Charlie Munger, billionaire and former Berkshire-Hathaway right-hand man for fellow billionaire Warren Buffett, has died, according to CNBC. According to the outlet, family members alerted Berkshire Hathaway to his death on Tuesday in California. The conglomerate then issued a press release informing the public that he had “peacefully” passed away. “Berkshire Hathaway could not have been built to its present status without Charlie’s inspiration, wisdom and participation,” Warren wrote in the statement.
According to the outlet, Charlie’s wealth was estimated to be 2.3 billion earlier in 2023. He was the former vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, as well as a real estate attorney, a member of the board at Costco, an architect, a philanthropist, and publisher of the Daily Journal Corp. He was CEO of Wesco Financial from 1984 to 2011, as well. Most prominently, he was known as being the closest advisor and partner to Buffett.
Born in Omaha, Nebraska, he worked in his young years at Buffett & Son, a grocery store owned by Warren’s grandfather, Ernest Buffett, setting him up for a lifetime of friendship with the family. He was married twice, and had seven children during his formidable life.
In 1945, he married Nancy Huggins, with whom he welcomed three children. One of them, Teddy Munger, died at the age of 9 of Leukemia. He divorced and remarried to Nancy Barry, with whom he shares four more children. In his second marriage, he also gained two stepchildren.