1978 deaths

Alix Combelle (15 June 1912 – 26 February 1978) was a French swing saxophonist, clarinetist, and bandleader. He recorded often with Django Reinhardt and the Quintette du Hot Club de France.

Danielle Collobert (French pronunciation: [danjɛl kɔlɔbɛʁ]) was a French author, poet and journalist.

Karl Wallenda (; January 21, 1905 – March 22, 1978) was a German-American high wire artist. He was the founder of The Flying Wallendas, a daredevil circus troupe whose members performed dangerous stunts far above the ground, often without a safety net.

Kenneth Warren Dyal (July 9, 1910 – May 12, 1978) was an American politician who served one term as a U.S. Representative from California from 1965 to 1967.

Maurice Carême (French pronunciation: [mɔʁis kaʁɛm]; 12 May 1899 – 13 January 1978) was a Belgian francophone poet, best known for his simple writing style and children's poetry. His work was part of the literature event in the art competition at the 1928 Summer Olympics.

Gene Louis O'Quin (or Oquin) (September 9, 1932 – November 27, 1978) was an American country and western and honky tonk singer born in Dallas on September 9, 1932 He established himself professionally at Dallas' Big "D" Jamboree, a Grand Ole Opry-like radio showcase, becoming one of its most popular entertainers. O'Quin recorded his first song at the age of 15 and was signed by Capitol Records.He later relocated to California. His recording career reached its peak between 1950 and 1955.
O'Quin's voice was high and nasally and had a twang evocative of Little Jimmy Dickens. He cut many novelty songs and boogie-woogie records. The persona in his records was happy-go-lucky and well suited to hillbilly music. Although he did not record any rockabilly songs in his career, rockabilly enthusiasts have embraced him. His career was eclipsed with the advent of rock and roll but he did not successfully make the transition as rockabilly artists did.
O'Quin died when his car was hit by a bus in Riverside, California on November 27, 1978.

Weldon H. Philip Bonner, better known as Juke Boy Bonner (March 22, 1932 – June 29, 1978) was an American blues singer, harmonica player, and guitarist. He was influenced by Lightnin' Hopkins, Jimmy Reed, and Slim Harpo. He accompanied himself on guitar, harmonica, and drums in songs such as "Going Back to the Country", "Life Is a Nightmare", and "Struggle Here in Houston".

Paul Cuvelier (22 November 1923 – 5 July 1978) was a Belgian comics artist best known for the comic series Corentin, published by Le Lombard, which first appeared in the first issue of Tintin magazine.

Armin Theophil Wegner (October 16, 1886 – May 17, 1978) was a German soldier and medic in World War I, a prolific author, and a human rights activist. Stationed in the Ottoman Empire during World War I, Wegner was a witness to the Armenian genocide and the photographs he took documenting the plight of the Armenians today "comprises the core of witness images of the Genocide.": 258–259 In the years following World War I, Wegner also voiced his opposition, at great risk to his own life, to the antisemitic policies of the Nazi regime. In 1933, he authored an impassioned plea to Adolf Hitler on behalf of German Jews. He suggested that the persecution of the Jews was not just a question of "the fate of our Jewish brothers alone, [but also] the fate of Germany.": 240  Noting that he was writing the letter as a proud German who could himself trace his Prussian familial roots back to the time of the Crusades, Wegner asked Hitler what would become of Germany if it continued its persecution of Jews. Answering his own question, Wegner declared, "There is no Fatherland without justice!": 244  He was persecuted by the Nazi regime and fled after being released from a concentration camp.
After leaving Germany, Wegner lived the rest of his life in Italy. He was later recognized for his anti-genocide efforts, including recognition by Yad Vashem as Righteous Among the Nations. His story and his pictures have featured in multiple later efforts to document the Armenian genocide.

Louis Bancel (26 September, 1926 – 2 December, 1978) was a French sculptor born in Saint-Julien-Molin-Molette.
He was the husband of Chantal Bancel. He is the father of linguist Pierre Bancel, musician Marie Bancel, historian Nicolas Bancel and computer scientist Renaud Bancel.