Obituary
![](https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1424,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20240615_OBP001.jpg)
Out of the window, Earth
William Anders took the photo that kicked off the environmental movement
The Apollo 8 astronaut and nuclear engineer died on June 7th, aged 90
![](https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1424,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20240608_OBP002.jpg)
Unearthing ancient mysteries
Barry Kemp spent his career digging up Akhenaten’s abandoned city
The eminent Egyptologist died on May 15th, aged 84
![](https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1424,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20240601_OBP001.jpg)
Fixing a likeness
June Mendoza captured both the famous and the unknown
Britain’s most prolific portrait-painter died on May 15th, aged 99
![](https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1424,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20240525_OBP001.jpg)
Morality and butchery
Ebrahim Raisi was obsessed with the security of the people
The hardline president of Iran died in a helicopter crash on May 19th, aged 63
![](https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1424,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20240518_OBP001.jpg)
Life is too short to stuff a mushroom
Shirley Conran wrote a bonkbuster to teach schoolgirls about sex
The author and campaigner for maths education died on May 9th, aged 91
![](https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1424,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20240511_OBP001.jpg)
For the love of giraffes
Anne Innis Dagg devoted her life to the world’s tallest creature
The zoologist and campaigner for equality died on April 1st, aged 91
![](https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1424,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20240504_OBP001.jpg)
Inside “Apocalypse Now”
Eleanor Coppola recorded how a cinematic triumph almost came unstuck
The documentary-maker and wife of Francis Ford Coppola died on April 12th, aged 87
![](https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1424,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20240427_OBP002.jpg)
Prisoner of Hizbullah
Terry Anderson was held by Islamic militants for 2,454 days
The former Marine and AP Beirut bureau chief died on April 21st, aged 76
![](https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1424,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20240420_OBP001.jpg)
A gaijin makes good
Akebono was the first foreign-born grand champion of sumo
The wrestler who shocked and changed Japan died in early April, aged 54
![](https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1424,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20240413_OBP001.jpg)
The militant debutante
Rose Dugdale went from debutante to IRA bombmaker
The heiress and IRA militant died on March 18th, aged 82
![](https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1424,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20240406_OBP001.jpg)
Fighting for breath
Paul Alexander lived longer than anyone in an iron lung
The lawyer and author died on March 11th, aged 78
![](https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1424,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20240330_OBP002.jpg)
A labour of love
Amnon Weinstein turned grief into music again
The restorer and reviver of Holocaust violins died on March 4th, aged 84