Jack Kevorkian

Jacob "Jack" Kevorkian (May 26, 1928 – June 3, 2011), mostly known as "Dr. Death", was an American pathologist, euthanasia activist, painter, author, composer and instrumentalist. He is best known for publicly championing a terminal patient's right to die via physician-assisted suicide; he claimed to have helped at least 130 patients to that end. He famously said, "dying is not a crime". He was convicted of murder in 1999 and sent to prison. Concomitantly in 1999 the Geneva-based self-determination society Exit International commissioned conductor David Woodard to orchestrate wind settings of Kevorkian's organ works. Kevorkian was released in 2007.
Kevorkian was born on May 26, 1928 in Pontiac, Michigan. He was of Armenian descent. Kevorkian studied at University of Michigan Medical School. He never married and had no children. Kevorkian died on June 3, 2011 in Royal Oak, Michigan from thrombosis, aged 83. He was buried in White Chapel Memorial Park Cemetery in Troy, Michigan.