John T. Walton
John Walton's life was like a bright beacon, bringing inspiration, hope,
and dreams to so many. His humility and unassuming manner belied his
incredible strength of character and sense of purpose.
Could there be a better legacy than to leave the world a better place than
one found? Certainly that will be John's enduring gift to all of us who
were fortunate enough to enjoy his warm, sincere friendship, as well as to
the multitude of youngsters throughout our country who will never know him
personally but whose lives he enriched by providing them dreams and
opportunity. Our collective debt to John can best be repaid by bringing to
reality his special mission that educational freedom and choice be the
right of ALL children.
Predictably, and unfortunately, most of the press reports of John's
passing referred to his financial wealth. but John's true wealth was his
indomitable spirit, and his unwavering committment to those in need. Yes,
he was generous with his treasure, but his greatest gift was of himself.
John may be gone, but his impact will be felt for generations. He made a
real difference and the world is a better place because he graced it.
May Christie, Luke, and all of those whose lives he enriched be blessed
and comforted by his memory.
Steve Schuck
* * *
John Walton�s tragic and untimely death in a small-plane crash at the age of 58 deprives low-income American children of one of their best friends and most generous benefactors.
Soft-spoken, unassuming, and selfless, this mega-billionaire, described by one admirer as �the very soul of the choice movement,� gave tens of millions of dollars to create better educational opportunities for disadvantaged youngsters. Unlike many philanthropists who pick one path or the other, John was both strategic with respect to policy and open-handed with respect to kids in need.
Thousands of youngsters in dozens of communities (including Dayton�s PACE program) benefited directly from the Children�s Scholarship Fund that he and Theodore Forstmann founded and funded, enabling them to transfer with the help of these private vouchers from dire urban public schools into decent private-school alternatives. At the same time, John and the Walton Family Foundation underwrote much of the charter-school movement, helping individual schools, state charter associations, and national ventures.
Nor did he simply write checks; he served on boards, he checked people out, he made calls, he asked probing questions�and he displayed plenty of grit and determination (as he had in Vietnam decades earlier) when it was necessary to make tough decisions, pull plugs, and reinvent things. He was also one of the least pretentious and kindest people you�d ever want to know. He drove himself hard�I once watched him pedal a bike up a mountainside in Colorado (as I cruised along the riverbank)�and relished physical as well as policy challenges.
I cannot improve upon the words of Howard Fuller in a Monday-night email to friends:
�John was one of the nicest people I have ever met. He was a staunch, unbending warrior in the battle for parental choice. I once asked John why he supported this movement. He said that poor children were getting a raw deal and he wanted to do something about it and he was in a position to do so. Here was a man who could have lived a life of leisure. Instead, he put his money, his intellect, and his energy into the effort to empower low income and working class families to be able to choose the best learning environment for their children. Because of him there are thousands of our children who have a better future. Because of him there is a movement out here that must honor his memory by working harder to advance our cause. I will never forget this kind and decent man. I thank God for allowing him to be in our midst.�
Indeed.
Rest in peace.
Chester E. Finn, Jr.
President
Thomas B. Fordham Foundation
* * *
The best tribute to John Walton is to redouble our energies, our commitment, and our attitudes toward helping all children get the education they deserve. John offered his time, affection, and sharp intellect freely to people like me so that we could do better. John supported and nurtured the Center for Education Reform, along with countless other organizations. He appreciated that sometimes you have to be controversial to get results. There are many of us in the education reform movement who were honored by his respect, and because of that, it is important to honor his legacy.
John's friends and family honored him at a service that celebrated his life, leaving all of us feeling lucky to know him and wanting to do more than ever to insure that his vision and passion for education will continue. It will.
There is no question that John, right now has a special place in heaven. God obviously needed another good foot soldier.
John, you will always be in our hearts.
Jeanne Allen
President
The Center for Education Reform
* * *
John would have hated people talking about him, rather than what he fought for. There are so many who could tell stories about how he helped them, so I won�t do that. I will only say that if not for John, there would be no school choice in Florida -- period. He literally rescued us on more than one occasion.
His actions were what I measured myself against. I learned so much just from watching him. The best lesson I learned from John was this: for him the cause was more important than receiving credit. The progress of the movement was more important than the furtherance of a single organization.
He taught me that it is more important for the voices of the parents to be heard than any other. It is very tempting to stand in front of 3,000 people who agree with your life�s mission and hear their approval. John reminded me by example to put that impulse away and put the parents out front.
He always wanted to see power pushed downward, more people empowered, more leaders emerge in the states. We have taken that lesson to heart in Florida. We are constantly trying to find parents, administrators and legislators willing to assume leadership roles in the choice movement.
But most of all John, by the example of his life, made me think about how to measure mine. He made me want to measure my life not in terms of dollars made, nor in terms of recognition. John�s example made me measure my life in terms of effort made to help others. He set a standard that is impossible to equal, but a standard that will always provide me a compass to point me in the right direction.
