List of Famous people who died in 1959

Abraham Flexner was an American educator, best known for his role in the 20th century reform of medical and higher education in the United States and Canada.

John Michael Hawthorn was a British racing driver. He became the United Kingdom's first Formula One World Champion driver in 1958, whereupon he announced his retirement, having been profoundly affected by the death of his teammate and friend Peter Collins two months earlier in the 1958 German Grand Prix. Hawthorn also won the 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans, but was haunted by his involvement in the disastrous crash that marred the race. Hawthorn died in a road accident three months after retiring; he was allegedly suffering from a terminal illness at the time.

Erich Zeisl was an Austrian-born American composer.

Richard Sturgis Seymour, MVO was a British diplomat who served as British Minister to Siam and to Bolivia.

Robert Kemp was a French journalist and literary critic, writing for L'Aurore, La Liberté, Le Temps and Le Monde. On 29 November 1956 he was elected to seat 5 of the Académie française.

Samuel Wilder King was the eleventh Territorial Governor of Hawaii and served from 1953 to 1957. He was appointed to the office after the term of Oren E. Long. Previously, King served in the United States House of Representatives as a delegate from the Territory of Hawaii. He was a member of the Republican Party of Hawaii and was the first of native Hawaiian descent to rise to the highest office in the territory.

Franz Blücher was a German politician and member of the German Parliament (Bundestag).