The widow of John Walton, Christy Walton has a net worth of $7.36

billion as of May 2019. Currently one of the richest women in America, she inherited her wealth after her husband a former Green Beret and Vietnam war medic died in an airplane accident near his home in Wyoming 2005.

Her late husband also invested in First Solar; shares up more than 400% since 2006 initial public offering. But bulk still comes from her shares in Wal-Mart, the retailer founded by her father-in-law Sam Walton and his brother James in 1962. Her net worth fell by $1.2 billion in 2012, entirely due to a drop in the solar panel maker's share price. Her Wal-Mart holding, worth $20 billion, did better. The philanthropist supports museums, education and organic gardening.

Conde Nast Portfolio magazine ranked her the highest female philanthropist, according to the amount she gives as a percentage of her wealth. Between 2002 and 2006, she contributed billions from her then $16.3 billion net worth towards philanthropic efforts. Additionally, she supports her family's own charitable foundation, the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation, which prioritizes education and benefits colleges such as the University of Arkansas, the College of Business Administration of the University of Arkansas, and several other colleges, community trusts, universities and foundations. In 2007, her family's foundation donated as much as $1.6 billion.

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