Texarkana Native & Billionaire Ross Perot Dead at Age 89

Before ever moving to Texarkana, I fell in love with a quote from a billionaire named Ross Perot that stated: "If you see a snake, just kill it. Don't appoint a whole committee on snakes."

At the seasoned age of 89, Ross Perot passed away on Tuesday, July 9 due at this time to unknown causes. To say he left a legacy is an understatement. Perot the self-made billionaire rose from poverty as a young boy from Texarkana during the Depression era to running twice for president as an independent.

As a boy in Texarkana, Texas, Perot delivered newspapers not from his car... not from his bike, but from the back of a pony. However, he earned his billions in a more modern way, which was by building Electronic Data Systems Corp. This business helped other companies manage their computer networks. Pretty futuristic, I would say.

The most famous life-event for Perot was when he personally financed a private commando raid in 1979 to free two EDS employees who were being held in a prison in Iran. The heroic tale was turned into a book and a movie.

Texarkana Gazette had the following to say about Perot and his roots in Texarkana.

Though he left Texarkana to make his fortune, H. Ross Perot never forgot his roots here. He made many trips back here and often visited sites that were important to his childhood. He often visited the Highland Park neighborhood where he grew up.

Rest in peace Mr. Ross Perot.