List of Famous people who died in 2017

Shōichi Watanabe was an English scholar and one of Japan’s foremost cultural critics. He was born in Tsuruoka, Yamagata Prefecture. A graduate of Sophia University, where he obtained his Master’s degree, he completed his doctorate at University of Münster in 1958. Two volumes of autobiography on his years in Germany narrate his varied experiences during this period. Returning to his alma mater, he became successively lecturer, assistant professor and full professor, until his retirement. He served as emeritus professor at the same university until his death. A passionate book-collector, he was chairman of the Japan Bibliophile Society. His personal collection of books on English philology was perhaps his most important contribution to the field of English philology in Japan, containing many rare items.

Elsa Daniel born Elsa Nilda Gómez Scapatti was an Argentine film actress. She entered film in the 1954 classic The Grandfather and made some 30 appearances in film between then and 1987.

Hans Jack Berliner was a Professor of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University, and was the World Correspondence Chess Champion, from 1965–1968. He was a Grandmaster of Correspondence Chess. He directed the construction of the chess computer HiTech, and was also a published chess writer.

Nicolae Lupescu was a Romanian football defender and manager.

Chen Yu-mei was a Taiwanese politician. She served as Deputy Minister of the Overseas Community Affairs Council of the Executive Yuan from 18 September 2013 to 8 August 2014.

Rolf Herings was a German javelin thrower who competed in the 1964 Summer Olympics and in the 1968 Summer Olympics and football coach.

Gustav Torgny Lindgren was a Swedish writer.

Wolfgang Schreyer was a German writer of fiction, historic adventures mixed with documentary, science fiction for TV shows and movies and is best known as the author of over 20 adventure stories.

Umberto Lenzi was an Italian film director, screenwriter, and novelist.

Jesús Silva-Herzog Flores, born as Jesús Silva y Flores was a Mexican economist and politician affiliated with the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). He served as secretary of Finance and Public Credit in the cabinet of President Miguel de la Madrid (1982–1986), as ambassador to Spain (1991–1994) and the United States (1995–1997), and as secretary of Tourism (1994) in the cabinet of Carlos Salinas de Gortari.