65 Individuals and Their Memorable Final Statements

Whether heartfelt, amusing, sorrowful, peculiar, or cutting—final words can leave a profound mark as we depart from life's grand stage. Explore 65 extraordinary instances.

1. Joseph Wright

Wright, a renowned linguist, was the editor of the English Dialect Dictionary. His final utterance? “Dictionary.”

2. Raphael

The final word spoken by the Italian artist Raphael was a simple yet profound “happy.”

3. Gustav Mahler

The composer Gustav Mahler passed away in bed, seemingly conducting an invisible orchestra. His final utterance was “Mozart!”

4. Bessie Smith

The blues legend Bessie Smith’s final words were, “I’m leaving, but I’m departing in the name of the Lord.”

5. Jean-Philippe Rameau

Composer Jean-Philippe Rameau protested against a song performed at his bedside, exclaiming, “What on earth are you singing to me, priest? You’re completely out of tune.”

6. Frank Sinatra

Ol’ Blue Eyes passed away after uttering, “I’m losing.”

7. George Orwell

George Orwell’s final written statement was, “At 50, everyone has the face they deserve.” The author of 1984—born Eric Arthur Blair—passed away at the age of 46.

8. William Seward

William Henry Seward, the U.S. Secretary of State who orchestrated the Alaska Purchase, was asked if he had any parting words. He responded, “Nothing, only ‘love one another.’”

9. Jean-Paul Sartre

The philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre turned to his partner Simone de Beauvoir and expressed, “I love you deeply, my dear Beaver” (her nickname, derived partly from her surname and partly from her industrious nature).

10. Margaret Sanger

Birth control advocate Margaret Sanger’s final words were, “A party! Let’s throw a party.”

More Articles About Famous Last Words:

11. Rainer Maria Rilke

The poet Rainer Maria Rilke declared, “I refuse the doctor’s death. I desire my own freedom.”

12. Nostradamus

Nostradamus foretold, “Tomorrow, at sunrise, I will no longer be here.” His prediction proved accurate.

13. Vladimir Nabokov

Author Vladimir Nabokov, who was also a passionate entomologist with a focus on butterflies, uttered his final words: “A certain butterfly is already in flight.”

14. Herman Melville

Moby-Dick author Herman Melville passed away with the words, “God bless Captain Vere!” referencing his then-unpublished work Billy Budd, discovered in a breadbox after his death.

15. Marie Antoinette

Marie Antoinette accidentally stepped on her executioner’s foot while approaching the guillotine. Her final words were, “Pardonnez-moi, monsieur.”

16. Richard B. Mellon

Richard B. Mellon, a multimillionaire and president of Alcoa, had a decades-long game of tag with his brother Andrew. On his deathbed, Richard called Andrew over and whispered, “Last tag.” Andrew remained “it” for four years until his own passing.

17. Harriet Tubman

As Harriet Tubman neared death in 1913, she gathered her family to sing together, with some claiming her final words were “Swing low, sweet chariot.” However, after this poignant musical moment, she shared her true last words: “Give my love to the churches. Tell the women to stand firm. I go to prepare a place for you.”

18. Isaac Newton

At the time of his death, Sir Isaac Newton expressed humility, stating, “I don’t know how I may appear to the world. To myself, I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the seashore, amusing myself by occasionally finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than usual, while the vast ocean of truth lay undiscovered before me.”

19. Leonardo da Vinci

Leonardo da Vinci displayed remarkable humility, stating, “I have offended God and mankind because my work did not achieve the quality it deserved.” Even the Mona Lisa wasn’t enough?

20. Louise-Marie-Thérèse de Saint Maurice

The Comtesse de Vercellis, on her deathbed, humorously remarked, “Good. A woman who can fart is not dead.”

21. Buddy Rich

Drummer Buddy Rich passed away after surgery in 1987. When a nurse asked him during pre-op, “Is there anything you can’t take?” Rich quipped, “Yeah, country music.”

22. Johnny Ace

Johnny Ace, the R&B singer, tragically died in 1954 while fiddling with a pistol during a concert break. His final words were, “I’ll show you that it won’t shoot.”

23. Richard Feynman

The renowned physicist, author, musician, professor, and adventurer passed away in Los Angeles in 1988. His final words? “This dying is boring.”

24. Benjamin Franklin

As Benjamin Franklin lay on his deathbed at 84, his daughter suggested he change positions to breathe more comfortably. Franklin’s final words were, “A dying man can do nothing easily.”

