Deaths in May 2000

The following is a list of notable deaths in May 2000.

Contents
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
← April	May	June →

Entries for each day are listed alphabetically by surname. A typical entry lists information in the following sequence:

• Name, age, country of citizenship at birth, subsequent country of citizenship (if applicable), reason for notability, cause of death (if known), and reference.

May 2000

1

• Gil Fates, 85, American television producer.[1]
• Steve Reeves, 74, American actor.[2]
• Nora Swinburne, 97, British actress.[3]

2

• Bob Homme, 81, American-born Canadian television actor, known for his role as The Friendly Giant.[4]
• Billy Munn, 88, British jazz pianist.[5]
• Harry Newman, 90, American football player.[6]

3

• Lewis Allen, 94, British film and television director.[7]
• Ed Chapman, 94, American baseball player.[8]
• John Joseph O'Connor, 80, American Roman Catholic prelate.[9]

4

• Sir Derick Ashe, 81, British diplomat.
• Kieran Nugent, Provisional Irish Republican Army volunteer.
• Sugi Sito, 73, Mexican wrestler.

5

• Edward Ashley-Cooper, 93, Australian actor, congestive heart failure.
• Gino Bartali, 85, Italian racing cyclist.[10]
• Don Kindt, 74, American football player.
• Rolf Magener, 89, German escapee from India during World War II.
• Bill Musselman, 59, American basketball coach, stroke.

6

• Benoy Choudhury, Indian freedom fighter and politician.
• Juan de Dios Guevara, 90, Peruvian chemist.
• Mary Percy Jackson, 95, British-born Canadian medical practitioner.[11]
• Gordon McClymont, 79, Australian agricultural scientist and ecologist.
• John Clive Ward, 75, British-Australian physicist, respiratory illness.
• Sir Peter William Youens, 84, British diplomat and colonial administrator, pneumonia.[12]

7

• Dov Bar-Nir, 88, Belgium-born Israeli politician.
• Douglas Fairbanks Jr., 90, American actor and the son of Douglas Fairbanks.[13]
• Henry Laskau, 83, American Olympic racewalker.[14]
• José Luis López de Lacalle, Spanish journalist and trade unionist, killed by the ETA.
• Masaru Shintani, 72, Japanese-Canadian master of karate, heart attack.

8

• Pita Amor, 81, Mexican poet.[15]
• X Brands, 72, German-American actor.
• Dédé Fortin, 37, Canadian musician, suicide.
• Hubert Maga, 83, Dahomey politician.
• Henry Nicols, 26, American HIV/AIDS activist.[16]

9

• Arthur Davis, 94, American animator and a director.
• Chris Evans, 53, Canadian ice hockey player.[17]
• Leland S. McClung, 89, American bacteriologist.
• Carmen Romano, 74, First Lady of Mexico (1976-1982).

10

• Sir Martin Farndale, 71, British army general.[18]
• Bill Foster, 68, American entertainer.[19]
• Carden Gillenwater, 82, American baseball player.[20]
• Margaret Harris, 95, British costume designer.[21]
• Kaneto Shiozawa, 46, Japanese voice actor.[22]
• Craig Stevens, 81, American actor.[23]

11

• Verna Aardema, 88, American writer.[24]
• René Muñoz, 62, Cuban actor, screenwriter of telenovelas and the cinema of Mexico.
• Hanny Thalmann, 83, Swiss women's rights activist and politician.
• Paula Wessely, 93, Austrian actress.[25]

12

• Pete Abele, 83, American politician (U.S. Representative for Ohio's 10th congressional district, judge on Ohio's Fourth District Court of Appeals), Alzheimer's disease.[26]
• Steve Belko, 84, American college basketball coach.
• Dymphna Clark, 83, Australian linguist and educator.
• Adam Petty, 19, American race car driver, car crash.[27]

13

• Paul Bartel, 61, American actor, writer and director.[28]
• Olivier Greif, 50, French composer.
• Boško Perošević, 43, Serbian politician.[29]

14

• Sarah Mavis Dabbs, 78, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player.[30]
• Keizō Obuchi, 62, Prime Minister of Japan.[31]
• Johnny Cook, 51, American gospel singer formerly of the Happy Goodman Family.[32]

15

• Roberto Benedicto, 83, Filipino lawyer, diplomat and banker.
• Geoff Goddard, 62, English songwriter, singer and instrumentalist, heart attack.
• George Marshall, 96, American conservationist and political activist.[33]
• Anthony Squire, 86, British screenwriter and director.

