Famous Deaths for 26th February 2026

1839 – Sybil Ludington, American revolutionary heroine (rode to alert militia), dies at 77
1910 – Adelaide Hoodless, Canadian educational reformer (founder of the Women’s Institute), dies at 51
1927 – Willie Simms, American jockey (US Champion Jockey by wins 1893, 94; Kentucky Derby 1896, 98; Preakness Stakes 1898; Belmont Stakes 1893, 94), dies at 57
1943 – Helene Stöcker, German feminist, pacifist, and writer, dies of cancer at 73
1966 – Minerva Urecal [Dunnock], American stage, radio, and screen character actress (Accent on Love; The Adventures of Tugboat Annie; Peter Gunn; The 7 Faces of Dr. Lao), dies of a heart attack at 71
1982 – Teinosuke Kinugasa, Japanese actor and director (Gate of Hell; A Page of Madness; Jujiro; Jigoku-mon), dies at 86
1995 – Willie Johnson, American electric blues guitarist (Howlin’ Wolf’s “How Many More Years”), dies at 71
2000 – George L. Street III, American Navy Submariner and Medal of Honor recipient, dies at 86
2008 – John Yates, Anglican bishop (Bishop of Lambeth), dies at 82
2021 – Hannu Mikkola, Finnish rally driver (World Rally champion 1983), dies from cancer at 78

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