Famous people and celebrities who died in December 1988

This page is dedicated to commemorating the celebrities and famous people who passed away in December 1988. This month marked the loss of influential and beloved figures whose contributions spanned various fields and touched many lives. Explore our detailed list to remember and celebrate their enduring legacies and the remarkable impact they had on the world

• Dec. 3 Károly Lakat
• Dec. 4 Osman Achmatowicz

  Polish chemist and academic (b. 1899).

• Dec. 6 Roy Orbison

  Roy Orbison was an influential American singer, songwriter, and musician known for his distinctive, impassioned voice, complex compositions, and dark, emotional ballads. He was a major figure in rock and roll, with enduring hits like 'Oh, Pretty Woman,' 'Crying,' and 'Only the Lonely.' [bio]

• Dec. 6 Timothy Patrick Murphy
• Dec. 10 Johnny Lawrence

  English cricketer and coach (b. 1911).

• Dec. 10 Richard S. Castellano

  American actor (b. 1933).

• Dec. 10 Dorothy de Rothschild

  English philanthropist and activist (b. 1895).

• Dec. 13 María Teresa León
• Dec. 14 Stuart Symington

  Stuart Symington was a prominent American politician and military leader who served as the first United States Secretary of the Air Force.

• Dec. 16 Sylvester
• Dec. 20 Max Robinson

  Groundbreaking African American television journalist who became the first Black anchor of ABC Evening News.

• Dec. 20 Elizabeth Scott
• Dec. 21 Nikolaas Tinbergen

  Dutch-english ethologist and ornithologist, nobel prize laureate (d. 1988).

• Dec. 22 Chico Mendes

  Influential Brazilian environmental activist who fought to protect the Amazon rainforest and advocated for rubber tappers' rights,...

• Dec. 25 Edward Pelham-Clinton

  10th duke of newcastle, english entomologist and lepidopterist (b. 1920).

• Dec. 25 Shōhei Ōoka

  Japanese author and critic (b. 1909).

• Dec. 26 Glenn McCarthy

  Texas oil entrepreneur and businessman who founded the luxurious Shamrock Hotel in Houston.

• Dec. 26 Pablo Sorozábal

  German-spanish composer and conductor (b. 1897).

• Dec. 27 Hal Ashby

  Acclaimed American film director known for critically acclaimed movies like 'Harold and Maude' and 'Being There', who was a key figure in...

• Dec. 30 Isamu Noguchi

  Isamu Noguchi was a renowned Japanese-American artist, landscape architect, and industrial designer who significantly influenced modern...

• Dec. 30 Julij Markovič Daniėl'