I don�t know any other way to deal with this loss than to work even harder in the cause that John devoted himself to. That�s how I plan to thank him for all he did for me. I hope that the words you hear from me and others about John might spur you to work with us in his cause. He would be so happy to have you join us in this fight.
John Kirtley
Florida Education Freedom Foundation
* * *
John Walton always reminded me of Gary Cooper, the quintessential American hero � self-effacing, soft-spoken, with a clear understanding of right and wrong and an iron will to change the latter into the former.
John could have had a splendid life befitting his position but instead, he chose a life devoted to making a difference in those of countless children who, without an education, would be without hope.
Wisdom, courage, kindness and humility, those are the virtues that John personified. A man without an ego, he had no use for the trappings of status. Appearing as a keynote speaker at the 2003 Tenth Anniversary gala for the Center for Education Reform, he wanted to know whether he needed to rent a tuxedo. He�d rather not, he said, because whenever he wore one, people treated him differently.
John, you were one of a kind. We will miss you terribly.
Gisele Huff, Executive Director
Jaquelin Hume Foundation
* * *
He was a very unassuming, humble and kind person. When I learned of his death, I thought about the huge impact he has had on the school choice movement and what a gaping hole his departure will leave.
To say we�re going to miss him is an understatement, with the tremendous impact he�s had on this movement and helping our children when he didn�t have to.
This is a terrible loss and I don�t know if anybody can ever fill his shoes.
Jacqueline Joyner Cissell
Vice Chair
BAEO Board of Directors
* * *
This is a very sad day for Black children.
He was the most selfless person whose only agenda was that our kids get an opportunity.
David Brand
Vice President
Princeton Review
* * *
No one has had a greater impact on educational reform in America than John Walton.
Though he is perhaps best-known for his generous scholarships for low-income children, John's enduring legacy is systemic policy change, both in the metamorphosis of public schools into flexible, responsive, consumer-driven institutions, and the emergence of school choice both as an educational life preserver and catalyst for public school reform. John's gentle nature, incisive mind, ecumenical spirit, and sense of urgency helped unite and focus the school choice movement.
John's shoes will be impossible to fill unless all of those committed to making good on the promise of educational opportunity pull forward together.
Alliance for School Choice
Clint Bolick, President
* * *
As a person who was not a founding member of BAEO or a board member, I don�t think there has been anyone who has single handedly contributed to the growth and development of BAEO from the beginning until now as John Walton has. I also know there is no other person out there that has personally contributed to the growth an expansion of quality charter schools across the country.
The movement has lost a great warrior, but his vision and commitment will last for a lot of kids.
Mashea Ashton
Secretary
BAEO National Board
* * *
John Walton personified the spirit of social justice causes. Never had I met a person more committed to righting a systemic wrong or more willing to risk what he owned for what he believed. He was a true student of how one creates a better place for all people. I will always remember his greatest gift to me and to CREO: His trust and his personal support. John will be dearly missed.
Robert B. Aguirre
Chairman of the Board of Trustees
Hispanic CREO
* * *
The world seems to have a big hole in it.
John was a thoroughly good man. We benefited not just from his generosity but from his commitment and his intellect. He was unassuming, engaging, curious and kind. I, like many others, have lost not just a leader but a dear friend.
John was steadfast in his support for parent choice in Milwaukee. Many of you met him during his visits and know that he considered you the heroes of the movement. He followed our fortunes closely and came to know many in our coalition.
Joe Williams just reminded me that John finished a speech in Milwaukee several years ago by saying that sometime we all will regard school choice as we do voting rights for blacks and women a straightforward and simple matter of justice.
I hope that John's spirit, his fortitude, and his fundamental goodness will help the rest of us fill the hole and achieve his vision.
With the deepest sadness,
Susan Mitchell
* * *
John Walton was truly kind and caring and made a difference in his support of our efforts here in Washington, DC. When I met John in the late 90's I was so inspired by his commitment to children. He had a quiet, gentle manner and made me and many others feel like we could do something special to make sure that all children were given the chance for a quality education.
He inspired us to work hard to do whatever we could to reach our goals and he worked alongside us. We will miss him terribly and continue to work toward his dream of providing educational opportunities for low-income families. He will always be in our thoughts and prayers.
Virginia Walden Ford
Washington, DC Chapter of BAEO
* * *
On behalf of the California Charter Schools Association, it is with a deep and profound sense of sadness that I share with you news of the sudden loss of humanitarian, philanthropist, entrepreneur, husband and father, John Walton. As many of you may already know, John passed away yesterday in a tragic plane crash near his home town of Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
John was a deeply caring individual who was passionate about kids. He served on several non-profit foundations, including the Walton Family Foundation, which is the strongest philanthropic supporter of the charter school movement and of educational choice in the United States. John was also one of nine board members of the California Charter Schools Association.
