Sir Edmund Hillary

Sir Edmund Hillary, one of the greatest adventurers of our time, and the first man to climb Mount Everest, died yesterday in New Zealand at age 88. He accomplish the feat on May 29, 1953. However, he was such a modest man, he wouldn't confirm that he was the first one to reach the peak until his climbing companion, Tenzing Norgay, died in 1986. His great accomplishment was announced on the day before the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, and one of her first acts was to grant Knighthood to Sir Edmund. He was a beekeeper by trade, an occupation he enjoyed because it was seasonal and allowed him to travel on his many adventures.

Sir Edmund climbed 11 different mountains higher than 20,000 feet. (Mount Everest is an amazing 29,029 feet, almost five times higher than Mount Washington.) He also traveled to both the South Pole and the North Pole, making him the only person to stand on both poles and the highest point on earth. In fact, he was joined on his trip to the North Pole by Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon.

Sir Edmund Hillary's ashes will be spread over Waitemata Harbor in Auckland, New Zealand, "to be washed gently ashore".