Famous people and celebrities who died in February 2017

This page is dedicated to commemorating the celebrities and famous people who passed away in February 2017. This month marked the loss of influential and beloved figures whose contributions spanned various fields and touched many lives. Explore our detailed list to remember and celebrate their enduring legacies and the remarkable impact they had on the world

• Feb. 1 Desmond Carrington

  British actor and broadcaster (b. 1926)

• Feb. 4 Bano Qudsia

  Pakistani writer (b. 1928)

• Feb. 6 Joost van der Westhuizen

  Iconic South African rugby union player who was a key member of the Springboks and widely considered one of the greatest scrum-halves in rugby history.

• Feb. 6 Inge Keller

  German actress (b. 1923)

• Feb. 7 Richard Hatch

  Richard Hatch was the first winner of the reality TV show Survivor, famously winning the inaugural season in 2000 by using strategic gameplay and manipulative social tactics. He became a pivotal figure in reality television history and significantly influenced the genre's future development.

• Feb. 7 Tzvetan Todorov

  Renowned Bulgarian philosopher, literary theorist, and essayist who made significant contributions to structuralism and narrative theory.

• Feb. 7 Hans Rosling

  Pioneering Swedish global health expert and data visualization guru who transformed how we understand world development statistics.

• Feb. 8 Sir Peter Mansfield

  Nobel Prize laureate for their discoveries concerning magnetic resonance imaging

• Feb. 8 Alan Simpson

  British comedy scriptwriter known for co-writing iconic television series like 'Steptoe and Son' and contributing to classic British comedy. He was a significant figure in the development of British television comedy during the mid-20th century.

• Feb. 8 Rina Matsuno

  Japanese idol singer (b. 1998)[398]

• Feb. 9 André Salvat

  French army colonel (b. 1920)

• Feb. 11 Trish Doan

  Korean-canadian musician (b. 1985)

• Feb. 11 Fab Melo

  Brazilian basketball player (b. 1990)

• Feb. 12 Al Jarreau

  Grammy-winning jazz singer renowned for his extraordinary vocal range and ability to win awards across multiple music genres. He was a pioneering artist who successfully blended jazz, pop, and R&B styles throughout his career.

• Feb. 12 Anna Marguerite McCann

  First female american underwater archaeologist (b. 1933)

• Feb. 12 Ren Xinmin

  Chinese rocket scientist (b. 1915)

• Feb. 13 Kim Jong-nam

  North korean politician (b. 1971)

• Feb. 13 Aileen Hernandez

  American union organizer and activist (b. 1926)

• Feb. 13 Seijun Suzuki

  Japanese filmmaker (b. 1923)

• Feb. 13 E-Dubble

  American rapper (b. 1982)

• Feb. 18 Norma McCorvey

  Pivotal plaintiff in the landmark Roe v. Wade Supreme Court case that legalized abortion in the United States, a significant figure in reproductive rights history.

• Feb. 19 Larry Coryell

  Pioneering jazz fusion guitarist known for his innovative approach to jazz and rock, influencing generations of musicians with his virtuosic style and groundbreaking work.

• Feb. 20 Vitaly Churkin

  Prominent Russian diplomat who played a crucial role at the United Nations, representing Russia's diplomatic interests from 2006 until his unexpected death in 2017.

• Feb. 20 Mildred Dresselhaus

  Pioneering physicist and electrical engineer who made groundbreaking contributions to nanotechnology and carbon science, earning her the nickname 'Queen of Carbon Science'.

• Feb. 20 Steve Hewlett

  British journalist (b. 1958)

• Feb. 21 Kenneth Arrow

  Influential economist and Nobel Prize winner who made groundbreaking contributions to social choice theory and welfare economics. His work on general equilibrium theory and social welfare functions fundamentally transformed economic and political science understanding.

• Feb. 21 Jeanne Martin Cissé

  Guinean teacher and politician (b. 1926)

• Feb. 25 Bill Paxton

  Renowned American actor and filmmaker known for roles in 'Titanic', 'Aliens', and 'Twister', who directed and starred in numerous films before his untimely death in 2017.