Bill Gates Sr., Father Of Microsoft Co-Founder, Dies At 94

Enlarge this image

Bill Gates Sr. attends «Bill Gates: A Conversation with My Father in New York City in June 2010.

Bobby Bank/WireImage/Getty Images

hide caption

toggle caption

Bobby Bank/WireImage/Getty Images

Bill Gates via
YouTube

Gates also credited his father with influencing him in what he called his «most important roles — that of father and husband.

«When I am at my best, I know it is because of what I learned from my dad about respecting women, honoring individuality, and guiding children’s choices with love and respect, he wrote.

Satya Nadella, Microsoft’s current CEO, called Gates Sr. «an important part of the Microsoft story who «played a vital role in our community, and influenced our philanthropic programs.

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and his wife, Trudi, sent their condolences to the Gates family. «Bill Sr. was a person who cared about the plight of many, and he had the resources and never-ending civic commitment to do something about it, the governor said in a statement. «He made the choice to use his wealth and influence to advocate for and improve equity in our communities.

In addition to his son, Gates Sr. is survived by his children Kristianne and Elizabeth, as well as his second wife, Mimi Gardner Gates.