Given the precious individuality of human beings, that can be said of everyone who died in 1998. But some of them caused mourning - or rejoicing - in the year past by departing this mortal coil, whatever that may be.
Frank Sinatra's aged lungs, which for over 60 years had given so much pleasure to so many, gasped their last in May. Old blue eyes closed forever at the age of 82. The sunset beckoned for famous cowboy Roy Rogers. XXXXXX. His wife, Dale, survives him in great form, well into her 80s.
Ted Hughes: The poet laureate, who, alas, was known to many of the less literary as the ex-husband of the tragic genius Sylvia Plath succumbed to liver cancer in October. Earlier in the year the publication of his Birthday Letters, about his relationship with Plath, puzzled many. Retrospectively it could be seen as a farewell gesture by a man who knew he had not much longer to live.
Isaiah Berlin: The brilliant philosopher and writer died in May. His extraordinary abilities are chronicled in a well-received biography by Michael Ignatieff.
Alan J Pakula: The New York born film director, who made Sophie's Choice etc, died in a freak car accident in November when a steel pole smashed through the windscreen of his car. He was 70.
Akira Kurosawa: Emperor of Japanese films and maker of The Seven Samurai, Asian progenitor of The Magnificent Seven, he died in September, aged 88.
Linda McCartney: The reaction to the death in April of this committed campaigner for animal rights, vegetarian values and the importance of family showed that she had become much, much more than the blond photographer who married the cuddliest Beatle.
Bob Santamaria: Not well-known on this side of the world, Bartholomew (Bob) Santamaria was the voice of the Catholic right in Australia for half a century. He was instrumental in causing the famed split in the Labour Party which created the Democratic Labour Party, the organ that kept its parent out of office for decades. Died aged 83 in February.
Trevor Huddleston: The radical priest who campaigned tirelessly against apartheid went to his reward on April 20th, aged 84
Benjamin Spock: The most famous baby doctor in the world, who later turned his energies to opposing America's involvement in the Vietnam War. This genial author of one of the century's surprise best-sellers, The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care lived till the age of 94. He died on the ides of March.
Mahbub Ul Haq: Brilliant and outspoken economist whose ideas were often considered heretical by his mainstream brethren, and who spoke about the anguish of countries such as his own, Pakistan, who were left out of the economic bonanza of capitalism. He started the Human Development Report in 1990. Died in July aged 64
Agostino Casaroli: Vatican diplomat who restrained and tempered Pope John Paul II's assaults on Communism and the cold war. Died June 8th, aged 83
Maureen O'Sullivan: Consort of Johnny Weismuller in the classic Tarzan movies, and mother of Mia Farrow, among seven children with husband film director John Farrow. Died June 22nd, aged 87.
Lew Grade: The cigar-chomping light entertainment mogul gave us one of the most famous show business quotes since the war. Commenting on the costs of the failed disaster movie Raising the Titanic, he said: "It would have been cheaper to lower the Atlantic." He died just a couple of weeks before his Christmas Day birthday. He would have been 92.