List of Famous people who died in 2008
Erik Nielsen
Erik Hersholt Nielsen was a Canadian lawyer and politician. He served as the longtime Progressive Conservative Member of Parliament for Yukon, and was Leader of the Opposition and the third deputy prime minister. He was the elder brother of actor Leslie Nielsen.
Erwin Wickert
Erwin Wickert was a German diplomat who, during the 1970s, served as the ambassador to Romania and China.
David Butler, 10th Earl of Carrick
Janez Drnovšek
Janez Drnovšek was a Slovenian liberal politician, President of the Presidency of Yugoslavia (1989–1990), Prime Minister of Slovenia and President of Slovenia (2002–2007).
Enzo Moser
Enzo Moser was an Italian professional road bicycle racer from 1962 to 1967. He was the first winner of the Giro del Trentino in 1962. He came from a famous family of cyclists, the most famous of whom is his younger brother Francesco Moser, which also includes older brother Aldo, younger brother Diego and nephews Leonardo Moser and Moreno Moser, all of whom are or were professional cyclists. His achievements also include two days in the pink jersey during the 1964 Giro d'Italia. He was born in Palù di Giovo, Trentino, which incidentally is also the birthplace of Gilberto Simoni. He was killed in an agricultural accident on 25 July 2008.
Irv Robbins
Irvine Robbins was a Canadian-born American businessman. He co-founded the Baskin-Robbins ice cream parlor chain in 1945 with his partner and brother-in-law Burt Baskin.
Jørn Utzon
Jørn Oberg Utzon,, Hon. FAIA was a Danish architect. He was most notable for designing the Sydney Opera House in Australia, completed in 1973. When it was declared a World Heritage Site on 28 June 2007, Utzon became only the second person to have received such recognition for one of his works during his lifetime, after Oscar Niemeyer. Other noteworthy works include Bagsværd Church near Copenhagen and the National Assembly Building in Kuwait. He also made important contributions to housing design, especially with his Kingo Houses near Helsingør.
Tassos Papadopoulos
Efstathios "Tassos" Nikolaou Papadopoulos was a Cypriot politician and barrister who served as the fifth President of Cyprus from February 28, 2003 to February 28, 2008.
Boris Dvornik
Boris Dvornik was a Croatian actor.