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Obituaries

Obituaries
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Obituaries. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
Author Sophie Kinsella poses on Wimbledon Village high street, London in 2004. Photo: AP
Britain

Sophie Kinsella, Shopaholic author, dies at 55 from brain cancer

The celebrated British author wrote over 30 books, and leaves behind a legacy of humour and relatability.

Hong Kong society

Robert Ho, Hong Kong journalist, philanthropist and devout Buddhist, dies at 93

Hong Kong

Renowned British photographer Martin Parr dies at 73

Architecture and design

Frank Gehry, the most celebrated architect of his time, dies at 96

His masterpieces include the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles and Berlin’s DZ Bank Building.

Frank Gehry poses at the 2023 Los Angeles Philharmonic Gala in October 2023. Photo: AP
Cinema

Oscar-winning UK playwright Tom Stoppard dies aged 88

His work ranges from plays like Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead to the film Shakespeare in Love, which scooped seven Academy Awards.

Richard Branson

Joan Branson, wife of British billionaire Richard Branson, dies at 80

The Virgin Atlantic founder called his spouse his best friend, rock, and his guiding light in a social media post about her death.

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Americas and the Caribbean

Jimmy Cliff, reggae icon and ‘cultural giant’, dies at 81

The Jamaican singer, along with Bob Marley, popularised reggae, ska and rocksteady. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.

Jamaican musician, singer and actor Jimmy Cliff performs during the Timbre Rock and Roots concert in 2013 in Singapore. Photo: AP
Fashion

Paul Costelloe, personal designer to Princess Diana, dies at 80

The Irish designer worked with the British royal from 1983 until her death in Paris in 1997.

Hong Kong society

Hong Kong toy tycoon Lam Leung-tim, creator of iconic rubber duck, dead at 105

Lam’s family reveals he died on November 10, announces that memorial ceremony will be held on Monday in his ancestral hometown of Foshan.

United States

US disability rights activist and author Alice Wong dies at 51

The daughter of Hong Kong immigrants, Wong fought for a world where people with disabilities could have full autonomy over their lives.

Alice Wong (right) speaks with Yomi Young during the activist’s 50th birthday party in San Francisco in March. Photo: Sandy Ho via AP
Science

James Watson, co-discoverer of DNA’s double helix shape, dead at 97

His efforts won him a Nobel Prize, but Watson drew condemnation near the end of his life for saying black people were less intelligent.

US biologist James Watson poses for a portrait at an exhibition in Berlin in October 2004. Photo: AP
Science

Lead scientist of China’s thorium reactor project died working on the computer

Death of nuclear physicist Xu Hongjie came just weeks before the project he led achieved a breakthrough in fourth-generation nuclear power.

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Fame and celebrity

US actress Diane Ladd, nominated for 3 Oscars, dies at 89

Ladd’s credits include Chinatown, Primary Colors and Wild at Heart, in which she co-starred with her daughter Laura Dern.

Fame and celebrity

‘Fawlty Towers’ actress Prunella Scales dies peacefully at home at 93

The British actress was watching ‘Fawlty Towers’ the day before she died, just months after her husband of 61 years, actor Timothy West.

Prunella Scales poses for the photographers at the premiere of “Keeping Mum” in 2005. Photo: AP
Thailand

Thailand’s Queen Mother Sirikit has died at age 93

A beloved royal figure, she backed projects to help the rural poor, protect the forests and support refugees.

Thailand’s Queen Sirikit waves to people during her arrival in Chinatown for Lunar New Year celebrations in Bangkok in January 2012. Photo: Reuters
Japan

Obituary | Japan ex-PM Murayama, who apologised for WWII aggression, dies at 101

In a 1995 statement, Murayama expressed ‘deep remorse’ over Tokyo’s deeds that left a lasting legacy of bitterness with its neighbours.

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Music

Ace Frehley, original Kiss lead guitarist and co-founder, dead at 74

Known by his Kiss alter ego ‘Spaceman’, Frehley helped define the band’s theatrical hard rock sound and iconic look.

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First Mention

When rumours swirled around the cause of Cantopop star Danny Chan’s death

Chow Yun-fat, Sally Yeh, Anita Mui and Pansy Ho attended his funeral. It was speculated that attempted suicide, Aids or a drug overdose caused his death.

Singer Danny Chan Pak-keung puts one of his albums in a time capsule in 1991. Photo: SCMP Archive
Music

Grammy-winning R&B singer D’Angelo dies at 51

Known for hits like ‘Brown Sugar’ and ‘Lady’, he became a mainstream icon with his shirtless music video for ‘Untitled (How Does It Feel)’.

Fame and celebrity

Oscar-winning Hollywood actress Diane Keaton dies at 79

A frequent collaborator with Woody Allen, she played the titular character in his film ‘Annie Hall’, in which he also starred.

United States

Joan Bennett Kennedy, wife of late US Senator Ted Kennedy, dies at 89

Her marriage tied her to an American political dynasty that includes slain US president John F. Kennedy and Trump health chief RFK Jnr.

Joan Kennedy, first wife of late former US senator Ted Kennedy, gets a standing ovation as she is recognised at the dedication ceremony for the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate in Boston in March 2015. Photo: Reuters
Books and literature

British author Jilly Cooper, famous for novels of sex and snobbery, dies at 88

Cooper’s raunchy bestsellers include Riders and Rivals, which was adapted into a Disney+ series last year.

British author Jilly Cooper at The Queen’s Reading Room Festival, a literary event celebrating the power and benefits of reading. Cooper has died at the age of 88. Photo: Lucy Ray Media Assignments / PA Wire / dpa
India

Asiaweek founder TJS George’s death leaves behind unmatched legacy

George, who died on Friday aged 97, forged a stellar reputation as an advocate of press freedom over a seven-decade career in journalism.

Science

Wildlife advocate, primate expert Jane Goodall dies at 91

The pioneering UK conservationist drew the public into the world of chimpanzees through her work with National Geographic.

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Fame and celebrity

Italian actress Claudia Cardinale dies aged 87

The actress, who starred next to leading men from Burt Lancaster to Henry Fonda, was the muse of Luchino Visconti and Federico Fellini.

Italian actress Claudia Cardinale (right) and Italian film director Federico Fellini appear during an Academy Awards ceremony in Rome on May 27, 1964. Photo: AP Photo
International Cricket Council

Former cricket umpire Harold ‘Dickie’ Bird dies aged 92

Bird was one of the most respected officials in the game, and stood in 66 Tests and 69 one-day internationals.

Retired umpire Dickie Bird rings the five minute bell during play on the first day of the first Test match between England and New Zealand at Lord’s on May 21, 2015. Photo: AFP
Giorgio Armani

Giorgio Armani dies at 91: Leonardo DiCaprio, Julia Roberts and others pay tribute

Actors and fashion heavyweights including Ralph Lauren, Anna Wintour and Victoria Beckham honour the Italian designer.

Fame and celebrity

Sopranos star Jerry Adler dies at 96

Adler played Tony Soprano’s adviser Hesh Rabkin and also appeared in The Good Wife, where he played law partner Howard Lyman.

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