2009 deaths

Raúl Ricardo Alfonsín (Spanish pronunciation: [raˈul alfonˈsin] ; 12 March 1927 – 31 March 2009) was an Argentine lawyer and statesman who served as President of Argentina from 10 December 1983 to 8 July 1989. He was the first democratically elected president after the 7-years National Reorganization Process. Ideologically, he identified as a radical and a social democrat, serving as the leader of the Radical Civic Union from 1983 to 1991, 1993 to 1995, 1999 to 2001, with his political approach being known as "Alfonsinism".
Born in Chascomús, Buenos Aires Province, Alfonsín began his studies of law at the National University of La Plata and was a graduate of the University of Buenos Aires. He was affiliated with the Radical Civic Union (UCR), joining the faction of Ricardo Balbín after the party split. He was elected a deputy in the legislature of the Buenos Aires province in 1958, during the presidency of Arturo Frondizi, and a national deputy during the presidency of Arturo Umberto Illia. He opposed both sides of the Dirty War, and several times filed a writ of Habeas corpus, requesting the freedom of victims of forced disappearances, during the National Reorganization Process. He denounced the crimes of the military dictatorships of other countries and opposed the actions of both sides in the Falklands War as well. He became the leader of the UCR after Balbín's death and was the Radical candidate for the presidency in the 1983 elections, which he won.
After becoming president, Alfonsín sent a bill to Congress to revoke the self-amnesty law established by the military. He established the National Commission on the Disappearance of Persons to investigate the crimes committed by the military, which led to the Trial of the Juntas and resulted in the sentencing of the heads of the former regime. Discontent within the military led to the mutinies of the Carapintadas, leading him to appease them with the full stop law and the law of Due Obedience. He also had conflicts with the unions, which were controlled by the opposing Justicialist Party. He resolved the Beagle conflict, increased trade with Brazil, and proposed the creation of the Contadora support group to mediate between the United States and Nicaragua. He passed the first divorce law of Argentina. He initiated the Austral plan to improve the national economy, but that plan, as well as the Spring plan, failed. The resulting hyperinflation and riots led to his party's defeat in the 1989 presidential elections, which was won by Peronist Carlos Menem.
Alfonsín continued as the leader of the UCR and opposed the presidency of Carlos Menem. He initiated the Pact of Olivos with Menem to negotiate the terms for the 1994 amendment of the Argentine Constitution. Fernando de la Rúa led a faction of the UCR that opposed the pact, and eventually became president in 1999. Following de la Rúa's resignation during the December 2001 riots, Alfonsín's faction provided the support needed for the Peronist Eduardo Duhalde to be appointed president by the Congress. He died of lung cancer on 31 March 2009, at the age of 82, and was given a large state funeral.

Warren Eastman Hearnes (July 24, 1923 – August 16, 2009) was an American politician who served as the 46th governor of Missouri from 1965 to 1973. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first officeholder eligible to serve two consecutive four-year terms as Governor. He previously served as the Secretary of State of Missouri from 1961 to 1965.
After leaving office Hearnes was dogged by a tax investigation, relating to finances in and out of his administration. While later cleared of any wrongdoing, Hearnes faced trouble in future bids for office. He was the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in 1976, replacing Jerry Litton who died after winning the nomination, but lost to John Danforth in November. He subsequently lost bids for Missouri Auditor in 1978, and a Circuit Court Judge position in 1980.

Prince Alexandre of Belgium (French: Alexandre Emmanuel Henri Albert Marie Léopold, Dutch: Alexander Emanuel Hendrik Albert Maria Leopold; 18 July 1942 – 29 November 2009) was the fourth child of King Leopold III of Belgium, and the eldest for Lilian, Princess of Réthy. King Baudouin and King Albert II of Belgium were his older half-brothers. Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte of Luxembourg was his older half-sister.

Adilson de Freitas Nascimento, also commonly known as Adilson Nascimento, or simply Adilson (3 December 1951 – 3 February 2009), was a Brazilian professional basketball player. He died in 2009 due to cancer.

Bjørg Lødøen (7 December 1931 – 5 March 2009) was a Norwegian painter, graphic artist, and composer.

Ada Madssen (9 February 1917 – 22 September 2009) was a Norwegian sculptor.
She was born in Kristiania. She studied under Wilhelm Rasmussen and Axel Revold at the Norwegian National Academy of Fine Arts from 1938 to 1940. The National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design owns three of her works, and she is also known for statues of Queen Maud near the Royal Palace, Oslo (erected 1959) and Camilla Collett at Eidsvoll (erected 1977). In 2007 she was decorated as a Knight First Class of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav.

David Stuart Dodge (November 17, 1922 – January 20, 2009) was an American politician and university president. He was the Vice-President for Administration (1979–83), Acting President (1981–82) and President (1996–97) of the American University of Beirut (AUB).

Thomas Newton Hill, Jr. (June 2, 1927 – April 20, 2009) was an Indian-born American character actor and director on stage for decades before starting in film in the mid-1960s and on television in the 1980s.

Per Christensen (18 July 1934 – 26 August 2009) was a Norwegian actor. His film credits include Elling, Hotel Cæsar, The Warrior's Heart, and The Passionate Demons.

Anne Christine "Kiki" Sørum (16 January 1939 – 30 August 2009) was a Norwegian fashion journalist, editor, and author. She worked as a fashion editor for the weekly magazine Hjemmet from 1973 to 1977 and general editor of the magazine Nicole from 1979 to 1981. She also worked as a freelancer for several publications, among these Verdens Gang, Se og Hør and Dagbladet.
The books she authored included Hollywood i moten (Hollywood in Fashion, 1986) and Kle deg magisk (Dress Magically, 1999). Sørum was also recognised internationally for her fashion writing, and received the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2003 and became Commander of the Order of the Lion of Finland in 2005.