List of Famous people who died at 79

Abdul Rozak Fachruddin was the Indonesian Islamic religious leader hailed from Pakualaman, Yogyakarta. He served as the 10th chairman of the Islamic mass organization Muhammadiyah from 1968 to 1990.

Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, was the 9th Ruler of Ajman and ruled the emirate from 1928 until 1981. Throughout his 53 years as Ruler, he worked to build Ajman. He was one of the founding fathers of the United Arab Emirates.

Hellmut Ritter was a leading German Orientalist specialising in Arabic, Persian, and Turkish, and an authority on Sufi ritual and mystical beliefs.

Âşık Ali İzzet Özkan (1902-1981) was a Turkish ashik and poet. A native of Şarkışla, Özkan became an ashik at a young age, and went to Adana at the age of 22 to compete with other ashiks from Çukurova. Özkan wandered throughout Turkey for many years and composer numerous original poems. He also participated in the festival of Turkish ashiks held in Konya.

Rashad al-Shawwa was the Palestinian mayor of Gaza for eleven years from 1971 to 1982. Before becoming mayor he was an outgoing local activist in the city. He was known by Israelis and Palestinians as the pro-Jordanian "father figure" of the Gaza Strip. He is the father of artist Laila Shawwa.

Elias Hrawi was president of Lebanon, whose term of office ran from 1989 to 1998.

Abdellatief Abouheif was an Egyptian marathon swimming champion. He was educated at Eton College and the Sandhurst Military Academy, where he graduated in 1956. He was the 1964, 1965, and 1968 World Professional Marathon Swimming Federation Champion. He also was recognized as the Marathon Swimmer of the Century by the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 2001.