Deaths on December 31

Wesley Addy, American actor (b. 1913)

Robert Wesley Addy (August 4, 1913 – December 31, 1996) was an American actor of stage, television, and film.

10 Feb

Garry Kasparov
IBM supercomputer Deep Blue defeats Garry Kasparov in chess for the first time.
13 May

Bangladesh
Severe thunderstorms and a tornado in Bangladesh kill 600 people.
10 Jun

Sinn Féin
Peace talks begin in Northern Ireland without the participation of Sinn Féin.
4 Sep

Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia
War on Drugs: Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) attack a military base in Guaviare, starting three weeks of guerrilla warfare in which at least 130 Colombians are killed.
25 Nov

Florida
An ice storm strikes the central U.S., killing 26 people. A powerful windstorm affects Florida and winds gust over 90 mph, toppling trees and flipping trailers.