Susan Buffett
Encyclopedia
Susan Thompson Buffett (June 15, 1932 – July 29, 2004), the first wife of investor
Warren Buffett
, was active in civil rights
, abortion rights and population control
causes. She was a director
of Berkshire Hathaway
, owning 2.2 percent (worth US$3 billion in 2004) of the company at the time of her death. She was the 153rd richest person in the world. She was president of the Buffett Foundation
, which has contributed millions of dollars to educational groups, medical research, population-control groups and other charities
.
, and graduated from Omaha Central High School
. Her father, William Thompson, was a minister, psychologist, dean
at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, and one-time campaign manager for Howard Buffett
.
Though her parents and Warren's knew one another, they met at Northwestern University
, via Susan's roommate Roberta Buffett, Warren's sister.
Susan and Warren married in 1952 at Dundee Presbyterian Church. They have three children: Susan
(born 30 July 1953), Howard
(born 16 December 1954), and Peter
(born 4 May 1958).
She occasionally performed as a cabaret
singer and, in 1977, had a one-night performance at an Omaha theater. Encouraged by songwriter
/musician
Neil Sedaka
to pursue a singing career, she left her husband and moved to San Francisco. She remained married and on good terms with her husband, vacationing together with him and spending time assisting charitable groups. She performed in New York and released several CDs. According to Roger Lowenstein
's 1995 Random House biography, Buffett: The Making of an American Capitalist, while Warren encouraged Susan to pursue her career in music, he was soon heartbroken by her move.
In 1978, Susan introduced her husband to Astrid Menks, who moved in with Warren in their Omaha home, and after Susan's death, married him.
Warren had planned to leave his entire estate to Susan, but she died before him. Warren was with Susan when she died.
The Buffetts never divorce
d and even attended public functions as husband and wife though they hadn't lived together for more than half of their marriage. The Buffetts even signed Christmas card
s Warren, Susan, and Astrid and were often seen together as a trio.
; she underwent surgery, radiation therapy
and facial reconstruction. With Warren she later contributed $6 million to five California doctors for the study of oral cancer. She had recovered enough to attend the annual shareholders' meeting of Berkshire Hathaway in May 2004, leading a singalong at the Borsheim's
reception.
Susan died at the age of 72 after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage during the summer of 2004 in Cody, Wyoming. Bono
performed "Forever Young
" and "All I Want Is You" at her funeral. Warren was so grief stricken that he did not attend. Her will left approximately $50 million to her children's charity while each of her children received $10 million and each grandchild received $100,000. She also left a number of friends and employees substantial sums including $8 million to John McCabe and $1 million to Ron Parks. Nearly all of her Berkshire Hathaway shares, valued at nearly $3 billion at the time, was left to a foundation that would later bear her name.
Investor
An investor is a party that makes an investment into one or more categories of assets --- equity, debt securities, real estate, currency, commodity, derivatives such as put and call options, etc...
Warren Buffett
Warren Buffett
Warren Edward Buffett is an American business magnate, investor, and philanthropist. He is widely regarded as one of the most successful investors in the world. Often introduced as "legendary investor, Warren Buffett", he is the primary shareholder, chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. He is...
, was active in civil rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
, abortion rights and population control
Population control
Human population control is the practice of artificially altering the rate of growth of a human population.Historically, human population control has been implemented by limiting the population's birth rate, usually by government mandate, and has been undertaken as a response to factors including...
causes. She was a director
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
of Berkshire Hathaway
Berkshire Hathaway
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. is an American multinational conglomerate holding company headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, United States, that oversees and manages a number of subsidiary companies. The company averaged an annual growth in book value of 20.3% to its shareholders for the last 44 years,...
, owning 2.2 percent (worth US$3 billion in 2004) of the company at the time of her death. She was the 153rd richest person in the world. She was president of the Buffett Foundation
Buffett Foundation
The Buffett Foundation is a charitable organization formed by Omaha, Nebraska investor and industrialist Warren Buffett as a vehicle to manage his charitable giving...
, which has contributed millions of dollars to educational groups, medical research, population-control groups and other charities
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
.
Biography
Susan was born in Omaha, NebraskaOmaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
, and graduated from Omaha Central High School
Omaha Central High School
Omaha Central High School, originally known as Omaha High School, was founded in 1859.The current building, located in Downtown Omaha, Nebraska, was designed by John Latenser, Sr. and built between 1900 and 1912...
. Her father, William Thompson, was a minister, psychologist, dean
Dean (education)
In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, and one-time campaign manager for Howard Buffett
Howard Buffett
Howard Homan Buffett was an Omaha, Nebraska businessman, investor, and four-term Republican United States Representative. Buffett was the father of Warren Buffett, the billionaire investor.-Early life:...
.
Though her parents and Warren's knew one another, they met at Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
, via Susan's roommate Roberta Buffett, Warren's sister.