25. Albert Abraham Michelson

Albert Abraham Michelson devoted his life to determining the speed of light and became the first American to receive the Nobel Prize in Physics. Even on his deathbed at 78, he was still focused on measuring light. He noted in his log: “The following is a report on the measurement of the velocity of light conducted at the Irvine Ranch, near Santa Ana, California, during the period of September 1929 to—.”

26. Thomas B. Moran

Thomas B. Moran, a notorious pickpocket nicknamed “Butterfingers,” allegedly stole up to 50,000 wallets in his career. He passed away in Miami in 1971, and his final words were, “I’ve never forgiven that smug reporter who dubbed me Butterfingers. To me, it’s not amusing.”

27. James W. Rodgers

James W. Rodgers, a convicted murderer, faced a firing squad in Utah. When asked if he had a final request, he responded, “Bring me a bullet-proof vest.”

28. Charles “Lucky” Luciano

Lucky Luciano, a prominent mob leader, collaborated with the U.S. during World War II by aiding efforts with the Sicilian Mafia in exchange for a lighter prison term. His parting words were, “Tell Georgie I want to make it into the movies, one way or another.” His wish was fulfilled, as his life inspired films like Lucky Luciano, The Last Testament of Lucky Luciano, and numerous others.

29. John Arthur Spenkelink

John Arthur Spenkelink was executed in Florida in 1979. In his final days, he wrote these words on various pieces of mail: “Capital punishment means those without the capital get the punishment.”

30. Thomas J. Grasso

Convicted murderer Thomas J. Grasso used his last moments to express dissatisfaction with his final meal. He stated, “I did not get my Spaghetti-O’s; I got spaghetti. I want the press to know this.”

31. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of the Sherlock Holmes series, passed away at 71 in his garden. He turned to his wife and said, “You are wonderful,” before clutching his chest and dying.

32. T.S. Eliot

Writer T.S. Eliot could only whisper a single word as he passed away: “Valerie,” the name of his wife.

33. W.C. Fields

Actor and comedian W.C. Fields died in 1946. His final words were, “God damn the whole friggin’ world and everyone in it except you, Carlotta.” He was addressing Carlotta Monti, his longtime companion.

34. Percy Grainger

Percy Grainger, the Australian composer, expressed his affection for his wife Ella with his final words: “You’re the only one I like.”

35. Michael Landon

Actor Michael Landon, renowned for Little House on the Prairie and Highway to Heaven, succumbed to cancer in 1991. As his family surrounded his bed, his son remarked it was time to let go. Landon responded, “You’re right. It’s time. I love you all.”

36. Vince Lombardi

Legendary football coach Vince Lombardi passed away from cancer in 1970. In his final moments, Lombardi turned to his wife Marie and said, “Happy anniversary. I love you.”

37. O.O. McIntyre

O.O. McIntyre, an American reporter, died at 53. His last words to his wife Maybelle were, “Snooks, will you please turn this way. I like to look at your face.”

38. Edward R. Murrow

At 57, Edward R. Murrow passed away while gently patting his wife’s hand. His final words were, “Well, Jan, we were lucky at that.”

39. John Wayne

John Wayne died at 72 in Los Angeles. He turned to his wife and said, “Of course I know who you are. You’re my girl. I love you.”

40. Humphrey Bogart

Humphrey Bogart’s wife, Lauren Bacall, had to leave to pick up their children. Bogart said, “Goodbye, kid. Hurry back.” Not exactly, “Here’s looking at you, kid,” but close enough.

41. Ernest Hemingway

Before Ernest Hemingway took his own life, he said to his wife Mary, “Goodnight, my kitten.”

42. Donald O’Connor

O'Connor, a singer, dancer, and actor famous for his role in Singin' in the Rain, also hosted the Academy Awards in 1954. He passed away at 78 with his family by his side, humorously remarking, “I’d like to thank the Academy for my lifetime achievement award that I will eventually get.” He still hasn’t received one.

43. Eugene O’Neill

Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Eugene O’Neill was born in a room at the Broadway Hotel, now part of Times Square. He passed away at 65 in a Boston hotel. His final words? “I knew it! I knew it! Born in a hotel room and, goddamn it, dying in a hotel room.”

