3 California Billionaires Die

The population of billionaire Californians has taken a hit, with three prominent California billionaires dying in recent days across the Golden State.

A renowned Montecito art collector, a famous Geyserville winemaker and a passionate Silicon Valley philanthropist have disappeared into an eternal California sunset together.

The octogenarian trio are now on a new mission.

The three men, who became a threesome by their mutual deaths, had each lived their California Dream while touching lives from the Gold Coast to the Bay Area to the Wine Country and beyond.

The Three Billionaires

Stephen Hahn, 89, Montecito CA billionaire art dealer, philanthropist and music patron, was a passionate contributor to many Santa Barbara music organizations, including the Santa Barbara Symphony and the Music Academy of the West.

Hungarian-born in 1921 and raised in Paris, Hahn was a refugee during World War II before beginning a career selling art and becoming a Californian. His personal collection was one of the world's most impressive private holdings of 20th century masters.

Hahn was also instrumental in the formation of one of California’s most important museums, as he functioned as Norton Simon's agent at the auctions at Christie's and Sotheby's, acquiring many of the collection's best known and most important pieces.

Jess Jackson, 81, was a Geyserville, CA billionaire who promoted California chardonnays from his Kendall-Jackson Winery after transforming an 80-acre pear and walnut farm in Lake County, CA into a vine-covered empire with properties around the world.

Jess Stonestreet Jackson was a Los Angeles native, born in 1930. He grew up in San Francisco and graduated from the University of California at Berkeley law school.  He spent 35 years as a real estate attorney in San Francisco after his days as a lumberjack, candy maker, grocery bagger and cop.

Jess Jackson's hobby of thoroughbred racing in late life put a champion's capstone on a long career.

Leonard Ely, 87, was a Bay Area billionaire philanthropist who co-founded the nonprofit Silicon Valley Community Foundation.

Ely graduated from Palo Alto High School and flew as a pilot during World War II.  He is an MBA graduated of Stanford University who later operated several businesses of his own which made him wealthy.

Leonard Ely gave his energy and financial fortune to many organizations in Palo Alto, as well as to Stanford University, Peninsula Stroke Association and Mid-Peninsula High School.  He volunteered on 33 boards and was a highly successful charitable fundraiser.

Stephen Hahn, Jess Jackson and Leonard Ely will be missed by the countless Californians whose lives were changed by The Three Billionaires.

Three octogenarian self-made tycoons from California, who exited this dimension simultaneously, are certainly on their way to an exciting Grand Assignment in the next dimension.