Childhood
age 0–12 · 1955–1967
33 notable deaths
Teenage Years
age 13–19 · 1968–1974
24 notable deaths
Young Adult
age 20–35 · 1975–1990
29 notable deaths
Middle Age
age 36–55 · 1991–2010
32 notable deaths
Senior Years
age 56+ · 2011–2026
38 notable deaths
1955
Albert Einstein
1879–1955
Science & Invention
Theory of relativity, E=mc²
Bill Gates was 0 years old
1955
Alexander Fleming
1881–1955
Science & Invention
Discovered penicillin
Bill Gates was 0 years old
1955
Thomas Mann
1875–1955
Literature
German novelist of The Magic Mountain
Bill Gates was 0 years old
1956
Jackson Pollock
1912–1956
Art
Action painting, abstract expressionism
Bill Gates was 1 years old
1957
Humphrey Bogart
1899–1957
Film & Entertainment
Casablanca, Hollywood icon
Bill Gates was 2 years old
1960
Albert Camus
1913–1960
Literature
Author of The Stranger, Nobel laureate
Bill Gates was 5 years old
1967
Che Guevara
1928–1967
Politics & Leadership
Argentine revolutionary icon
Bill Gates was 12 years old
1970
Jimi Hendrix
1942–1970
Music
Greatest electric guitarist of all time
Bill Gates was 15 years old
1971
Igor Stravinsky
1882–1971
Music
The Rite of Spring, modern classical
Bill Gates was 16 years old
1971
Coco Chanel
1883–1971
Business & Industry
Fashion icon, Chanel No. 5
Bill Gates was 16 years old
1971
Louis Armstrong
1901–1971
Music
What a Wonderful World, jazz trumpet
Bill Gates was 16 years old
1972
Kwame Nkrumah
1909–1972
Politics & Leadership
First President of Ghana
Bill Gates was 17 years old
1973
J.R.R. Tolkien
1892–1973
Literature
The Lord of the Rings, Middle-earth
Bill Gates was 18 years old
1976
Agatha Christie
1890–1976
Literature
Best-selling mystery novelist ever
Bill Gates was 21 years old
1988
Jean-Michel Basquiat
1960–1988
Art
Neo-expressionist street art icon
Bill Gates was 33 years old
1989
Hirohito
1901–1989
Politics & Leadership
Emperor of Japan during WWII
Bill Gates was 34 years old
2006
Naguib Mahfouz
1911–2006
Literature
Egyptian novelist and Nobel laureate
Bill Gates was 51 years old
2008
Heath Ledger
1979–2008
Film & Entertainment
The Dark Knight's Joker
Bill Gates was 53 years old
2011
Muammar Gaddafi
1942–2011
Politics & Leadership
Ruler of Libya 1969–2011
Bill Gates was 56 years old
2011
Osama bin Laden
1957–2011
Politics & Leadership
Founder of al-Qaeda
Bill Gates was 56 years old
2012
Neil Armstrong
1930–2012
Exploration
First human to walk on the Moon
Bill Gates was 57 years old
2016
Fidel Castro
1926–2016
Politics & Leadership
Cuban revolutionary leader
Bill Gates was 61 years old
2016
Muhammad Ali
1942–2016
Sports
The Greatest, heavyweight boxing champion
Bill Gates was 61 years old
2019
Toni Morrison
1931–2019
Literature
Beloved, Nobel Prize in Literature
Bill Gates was 64 years old
2025
Pope Francis
1936–2025
Philosophy & Thought
First pope from the Americas
Bill Gates was 70 years old
Today — 2026
Bill Gates is 71 years old