List of Famous people who died at 79

Paula Raymond was an American model and actress who played the leading lady in numerous movies and television series. She was the niece of American pulp-magazine editor Farnsworth Wright.

Shirley Verrett was an American operatic mezzo-soprano who successfully transitioned into soprano roles, i.e. soprano sfogato. Verrett enjoyed great fame from the late 1960s through the 1990s, particularly well known for singing the works of Verdi and Donizetti.

Heinz Galinski was president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany from 1988 until his death in 1992.

Damon Francis Knight was an American science fiction author, editor and critic. He is the author of "To Serve Man", a 1950 short story adapted for The Twilight Zone. He was married to fellow writer Kate Wilhelm.

Edric Claud Hamilton-Russell was a British rower and mining engineer who was director of pre-nationalisation collieries.