WASHINGTON — The great grandson of John D. Rockefeller passed away Friday, but he is remembered for being far more than just a name.
A small, single-engine plane crashed outside of New York killing 65-year-old Richard Rockefeller, a family spokesman said. Rockefeller, a resident of Falmouth, Maine, was the only person aboard the plane.
James Fallows, a longtime friend, knew Rockefeller in their college days together, Fallows writes in The Atlantic.
Fallows says Rockefeller never wanted different treatment based on his name. Even as a young photographer, he used his middle name on his photo credits to avoid the association.
Fallows describes his friend as modest and respected in his life as a doctor and medical strategist in Maine. He was also a man of nature who knew his local coastal geography and fisheries like the back of his hand.
Rockefeller traveled around the world working with Doctors Without Borders, and more recently was working on furthering treatments for those suffering from post- traumatic stress disorder.
Fallows remembers him as an experienced pilot who was always cautious and adamant in his training. Rockefeller took Fallows and his wife for a plane tour of the coast of Maine.
Rockefeller was flying to visit his father David Rockefeller at the family’s estate in Pocantico Hills, the New York Times reports.
David Rockefeller’s 99th bithday was Thursday. He is the oldest living member of the Rockefeller family.
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