He held the ceremonial post of German president after a finance-focused career. Shortly into his second term, he became the first German president in four decades to resign.
Tag: Deaths (Obituaries)
Mauricio Funes, Salvadoran President Who Fled to Nicaragua, Dies at 65
He was a popular TV journalist when elected as El Salvador’s first modern-day leftist leader in 2009, but he went into exile hounded by corruption charges.
François Ponchaud, Who Alerted World to Cambodian Atrocities, Dies at 85
A French Catholic priest, he wrote a book recounting horrors committed by the Khmer Rouge that were responsible for the deaths of almost two million people.
Mike Hynson, Surfing Star of ‘The Endless Summer,’ Dies at 82
The hit 1966 surfing documentary immortalized the maverick California wave rider as an archetype of the footloose rebel surfer.
Arthur Blessitt, Who Carried a Cross Around the World, Dies at 84
A street preacher from Hollywood, he set out on a walk to New York City in 1969 with a 110-pound cross on his back. Then he kept going.
Clinton Bailey, Who Documented a Vanishing Bedouin Culture, Dies at 88
Armed with a camera and tape recorder, he spent decades preserving the ancient traditions of nomadic Middle Eastern tribes.
Bimla Bissell, Ambassadors’ Aide and a Social Hub in India, Dies at 92
Her home drew generations of heads of state, diplomats, journalists and artists, who relied on her for her political acumen and were buoyed by her friendship.
Oliviero Toscani, Driving Force Behind Provocative Benetton Ads, Dies at 82
A photographer and art director, he broke the boundaries of advertising in the 1980s and ’90s, embracing activism with images evoking AIDS and racial and sexual diversity.
Mauro Morandi, Italy’s Robinson Crusoe, Dies at 85
He was the sole resident of Budelli, an undeveloped sliver of paradise off the northern coast of Sardinia. He embraced the solitude, until he was evicted.
Shui Ka-chun, Hong Kong Activist, Dies
A social worker and teacher imprisoned for his activism, he later wrote about the toll of incarceration and worked to help others behind bars.