# Susan Buffett

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{{short description|American activist (1932–2004)}}
{{For|her daughter|Susan Alice Buffett}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2014}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Susan Buffett
| image              = Susan Buffet interview clip.jpg
| image_size         = 200px
| caption            = Susan Buffett during an interview with [Charlie Rose](/source/Charlie_Rose)
| birth_name         = Susan Thompson
| birth_date         = {{birth date|mf=yes|1932|6|15|}}
| birth_place        = [Omaha](/source/Omaha%2C_Nebraska), [Nebraska](/source/Nebraska), U.S.
| death_date         = July 29, 2004 (aged 72)
| death_place        = [Cody](/source/Cody%2C_Wyoming), [Wyoming](/source/Wyoming), U.S.
| alma_mater         = [Northwestern University](/source/Northwestern_University)
| occupation         = {{flatlist|
*Singer
*businessperson
*activist
*philanthropist}}
| spouse             = {{marriage|[Warren Buffett](/source/Warren_Buffett)|1952}}
| parents            = [William Hertzog Thompson](/source/William_Hertzog_Thompson)
| children           = [Susan Alice Buffett](/source/Susan_Alice_Buffett)<br>[Howard Graham Buffett](/source/Howard_Graham_Buffett)<br>[Peter Buffett](/source/Peter_Buffett)
| relatives          = [Howard Warren Buffett](/source/Howard_Warren_Buffett) {{small|(grandson)}}
}}

'''Susan Thompson Buffett''' (June 15, 1932 – July 29, 2004) was an American activist for the causes of [civil rights](/source/civil_rights), [abortion rights](/source/abortion_rights) and [birth control](/source/birth_control), and the first wife of investor [Warren Buffett](/source/Warren_Buffett). She was a [director](/source/board_of_directors) of [Berkshire Hathaway](/source/Berkshire_Hathaway), owning 2.2 percent of the company worth about $3 billion at the time of her death,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oreilly.com/|title=O'Reilly Media - Technology and Business Training|website=www.oreilly.com}}</ref> making her the 153rd richest person in the world.<ref>
{{cite news
 |title=Susan T. Buffett Dies From Stroke
 |first=Robert |last=Lenzner |url=https://www.forbes.com/2004/07/29/cz_rl_0729buffetobit.html
 |work=[Forbes](/source/Forbes) |date=July 29, 2004 |access-date=2009-07-13 |quote=She was ranked 153 on the Forbes World's Richest People list while her husband was ranked No. 2 with a net worth of $42.9 billion.}}</ref> She was president of the [Buffett Foundation](/source/Buffett_Foundation), which has contributed millions of dollars to educational groups, [medical research](/source/medical_research), family planning groups and other charities.

==Biography==
Susan was born in [Omaha](/source/Omaha%2C_Nebraska), [Nebraska](/source/Nebraska), and graduated from [Omaha Central High School](/source/Omaha_Central_High_School). Her father, [William Hertzog Thompson](/source/William_Hertzog_Thompson), was a minister, psychologist, [dean](/source/Dean_(education)) at the [University of Nebraska-Omaha](/source/University_of_Nebraska-Omaha), and one-time campaign manager for [Howard Buffett](/source/Howard_Buffett).

Though her parents and Warren's knew one another, they met at [Northwestern University](/source/Northwestern_University), via Susan's roommate Roberta Buffett, Warren's sister.

Susan and Warren married in 1952 at the Dundee Presbyterian Church in Omaha.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dpcomaha.org/|title=Dundee Presbyterian Church|website=Dundee Presbyterian Church}}</ref> They had three children together: [Susan](/source/Susan_Alice_Buffett) (born July 30, 1953), [Howard](/source/Howard_Graham_Buffett) (born December 16, 1954), and [Peter](/source/Peter_Buffett) (born May 4, 1958).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.genealogy.com/ftm/t/h/o/Daniel-J-Thompson/GENE9-0007.html|title=Daniel-J-Thompson - User Trees - Genealogy.com|website=www.genealogy.com}}</ref>

Allegations have been made regarding Susan's conduct during her marriage to Warren. These include claims that in the mistaken belief her husband had cheated on her with his friend, [Katharine Graham](/source/Katharine_Graham), she sent Graham a passive-aggressive letter that "let her date Warren Buffett", and that she had a relationship with her tennis coach, John McCabe.<ref name=":0" />

