The San Jose Mercury News reports that Walter Cottle Lester died of natural causes on Friday, one day before a trail that represents the first piece of the future park and agricultural preserve that will occupy his family homestead opened to the public.
Lester deeded the land where fruit and grains still are grown to Santa Clara County and the state starting a decade ago on the condition that it remain as open space forever.
The Mercury News says he was Silicon Valley's last big farm owner and could have gotten $500 million for the property.
