Lee Iacocca was many things to many people.

He was a “visionary automaker” as reported by Robert D. McFadden of The New York Times.

But that was not all.

He was also an “American icon” according to John Pearley Huffman of Car and Driver.

“He was one of a kind,” testified Bill Ford, executive chairman ofFord Motor Company.

“He was a great leader,” Jim Blanchard, former Michigan Governor declared, “a strong leader.”

“He was a legend” for Angel Raddatz, a representative of theMustang Owners Club of Southeastern Michigan, who attended his memorial services in her 1965 Ford Mustang, autographed by Iacocca himself.

“He was an interesting guy. Fascinating, never dull, always entertaining,” expressed Keith Crain, chairman of Crain Communications Inc., who followed Iacocca for two decades.

And according to his daughter, Kathryn Iacocca Hentz, 'he was always home for dinner.”

Bennett E. Bidwell, a retired Chrysler executive, compared Iacocca to Babe Ruth.

“He hit home runs and he struck out a lot. But he always filled the ballpark.”

Lido Anthony Iacocca was a first-generation American, born to Italian immigrant parents, Nicola and Antoinette Perrotta Iacocca on October 15, 1924. He grew up in the steel making belt of Allentown, Pennsylvania with his sister, Delma, two years his senior.

Iacocca shared in his autobiography the two pieces of advice his father gave him.

“Never get into a capital-intense business, because the bankers will end up owning you. And when times are tough, be in the food business, because no matter how bad things get, people still have to eat.”

Not unlike many teens, Lido Iacocca wanted to do things his own way. So instead of following his father's advice, he ventured out into the world to find – and make, as it turned out – his own advice.

After high school, he earned a degree in industrial engineering from Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in 1945 and a Wallace Memorial Fellowship to Princeton University where he received a master's degree in engineering in 1946.

Iacocca began his illustrious career as an engineer for Ford Motor Company but soon discovered he was more fitted for sales. And that's where it all began.

Shortly after signing on with Ford, Lido Iacocca became Lee Iacocca. As he traveled throughout the east coast area of the United States, teaching employees the skill of selling trucks, he also was required to make many long-distance phone calls which in those days had to go through an operator. As he responded to the inquiry of his first name, laughter was a common occurrence. Finally, he gave up and started calling himself Lee.

It was during this time that he met his wife, Mary McLeary, a receptionist at one of the Ford plants in Chester, Pennsylvania. After dating for eight years, they married on September 29, 1956. They had two daughters in the years that followed.

After he worked his way into the positions of both general manager of the Ford division and vice president of the company by 1960, he continued to press forward. In 1964 he was instrumental in launching the new Ford Mustang which in turn launched him into new positions with the company; executive vice president in 1967 and president in 1970.

In June of 1978, Iacocca was fired from the Ford Motor Company for reasons unknown, but he was hired by Chrysler before the end of the year and quickly became CEO of the dying corporation.

Whether it was his belief in the company, or his belief in himself, Iacocca convinced the American government that they could not let Chrysler fail.

In what experts have called one of the most brilliant turnarounds in business history, Iacocca secured a 1.5 billion dollar federal loan guarantee with which he accomplished just what he said he would. After seeing a 1.7 billion dollar loss in 1980, Chrysler - and the rest of the world - stared in awe at a 2.3 billion dollar profit only four years later. And in 1987, the company posted sales at a reported $23 billion, due in part to the innovation and presentation of the new model of transport; the minivan. “Larger than life”? You bet.

Unfortunately, the Ford Motor Company was not the only one facing failure during this part of his life. On May 15, 1983, his wife, Mary, of almost 30 years, passed away due to complications with her type one diabetes struggle.

In 1984, the mourning husband established the Iacocca Family Foundation to raise money for diabetes research. The sales proceeds of his autobiography, which also came out in the same year, were donated to fund the foundation. His daughters both serve on the board.

Iacocca has created other foundations, including The Statue of Liberty – Ellis Island Foundation, which was formed in 1982 to raise funds for the purpose of badly needed refurbishing. President Ronald Reagan asked Iacocca to spearhead a fundraising project to accomplish the task. Funds in the amount of $500 million were raised and Lady Liberty was renewed in 1986. Ellis Island was also restored and upgraded with a new Immigration Museum which opened in 1990, honoring all those who passed through the iconic gateway. Today the foundation continues upkeep and preservation of the two American treasures.

In the midst of this challenging project, Iacocca married Peggy Johnson, just months before the unveiling of Lady Liberty. He had the marriage annulled in 1987.

After his great success in resurrecting the Chrysler company, Iacocca claimed fame and fortune. There was talk of him running in the 1988 presidential election, but being advised against it by his friend, Tip O'Neill, Iacocca never stepped into that arena.

Instead, he tried one more time, the arena of marriage. He married Darrien Earle in 1991. Unfortunately, they divorced three years later.

In 1992, Iacocca, in his own words, retired from the Chrysler Company.

“When I retired from the company in 1992, it was in great shape. I was 68 years old and frankly, feeling a little bored. At that point, I considered everything from public office to the Commissionership of Major League Baseball. None quite intrigued me enough to sign on, so I took the consulting route instead.”

After consulting for several more years, he again 'retired' and started with his son-in-law, a new company selling olive oil products. He also co-authored another book, “Where Have All the Leaders Gone?”

Lee Iacocca succumbed to his battle with Parkinson’s disease on July 2, 2019 at his Bel Air home in Los Angeles, California. He was 94 years old.

Funeral services were held at St. Hugo of the Hills Church in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, on July 10, 2019. His casket was carried from the church to a fitting Chrysler hearse following the services. He takes his final resting place next to his wife, Mary, at White Chapel Cemetery in Troy, Michigan.

The legacy he leaves behind is well summarized in the 9C's he used to measure the strength of a person's leadership ability.

Curiosity: Ask questions. And listen.

Creativity: Go out on a limb. Think outside the box.

Communication: Talk to people.

Character: Know the difference between right and wrong. And have the guts to do the right.

Courage: Step up to the plate and accept personal responsibility.

Conviction: That’s a fire in your belly that shows the desire to really get things done.

Charisma: Inspire people to stand taller and motivate people to act.

Competence: Get results. Be held brutally accountable for your decisions.

Common Sense: The only thing you’ve got going for yourself as a human being is your ability to reason.