She occasionally performed hit classics from the early 1970s [cabaret](/source/cabaret) singer and, in 1977, had a one-night performance at an Omaha theater. Encouraged by songwriter/musician [Neil Sedaka](/source/Neil_Sedaka) to pursue a singing career,<ref>{{cite news| url=http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/article464196.ece| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110612085409/http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/article464196.ece| url-status=dead| archive-date=June 12, 2011| work=[The Sunday Times](/source/The_Sunday_Times)| date=August 1, 2004| title=Wife's death puts the spotlight on Buffett empire | location=London | access-date=May 24, 2010}}</ref> she left her husband and moved to a small apartment in San Francisco with her paramour, John McCabe, in Gramercy Tower on [Nob Hill](/source/Nob_Hill). Later, she moved into a large condominium on Broadway near Scott Street in [Pacific Heights](/source/Pacific_Heights) with views of the [Golden Gate Bridge](/source/Golden_Gate_Bridge) and [Alcatraz](/source/Alcatraz).<ref name=":0">{{cite book | last = Schroeder | first = Alice | title = The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life | publisher = [Random House](/source/Random_House) | year = 2008 | pages = 452, 460, 523, 667 | isbn = 978-0-553-38461-1 }}</ref> She remained married and on good terms with her husband, vacationing together with him and spending time assisting charitable groups. She performed in New York and released several CDs. According to [Roger Lowenstein](/source/Roger_Lowenstein)'s 1995 Random House biography, ''Buffett: The Making of an American Capitalist'', while Warren had encouraged Susan to pursue her career in music, he was heartbroken by her move.<ref name="washingtonpost.com">
{{cite news
 |title=Susan T. Buffett, 72, Dies; Wife of Billionaire Investor
 |first=Matt |last=Schudel |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A26094-2004Jul29.html
 |newspaper=[Washington Post](/source/Washington_Post) |date=July 30, 2004 |page=B06 |access-date=2009-07-13
 }}<!-- {{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A26094-2004Jul29.html |title=Susan T. Buffett, 72, Dies; Wife of Billionaire Investor |work=[washingtonpost.com](/source/washingtonpost.com) | date=July 30, 2004 | access-date=May 24, 2010}} --></ref>

In 1978, Susan introduced her husband to [Astrid Menks](/source/Astrid_Menks), who moved in with Warren in their Omaha home, and married him after Susan's death.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/01/business/01buffett.html?_r=1&oref=slogin| title=How Does Warren Buffett Get Married? Frugally, It Turns Out| author=Jeff Bailey, Eric Dash| date=September 1, 2006| work=[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)}}</ref>

The Buffetts attended public functions as husband and wife though they had not lived together for more than half of their marriage. The Buffetts even signed [Christmas card](/source/Christmas_card)s, Warren, Susan, and Astrid,<ref name="lowenstein">{{cite book | last=Lowenstein | first=Roger |author-link=Roger Lowenstein | title=Buffett: The Making of an American Capitalist | year=2008 | isbn= 978-0-8129-7927-5 | publisher=[Random House](/source/Random_House)}}</ref> and were often seen together as a trio.

==Later life==
In October 2003, Susan was diagnosed with [oral cancer](/source/oral_cancer); she underwent surgery, [radiation therapy](/source/radiation_therapy) and [facial reconstruction](/source/facial_reconstruction). Warren flew out from Omaha to be with her every weekend during her recovery and the couple would later contribute $6 million to five California doctors for the study of oral cancer.  She had recovered enough to attend the annual [shareholders' meeting of Berkshire Hathaway](/source/Berkshire_Hathaway_Annual_Meeting) in May 2004, leading a singalong at the [Borsheim's](/source/Borsheim's_Fine_Jewelry) reception.<ref name="washingtonpost.com"/>

Susan died at the age of 72 after suffering a [cerebral hemorrhage](/source/cerebral_hemorrhage) during the summer of 2004 in Cody, Wyoming. [Bono](/source/Bono) performed "[Forever Young](/source/Forever_Young_(Bob_Dylan_song))" and "[All I Want Is You](/source/All_I_Want_Is_You_(U2_song))" at her funeral.  Warren was so grief-stricken that he did not attend.  She left approximately $50 million to her children's charity while each of her children received $10 million and each grandchild received $100,000.  She also left a number of friends and employees substantial sums, including $8 million to John McCabe and $1 million to Ron Parks.  Nearly all of her Berkshire Hathaway shares, valued at nearly $3 billion at the time, were left to a foundation that would later bear her name.<ref>{{cite book | last = Schroeder | first = Alice | title = The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life | publisher = [Random House](/source/Random_House) | year = 2008 | pages = 800–806 | isbn = 978-0-553-38461-1 }}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110417150952/http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1240205010085129455#22m40s Susan Buffett remembered and interviewed by Charlie Rose August 26, 2004]

{{Buffett Family}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Buffett, Susan}}
Category:1932 births
Category:2004 deaths
Category:American birth control activists
Category:American nonprofit executives
Category:21st-century American philanthropists
Category:21st-century American women philanthropists
Category:Directors of Berkshire Hathaway
Susan
Category:Businesspeople from Omaha, Nebraska
Category:American cabaret singers
Category:Deaths from oral cancer in the United States
Category:Musicians from Omaha, Nebraska
Category:Northwestern University alumni
Category:American women nonprofit executives
Category:20th-century American singers
Category:20th-century American women singers
Category:Omaha Central High School alumni
Category:American civil rights activists
Category:American women civil rights activists

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Susan Buffett](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Buffett) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Buffett?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.