| 54587 | May.12 | Death | 1985 – Jean Dubuffet, French painter and sculptor (b. 1901) |
| 54588 | May.12 | Death | 1986 – Elisabeth Bergner, Ukrainian-English actress and producer (b. 1897) |
| 54589 | May.12 | Death | 1986 – Alicia Moreau de Justo, English-Argentinian physician and politician (b. 1885) |
| 54590 | May.12 | Death | 1990 – Chen Kenmin, Chinese-Japanese chef (b. 1912) |
| 54591 | May.12 | Death | 1992 – Nikos Gatsos, Greek poet and songwriter (b. 1911) |
| 54592 | May.12 | Death | 1992 – Robert Reed, American actor and director (b. 1932) |
| 54593 | May.12 | Death | 1993 – Omond Solandt, Canadian scientist and academic (b. 1909) |
| 54594 | May.12 | Death | 1994 – Erik Erikson, German-American psychologist and psychoanalyst (b. 1902) |
| 54595 | May.12 | Death | 1994 – John Smith, Scottish-English lawyer and politician, Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer (b. 1938) |
| 54596 | May.12 | Death | 1995 – Mia Martini, Italian singer (b. 1947) |
| 54597 | May.12 | Death | 1999 – Saul Steinberg, Romanian-American illustrator (b. 1914) |
| 54598 | May.12 | Death | 2000 – Adam Petty, American race car driver (b. 1980) |
| 54599 | May.12 | Death | 2001 – Perry Como, American singer and television host (b. 1912) |
| 54600 | May.12 | Death | 2001 – Alexei Tupolev, Russian engineer, designed the Tupolev Tu-144 (b. 1925) |
| 54571 | May.12 | Death | 1935 – Józef Piłsudski, Polish field marshal and politician, 15th Prime Minister of Poland (b. 1867) |
| 54572 | May.12 | Death | 1944 – Max Brand, American journalist and author (b. 1892) |
| 54573 | May.12 | Death | 1944 – Arthur Quiller-Couch, English author, poet, and critic (b. 1863) |
| 54574 | May.12 | Death | 1946 – Leopold Socha, Ukrainian-Polish sewage inspector (b. 1909) |
| 54575 | May.12 | Death | 1948 – Dante Cappelli, Italian actor and director (b. 1866) |
| 54576 | May.12 | Death | 1956 – Louis Calhern, American actor and singer (b. 1895) |
| 54577 | May.12 | Death | 1957 – Alfonso de Portago, Spanish bobsledder and race car driver (b. 1928) |
| 54578 | May.12 | Death | 1957 – Erich von Stroheim, Austrian-American actor, director, and producer (b. 1885) |
| 54579 | May.12 | Death | 1963 – Richard Girulatis, German footballer and manager (b. 1878) |
| 54580 | May.12 | Death | 1963 – Robert Kerr, Irish-Canadian sprinter and coach (b. 1882) |
| 54581 | May.12 | Death | 1966 – Felix Steiner, Russian-German SS officer (b. 1896) |
| 54582 | May.12 | Death | 1967 – John Masefield, English poet and author (b. 1878) |
| 54583 | May.12 | Death | 1970 – Nelly Sachs, German poet and playwright, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1891) |
| 54584 | May.12 | Death | 1971 – Heinie Manush, American baseball player and coach (b. 1901) |
| 54585 | May.12 | Death | 1973 – Art Pollard, American race car driver (b. 1927) |
| 54586 | May.12 | Death | 1979 – Ileana Sararoiu, Romanian singer (b. 1936) |