William F. Buckley Jr.
AP
The National Review founder and editor, newspaper columnist and novelist – an Ivy Leaguer whose erudition was often admired even by liberal opponents – had been ill with diabetes and emphysema, according to The New York Times.
The son of a multimillionaire with oil holdings in seven countries, William Frank Buckley Jr. was born in New York City, the sixth of 10 children. His early childhood was spent in exclusive Roman Catholic schools in France and England.
Buckley's socialite wife, Pat Buckley, died in April 2007. Their son, Christopher Buckley, is the author of, among other books, the satirical Thank You for Smoking.
– Stephen M. Silverman
