List of Famous people who died at 81

Arturo Merino Benítez, was an aviator with rank of Commodore, and the founder of both the Chilean Air Force (1930) and LAN Chile (1929) the national airline. Chile's largest airport was named in his honour, Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport. His parents were Pedro Merino Feliú and Clorinda Benítez Labbé. He died from a stroke at age 82, his remains are at the Cementerio General de Santiago.

Don Arden was an English music manager, agent, and businessman. He managed the careers of rock acts such as Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, Air Supply, Small Faces, The Move, Black Sabbath and Electric Light Orchestra.

Ernest Lou Medina was a captain of infantry in the United States Army. He served during the Vietnam War. He was the commanding officer of Company C, 1st Battalion, 20th Infantry of the 11th Brigade, Americal Division, the unit responsible for the My Lai Massacre of 16 March 1968. He was court martialed in 1971 for his role in that war crime, but acquitted the same year.

Joseph Osborn was an American bass guitar player known for his work as a session musician in Los Angeles with the Wrecking Crew and in Nashville with the A-Team of studio musicians during the 1960s through the 1980s.

Danny La Rue, was an Irish singer and entertainer, best known for his on-stage drag persona. He performed in drag and also as himself in theatrical productions, television shows and film.

Jean-Luc Nancy was a French philosopher. Nancy's first book, published in 1973, was Le titre de la lettre, a reading of the work of French psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan, written in collaboration with Philippe Lacoue-Labarthe. Nancy is the author of works on many thinkers, including La remarque spéculative in 1973 on Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, Le Discours de la syncope (1976) and L'Impératif catégorique (1983) on Immanuel Kant, Ego sum (1979) on René Descartes, and Le Partage des voix (1982) on Martin Heidegger.

Ada Carrasco was a Mexican film and television actress. She started her career as an actress in 1952, and went on to make over 38 soap operas, including Los Ricos También Lloran, with Verónica Castro in 1979, Rosa Salvaje in 1987, De Frente al Sol in 1992, Más Allá del Puente in 1994, and finally, her last soap opera was made in 1994 in Marimar with Thalía. She died of a heart attack on 5 April 1994.

Ousmane Sow was a Senegalese sculptor of larger-than-life statues of people and groups of people.

Eduardo Arroyo Rodríguez was a Spanish painter and graphic artist. He was also active as an author and set designer.

Majid al-Shibl, original name Muhammad al-Shibil, was a prominent Saudi announcer who introduced several programs and variety.