Susan and Warren married in 1952 at Dundee Presbyterian Church. They have three children: Susan
Susan Alice Buffett
Susan Alice Buffett is an American philanthropist. Her charitable work has focused largely on the Sherwood Foundation, formerly known as the Susan A. Buffett Foundation, an organization in Omaha that provides grants in public education, human services and social justice in the interest of...
(born 30 July 1953), Howard
Howard Graham Buffett
Howard Graham Buffett is an American philanthropist, photographer, and farmer. He is the eldest son of billionaire investor Warren Buffett. He is named after Howard Buffett, his grandfather, and Benjamin Graham, Warren Buffett's teacher.-Personal life:Howard G...
(born 16 December 1954), and Peter
Peter Buffett
Peter Andrew Buffett is an American musician, composer, author and producer. Buffett is the second son of investor Warren Buffett and his late wife Susan Buffett.-Biography:...
(born 4 May 1958).
She occasionally performed as a cabaret
Cabaret
Cabaret is a form, or place, of entertainment featuring comedy, song, dance, and theatre, distinguished mainly by the performance venue: a restaurant or nightclub with a stage for performances and the audience sitting at tables watching the performance, as introduced by a master of ceremonies or...
singer and, in 1977, had a one-night performance at an Omaha theater. Encouraged by songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
/musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
Neil Sedaka
Neil Sedaka
Neil Sedaka is an American pop/rock singer, pianist, and composer. His career has spanned nearly 55 years, during which time he has sold millions of records as an artist and has written or co-written over 500 songs for himself and other artists, collaborating mostly with lyricists Howard...
to pursue a singing career, she left her husband and moved to San Francisco. She remained married and on good terms with her husband, vacationing together with him and spending time assisting charitable groups. She performed in New York and released several CDs. According to Roger Lowenstein
Roger Lowenstein
Roger Lowenstein is an American financial journalist and writer. He graduated from Cornell University and reported for the Wall Street Journal for more than a decade, including two years writing its Heard on the Street column, 1989 to 1991. Born in 1955, he is the son of Helen and Louis Lowenstein...
's 1995 Random House biography, Buffett: The Making of an American Capitalist, while Warren encouraged Susan to pursue her career in music, he was soon heartbroken by her move.
In 1978, Susan introduced her husband to Astrid Menks, who moved in with Warren in their Omaha home, and after Susan's death, married him.
Warren had planned to leave his entire estate to Susan, but she died before him. Warren was with Susan when she died.
The Buffetts never divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
d and even attended public functions as husband and wife though they hadn't lived together for more than half of their marriage. The Buffetts even signed Christmas card
Christmas card
A Christmas card is a greeting card sent as part of the traditional celebration of Christmas in order to convey between people a range of sentiments related to the Christmas and holiday season. Christmas cards are usually exchanged during the weeks preceding Christmas Day by many people in Western...
s Warren, Susan, and Astrid and were often seen together as a trio.
Oral cancer and death
In October 2003, Susan was diagnosed with oral cancerOral cancer
Oral cancer is a subtype of head and neck cancer, is any cancerous tissue growth located in the oral cavity. It may arise as a primary lesion originating in any of the oral tissues, by metastasis from a distant site of origin, or by extension from a neighboring anatomic structure, such as the...
; she underwent surgery, radiation therapy
Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy , radiation oncology, or radiotherapy , sometimes abbreviated to XRT or DXT, is the medical use of ionizing radiation, generally as part of cancer treatment to control malignant cells.Radiation therapy is commonly applied to the cancerous tumor because of its ability to control...
and facial reconstruction. With Warren she later contributed $6 million to five California doctors for the study of oral cancer. She had recovered enough to attend the annual shareholders' meeting of Berkshire Hathaway in May 2004, leading a singalong at the Borsheim's
Borsheim's Fine Jewelry
Borsheim's Fine Jewelry is a jewelry store in Omaha, Nebraska. The store was founded in 1870, and has been a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway since 1989....
reception.
Susan died at the age of 72 after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage during the summer of 2004 in Cody, Wyoming. Bono
Bono
Paul David Hewson , most commonly known by his stage name Bono , is an Irish singer, musician, and humanitarian best known for being the main vocalist of the Dublin-based rock band U2. Bono was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, and attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School where he met his...
performed "Forever Young
Forever Young (Bob Dylan song)
"Forever Young" is a song by Bob Dylan. The song first appeared on Dylan's 1974 album Planet Waves.- Analysis :In the notes for the 2007 album titled DYLAN, Bill Flanagan had the following to say about "Forever Young":...
" and "All I Want Is You" at her funeral. Warren was so grief stricken that he did not attend. Her will left approximately $50 million to her children's charity while each of her children received $10 million and each grandchild received $100,000. She also left a number of friends and employees substantial sums including $8 million to John McCabe and $1 million to Ron Parks. Nearly all of her Berkshire Hathaway shares, valued at nearly $3 billion at the time, was left to a foundation that would later bear her name.
External links
- Susan T. Buffett, 72, Dies; Wife of Billionaire Investor (Washington Post)
- Latest Holdings in Berkshire Hathaway Portfolio, Dynamic