Susan Buffett

Susan Buffett
Susan Buffett during an interview with Charlie Rose
Born	Susan Thompson (1932-06-15)June 15, 1932 Omaha, Nebraska, US
Died	July 29, 2004(2004-07-29) (aged 72) Cody, Wyoming, US
Occupation	Singer, businessperson, activist, philanthropist
Spouse(s)	Warren Buffett
Children	Susan Alice Buffett Howard Graham Buffett Peter Buffett
Parent(s)	William Thompson
Relatives	Howard Warren Buffett (grandson)

Susan Thompson Buffett (June 15, 1932 – July 29, 2004), the first wife of investor Warren Buffett, was active in civil rights, abortion rights and population control causes. She was a director of Berkshire Hathaway, owning 2.2 percent (worth US$3 billion in 2004) of the company at the time of her death. She was the 153rd richest person in the world. She was president of the Buffett Foundation, which has contributed millions of dollars to educational groups, medical research, population-control groups and other charities.

Susan was born in Omaha, Nebraska, and graduated from Omaha Central High School. Her father, William Thompson, was a minister, psychologist, dean at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, and one-time campaign manager for Howard Buffett.

Though her parents and Warren's knew one another, they met at Northwestern University, via Susan's roommate Roberta Buffett, Warren's sister.

Susan and Warren married in 1952 at the Dundee Presbyterian Church in Omaha. They have three children: Susan (born July 30, 1953), Howard (born December 16, 1954), and Peter (born May 4, 1958).

She occasionally performed as a cabaret singer and, in 1977, had a one-night performance at an Omaha theater. Encouraged by songwriter/musician Neil Sedaka to pursue a singing career, she left her husband and moved to San Francisco. She started out living in a small apartment in Gramercy Tower on Nob Hill. Later she moved into a large condominium on Broadway near Scott Street in Pacific Heights with views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz. She remained married and on good terms with her husband, vacationing together with him and spending time assisting charitable groups. She performed in New York and released several CDs. According to Roger Lowenstein's 1995 Random House biography, Buffett: The Making of an American Capitalist, while Warren encouraged Susan to pursue her career in music, he was soon heartbroken by her move.