Sad indeed. But he'll have a beautiful last resting place now that Wal-Mart's allowed to tear down an entire subdivision so as to build a park to bury him in.
-Dan
Posted on 06/27/2005 7:54:07 PM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
Wal-Mart billionaire John Walton dies in plane crash
55 minutes ago
WASHINGTON (AFP) - John Walton, a billionaire heir of retail giant Wal-Mart, died when the small home-made plane he was flying crashed in a national park in Wyoming, authorities said.
Walton's plane crashed at 12:20 pm local time (1820 GMT) shortly after taking off from Jackson Hole Airport in Grand Teton National Park, the National Park Service said in a statement. The cause of the accident was not immediately known.
"Walton, the pilot and sole occupant of the aircraft, died on impact and was later pronounced dead at the scene by Teton County Coroner, Bob Campbell," the statement said.
A park spokeswoman said Walton, 58, was an experienced pilot who was flying a home-made aircraft with an aluminum frame and wings wrapped in fabric similar to heavy-duty sail cloth.
"This was an experimental, very lightweight aircraft," the spokeswoman, Joan Anzelmo, told AFP. It weighed between 400 and 500 pounds (180 to 225 kilograms), she said.
The Park Service's statement described it as an "ultralight aircraft with a small, gas-powered engine."
Weather conditions were good at the time of the crash, Anzelmo said.
Walton, the second son of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton, was the world's 11th richest person with a net worth exceeding 18 billion dollars, according to Forbes magazine.
He had been a member of Wal-Mart's board of directors since 1992 and lived in Jackson, Wyoming, a town known as a resort for wealthy Americans.
In a statement, Wal-Mart expressed sorrow over his death and described Walton as a Vietnam War hero and philanthropist.
"As a board member of the Walton Family Foundation, Walton played a leading role in guiding the Foundations contributions to elementary and high school education, including scholarship programs to provide parents with greater choice in education," it said.
Walton served as a medic in the US Army Green Berets during the Vietnam War and was awarded the Silver Star "for saving the lives of several members of his unit while under intense enemy fire," the company said.
He worked as a crop duster in the 1970s and as a boat builder in 1980s and 1990s.
Walton formed the holding company True North, which includes businesses ranging from advanced composites to boat building to venture capital investments, Wal-Mart said.
He is survived by his wife Christy and their son, Luke; his mother Helen; and his siblings Rob, Jim and Alice.
Wal-Mart employs more than 1.5 million people around the world, with more than 3,600 stores in the United States and another 1,500 abroad, including China, South Korea, Germany, Brazil and Britain.
Liberals rejoice.
And, sad to say, so do a lot of FReepers.
No one should rejoice over this man's death. It's tragic.
I don't agree with some of the things the Waltons do, but I NEVER wish for anyone's death. Those who gloat over it are not that high in my book.
Sad to say. There are a lot of jealous, envious freepers who can't stand anyone who has a dollar more than they do. They buy into the evil rich crap that the left spews out on a daily basis.
Okay, I didn't even look at that. It's YOU again:).
So true. It is sad.
"Wonder if he left a widow..." perhaps?
Sad to say. There are a lot of jealous, envious freepers who can't stand anyone who has a dollar more than they do. They buy into the evil rich crap that the left spews out on a daily basis.
I sure don't mind the Waltons having more money nor do I mind the sales tax revenue they are going to bring in once they get here (which means less taxes for me and all the other homeowners). They did force my wife's small business out though. There are other things that I do mind about them too, but I don't go for the jugular. My wife didn't either. I shop there from time to time, but I can usually find what I need closer for the time being and not worth the extra time (the lines go on and on and on sometimes at the checkstands) required to go to the nearest Walmart. We'll see when the one comes here though.
You have to be pretty shallow to do so I think.
It is not that unusual. Men may use accidental death more commonly as a type of suicide, also because of the insurance issues.I am certainly not saying that was the case here, but not knowing Walton's personal circumstances it was a thought that occurred.
Remember when KMart was the biggest dog on the block? I never saw the bile spewed about them like I do about Walmart. and what about Target? They are no different. But I don't see all the anti Target crap posted everywhere.
We agree! (this is getting tedious, isn't it?)
No, just a lot that despise anything that has to do with WalMart.
It is interesting, isn't it. I do think that Walmart takes a more agressive approach. I actually liked the Kmart down the street as a kid. We used to count how many blue light specials there were in an hour.
Yup - it's me AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!
But maybe we can actually argue this time, because I happen to like WalMart :)
Nor I, that being said I can't help but wonder if if was a chinese engine.
I suppose that makes me a bad man, but there it is.
Yeah. I remember when the new Pope was elected and the people at DU were hoping he would die fast. Sicko's ... all of 'em.
That is sick. The only deaths really worth gloating over are terrorists. I don't really gloat over them, but any one of them that's gone means one less trying to kill us.
Nor I, that being said I can't help but wonder if if was a chinese engine.
I suppose that makes me a bad man, but there it is.
Oh my goodness (shaking head).....
-Dan
We agree! (this is getting tedious, isn't it?)
I think I will be reincarnated as you.
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