List of Famous people who died in 1959

Erhard Schmidt was a Baltic German mathematician whose work significantly influenced the direction of mathematics in the twentieth century. Schmidt was born in Tartu, in the Governorate of Livonia.

Walter Bathe was a German breaststroke swimmer. He won gold medals in the 200 m and 400 m breaststroke at the 1912 Summer Olympics, setting Olympic records that lasted until 1924. In 1970 he was inducted to the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

Otto Wilhelm Rudolf Caracciola was a racing driver from Remagen, Germany. He won the European Drivers' Championship, the pre-1950 equivalent of the modern Formula One World Championship, an unsurpassed three times. He also won the European Hillclimbing Championship three times – twice in sports cars, and once in Grand Prix cars. Caracciola raced for Mercedes-Benz during their original dominating Silver Arrows period, named after the silver colour of the cars, and set speed records for the firm. He was affectionately dubbed Caratsch by the German public, and was known by the title of Regenmeister, or "Rainmaster", for his prowess in wet conditions.

Curt Sachs was a German musicologist. He was one of the founders of modern organology.

Ethel Gresley Ball, was an Irish artist working in both paintings and sculpture.

Charles Laeser was a Swiss professional road bicycle racer. Laeser entered 1903 Tour de France, the first edition of the race. He did not finish the third stage, but according to the rules then, he was still allowed to start the next stage. He started and even won the fourth stage, thus becoming the first foreign Tour de France stage winner. Laeser also entered the 1904 Tour de France, but did finish any stage.

Clinton Amos Clauson was a Democratic Party politician and the 66th Governor of Maine. Clauson died while in office, having served as governor for just under a year.

Jerome Bayard Clark was a U.S. Representative from North Carolina.

Eddie Jones, better known as Guitar Slim, was a New Orleans blues guitarist in the 1940s and 1950s, best known for the million-selling song "The Things That I Used to Do", produced by Johnny Vincent for Specialty Records. It is listed in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll. Slim had a major impact on rock and roll and experimented with distorted overtones on the electric guitar a full decade before Jimi Hendrix.

James Erasmus Tracy Philipps was a British public servant.