J. Patrick Rooney, a long-time supporter and friend of The Heartland Institute, passed away on September 15, 2008. He was 80 years old.

“Pat” was active in the school choice movement--starting a private scholarship program for low-income students in Indianapolis in 1991 that would become a model for others in more than a dozen states--and the consumer-driven health care movement as a prominent advocate for health savings accounts. For many years he was president and chairman of Golden Rule Insurance. After retiring in 1996, he acquired another health insurance company and was CEO and chairman until his death.

We have collected below links to tributes and commentaries on Pat's efforts to make the world a better place.

We Lost a Giant - by Greg Scandlen

A Titan of Reform - by Matthew Ladner