Idaho Potato King J.R. Simplot Dead at 99

BOISE, Idaho (AP) - Ada County Coroner Erwin Sonnenberg says Idaho frozen food magnate J.R. Simplot died Sunday in his Boise. He was 99.

Sonnenberg says Simplot died of natural causes. In the 1950s, Simplot's Caldwell-based potato business developed the first frozen french fry, which became a staple of fast-food restaurants such as McDonald's and others.

Simplot parlayed the operation into an estimated at $3.6 billion fortune, according to Forbes Magazine.

In 2004, Simplot donated his 7,000 square foot mansion to the state for use as a governor's mansion. Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter, his former son-in-law and one-time company executive chose not to move into the home.

A History Entwined:
J.R. Simplot and the Simplot Company

J.R. 'Jack' Simplot began his colorful career at the age of 14 when he quit school and went into business on his own in 1923, near the small farming community of Declo, Idaho.

Jack poured seemingly boundless energy into many endeavors. By the early years of World War II, the Simplot Company had become the largest shipper of fresh potatoes in the country and was selling millions of pounds of dehydrated onions and potatoes to the military.

When wartime shortages made it difficult to buy fertilizer, Jack built a manufacturing plant in Pocatello, Idaho, and produced his own. That kind of ingenuity and determination continued during the early 1950s as the Simplot Company created and marketed the first commercially viable frozen french fries in the world.

Throughout his business career, he has blended a gambler's intuition with a businessman's judgment and common sense. Jack and his wife, Esther Becker Simplot, make their home in Boise, not far from his company's headquarters and a little more than 100 miles from the farm where he was raised. Jack has one daughter, Gay Simplot, and two sons, Don and Scott. Another son, Richard, died in 1993.

Jack has been honored by the World Potato Congress and the Idaho Potato Hall of Fame for his contributions to the industry, and has been recognized by numerous organizations for his achievements in business and financial support of education, the performing arts, and many communities.

Although Jack Simplot will remain forever fixed as the founder, leader and inspiration of the Simplot Company, it is equally true that scores of dedicated employees contributed mightily to the success of the company.

Governor Otter released the following statement:

"J.R. Simplot was a wonderful man and a great mentor who embodied what Idaho is all about. His love of family, his appreciation of America, his work ethic and his devotion to making this a better world through the free enterprise system all are values to which Idaho aspires. He had a huge impact on my life for over 30 years, and I shall miss him."