The world lost a very good soul this week. Mary Frances Heil passed away on Saturday. Mary Fran and Gene were excellent partners for 57 years. The viewing and funeral offered the opportunity to celebrate the life of Mary Frances and to see many people with whom we had fallen out of touch. I suppose the death of a friend or peer gives us the time to consider the future and our priorities. The beautiful service at St John’s Cathedral had a memorable conclusion. The family gathered around Mary Frances and led the mourners as we sang “You are my Sunshine”. The emotional ceremony and conclusion reinforced for me a sense of urgency–pause and reflect on those who are meaningful in your life–take the time to let them know.
If you haven’t seen the Warren Buffett biographical sketch on PBS, it is worth your time. We all know about the Wizard of Omaha and his financial acumen and success. You will learn a lot about his investment strategy, his partner, his discipline and focus. Patience, a knowledge of the circle of competence, and the importance of compounding has yielded unprecedented results. The great Ted Williams knew that the only chance to bat 400 was to only swing at pitches in the strike zone – with the best results from those in the center of the plate. Buffett used that same circle of competence as he choose his long term investments.and avoided those things he did not understand. Imagine a $60 billion fortune and already donating $24 billion. He has committed to give away 99% of his remaining fortune at his death. The man is passionate about his family, employees, investors, and our country.
I must conclude with a few thoughts from Buffett. “Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.” “Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.” In thinking about Mary Frances, Buffett says “basically, when you get to my age, you’ll really measure your success in life by how many of the people you want to love you actually do love you.”
Wishing you success in your life. Mike