anthropologist and historian,
died on May 29, 2026. He was 99. Born in Wairoa on January 8, 1927, Mead was also known as…
José Manuel Blecua Perdices dead at age 86, Spanish philologist, director of the Royal Spanish Acad…
José Manuel Blecua Perdices, the Spanish philologist who directed the Royal Spanish Academy from 2010 to 2014,
died on May 29, 2026. He was 86. Born in Zaragoza on June…
Ellen Weston dead at age 87
Ellen Weston
died on May 28, 2026. She was an American actress and television writer. Weston’s work spanned both acting and writing for television, and her career also included published…
Bashir Badr dead at age 91
Bashir Badr, an Indian poet,
died on May 28, 2026, at the age of 91. He was an Urdu poet who taught at Aligarh Muslim University and wrote primarily in…
Maureen Duffy dead at age 92, English poet, playwright and novelist
Maureen Duffy, the English poet, playwright and novelist,
died on May 28, 2026, at the age of 92, with her death announced that day. Born Maureen Patricia Duffy in Worthing,…
Paul Dorpat dead at age 87
Paul Dorpat, an American historian,
died on May 27, 2026. He was 87. Dorpat was an author and photographer who focused on the history of Seattle and Washington state. He…
Klaus Emmerich dead at age 82
Klaus Emmerich, a German film director and screenwriter known for The First Polka and Trokadero,
died on May 27, 2026. He was 82. Born in Freital on August 10, 1943,…
Anik Dutta dead at age 66
Anik Dutta, the Indian film director behind Bhooter Bhabishyat, Ashchorjyo Prodeep and Meghnad Badh Rahasya,
died on May 27, 2026, after a fall. He was a Bengali filmmaker whose directorial…
Tim Johnston dead at age 63
Tim Johnston
died on May 26, 2026. He was an American author. Tags Writers, 26 May 2026, America, Johnston, Tim, May 2026, May 26
Martine Prenen dead at age 62
Martine Prenen, the Belgian former model and television presenter known for Supertalent in Vlaanderen and Expeditie Robinson,
died on May 26, 2026, of pancreatic cancer. She was 62. Prenen, born…
Howard Storm dead at age 94
Howard Storm, an American actor and director known for work on "Take the Money and Run," "Once Bitten" and "Mork & Mindy,"
died on May 26, 2026. He was 94.…
Robert Daley dead at age 96, American writer, journalist
Robert Daley, the American writer, journalist and New York City Police Department officer,
died on May 26, 2026. He was 96. Daley, born in New York City on May 10,…
Yoshihiro Nishimura dead at age 59, Mutant Girls Squad, Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl), cirrho…
Yoshihiro Nishimura, a Japanese film director, screenwriter and special effects artist,
died on May 25, 2026. He was 59. Born on April 1, 1967, in Taitō-ku, Nishimura worked predominantly in…
Rene Belmonte dead at age 55
Rene Belmonte, a Brazilian screenwriter whose work included If I Were You, Novo Mundo and Federal Bank Heist,
died on May 25, 2026. He was 55. Born on January 27,…
Gary Foster dead at age 89
Gary Foster, an American musician and educator whose career spanned jazz, cool jazz, classical and pop,
died on May 24, 2026, at the age of 90. Born Norman Gary Foster…
Brian Large dead at age 87
Brian Large, the English opera director,
died on May 23, 2026, at the age of 87. He was known as one of the leading television directors specializing in opera and…
Ann Fox Chandonnet dead at age 83, Poet, journalist
Ann Fox Chandonnet, an American poet,
died on May 23, 2026, at age 83. She was also known as a journalist, book reviewer, and culinary historian. Born Ann Alicia Fox…
Benoist Rey dead at age 87
Benoist Rey, a French writer,
died on May 22, 2026, at the age of 87. Born on June 2, 1938, in Paris, he was a typesetter for Marchand before serving…
Clarence B. Jones dead at age 95
Clarence B. Jones, an American lawyer and counsel,
died on May 22, 2026. He was 95. Jones was the former personal counsel, adviser, draft speech writer and close friend of…
Mary Ellen Edmunds dead at age 86
Mary Ellen Edmunds, an American Latter-day Saints missionary and speaker,
died on May 21, 2026, at age 86. Born in Los Angeles on March 3, 1940, she grew up in…
Howard Fendrich dead at age 55, American sports writer, cancer
Howard Fendrich
died on May 21, 2026, of cancer. He was an American sports writer for The Associated Press. His death was reported in connection with the illness. Howard Fendrich,…
Carlo Petrini dead at age 76, Italian gastronomist, founder of Slow Food
Carlo Petrini, the Italian gastronomist and founder of Slow Food,
died on May 21, 2026, at age 76. Also known as "Carlìn," he was an Italian activist and author who…
Wendelgard von Staden dead at age 100
Wendelgard von Staden, a German diplomat and author,
died on May 21, 2026, at the age of 100. Known as Wendi von Staden, she wrote the 1979 memoir "Darkness Over…
