Who was John T. Walton? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Also Known As: John Thomas Walton

Died At Age: 58

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Christy Walton (m. ?–2005), Mary Ann Gunn

father: Sam Walton

mother: Helen Walton

siblings: Alice Walton, Jim Walton, Rob Walton

children: Lukas Walton

Born Country: United States

Family Members Business People

Died on: June 27, 2005

place of death: Jackson, Wyoming, United States

Notable Alumni: College Of Wooster

U.S. State: Arkansas

Cause of Death: Plane Crash

More Facts

education: College of Wooster

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1

Was John T. Walton involved in any philanthropic activities?

Yes, John T. Walton was known for his involvement in various philanthropic activities, particularly supporting educational initiatives and school choice programs.
2

What was John T. Walton's role within Walmart?

John T. Walton was one of the heirs to the Walmart fortune and served on the company's board of directors, contributing to the strategic decisions of the retail giant.
3

Did John T. Walton have any significant impact on the education sector?

Yes, John T. Walton was a strong advocate for education reform and played a key role in supporting charter schools and other educational initiatives aimed at improving student outcomes.
4

How did John T. Walton contribute to the environmental conservation efforts?

John T. Walton was involved in various environmental conservation projects, supporting initiatives that aimed to protect natural habitats and promote sustainable practices.
5

What was John T. Walton's approach to business and entrepreneurship?

John T. Walton was known for his entrepreneurial spirit and business acumen, often emphasizing the importance of innovation and strategic decision-making in the corporate world.

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Childhood & Early Life

John T. Walton was born John Thomas Walton, on October 8, 1946, in Newport, Arkansas, USA, to Sam and Helen Walton. He was the second born child in the family and had two brothers (Rob Walton, Jim Walton) and one sister (Alice Walton).

His father, Sam, was the founder of Walmart, the world renowned retail chain. Sam left the military service in 1945 and took over management of his variety store at the age of 26.

While all the other Walton siblings went on to work at Walmart, John initially showed no interest. He finished his graduation from the Bentonville High School, where he was quite active in games and sports. He played football and was a star of his school team.

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Military Career

Following his high school education, he moved to Ohio and enrolled at the College of Wooster. He, however, dropped out of college, much to the dismay of his father. He loved playing the flute and as he wanted to spend more time playing the flute, he dropped out of the college. .Following his father’s footsteps, John enlisted in the US Army during the America-Vietnam conflict.

He fought in the Vietnam War. Initially, he was a part of study and observations group and served in the Green Berets. He served as a medic and was involved in combat in the ‘A Shau Valley’ and in ‘Laos.’ During the combat, he was second in command of the ‘Spike Team Louisiana.’ He received a ‘Silver Star honor’ for his bravery on the battlefield.

He served in what was known as the SOG (Special Operations Group), also known more famously for carrying out many attacks in Laos, Cambodia, and North Vietnam. Those attacks were also known as America’s ‘Secret War.’

He also became a member of SOG ‘Hatchet Force’, which had many small teams consisting of two or three American soldiers and a few indigenous warriors. The warriors in the SOG forces were highly skilled, loyal, and brave.

Later Career

Following end of the Vietnam War, John came back to the United States, but was still highly uninterested in joining Walmart full time. He instead chose to be a pilot and went on to work as a pilot for Walmart.

He, however, got bored of it very soon and left his father’s company to work as a pilot of the crop-dusting planes in the cotton fields of southern American states. He also co-founded an aerial application company ‘Satloc,’ which was a pioneer in using the GPS technology for crop dusting.

John then moved to San Diego, California, where he started another company ‘Corsair Marine,’ a trimaran sailboats manufacturing company.

Apart from his business ventures, John was an adventure sports lover. He indulged in skiing, mountain biking, hiking, and scuba diving.

He also served as the chairman of True North Partners, a venture capital firm, and established the ‘Children’s Scholarship Fund.’ The fund provides the low income group students with financial aids to help them study in private schools. Founded in 1998, the fund has helped 25,700 kids to study in private schools. John also openly advocated ‘School Vouchers.’

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He was honoured with the coveted ‘William E. Simon Prize for Philanthropic Leadership’ for his philanthropic activities.

Family, Personal Life & Death

John T. Walton first got married to Mary Ann Gunn, but the marriage did not last long and ended in a divorce.

Thereafter John married Christy Walton and the couple remained together until his demise in 2005. John’s onlya son, Lukas, was born to Christy Walton in 1986/87.

John was flying a CGS Hawk Arrow ultra-light aircraft, which has been registered as an experimental aircraft under FAA regulations on June 27, 2005, in Jackson, Wyoming. Shortly after it took off, the plane crashed at about 12:20 PM, killing John instantly.

During the investigations, it was found out by the ‘National Transportation Safety Board’ that the accident took place due to a human error. Apparently, John had improperly reinstalled the rear locking collar on the elevator control torque tube. This badly affected the plane’s pitch control, without which aircraft’s attitude (flying dynamics) could not have been controlled, leading to the unfortunate accident.

It was revealed shortly before his death that his net worth was $18.2 billion, making him the fourth richest man in the USA and the 11th richest man in the world. His wife received his inheritance, becoming the richest woman in the world.

Facts About John T. Walton

Walton was known for his love of adventure sports, particularly hang gliding, and he was an experienced pilot.

He had a passion for conservation and was actively involved in supporting various environmental causes throughout his life.

Walton was an avid collector of antique cars and was known for his impressive collection that included rare and unique vehicles.

He had a great sense of humor and was known for his playful and lighthearted personality among friends and family.

Walton was known for his humble and down-to-earth demeanor, often choosing to live a simple and modest lifestyle.

John T. Walton Biography

You wanted to know

Was John T. Walton involved in any philanthropic activities?

What was John T. Walton's role within Walmart?

Did John T. Walton have any significant impact on the education sector?

How did John T. Walton contribute to the environmental conservation efforts?

What was John T. Walton's approach to business and entrepreneurship?