Wally Amos, Famous Amos Cookies Creator, Dead at 88 [Video]

Wallace “Wally” Amos, the founder of Famous Amos cookies, has died. Amos passed away surrounded by his wife, Carol, and his children at his home in Honolulu on Tuesday, Aug. 13 following a battle with dementia, his family confirmed, according to CBS News. He was 88.

“Our dad inspired a generation of entrepreneurs. With his Panama hat, kazoo, and boundless optimism, Famous Amos was a great American success story, and a source of Black pride. It’s also part of our family story for which we will forever be grateful and proud,” his children Sarah, Michael, Gregory, and Shawn Amos said, adding, per NPR, “Our dad taught us the value of hard work, believing in ourselves, and chasing our dreams.”

Born in in Tallahassee, Florida in 1936, Amos was 12 when he moved to New York City to live with his aunt Della Bryant, who had a knack for baking, sparking his own interest in the …