I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to work with him closely as he actively advocated on behalf of charter schools in California and provided wise, grounded counsel as we have grown as a movement. He consistently focused on doing the right thing for students. He believed that parents were most likely to act justly on behalf of their children�s education and worked to win them that right. Like many leaders in our movement, he had other paths he could have taken, but he chose this one because he knew that every aspect of society is affected by the educational opportunities that we make available to our children.
Just a few weeks ago, John and I talked about what he might like to say at the 2006 Charter Schools Conference. I asked him what the most important thing for the movement�s leaders to remember would be. �Perseverance,� he said. �We know what we are asking for is right. Every kid deserves a great education. It�s just about staying in the game and not having a short term attitude. We�ve already made great strides, but it�s only the beginning.�
John, the second son of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton, indeed lived an amazing life. John served in the U.S. Army Green Berets as a medic during the Vietnam War. He was awarded the Silver Star for saving the lives of several members of his unit in the midst of hostile enemy fire. As a board member of the Walton Family Foundation, John played a leading role in guiding the Foundation's contributions to elementary and high school education, including fostering the charter school movement to where it today consists of over 3,000 schools nationwide, serving over three-quarters of a million students.
John touched the lives of so many under-served kids and yet always remained a genuine and down to earth individual. We loved him for his immense wisdom and for his kindness. We also loved him for his outlook on life, which was one of optimism, courage, dedication, commitment and passion. John�s legacy will live on in the changed lives of hundreds of thousands of children that have benefited from his generous support.
Today, we mourn John�s loss and we will miss him, our friend. We celebrate his life, the amazing causes that he embraced, the many decisions that led him to be a true champion for kids and for the values that will continue to resonate in the lives he touched.
Our deepest condolences go out to John�s wife Christy and their son, Luke, as well as the rest of his family.
Sincerely,
Caprice Young
President and CEO
The California Charter Schools Association
* * *
John Walton was a visionary whose kind soul and constant wisdom should endure with all of those who shared in his belief that all parents, regardless of position in life, deserve access to high quality education options.
John taught me that sticking to a consistent, focused mission of supporting new, high quality supply of schools and redirecting public resources to them would ultimately cause our most unsuccessful school systems to improve. We're barely getting started, as such options are now only attracting much notice as they grow from fringe to emerging solutions. As we consider the road ahead, let's together face the opportunities and mounting challenges with the grace and thoughtfullness John did. We will miss his guidance and direction - his steady hand at the helm, but we must collectively work harder and in the focused ways John did - for the future of our nation's children.
Cathy Lund
The Walton Family Foundation, Inc.
* * *
The world is filled with all kinds of people with all kinds of motives
and missions. I thank God for the motives and mission of John Walton.
He was a kind and compassionate man with a heart that burned with
desire to make the world a better place. He believed that he could do
that if he helped those who were less fortunate get the necessary tools
to succeed. He believed that education was the key to real freedom and
that he could help all children have the kind of freedom that would
allow them to be anything they wanted to be, and he invested his life
and his money in that reality.
He was indeed a great warrior for the parental choice movement, but
more than that he was interested in giving children a chance. He was a
drum major for justice for the underserved children of America. He was
indeed a champion among champions for the poor and needy children. He
will be missed by all.
Finally, we thank God for the interest and investment he made in BAEO.
John Walton supported and sponsored the mission and goals of our
organization and we know that God used him to help us get where we are
today. We must never forget that by the grace of God, John Walton gave
until the very end and even now continues to give inspiration and
courage to us because of his great generosity and genuine concern for
improving the quality �of education and life for all children. In honor
and memory of� him, we must dare� to continue to fight the good fight
�of faith for the children of America.
Our prayers and thoughts are with his family and all those whose lives
have been touched and changed by John Walton.
Rev. Dr. W. Raymond Bryant
Treasurer
BAEO National Board
* * *
He lived to 58, and clearly, they were 58 years of living.
I'm reminded of something Mark Twain wrote:
"Let us endeavor to live that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry."
His commitment to children, and to education choice, was truly amazing to me. The simple thing would have been for him to give money to the status quo, rather than putting his money directly in the hands of families.
Casey Lartigue
BAEO National Board Member
* * *
What a sad loss.
When I think of John Walton I think of the Emerson quote, �Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.�
How fortunate for all children in America that John created such an awesome trail.
Patsy O'Neill
Executive Director
Resource Center for Charter Schools
* * *
My prayers are with him and his family.
He was a true champion for our cause, but much more importantly, he was a good man.
Kenneth Campbell
Vice President
Mosaica Education Qatar, LLC
* * *
I will continue to pray for him and his family.
This is a terrible loss, but God knows best. I believe God has placed Mr. Walton in the heavens to be an even more powerful intercessor. His spirit will live on as long as we all remember his kindness.
Anita A. Ruiz, Esq.
BAEO National Board Member