Wally Amos, the founder of Famous Amos cookies, has died. He was 88 years old.
His children confirmed the news in a statement, revealing that he passed due to complications from dementia.
“He was a true original Black American hero,” the statement read, per CNN. “With his Panama hat, kazoo, and boundless optimism, Famous Amos was a great American success story, and a source of Black pride.” The letter was signed by Sarah, Michael, Gregory, and Shawn Amos.
A native of Tallahassee, Florida, Amos started selling his bite-sized chocolate chip cookies at his Los Angeles-based bakery in 1975, the company’s website says. The mini cookies were Amos’ take on a family recipe, and among his patrons were Hollywood celebrities and musicians.
“I started making cookies just to make a living and to be happy doing what I was doing,” Amos told the Detroit Black Journal in 1991. “And I just, I was so committed and so involved and so joyous about it.”
While his business flourished for years, he eventually had to sell Famous Amos to a private equity group in 1988 due to financial hardships. The Ferroro Group—the maker of Nutella—currently owns the cookie brand.
During the latter years of his life, Amos made a few cameos in popular sitcoms, like The Jeffersons, Taxi, and The Office.