Julienne Bušić dead at age 77
Julienne Bušić, an American writer and activist,
died on May 21, 2026, at age 77. Born Julienne Eden Schultz in Eugene, Oregon, in 1948, she was known for her role…
Cleve Moler dead at age 86
Cleve Moler, an American mathematician and computer programmer known for MATLAB and MathWorks,
died on May 20, 2026, at age 86. He specialized in numerical analysis and was one of…
Jeffrey Lane dead at age 71
Jeffrey Lane, an American television writer and playwright,
died on May 20, 2026, at age 71. He wrote for the television series Ryan's Hope and Mad About You, and was…
George Eastman dead at age 83
George Eastman, an Italian actor and screenwriter,
died on May 20, 2026, at the age of 83. Born Luigi Montefiori in Genoa in 1942, he was known for his acting…
Aglaia Kremezi dead at age 79
Aglaia Kremezi, Greek food writer and journalist,
died on May 19, 2026, in Athens at the age of 79. Born in Athens on May 4, 1947, she was often considered…
Veronika Valentová dead at age 52
Veronika Valentová
died on May 19, 2026. She was a Czech writer and translator. Tags Writers, 19 May 2026, Czechia, Veronika, May 19, May 2026, Valentová
Alan Bradley dead at age 87
Alan Bradley, the Canadian author best known for The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie,
died on May 19, 2026, at the age of 87. Born in Toronto in…
Robert Woodson dead at age 89
Robert Woodson, an American political activist,
died on May 19, 2026, at the age of 89. Born Robert Leon Woodson on April 8, 1937, in Philadelphia, he was a civil…
Marideth Sisco dead at age 82
Marideth Sisco, an American author and musician,
died on May 18, 2026, at the age of 82. Also known as Marideth Ann Sisco, she was an American storyteller, folklorist, singer-songwriter,…
Piper J. Drake dead at age 49
Piper J. Drake, an American author,
died on May 18, 2026, at the age of 49. Better known by the pseudonym Piper J. Drake and also writing as PJ Schnyder,…
Patrick Sookhdeo dead at age 79, British activist, founder and director of Barnabas Aid
Patrick Sookhdeo, a British activist and founder and director of Barnabas Aid from 1993 to 2015,
died on May 18, 2026, at the age of 79. Born in British Guiana…
Roberto Malenotti dead at age 86
Roberto Malenotti
died on May 18, 2026. He was 86. The Italian filmmaker was born in Pisa on June 6, 1939. Malenotti worked as a film director, screenwriter and producer.…
Serigne Ibrahima Mahmoud Cissé dead at age 73
Serigne Ibrahima Mahmoud Cissé, a Senegalese teacher and religious guide,
died on May 18, 2026. Born in 1952, he taught traditional Arab and Islamic traditions in Senegalese schools in a…
Huguette Bouchardeau dead at age 90, French politician, minister of the environment
Huguette Bouchardeau, French politician and minister of the environment from 1984 to 1986,
died on May 18, 2026, at the age of 90. Born in Saint-Étienne, Loire, France, on June…
Stephen Bungay dead at age 71
Stephen Bungay, the director of the Ashridge Strategic Management Centre at Hult International Business School,
died on May 16, 2026, at the age of 71. A British management consultant, historian…
Quinn G. McKay dead at age 99, American academic, writer and Mormon leader
Quinn G. McKay, an American academic, writer and Mormon leader,
died on May 16, 2026. He was 99. McKay was born on October 30, 1926, and was raised in Huntsville,…
Altaf Hassan Qureshi dead at age 94
Altaf Hassan Qureshi, a Pakistani journalist, author and editor-in-chief of monthly Urdu Digest,
died on May 16, 2026, at the age of 94. Born on March 3, 1932, in Hisar…
James Robison dead at age 82
James Robison, an American televangelist,
died on May 17, 2026, at age 82, according to an announcement of his death. He was also a pastor, theologian, and author, and founded…
André Laliberté dead at age 79
André Laliberté, a Canadian marionette puppeteer,
died on May 15, 2026, at the age of 79. From Quebec, he was best known as the cofounder and longtime artistic director of…
Tony Zappone dead at age 78
Tony Zappone, an American journalist and radio personality,
died on May 15, 2026, at the age of 78. Born Anthony Nicholas Zappone on October 9, 1947, in Tampa, Florida, he…
Conceição Lima dead at age 64
Conceição Lima, a São Toméan poet known for A Dolorosa Raiz do Micondó,
died on May 15, 2026, at the age of 64. Born Maria da Conceição de Deus Lima…
Anand Nadkarni dead at age 68, Indian psychopathologist, writer and playwright
Anand Nadkarni
died on May 15, 2026. He was an Indian psychopathologist, writer and playwright. His death was reported without further details. Tags Writers, 15 May 2026, Anand, India, Nadkarni,…
Jane Healy dead at age 77
Jane Healy, an American journalist,
died on May 15, 2026, at the age of 77. Born in Washington, D.C., on May 9, 1949, she was the daughter of Paul and…
