List of Famous people who died in 1997

Mae Boren Axton was known in the music industry as the "Queen Mother of Nashville." She co-wrote the Elvis Presley hit single "Heartbreak Hotel" with Tommy Durden. She worked with Mel Tillis, Reba McEntire, Willie Nelson, Eddy Arnold, Tanya Tucker, Johnny Tillotson, and Blake Shelton.

Air Vice-Marshal Wilfrid Ewart Oulton, was an officer in the Royal Air Force. During the Second World War he was credited with sinking three German U-boats—U-463, U-663, and U-563—in one month while serving in RAF Coastal Command. He was in charge of the British nuclear tests of hydrogen bombs in the Pacific Ocean in Operation Grapple in 1957.

Charles Weldon Cannon, known as Tooter Cannon, was a widely recognized manufacturer of boots and saddles in rural Dickens, Texas.

James Lafayette Dickey was an American poet and novelist. He was appointed the eighteenth United States Poet Laureate in 1966. He also received the Order of the South award.

Craig David Button was a United States Air Force pilot who died when he crashed a Fairchild A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft under mysterious circumstances on 2 April 1997. During the incident, Captain Button inexplicably flew hundreds of miles off-course without radio contact, appeared to maneuver purposefully and did not attempt to eject before the crash. His death is regarded as a suicide because no other hypothesis explains the events. His aircraft carried live bombs which were never recovered. It took three weeks to find the crash site. During that time, there was widespread public speculation about Button's intentions and whereabouts.

António Gedeão was a Portuguese poet, essayist, writer and playwright, who also published several works related to science. António Gedeão was an alter ego of Rómulo de Carvalho, who, using his real name was also a professor, teaching chemistry and history of science.

Jean-Dominique Bauby was a French journalist, author and editor of the French fashion magazine Elle. He had two children with Sylvie de la Rochefoucauld, a son named Théophile and a daughter named Céleste.

Norio Nagayama was a Japanese spree killer and novelist.

Victor Vasarely, was a Hungarian-French artist, who is widely accepted as a "grandfather" and leader of the Op art movement.

Rudolf Bahro was a dissident from East Germany who, since his death, has been recognised as a philosopher, political figure and author. Bahro was a leader of the West German party The Greens, but became disenchanted with its political organization, left the party and explored spiritual approaches to sustainability.