List of Famous people who died at 79

Samand Aliyevich Siabandov was a Soviet writer, military officer and politician of Kurdish–Yazidi origin who was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union during the Soviet war against Nazi Germany.

Kenneth Laurence Martin, was an English painter and sculptor who, with his wife Mary Martin and Victor Pasmore, was a leading figure in the revival of Constructivism.

Donald James Henderson was a Canadian politician, who served as a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1985 to 1995. He represented the ridings of Humber and Etobicoke—Humber.

Antonín Liška was a Czech Roman Catholic clergyman. From 1991 to 2002 he was bishop of Budweis.

Laila Schou Nilsen was a Norwegian speed skater, alpine skier and tennis player. She was one of the pioneers in Norwegian as well as international speed skating for women.

Ladislav Slovák was a Slovak conductor.

James P. Liautaud was an American industrialist, inventor and business theorist. He is the father of Jimmy John's founder Jimmy John Liautaud. Liautaud provided his son with the seed money to start his restaurant business in 1983.

Donald William Peterman, ASC was an American cinematographer whose numerous feature film credits included Flashdance, Cocoon, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, Point Break, and Men in Black, He was a regular collaborator of directors like Ron Howard, Barry Sonnenfeld, and Ron Underwood. He was a two-time Academy Award nominee and a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the American Society of Cinematographers since 1984.