Ted Turner, the man who gave us CNN and changed the way the world gets its news, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, May 6. He was 87 years old and surrounded by his family.
For our generation, Turner was a constant presence. He launched CNN in 1980 (the first 24-hour global news network), and it became the channel so many of us turned to during the biggest moments of our lifetimes.
Turner Enterprises released a statement saying, It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of philanthropist, environmentalist, and cable pioneer Ted Turner, who died peacefully today at age 87, surrounded by his family.
The statement described him as a man known for his no-holds-barred delivery, endearing sense of humor, and underlying loyalty to those around him.
A Career Full of Firsts
Turner started out with Turner Advertising Company. By the mid-1970s, he had launched TBS Superstation and purchased both the Atlanta Braves and the Atlanta Hawks. Then came CNN in 1980.
His career did not stop there. He went on to launch CNN Headline News, TNT, Cartoon Network, and Turner Classic Movies. If you have ever spent a Sunday afternoon watching old Hollywood films on TCM, you have Ted Turner to thank for that.
The Family He Leaves Behind
Turner is survived by five children, 14 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. He had two children with his first wife, Judy (Nye) Turner: daughter Laura and son Robert Edward “Teddy” Turner IV. His three other children (Beau, Rhett, and Jennifer) were born to his second wife, Jane Smith Turner.
His eldest, Laura Turner Seydel, chairs the Captain Planet Foundation and serves on the boards of Project Drawdown and Waterkeeper Alliance. She inherited her father’s passion for the environment. Her brother Teddy has worked in television production and the yachting industry and is now a high school economics teacher.
Beau Turner serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Turner Endangered Species Fund and as Director of Natural Resources and Biodiversity for Turner Enterprises. His brother, Rhett, is a filmmaker, photographer, and president of Red Sky Productions. Jennifer, known as Jennie, is a Trustee of the Turner Foundation and formerly served on the board of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
Turner Enterprises asked that the family be given privacy as they grieve the loss of their patriarch. It is a reminder that behind all those headlines and history-making moments was a father, a grandfather, and a great-grandfather.
He changed what news looked like for all of us. And by all accounts, he was just as devoted to his family as he was to his work.