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Jeld-Wen founder Dick Wendt, 79, dies after stroke

The Columbian
Published: August 16, 2010, 12:00am

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. (AP) — Richard “Dick” Wendt, a founder of the international door and window manufacturer Jeld-Wen Inc. and a contributor to conservative political causes in Oregon, has died. He was 79.

A company spokeswoman said Monday that Wendt died Saturday at Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland, where he had gone following a stroke in Klamath Falls.

Born in Dubuque, Iowa, Wendt moved to Klamath Falls in 1957 to manage a window parts mill.

When the company shut down the mill, he joined a group that bought the equipment and founded Jeld-Wen in 1960.

Jeld-Wen grew from 15 employees to 20,000, with operations in 20 countries and is one of the biggest privately held corporations in Oregon.

Forbes magazine estimated that Wendt had a personal fortune of more than $700 million.

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