List of Famous people who died at 85

Kamala Sohonie was a pioneering Indian biochemist who in 1939 became the first Indian woman to receive a PhD in a scientific discipline. Her acceptance into and work at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, paved the way for women to be accepted into the institution for the first time in it its history.

Joseph John Schipp was an Australian politician in the New South Wales Government. He was the Liberal member for Wagga Wagga in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1975 to 1999.

Gordon Gould was an American physicist who is often credited with the invention of the laser.. Gould is best known for his thirty-year fight with the United States Patent and Trademark Office to obtain patents for the laser and related technologies. He also fought with laser manufacturers in court battles to enforce the patents he subsequently did obtain.

Vazgen I also Vazken I of Bucharest,, born Levon Garabed Baljian was the Catholicos of All Armenians between 1955 and 1994, for a total of 39 years, the 4th longest reign in the history of the Armenian Apostolic Church. The following three served for 39 years as Catholicos of All Armenians or Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia:

1. Peter I (1019–1058) — Պետրոս Ա Գետադարձ,
2. Gregory II the Martyrophile (1066–1105) — Գրիգոր Բ. Վկայասէր and
3. David IV (1590–1629), d. 1633 — Դավիթ Դ Վաղարշապատցի.