List of Famous people who died in 1961

Marion Mahony Griffin was an American architect and artist. She was one of the first licensed female architects in the world, and is considered an original member of the Prairie School.Her work in the United States developed and expanded the American Prairie School. Her work in India and Australia reflected Prairie School ideals of indigenous landscape and materials in the newly formed democracies. The scholar Deborah Wood has stated that Griffin "did the drawings people think of when they think of Frank Lloyd Wright ." She produced some of the finest architectural drawing in America and Australia and was instrumental in envisioning the design plans for the capital city of Australia, Canberra.

Francesco Severi was an Italian mathematician. He was the chair of the committee on Fields Medal on 1936, at the first delivery.

Caroline Beatrix Bridgeman, Viscountess Bridgeman, DBE, JP was an English aristocrat, political activist, and churchwoman.

Louis Notari was the pioneer of Monégasque literature. He wrote in the French and Monégasque languages.

Martin Henry Kennelly was an American politician and businessman. He served as the 47th Mayor of Chicago in Chicago, Illinois from April 15, 1947 until April 20, 1955. Kennelly was a member of the Democratic Party. According to biographer Peter O'Malley, he was chosen as mayor by a scandal-burdened Democratic machine that needed a reformer on top of the ticket. Kennelly was a wealthy businessman and civic leader, active in Irish and Catholic circles. As a long-time opponent of machine politics he accepted the nomination on condition the machine would not pressure him for patronage and that he did not have to play a leadership role in the party. This gave him a non-partisan image that satisfied the reform element. As mayor he avoided partisanship and concentrated on building infrastructure and upgrading the city bureaucracy. He worked to extend civil service; he reorganized inefficient departments. The city took ownership of the mass transit system. He obtained federal aid for slum clearance and public housing projects and for new expressways construction. At his death, Mayor Richard J. Daley, the party leader who defeated Kennelly in a bitter primary battle in 1955, called him, "a great Chicagoan who loved his city" and ordered City hall flags placed at half staff.

Philibert Jacques Melotte was a British astronomer whose parents emigrated from Belgium.

Johan Sigfrid Sirén was a Finnish architect. He is best known for Eduskuntatalo, which is where the Parliament of Finland meets.

Beals Coleman Wright was an American tennis player who was active at the end of the 1890s and early 1900s. He won the singles title at the 1905 U.S. National Championships. Wright was a two-time Olympic gold medalist, and the older brother of American tennis player Irving Wright.

Olav Bjaaland was a Norwegian ski champion and polar explorer. In 1911, he was one of the first five men to reach the South Pole as part of Amundsen's South Pole expedition.