16

• Bodacious, "World's Most Dangerous Bull" World Champion title holder.
• Alexander Nadas, 86, Hungarian-American pediatric cardiologist.
• Ghulam Ali Okarvi, 80, Pakistani Islamic scholar and jurist.
• Andrzej Szczypiorski, 72, Polish novelist and politician.
• Jack "Basher" Williams, 82, Australian rules footballer.
• Ronald Jay Williams, 72, Trinidadian businessman and politician.

17

• Yola Cain, Jamaican pilot and flight instructor, breast cancer.
• Kanwar Durga Chand, Indian politician.
• Donald Coggan, 90, 101st Archbishop of Canterbury.[34]
• William H. Poteat, 81, American philosopher, scholar and professor.
• Sajjan, 79, Indian actor.

18

• Denis Gifford, 72, British writer, broadcaster and journalist.
• Alfred L. Jenkins, 83, American diplomat, lecturer and author.
• Doyle Lade, 79, American baseball player.[35]

19

• Lee Brewster, 57, American drag queen and transvestite activist, cancer.
• John Grigas, 79, American football player.
• Yevgeny Khrunov, 66, Soviet cosmonaut, heart attack.[36]
• Sir Larry Lamb, 70, British newspaper editor.[37]
• Emily Wheelock Reed, American librarian and civil rights activist.

20

• Edward Bernds, 94, American director.[38]
• Dick Brown, 74, Canadian football player.
• Jean-Pierre Rampal, 78, French flautist.[39]
• Malik Sealy, 30, American basketball player.[40]

21

• Dame Barbara Cartland, 98, English novelist.[41]
• Sir John Gielgud, 96, English actor.[42]
• Mark R. Hughes, 44, American entrepreneur and founder of Herbalife.[43]
• Zhao Puchu, 92, Chinese religious leader and calligrapher.[44]

22

• Bahadoor, Indian actor.
• Davie Fulton, 84, Canadian politician and judge.[45]
• Gary Kerkorian, 70, American football player.[46]
• David Chadwick Smith, 68, Canadian economist.[47]

23

• Eddy Blondeel, 94, Belgian commander of the SAS during WWII.
• Roger Garrett, 59, American actor.
• Mishari bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi prince as member of the House of Saud.

24

• Kevin Lyons, 77, Australian politician.
• Kurt Schork, 53, American reporter and war correspondent.[48]
• Majrooh Sultanpuri, 80, Indian poet.
• Cliff Sutter, 89, American tennis player.
• Oleg Yefremov, 72, Soviet/Russian actor and theatre producer.

25

• Ken Bousfield, 80, British golfer.
• Nicholas Clay, 53, British actor.[49]
• Francis Lederer, 100, Austrian-born actor in Europe and United States.[50]
• Jaya Pathirana, 79, Sri Lankan Supreme Court justice.

26

• Hamp Pool, 85, American football player, coach and scout, heart failure.
• Samuel A. Taylor, 87, American playwright and screenwriter, heart failure.
• Vernon Crompton Woodward, 83, Canadian fighter pilot and flying ace during World War II.
• So Yamamura, 90, Japanese actor and film director.

27

• Gonzalo, Duke of Aquitaine, 62, Spanish aristocrat,.
• Murray MacLehose, Baron MacLehose of Beoch, 82, British diplomat, Governor of Hong Kong.[51]
• Maurice Richard, 78, Canadian hockey player.[52]
• Kazimierz Leski, 87, Polish engineer, fighter pilot, and Home Army's intelligence and counter-intelligence officer.
• Jane Stoll, 71, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player.[53]

28

• George Irving Bell, 73, American scientist and mountaineer.[54]
• Donald Davies, 75, Welsh computer scientist.[55]
• Eric Turner, 31, American football player.[56]

29

• Clement Isong, 80, Nigerian banker and politician.
• Robert T. Oliver, 90, American author and lecturer.
• Aubrey Richards, 79, British actor.
• John Westhead, 34, English rugby footballer, blood loss after smashing window.

