Christy Walton: 5 Things You Probably Did Not Know About The World's Richest Woman

By Jobs & Hire Staff Reporter | Mar 02, 2015 03:58 PM EST

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Christy Walton - For another year, the wife of Wal-Mart heir John T. Walton has been named the world's richest woman by Forbes. Here are a few things you probably never knew about Christy Walton.

1.       Christy Walton is aged between 60 and 66. She is estimated to have a net worth of between $41.7 billion and $46.1 billion. She inherited her wealth from her late husband John T. Walton, who died while flying an experimental aircraft in Jackson, Wyoming in 2005. While a bulk of her wealth has come from her husband's stake in the Wal-Mart chain, Walton has also received considerable earnings from her husband's investment in FirstSolar. She inherited about $18.2 billion from her husband, but the family's wealth has since increased. Christy Walton inherited up to 12 million Wal-Mart shares from her husband, as well as a stake in the Walton family jointly owned 1.7 billion shares.

2.       Christy Walton had just one child with her late husband, Lukas. Reports indicate that he battled with cancer as a young child. Christy also battled with pneumonia at some point in her life. Lukas, who is now 29 years old, is reported to have studied Environmentally Sustainable Business in college. He is a partner at Cuna Del Mar, a private equity firm that focuses on ocean aquaculture.

3.       Christy Walton lives a very private life at her home in Jackson's Hole, Wyoming. According to celebfamily.com, the home is "fully furnished and incorporates traditional alpine-style with details of Europe. The home is covered with stone pavers, 200-year old oak floors, cathedral ceilings and hand crafted windows."

4.       In 2013, the world got a glimpse into the creative side of the billionaires after she won an award for producing a movie Bless Me, Ultima. The movie is based on a popular book written by renowned Chicano author Rudolfo Anaya. It deals with the relationship between an old healer and a young boy, who is confused and is trying to find his way between good and evil.

5.       Christy Walton, like her late husband John T. Walton, is an avid philanthropist. She is regarded as one of the most generous female philanthropists and came first on Conde Nast Portfolio magazine's Giving Index in 2010. She continues to work with many notable charities. 

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