Houston philanthropist dies at 90

HOUSTON, July 14 (UPI) -- Houston philanthropist and businessman Roy M. Huffington who served as U.S. ambassador to Austria has died of natural causes. He was 90.

Huffington, who began his career as a geologist for Humble Oil Co., died Friday while vacationing in Venice, Italy, the Houston Chronicle reported Monday.

Former President George H.W. Bush, who appointed Huffington ambassador in 1990, said a great American has died.

"Not only was he one of this country's great entrepreneurs, he was also a pioneer in the oil business and gave selflessly of his time and energy as the U.S. ambassador to Austria," Bush said in a statement. "He was a wonderful man, and Barbara and I send our sincere condolences to his two children, Terry and Michael."

Huffington established the Huffington Foundation, which has given millions to Texas charities and academic institutions.

In 1988, he and his wife Phyllis, who died in 2003, founded the Huffington Center on Aging at the Baylor College of Medicine.

In 1956, Huffington founded Huffco and started exploring in Indonesia in the 1960s. The company made a major gas strike in Indonesia in 1972, earning millions in a partnership with the Indonesian government.