30

• Tex Beneke, 86, American bandleader and musician (Glenn Miller Orchestra).[57]
• Iko Carreira, 66, Angolan army general and politician.[58]
• Doris Hare, 95, Welsh actress.[59]

31

• John Coolidge, 93, son of American President Calvin Coolidge.[60]
• Nikolaos Oikonomides, 66, Greek Byzantantist.
• Tito Puente, 77, American musician, songwriter ("Oye Como Va") and record producer.[61]
• Hank Ruszkowski, 74, American baseball player.[62]
• Johnnie Taylor, 66, American singer.[63]

References

1. "Gil Fates, 86, a TV Producer Of Shows Like 'What's My Line?'". The New York Times. May 16, 2000. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
2. Lyman, Rick (May 5, 2000). "Steve Reeves, 74, Whose 'Hercules' Began a Genre". The New York Times. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
3. Shorter, Eric (May 5, 2000). "Nora Swinburne Obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved July 8, 2012.
4. Clark, Andrew (May 15, 2000). "Robert Homme, "The Friendly Giant" (Obituary)". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved July 8, 2012.
5. "Billy Munn". The Telegraph, London. May 16, 2000. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
6. Goldstein, Richard (May 4, 2000). "Harry Newman, 90, Who Led Giants to Title Game as Rookie". The New York Times. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
7. Copage, Eric (May 10, 2000). "Lewis Allen, 94, Director Whose Films Included 'The Uninvited'". The New York Times. Retrieved December 21, 2018.
8. "Ed Chapman". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
9. Schemo, Diana Jean (May 9, 2000). "DEATH OF A CARDINAL: THE OVERVIEW; O'CONNOR IS BURIED IN A SOLEMN RITUAL CITING HIS MESSAGE". The New York Times. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
10. Stanley, Alessandra (May 6, 2000). "Gino Bartali, 85, a Hero in Italy For His Cycling Championships". The New York Times. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
11. "Dr. Mary Evangeline Percy Jackson, 1904-2000". Alberta Medical Association. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
12. "Sir Peter Youens: Banda's colonial confidant in Malawi's freedom struggle". The Guardian. June 8, 2000. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
13. "Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Film Star, TV Producer and Good-Will Ambassador, Dies at 90". The New York Times. May 8, 2000. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
14. Litsky, Frank (May 9, 2000). "Henry Laskau, Race Walker, Is Dead at 83". The New York Times. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
15. "Guadalupe Amor; Popular, Outrageous Mexican Poet". Los Angeles Times. May 15, 2000. Retrieved December 17, 2018.
16. Mandelman, Joel (May 9, 2000). "Activist Henry Nicols dead at 26". The Daily Star (Oneonta). Archived from the original on February 4, 2013. Retrieved December 17, 2018.
17. "Chris Evans". Sports Reference, Hockey-Reference.com. Retrieved December 26, 2018.
18. Learmont, John (May 16, 2000). "General Sir Martin Farndale: Innovative army commander whose leadership qualities took him to Malaya, Northern Ireland and Nato". The Guardian. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
19. Thurber, Jon (May 20, 2000). "Bill 'the Fox' Foster; Master of Bawdy Songs and Guzzling Beer". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
20. Lamb, Bill. "Carden Gillenwater". Society for American Baseball Research. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
21. Honan, William H. (May 15, 2000). "Margaret Harris, 95, a Set Designer Who Favored Simplicity". The New York Times. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
22. "Kaneto SHIOZAWA". Anime News Network. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
23. "Craig Stevens, the Suave Star Of 'Peter Gunn,' Dies at 81". The New York Times. May 13, 2000. Retrieved July 8, 2012.
24. Saxon, Wolfgang (May 16, 2000). "Verna Aardema, 88, Chronicler Of African Folklore for Children". The New York Times. Retrieved December 17, 2018.
25. Riding, Alan (May 15, 2000). "Paula Wessely, 93, an Actress With Roles in Nazi Propaganda". The New York Times. Retrieved July 8, 2012.
26. "Homer E. Abele". The Logan Daily News. Logan, Ohio. May 12, 2000. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
27. Nobles, Charlie (May 13, 2000). "AUTO RACING; Youngest Racer of Petty Family Killed in Crash". The New York Times. Retrieved July 8, 2012.
28. Van Gelder, Lawrence (May 18, 2000). "Paul Bartel, Director and Star Of 'Eating Raoul,' Dies at 61". The New York Times. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
29. "Ubijen Boško Perošević". Glas javnosti. May 14, 2000. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
30. All-American Girls Professional Baseball League official website – Sarah Mavis Dabbs profile
31. Sims, Calvin (May 15, 2000). "Keizo Obuchi, Premier Who Brought Stability as Japan's Economy Faltered, Dies at 62". The New York Times. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
