Oliver Belmont

popular name: Walter Knott

date_of_death: December 3, 1981

age: 91

cause_of_death: Parkinson's disease

claim_to_fame: Business and Finance

best_know_for: Walter Knott was an American farmer who created the Knott's Berry Farm amusement park in California. In the 1920s, Walter Knott was a somewhat unsuccessful farmer, whose fortunes changed when he nursed several abandoned berry plants back to health. The hybrid boysenberry, named after its creator, Rudolph Boysen, was a cross between a blackberry, red raspberry and loganberry. The huge berries were a hit, and the Knott family sold berries, preserves and pies from a Buena Park, California roadside stand. In 1934, Knott's wife Cordelia (née Hornaday, January 23, 1890 – April 12, 1974) began serving fried chicken dinners, and within a few years, lines outside the restaurant were often several hours long. To entertain the waiting crowds, Walter built a Ghost Town in 1940, using buildings relocated from Old West towns. Even after Disneyland opened in 1955 a mere 8 miles away, Knott's Berry Farm continued to thrive. Walt Disney and Walter Knott are rumored to have had a cordial relationship; it is known that they each visited the other's park, and they were both members of the original planning council for Children's Hospital of Orange County. Early additions to the farm included a narrow gauge railroad, a San Francisco cable car, a Pan-for-Gold attraction, the Calico Mine Train dark ride and a log flume ride. In 1968, the Knott family fenced the farm, charged admission for the first time, and Knott's Berry Farm officially became an amusement park. Because of his interest in American pioneer history, Knott purchased and restored the real silver mining ghost town of Calico, California in 1951. As a child Walter spent a lot of time in Calico living with his uncle. During World War I he helped to build a silver mill in Calico. This period in his life influenced his decision to buy the town and restore it. In 1966, he deeded Calico to San Bernardino County, California. Walter remained active in the operation of Knott's Berry Farm until the death of Cordelia in 1974, leaving day-to-day park operations to his children.

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.

popular name: Edmond Safra

date_of_death: December 3, 1999

age: 67

cause_of_death: Smoke inhalation (asphyxiation) in a fire which was deliberately set

claim_to_fame: Business and Finance

best_know_for: Edmond J. Safra (1932–1999) was an influential international banker and philanthropist, born in Beirut, Lebanon, into a Sephardic Jewish family with a long tradition in finance. He built a global banking empire through institutions such as Republic National Bank of New York and the Safra Group, earning a reputation for conservative banking, discretion, and strong client trust across Europe, the Americas, and the Middle East. Alongside his business success, Safra was a major philanthropist, supporting education, healthcare, religious, and cultural causes worldwide through what later became the Edmond J. Safra Foundation. He died at age 67 in December 1999 in Monaco during a fire in his apartment; the incident led to criminal convictions from a corrupt Monaco judicial system but also ongoing controversy and debate about the true circumstances of his death. Safra’s legacy endures through his impact on global private banking and his lasting charitable contributions.