Writing sample - Chris Karmiol (Community newspaper article)

Walter H. Annenberg, a renowned philanthropist and Peddie School graduate, passed away Tuesday at the age of 94.

HIGHTSTOWN — Walter H. Annenberg made waves both in the media world and in the art world. But here in Hightstown, at The Peddie School, Mr. Annenberg made tidal waves.

The billionaire businessman and philanthropist died Tuesday at the age of 94 of complications from pneumonia.

Through the years he pulled The Peddie School out of near-bankruptcy with a $1.5 million gift in 1980, constructed Peddie's Masters dormitory in honor of his favorite teachers in 1967 and constructed a $7 million science center in 2002.

While those gifts were all significant and impressive, it was Mr. Annenberg's gift of $100 million to Peddie in June 1993 that launched that school into the upper echelon of wealthy private secondary schools and secured Mr. Annenberg as that institution's most generous product.

He graduated from Peddie in 1927, giving a gift of $17,000 on his day of graduation for the construction of a new cinder track. He never stopped giving.

The Peddie School held an all-school chapel service Tuesday afternoon at its Ayer Memorial Chapel in remembrance of the man who brought the school out of debt and blew its endowment through the roof.

"He loved the school," said Finn Caspersen, chairman of Peddie's board of trustees, at a memorial service held Tuesday at Peddie. "He always said he had the best time of his life at the school. It was the happiest time."

Mr. Annenberg was voted the student most likely to succeed by his Peddie classmates. Succeed he did. After inheriting The Inquirer and two other publications from his father, publisher Moses Annenberg, he launched TV Guide magazine and Seventeen Magazine, eventually building a multibillion dollar enterprise including newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations. Mr. Annenberg also had an art collection valued at $1 billion, which he donated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in City.

Peddie Head of School John Green referred to Mr. Annenberg as Mr. Ambassador — President Richard M. Nixon named him ambassador to the Court of St. James in 1969 — and said Tuesday was a sad day for Peddie.

"Mr. Ambassador loved Peddie students," Mr. Green said. "He frequently stopped to speak with and play hackeysack with students during his frequent, unannounced visits." Mostly, what Mr. Annenberg did for Peddie students was open doors that would otherwise have been shut. Through his generous endowment contribution, scores of students from all parts of the world are able to attend Peddie on financial aid.

That fact was not lost on Mario Osorio, a senior at Peddie originally from Colombia. Mario directly benefits from Mr. Annenberg's generosity.

"Before I came here I never heard of (Mr. Annenberg)," Mario said. "After being here I knew I was indebted to him."

Jay Blassingale, a junior who is also on financial aid, feels the same way.

"What he did was an inspiration," Jay said of Mr. Annenberg's giving. "I'm grateful, appreciative. At this point all you could do is celebrate his life and all his contributions to Peddie."