32. "Former Happy Goodman Tenor Dies In Huntsville". The Chattanoogan. May 18, 2000. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
33. "George Marshall, 96, Pioneer in the Civil Rights Movement". The New York Times. June 18, 2000. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
34. Finkelstein, Katherine E. (May 19, 2000). "Frederick Coggan, an Archbishop of Canterbury, Dies at 90". The New York Times. Retrieved December 17, 2018.
35. "Doyle Lade". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
36. "Yevgeny Khrunov, 67, Russian Astronaut". The New York Times. May 26, 2000. Retrieved December 17, 2018.
37. Greenslade, Roy (May 20, 2000). "Sir Larry Lamb: Newspaper editor who made the Sun shine and gave Britain the page three girl". The Guardian. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
38. "Edward L. Bernds, 94, Director Of Short Films for Three Stooges". The New York Times. May 28, 2000. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
39. Tommasini, Anthony (May 21, 2000). "Jean-Pierre Rampal, Virtuoso Flutist Who Achieved Success as a Soloist, Is Dead at 78". The New York Times. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
40. Rhoden, William C. (May 27, 2000). "Sports of The Times; In Death, Malik Sealy Continues as a Teacher". The New York Times. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
41. Severo, Richard (May 22, 2000). "Barbara Cartland, 98, Best-Selling Author Who Prized Old-Fashioned Romance, Dies". The New York Times. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
42. Gussow, Mel (May 23, 2000). "Sir John Gielgud, 96, Dies; Beacon of Classical Stage". The New York Times. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
43. Copage, Eric V. (May 23, 2000). "Mark R. Hughes, 44; Founded Nutrition Supplement Concern". The New York Times. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
44. "Zhao Puchu (Chinese, 1907–2000)". artnet. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
45. Downey, Donn (May 24, 2000). "Former federal cabinet minister dead at 84". The Globe and Mail, Toronto. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
46. Steadman, John (May 23, 2000). "Kerkorian, ex-Colts QB, dies of cancer". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
47. "Smith, David Chadwick (1931-2000)". Queen's Enclopedia, Queen's University. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
48. "Two journalists killed by gunmen; two others wounded". Committee to Protect Journalists. May 25, 2000. Retrieved December 17, 2018.
49. "Nicholas Clay: Swashbuckling actor who conquered theatre, film and television". The Guardian. May 30, 2000. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
50. Purdum, Todd S. (May 27, 2000). "Francis Lederer Dies at 100; Actor Known for Suave Roles". The New York Times. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
51. Saxon, Wolfgang (June 12, 2000). "Lord MacLehose, 82, Governor Of Hong Kong and China Scholar". The New York Times. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
52. Goldstein, Richard (May 28, 2000). "Rocket Richard, Montreal's Goal-Scoring Hero, Dies at 78". The New York Times. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
53. All-American Girls Professional Baseball League official website – Jane Stoll profile
54. Saxon, Wolfgang (June 18, 2000). "George Irving Bell, 73, Leader In Studies of Human Genome". The New York Times. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
55. Feder, Barnaby J. (June 4, 2000). "Donald W. Davies, 75, Dies; Helped Refine Data Networks". The New York Times. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
56. Goldstein, Richard (May 30, 2000). "Eric Turner, 31, Defensive Back for Raiders". The New York Times. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
57. The Associated Press (May 31, 2000). "Tex Beneke, 86, a Leader of Glenn Miller's Band". The New York Times. Retrieved December 17, 2018.
58. Brittain, Victoria (June 5, 2000). "General Iko Carreira: Key figure in Angola's struggle to maintain its independence". The Guardian. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
59. Shorter, Eric (May 31, 2000). "Doris Hare: She spent more than 80 years on the stage - but never escaped the role of Reg's mum". The Guardian. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
60. Martin, Douglas (June 4, 2000). "John Coolidge, Guardian of President's Legacy. Dies at 93". The New York Times. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
61. Siegal, Nina (June 6, 2000). "The New York Legacy of Tito Puente". The New York Times. Retrieved December 17, 2018.
62. "Hank Ruszkowski". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved December 29, 2018.
63. Reuters (June 18, 2000). "Johnnie Taylor, 62; Soul Singer Had Hit With 'Disco Lady'". The New York Times. Retrieved December 22, 2018.