44. Jack Soo

Jack Soo, an actor on the TV series Barney Miller, was known for a running joke about his character making terrible coffee in the office. When diagnosed with esophageal cancer, he quipped to co-star Hal Linden as he was wheeled into surgery, “It must have been the coffee.” In a tribute episode, the cast honored him by raising coffee cups in his memory.

45. Josephine Baker

Josephine Baker was a vibrant entertainer who sang, danced, and acted. She adopted twelve children and made Paris her home. On her final night, she left a party celebrating her, remarking, “Oh, you young people act like old men. You are no fun.” After her death in 1975, her remains were laid to rest in Monaco. In late 2021, she became the first Black woman to be inducted into the Panthéon. (According to The New York Times, “The coffin carried soil from the United States, France, and Monaco—places that shaped Ms. Baker’s life. Her body, at the request of the family, will stay in Monaco.”)

46. Charles Gussman

Gussman, a writer and TV announcer, penned the pilot episode of Days of Our Lives and other shows. As his health declined, he expressed a desire for his last words to be unforgettable. When his daughter reminded him, he gently removed his oxygen mask and whispered, “And now for a final word from our sponsor—.”

47. Groucho Marx

As Groucho Marx neared death, he delivered one final joke: “This is no way to live!”

48. Chico Marx

Groucho’s brother Leonard, known as Chico Marx, left his wife with specific instructions as his final words: “Remember, Honey, don’t forget what I told you. Put in my coffin a deck of cards, a mashie niblick, and a pretty blonde.” A “mashie niblick” refers to a type of golf club.

49. Wilson Mizner

Wilson Mizner, famous for his witty remarks—including the line, “Be nice to people on the way up because you’ll meet the same people on the way down”—was also a successful playwright. On his deathbed, when a priest said, “I’m sure you want to talk to me,” Mizner replied, “Why should I talk to you? I’ve just been talking to your boss.”

50. Alfred Hitchcock

On his deathbed, Alfred Hitchcock remarked, “One never knows the ending. One has to die to know exactly what happens after death, although Catholics have their hopes.”

51. Pete Maravich

Basketball legend “Pistol" Pete Maravich collapsed during a pickup game. His final words were, “I feel great.”

52. Vladimir Lenin

Vladimir Ilych Lenin’s final words were, “Good dog.” (Technically, he said vot sobaka.) He spoke this to a dog that had brought him a dead bird.

53. Lead Belly

Blues guitarist Huddie William Ledbetter, known as Lead Belly, declared, “Doctor, if I put this guitar down now, I’ll never wake up.” He was correct.

54. Thomas Fantet de Lagny

Thomas Fantet de Lagny, a mathematician, was asked on his deathbed, “What is the square of 12?” His final words were, “One hundred and forty-four.”

55. Derek Jarman

Derek Jarman, an artist, writer, and filmmaker, expressed his final wish: “I want the world to be filled with white fluffy duckies.”

56. Winston Churchill

Sir Winston Churchill’s final words were, “I’m bored with it all.”

57. Joan Crawford

Actress Joan Crawford scolded her housekeeper, who was praying as Crawford lay dying. Crawford exclaimed, “Damn it! Don’t you dare ask God to help me!”

58. Bo Diddley

Bo Diddley passed away while giving a thumbs-up as he listened to the song “Walk Around Heaven.” His final word was “Wow.”

59. Moe Berg

Baseball player “Moe” Berg’s last words were, “How did the Mets do today?” (For the record, they won.)

60. Emily Dickinson

The poet’s final words were, “I must go in, for the fog is rising.” Almost as poetic as her famous lines, “Because I could not stop for Death – / He kindly stopped for me – / The Carriage held but just Ourselves – / And Immortality.”

61. Truman Capote

As Truman Capote—known for his sharp insults—lay on his deathbed, he repeatedly murmured, “Mama—Mama—Mama.”

62. James Brown

The hardest-working man in show business declared, “I’m going away tonight.”

63. Joseph Henry Green

Surgeon Joseph Henry Green was monitoring his own pulse as he lay dying. His final word: “Stopped.”

64. Steve Jobs

According to Steve Jobs’s sister Mona, the Apple co-founder’s final words were, “Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow.”

65. Elvis Presley

In her 2014 memoir, Ginger Alden shared that her then-fiancé Elvis Presley’s last words before his death in 1977 were, “I’m going to the bathroom to read,” spoken during a restless night.

Source: Last Words of Notable People: Final Words of More than 3500 Noteworthy People Throughout History