List of Famous people who died in 1998

Anastasio Alberto Ballestrero - in religious Anastasio del Santissimo Rosario - was an Italian Roman Catholic cardinal and professed member from the Discalced Carmelites who served as the Archbishop of Turin from 1977 until his resignation in 1989. Ballestrero was elevated to the cardinalate in 1979 and became a leading progressive voice in the Italian episcopate during his time as the head of the Italian Episcopal Conference in the pontificate of the conservative Pope John Paul II. Ballestrero likewise was known for being reserved when it came to the Shroud of Turin as opposed to the enthusiasm of John Paul II for the relic. The cardinal allowed for testing of the shroud and announced that the relic itself was a product of the Middle Ages as opposed to the genuine burial cloth of Jesus Christ.

Archie Moore was an American professional boxer and the longest reigning World Light Heavyweight Champion of all time. He had one of the longest professional careers in the history of the sport, competing from 1935 to 1963. Nicknamed "The Mongoose", and then "The Old Mongoose" in the latter half of his career, Moore was a highly strategic and defensive boxer, with a strong chin and unusual resilience. As of December 2020, BoxRec ranks Moore as the third greatest pound-for-pound boxer of all time. Moore has won 32 professional fights rated by BoxRec as 5-Star, the most in boxing history. He also ranks fourth on The Ring's list of "100 greatest punchers of all time". Moore was also a trainer for a short time after retirement, training Muhammad Ali, George Foreman and James Tillis.

Betty Carter was an American jazz singer known for her improvisational technique, scatting and other complex musical abilities that demonstrated her vocal talent and imaginative interpretation of lyrics and melodies. Vocalist Carmen McRae once remarked: "There's really only one jazz singer—only one: Betty Carter."

Bob Merrill was an American songwriter, theatrical composer, lyricist, and screenwriter. He was one of the most successful songwriters of the 1950s on the US and UK single charts. He wrote musicals for the Broadway stage, including Carnival! and Funny Girl (lyrics).

Vittorio Cottafavi was an Italian film director and screenwriter. He directed 70 films between 1943 and 1985. His film Il diavolo sulle colline was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1985 Cannes Film Festival.

Jean-Pierre Néraudau was a 20th-century French writer and professor of Latin literature.

Frank Lewis was an American wrestler and olympic champion. He competed at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, where he received a gold medal in freestyle welterweight.