Passage: Percy Ross, 84

Ross was the son of immigrants who made millions producing plastic trash bags, then spent the rest of his live giving away his fortune through a newspaper column called "Thanks a Million." By the time Ross filed his last column in September 1999, he had given away something like $30 million to readers who he deemed especially worthy based on their particular sob story. At its height, Ross' column was syndicated in roughly 800 newspapers.

Ross was the son of immigrants who made millions producing plastic trash bags, then spent the rest of his live giving away his fortune through a newspaper column called "Thanks a Million." By the time Ross filed his last column in September 1999, he had given away something like $30 million to readers who he deemed especially worthy based on their particular sob story. At its height, Ross' column was syndicated in roughly 800 newspapers.