List of Famous people who died at 79

Vladimir Borisovich Yankilevsky was a Russian artist known mostly for his participation in the Soviet Nonconformist Art movement of the 1960s through the 1980s. Perhaps his most famous works are his triptychs, works that are difficult to classify, occupying a unique middle ground between painting, and sculpture, similar in some ways to Rauschenberg's combines. On the most basic level, these works use disorienting, often nightmarish imagery to paint a picture of restrictive mental states associated with daily life in the Soviet Union, and with the human condition in general. He is also known for having participated in the Manezh Art Exhibit of 1962, during which Nikita Khrushchev famously chastised the Nonconformist Art Movement as degenerate. Yankilevsky last lived in Paris, France with his wife Rimma.

Erla Hafstein Stefánsdóttir was an Icelandic piano-teacher and self-proclaimed seer. She was a noted public commentator on the topic of the huldufólk, particularly in relation to how they might be affected by building projects such as road-building, housing estates, or power-stations. She also held elf-tours in Hafnarfjörður.

João Castelo Ribeiro Gonçalves was a Brazilian politician and lawyer. He served as Governor of Maranhão from March 15, 1979, to May 15, 1982.

Dieter Danzberg was a German professional footballer who played as a defender.

Iain Cuthbertson was a Scottish character actor and theatre director. He was known for his tall imposing build and also his distinctive gravelly, heavily accented voice. He had lead roles in The Borderers (1968–70),Tom Brown's Schooldays (1971), Budgie (1971–72), its spinoff Charles Endell Esquire (1979–80), Danger UXB (1979) and Sutherland's Law (1973–76). He guest starred in many prominent British shows including The Avengers, Dr. Finlay's Casebook, The Onedin Line, Survivors, Ripping Yarns, Doctor Who, Z-Cars, Juliet Bravo, Rab C. Nesbitt, Minder, Inspector Morse and Agatha Christie's Poirot.

Amand Dalem was a Belgian politician who was Mayor of Rochefort (1970–1994), Senator (1979–1994), Minister of the Walloon Government (1985–1992), and Governor of the Province of Namur (1994–2007).

Ewald Balser was a German film actor. He appeared in 53 films between 1935 and 1975. He was born in Elberfeld, Germany and died in Vienna, Austria.

Bernard Muna was a Cameroonian lawyer, magistrate and politician. He served as Deputy Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda from 1997 to 2002. He was a candidate for the 2011 Presidential elections in Cameroon.

Laisenia Qarase was a Fijian politician. He served as the sixth Prime Minister of Fiji from 2000 to 2006. After the military quashed the coup that led to the removal of Mahendra Chaudhry, Qarase joined the Interim Military Government as a financial adviser on 9 June 2000, until his appointment as Prime Minister on 4 July. He won two parliamentary elections, but a military coup removed him from power on 5 December 2006. He was later imprisoned on corruption charges brought by the military-backed regime.

Jean Leguay was second in command in the French National Police during the Nazi Occupation of France. He was complicit in the 1942 roundup of Jews in Paris and their deportation from France to Nazi extermination camps, which resulted in the deaths of thousands of people, both adults and children.