Billionaire Richard DeVos, a co-founder of direct-selling giant Amway, owner of the Orlando Magic and father-in-law of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, died Thursday. He was 92.
Family spokesman Nick Wasmiller says DeVos died at his western Michigan home due to complications from an infection.
DeVos was born in Grand Rapids, not far from Ada, the community about 140 miles west of Detroit where he later lived and died.
DeVos purchased the Magic in 1991, buying them from a group headed by Orlando real estate developer William duPont III. Since then, the team has won five division titles, had seven seasons of 50-plus wins and made the NBA Finals in 1995 and 2009. In 2016, he was inducted into the Magic's Hall of Fame.
“Mr. DeVos' boundless generosity, inspirational leadership and infectious enthusiasm will always be remembered. Simply, he was the team's No. 1 cheerleader and the best owner that a Magic fan could ever want for their team," Magic chief executive officer Alex Martins said in a statement released by the team on Thursday.
DeVos was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Helen, and is survived by their children and spouses Dick and Betsy, Dan and Pamella, Cheri, and Doug and Maria; grandchildren and their spouses Rick and Melissa, Elissa and Nate, Andrea and Michael, Ryan, Cassandra and Heath, Sydney and Andrew, Cole, Hannah, Katie, Ben, Jessa, Addie, Dalton, Micaela and Jordan, Monreau, and Olivia; and great-grandchildren Clara, Sloane, Remington, Richard, Wilhelmina, Aurelia, Taggart, and Riven.
He is also survived by two sisters, Bernice Heys and Janice (Bob) Courts.