David Henderson dead at age 83
David Henderson, an American writer and poet,
died on May 14, 2026, at the age of 83. He was a co-founder of the Black Arts Movement in the 1960s and…
Krzysztof Piesiewicz dead at age 80
Krzysztof Piesiewicz, a Polish lawyer, screenwriter and politician,
died on May 14, 2026, at age 80. Born in Warsaw on October 25, 1945, he studied law at Warsaw University and…
Nikolay Tsaturyan dead at age 81
Nikolay Tsaturyan, the Armenian theatre director,
died on May 14, 2026, in Yerevan. Born in Yerevan on January 8, 1945, Tsaturyan was also an actor and playwright and was named…
Adone Brandalise dead at age 76
Adone Brandalise
died on May 14, 2026. He was an Italian literary critic and philosopher. A brief notice of his death was published without further details about the circumstances. Tags…
Izo Hashimoto dead at age 72
Izo Hashimoto
died on May 12, 2026. He was a Japanese screenwriter. Tags Writers, 12 May 2026, Hashimoto, Izo, Japan, Pisces, May 12, May 2026
Rex Reed dead at age 87
Rex Reed, an American film critic and journalist,
died on May 12, 2026, at age 87. Born Rex Taylor Reed on Oct. 2, 1938, in Fort Worth, Texas, he was…
Al Gregg dead at age 62, English musician, actor and screenwriter
Al Gregg, the English musician, actor and screenwriter best known for his work with punk band The Wall and appearances in ScreenPlay and Doctor Who,
died on May 12, 2026,…
Bassek Ba Kobhio dead at age 69
Bassek Ba Kobhio, a Cameroonian writer and filmmaker,
died on May 12, 2026, at age 69. Born in Nindjé, French Cameroon, in 1957, he worked as a film director, producer,…
Mark Fuhrman dead at age 74, American detective, cancer
Mark Fuhrman, an American detective known for his role in the O. J. Simpson murder case,
died on May 12, 2026, at the age of 74 from cancer. He was…
Barry W. Blaustein dead at age 72, American screenwriter and film director, pancreatic cancer
Barry W. Blaustein, an American screenwriter and film director,
died on May 12, 2026, of pancreatic cancer. He was 72. Blaustein was best known for writing on Saturday Night Live…
Kshetrimayum Ongbi Thouranisabi Devi dead at age 91
Kshetrimayum Ongbi Thouranisabi Devi, an Indian classical dancer,
died on May 12, 2026. She was associated with the Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy, where she served as Principal and taught…
Herb Wharton dead at age 89
Herb Wharton, an Australian writer,
died on May 12, 2026. Herbert Morsley Wharton AM was born in Cunnamulla, Queensland, in 1936 and was an Indigenous Australian former stockman who began…
Ataur Rahman Bangladeshi actor dead at age 84
Ataur Rahman, a Bangladeshi stage and television actor,
died on May 12, 2026. He was 84. Rahman was also a director and writer, and was known by the sobriquet Monchosharothi.…
Vladimir Molchanov dead at age 75
Vladimir Molchanov, the Russian television host and journalist,
died on May 12, 2026, at the age of 75. Born in Moscow on October 7, 1950, he was a Soviet and…
Anja Breien Norwegian film director dead at age 85
Anja Breien, a Norwegian film director and screenwriter,
died on May 10, 2026, at the age of 85. She was among the leading figures in the Norwegian film industry and…
Ralph Ottey dead at age 102
Ralph Ottey, the Jamaican-born British author and Second World War veteran,
died on May 10, 2026. Born in Little London, Jamaica, on February 17, 1924, he moved to the United…
J. J. Barrie dead at age 92, Canadian singer, songwriter and comedian
J. J. Barrie, a Canadian singer, songwriter and comedian known for “No Charge,”
died on May 10, 2026, at age 92. Born Barry Jackson Authors in Oshawa, Ontario, on July…
Margareta Waterman dead at age 93
Margareta Waterman, an American poet and publisher,
died on May 9, 2026, at age 93. Born in Boston on December 8, 1932, and raised in New York City, she attended…
Frid Ingulstad Norwegian novelist dead at age 90
Frid Ingulstad, a Norwegian novelist,
died on May 9, 2026, at the age of 90. She wrote primarily historical novels, many of them in series, and published more than 200…
Gerald Talbot American politician and civil right leader dead at age 94
Gerald Talbot, an American politician and civil rights leader,
died on May 9, 2026, at age 94. A native of Bangor, Maine, he was born on October 28, 1931, and…
Patrick Dourado dead at age 86
Patrick Dourado
died on May 8, 2026. He was an Indian playwright. Tags Writers, 08 May 2026, Cancer, Dourado, India, Patrick, May 2026, May 8
Karin Spaink dead at age 68
Karin Spaink, a Dutch journalist, writer and feminist activist,
died on May 8, 2026, at age 68. She wrote a regular column for Het Parool from 1992 to 2022 and…
Tore Ryen dead at age 79
Tore Ryen, a Norwegian television producer and writer known for Mot i brøstet,
died on May 8, 2026, at the age of 79. Born on December 30, 1946, he was…