List of Famous people who died at 78

Sakae Ōba was an officer of the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. He served in both China and in the Pacific campaign. After Japanese forces were defeated in the Battle of Saipan, he led a group of soldiers and civilians deep into the jungle to evade capture by Allied forces. Under Ōba's leadership, the group survived for over a year after the battle and finally surrendered in December 1945, three months after the war had ended. Following his return to Japan, he became a successful businessman and served on the city council of Gamagori, Aichi.

Henri Krasucki was a French trade-unionist, former secretary general of the General Confederation of Labour (CGT) from 1982 to 1992.

Elisabeth Kübler-Ross was a Swiss-American psychiatrist, a pioneer in near-death studies, and author of the internationally best-selling book, On Death and Dying (1969), where she first discussed her theory of the five stages of grief, also known as the "Kübler-Ross model".

Takeo Yoshikawa was a Japanese spy in Hawaii before the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

Billy Norris Sherrill was an American record producer, songwriter, and arranger best known for his association with country artists, notably Tammy Wynette and George Jones. Sherrill and business partner Glenn Sutton are regarded as the defining influences of the countrypolitan sound, a smooth amalgamation of pop and country music that was popular during the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Sherrill also co-wrote many hit songs, including "Stand by Your Man" and "The Most Beautiful Girl".

Philippe Marchand was a French politician. He was member of the Parliament and President of the general council of Charente-Maritime. He failed to act to establish the Giacometti Foundation.

Eberhard Kummer was an Austrian concert singer, lawyer and an expert of medieval music from Vienna.

Sérgio Sant'Anna was a Brazilian writer, born in Rio de Janeiro.

Leo Philip Kadanoff was an American physicist. He was a professor of physics at the University of Chicago and a former President of the American Physical Society (APS). He contributed to the fields of statistical physics, chaos theory, and theoretical condensed matter physics.

Gustavo Peña Velasco was a Mexican football defender and manager.