List of Famous people who died at 61

Hubert Pärnakivi was an Estonian track and field athlete and veterinarian.

Norman Earl Steenrod was an American mathematician most widely known for his contributions to the field of algebraic topology.

Anthony Anholt was a British television actor, known for his role as Charles Frere in the BBC drama series Howards' Way (1985–90). In 1974 he was cast as Mark Colebrook, a crooked architect in Contact Breaker the 12th episode of the first series of the police drama, The Sweeney. Anholt appeared in an episode of Juliet Bravo in 1984 as Martin Lee.

Frederick James Perren was an American songwriter, record producer, arranger, and orchestra conductor. He co-wrote and co-produced songs including "Boogie Fever" by the Sylvers, "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor, and "Shake Your Groove Thing" by Peaches & Herb.

Halbert Lynn White Jr. was the Chancellor’s Associates Distinguished Professor of Economics at the University of California, San Diego, and a Fellow of the Econometric Society and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. A native of Kansas City, Missouri, White graduated salutatorian from Southwest High School in 1968. He earned his PhD in Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1976, and spent his first years as an assistant professor in the University of Rochester before moving to UCSD in 1979.