Obituary: John Templeton, 95, investor and philanthropist

[speedoo]

Source: International Herald Tribune

John Templeton, a Tennessee-born investor and philanthropist who amassed a fortune as a pioneer in global mutual funds, then gave away hundreds of millions of dollars to foster understanding of what he called "spiritual realities," died Tuesday in Nassau, Bahamas, where he had lived for decades. He was 95.

His death, at Doctors Hospital, was caused by pneumonia, said Donald Lehr, a spokesman for the Templeton Foundation.

The foundation awards the Templeton Prize, one of the richest in the world, and sponsors conferences and studies reflecting the founder's passionate interest in "progress in religion" and "research or discoveries" on the nebulous borders of science and religion.

In a career that spanned seven decades, Templeton dazzled Wall Street, organized some of the most successful mutual funds of his time, led investors into foreign markets, established charities that now give away $70 million a year, wrote books on finance and spirituality, and promoted a search for answers to what he called the "Big Questions" in the realms of science, faith, God and the purpose of humanity.



Read more: http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/07/09/america/obits.php

---

He was a true pioneer. I admired him very much.

[Joshua N]

1. He and his foundation has been very generous to Vanderbilt University

funding lecture series on science and religion and awarding faculty members. He's had an impact here. I am sorry to hear of his death.