John D. Rockefeller Sr.

popular name: Gilbert F. Heublein

date_of_death: March 21, 1937

age: 87

cause_of_death: Arteriosclerosis

claim_to_fame: Business and Finance

best_know_for: German-born Gilbert F. Heublein was a prominent hotelier, restaurateur, food and liquor distributor in Hartford, Connecticut. While most people remember Gilbert for securing the license and distribution rights of A-1 Steak Sauce to the United States, his real claim to fame should be his discovery and marketing of pre-made cocktails. As the legend goes, Gilbert and his brother Louis had prepared a quantity of premixed cocktails for a large annual picnic. It rained and the event was canceled. A few days later a employee of the Heubleins was told to dispose of the unused beverages. Deciding to taste them first, he found that the drinks had suffered no deterioration and announced the discovery to his bosses. The Heubleins took note and began selling the premixed libations in their saloon and restaurant. The cocktails proved very popular with customers and increasingly became the focus of the family’s attention. With Gilbert now running the business, the new firm concentrated on the premixed cocktails such as Martinis and Manhattans, advertising them widely as Club Cocktails. Upon the enactment of Prohibition in 1920, Heublein's "secondary sideline" of A.1. Sauce served as a fortunate savior, when the production, transportation and sale of all other Heublein products became illegal in the US for the next thirteen years. Upon Gilbert’s death, the company was taken over by John G. Martin, the son of Alice Heublein and Percy Martin, Gilbert Heublein’s grandson. Through Martin’s business savvy, G.F. Heublein & Bro. acquired the rights to sell Smirnoff vodka, Don Q rum, and Jose Cuervo tequila. In 1969, Heublein, Inc. began to package pre-mixed cocktails in 8-ounce cans, such as the ‘Brass Monkey’. The company also made acquisitions outside the liquor industry with the purchase of Grey Poupon mustard in 1936 and Kentucky Fried Chicken in 1971. In 1982, Heublein, Inc was sold to R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company for 1.4 billion dollars.

popular name: Edwin Merton McBrier

date_of_death: September 19, 1956

age: 91

cause_of_death: Natural causes

claim_to_fame: Business and Finance

best_know_for: Born in 1865, McBrier grew up in Hermon, New York. Eventually he left his home and ended up in Lockport, New York where he went into business with Frank. W. Woolworth and Seymour Knox, a founding partner of the famous Woolworth Co. Located on Main Street, it was known as Woolworth & McBrier/Knox & McBrier 5 and 10 cent Store. The business thrived and grew into a successful chain of stores. By the company’s 50th anniversary in 1929, there were 2,247 Woolworth stores in the United States, Canada, Cuba, England, and Germany. Sales topped $303 million.

popular name: Leona Helmsley

date_of_death: August 20, 2007

age: 87

cause_of_death: Congestive heart failure

claim_to_fame: Business and Finance

best_know_for: Leona Helmsley began her career in real estate, rising from brokerage work to executive positions before meeting Harry Helmsley in the late 1960s. After Harry dumped his wife of 30+ years Leona married him in 1972. Having lost a major lawsuit that caused financial devastation and the loss of her real estate license, she took an increasingly important role in managing the Helmsley hotel empire. She became president of a chain of more than 20 hotels and gained a reputation as a highly demanding manager who closely supervised operations and marketing. As a couple, Harry and Leona expanded their holdings beyond office buildings into luxury hotels. Their empire included the Helmsley Palace Hotel, the Park Lane Hotel, and numerous other hotels across the United States. Their combined holdings were estimated in the billions of dollars. The Helmsleys' careers were overshadowed by a major tax-fraud scandal in the late 1980s. Investigators alleged that personal expenses related to their luxury residences had been improperly charged to business entities (that and she also refused to pay vendors for their labor). Harry was considered too ill to stand trial, but Leona was convicted in 1989 on multiple counts including tax evasion and filing false tax returns. She served about 19 months in prison after her sentence was reduced on appeal. She died alone at her mansion, Dunnellen Hall, at the age of 87. She was laid to rest at Sleep Hollow Cemetery in Sleepy Hollow, NY.