The following is a list of notable deaths in January 2018. For notable deaths before the current month, please see "Months". Names under each date are reported in alphabetical order by last name or pseudonym. Deaths of non-humans are reported here also if notable.
Each listing of a death must have a source. If no reference is included, the death notice will be removed. The following are the requirements of adding a name to the list in its order: name, age, nationality, what the person is known for, cause of death (if known) and most importantly a source.
January
1
Gert Brauer, 62, German footballer (FC Carl Zeiss Jena). Jahn Otto Johansen, 83, Norwegian editor (Morgenposten, Dagbladet). Robert Mann, 97, American violinist and composer, founding member of the Juilliard String Quartet. Ebrahim Nafae, 83, Egyptian journalist (Al-Ahram), lung cancer. Manuel Olivencia, 88, Spanish economist and diplomat, Commissioner General of Seville Expo '92 (1984–1991), respiratory failure complicated from a fall. Mauro Staccioli, 80, Italian sculptor, complications from pneumonia. Tim Sweeney, 88, Irish hurler (Galway).
2
Małgorzata Bocheńska, 69, Polish journalist. Frank Buxton, 87, American actor (Batfink, Overboard, What's Up, Tiger Lily?), screenwriter (Hot Dog) and director (The Odd Couple, Happy Days, Mork and Mindy), complications from heart disease. Emily Dole, 60, American professional wrestler (GLOW). Rick Hall, 85, American songwriter ("Achin', Breakin' Heart", "She'll Never Know") and recording producer-owner (FAME Studios), prostate cancer. Ferdinando Imposimato, 81, Italian judge (International Criminal Court) and politician, member of the Chamber of Deputies (1987–1996) and 2015 presidential candidate. Lawal Kaita, 85, Nigerian politician, Governor of Kaduna State (1983), liver failure. Guida Maria, 67, Portuguese actress (The Miracle Worker, The Vows, A Única Mulher), pancreatic cancer. Ali Akbar Moinfar, 89, Iranian politician, MP (1980–1984) and Minister of Petroleum (1979–1980), kidney failure. Thomas S. Monson, 90, American religious leader and writer, President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (since 2008) and President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (1995–2008). Michael Pfeiffer, 92, German football player (national team) and manager (Roda JC Kerkrade, Alemannia Aachen).
3
Fred Bass, 89, American bookseller (Strand Bookstore), congestive heart failure.
4
Aharon Appelfeld, 85, Romanian-born Israeli writer (Badenheim 1939, The Immortal Bartfuss, Blooms of Darkness) and Holocaust survivor. Johannes Brost, 71, Swedish actor (Rederiet, Jönssonligan, Bröllopsfotografen), pancreatic cancer. Brendan Byrne, 93, American politician, Governor of New Jersey (1974–1982), lung infection. Bruce Halle, 87, American auto parts executive and Conservative philanthropist, founder of Discount Tire. Senichi Hoshino, 70, Japanese Hall of Fame baseball player (Chunichi Dragons) and manager (Chunichi Dragons, Hanshin Tigers, Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles), pancreatic cancer. Philipp Jenninger, 85, German politician, President of the Bundestag (1984–1988). Ray Thomas, 76, American singer-songwriter ("From Mighty Oaks", "Veteran Cosmic Rocker", "For My Lady") and flautist (The Moody Blues), prostate cancer. Vladimir Yankilevsky, 79, Russian artist (Soviet Nonconformist Art), leukemia.
5
Antonio Valentín Angelillo, 80, Argentine-born Italian football player (Inter Milan, Argentina national team, Milan) and manager (Arezzo, FAR Rabat, Morocco national team), lung cancer. Aydın Boysan, 96, Turkish architect and novelist (Aldanmak, Yıl 2046 Uzay Anıları, Yollarda), multiple organ failure. Carlos Heitor Cony, 91, Brazilian journalist (Folha de S.Paulo) and writer, multiple organ failure. Asghar Khan, 96, Pakistani politician and military officer, Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force (1957–1965) and Chairman of the Tehrik-e-Istiqlal (1970–2011), complications from Parkinson's disease. Marián Labuda, 73, Slovak actor (Dobří holubi se vracejí, Life and Extraordinary Adventures of Private Ivan Chonkin, The Garden). Marina Ripa Di Meana, 76, Italian writer (I miei primi quarant'anni, La più bella del reame), television personality and director (Cattive ragazze), deep palliative sedation. Arthur Rorheim, 99, American Baptist minister, co-founder of Awana. Jerry Van Dyke, 86, American actor (My Mother the Car, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Coach) and comedian, heart failure. Peter Wells, 88, British-born New Zealand athlete. John W. Young, 87, American astronaut (Apollo 16, STS-1), complications from pneumonia.