List of Famous people who died at 89

Joseph Sargent was an American film director. Though he directed many television movies, his best known feature-length works were arguably the theatrical releases: Burt Reynolds action movie White Lightning, Gregory Peck biopic MacArthur, and horror anthology Nightmares. His most popular feature film was the subway thriller The Taking of Pelham One Two Three. Sargent won four Emmy Awards over his career.

Roberto Fernández Retamar was a Cuban poet, essayist, literary critic and President of the Casa de las Américas. In his role as President of the organization, Fernández also served on the Council of State of Cuba. An early close confidant of Che Guevara and Fidel Castro, he was a central figure in Cuba from the 1959 Revolution until his death in 2019. Fernández also wrote over a dozen major collections of verse and founded the Casa de las Americas cultural magazine.

Olga Dmitriyeva Ulyanova was a Russian chemist, physicist, and writer. The niece of Vladimir Lenin, she was one of his last-known living relatives before her death. Ulyanova was a supporter of Lenin's legacy, writing extensively about her uncle and family. She was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labour by the Soviet Union for her writing. Ulyanova actively campaigned for Lenin's body to stay in Lenin's Mausoleum during discussions of reburying it outside of the Red Square. While supportive of maintaining Lenin's legacy, she told European press that it was a mistake to make him into an icon.

Dame Elizabeth Violet Blackadder, Mrs Houston, was a Scottish painter and printmaker. She was the first woman to be elected to both the Royal Scottish Academy and the Royal Academy.

Arvo Johannes Jantunen was a Finnish basketball player and coach who also played handball, football and pesäpallo at the national top-tier level. In basketball, Jantunen represented Tampereen Pyrintö that has retired his jersey. He also played for Finnish national team in three EuroBasket editions.

Lady Marguerite Tangye (1913–2002), born Lady Marguerite Rose Bligh, was the daughter of Esme Ivo Bligh, the 9th Earl of Darnley, and Daphne Mulholland. She was a famous debutante, model, and actress in 1930s London and was widely photographed. Lady Marguerite worked for the Mechanised Transport Corps in World War II and in later life held a variety of jobs as well as writing about her childhood in Brazil.

Paul Frantz was a French football player and manager.

Kwa Geok Choo was a Singaporean lawyer and the wife of Lee Kuan Yew, the first Prime Minister of Singapore, and the mother of Lee Hsien Loong, the third and current Prime Minister. She was the co-founder and partner of law firm Lee & Lee.