List of Famous people who died at 79

Helmut Erich Landsberg (1906–1985) was a noted and influential climatologist. He was born in Frankfurt, Germany, February 9, 1906 and died December 6, 1985 in Geneva, Switzerland while attending a meeting of the World Meteorological Organization. Landsberg was an important figure in meteorology and atmospheric science in education, public service and administration. He authored several notable works, particularly in the field of particulate matter and its influence on air pollution and human health. He is the first to write in English about the use of statistical analysis in the field of climatology and implemented such statistical analysis in aiding military operations during World War II. He received a number of significant honors during his life. Several honors are now bestowed in his name in recognition of his contributions to his field.

Francis Sheldon Hackney was a prominent U.S. educator. He was the Boies Professor of United States History at the University of Pennsylvania.

Ernst Schröder was a popular German theatre, film and TV actor.

Karl Georg Külb (1901–1980) was a German screenwriter and film director.

Patricia Hardy was an American television and film actress whose career was most active during the 1950s. She was the wife of actor Richard Egan.

Edgar Frank "Ted" Codd was an English computer scientist who, while working for IBM, invented the relational model for database management, the theoretical basis for relational databases and relational database management systems. He made other valuable contributions to computer science, but the relational model, a very influential general theory of data management, remains his most mentioned, analyzed and celebrated achievement.