Deaths on 15 December
2000s
William J. Bauer
2025
American judge (1926–2025)
Zakir Hussain (musician)
2024
Indian tabla player and composer (1951–2024)
Saufatu Sopoanga
2020
Prime Minister of Tuvalu from 2002 to 2004
Eryue He
2018
Chinese writer
Girma Wolde-Giorgis
2018
President of Ethiopia from 2001 to 2013
Heinz Wolff
2017
German-British scientist and television presenter (1928–2017)
Calestous Juma
2017
Kenyan academic
Craig Sager
2016
American sports reporter (1951–2016)
Harry Zvi Tabor
2015
Israeli physicist (1917–2015)
Donald Metcalf
2014
Australian medical researcher (1929–2014)
Fausto Zapata
2014
Mexican politician
Harold Camping
2013
American Christian radio broadcaster and evangelist (1921–2013)
Joan Fontaine
2013
British actress (1917–2013)
Dyron Nix
2013
American basketball player (1967–2013)
Owoye Andrew Azazi
2012
11th Chief of Defence Staff of Nigeria (1952–2012)
Patrick Yakowa
2012
Nigerian politician (1948–2012)
Olga Zubarry
2012
Argentine actress (1929–2012)
Bob Brookmeyer
2011
American jazz musician, arranger, and composer (1929–2011)
Christopher Hitchens
2011
British and American author and journalist (1949–2011)
Blake Edwards
2010
American filmmaker (1922–2010)
Bob Feller
2010
American baseball pitcher (1918–2010)
Eugene Victor Wolfenstein
2010
Eliza Atkins Gleason
2009
African American librarian
Oral Roberts
2009
American religious leader (1918–2009)
León Febres Cordero
2008
President of Ecuador from 1984-1988
Julia Carson
2007
American politician (1938–2007)
Clay Regazzoni
2006
Swiss racing driver (1939–2006)
Mary Stolz
2006
American writer of fiction for children and young adults (1920-2006)
Heinrich Gross
2005
Austrian physician (1915–2005)
Stan Leonard
2005
Canadian professional golfer (1915–2005)
William Proxmire
2005
American politician (1915–2005)
Darrell Russell (American football)
2005
American football player (1976–2005)
Vassal Gadoengin
2004
Nauruan politician
Vincent Apap
2003
Maltese sculptor
George Fisher (cartoonist)
2003
American cartoonist
Keith Magnuson
2003
Canadian ice hockey player (1947–2003)
Haris Brkić
2000
Yugoslav basketball player
1900s
William Dale Phillips
1993
American scientist (1925–1993)
Vasily Zaitsev (sniper)
1991
Soviet sniper (1915–1991)
Edward Underdown
1989
English actor (1908–1989)
Serge Lifar
1986
French-Ukrainian ballet master
Seewoosagur Ramgoolam
1985
Prime Minister of Mauritius from 1968 to 1982
Jan Peerce
1984
American opera singer (1904–1984)
Peter Gregg (racing driver)
1980
American racecar driver
Chill Wills
1978
American actor and singer (1902–1978)
Wilfred Kitching
1977
British Salvation Army General (1893–1977)
Anatole Litvak
1974
Russian-American film director (1902–1974)
Paul Lévy (mathematician)
1971
French mathematician (1886-1971)
Karl Theodor Bleek
1969
German politician (1898–1969)
Antonio Barrette
1968
Premier of Quebec in 1960
Jess Willard
1968
American boxer (1881–1968)
Keith Arbuthnott, 15th Viscount of Arbuthnott
1966
British Army general (1897–1966)
Walt Disney
1966
American animator, producer and entrepreneur (1901–1966)
M. Balasundaram
1965
Ceylon Tamil lawyer, politician and Member of Parliament
Charles Laughton
1962
British and American actor (1899–1962)
Wolfgang Pauli
1958
Austrian–Swiss theoretical physicist (1900–1958)
Vallabhbhai Patel
1950
Indian independence activist (1875–1950)
Arthur Machen
1947
Welsh author and mystic (1863–1947)
Crawford Vaughan
1947
Australian politician
Glenn Miller
1944
American big band musician (1904–1944)
Fats Waller
1943
American jazz pianist and composer (1904–1943)
1800s
Sitting Bull
1890
Hunkpapa Lakota leader (1831–1890)
Alfred Bird
1878
English food manufacturer and chemist
Jacques Charles François Sturm
1855
French mathematician (1803–1855)
Daniel Rutherford
1819
British physician, chemist and botanist
Federigo Zuccari
1817
Italian astronomer
Shneur Zalman of Liadi
1812
Hasidic rabbi and first rebbe of Chabad
Before 1800
Joseph Martin Kraus
1792
German–Swedish composer
Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington
1753
British architect and politician
George Hickes (divine)
1715
English priest and scholar (1642–1715)
Louis Victor de Rochechouart, Duke of Vivonne
1698
French nobleman
Gaspar Fagel
1688
Dutch politician
Izaak Walton
1683
English author (c. 1593 – 1683)
Johannes Vermeer
1675
Dutch painter (1632–1675)
Margaret Cavendish, Duchess of Newcastle-upon-Tyne
1673
English poet and philosopher (1623–1673)
Charles d'Albert, 1st Duke of Luynes
1621
French courtier (1578–1621), Constable of France
Philips of Marnix, Lord of Saint-Aldegonde
1598
16th century mayor of Antwerp, probable author of Dutch national anthem
Selim II
1574
Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1566 to 1574
Jöns Bengtsson Oxenstierna
1467
Archbishop of Uppsala from 1448 to 1467
Hasan Kuchak
1343
Prince
Philip I, Latin Emperor
1283
Titular Latin Emperor from 1273 to 1283
Ottokar I of Bohemia
1230
Duke/King of Bohemia (c.1155–1230)
Wanyan Liang
1161
Emperor of Jin from 1150 to 1161
Alp Arslan
1072
Sultan of the Seljuk Empire from 1063 to 1072
Basil II
1025
Byzantine emperor from 976 to 1025
Li Siyuan
933
Emperor of Later Tang from 926 to 933