Sept 11 (Reuters) - T. Boone Pickens, a celebrated corporateraider and energy industry magnate who made an empire out of aninitial $2,500 investment, died on Wednesday at age 91, hisspokesman said.
The Oklahoma-born tycoon, known for his folksy speech andruthless business acumen, died of natural causes. He hadsuffered from health problems following a fall in 2017.
Pickens announced in January last year that he was closinghis BP Capital energy hedge fund because of declining health,although he had "no intention of fading away." He previously hadacknowledged having several strokes in late 2016 and in July2017 suffered a fall that required hospitalization.
Plans for memorial services in Dallas, Texas, andStillwater, Oklahoma, are pending, according to a statement onhis web site. Pickens died at approximately 1:30 p.m. ET (1730GMT), his spokesman, Jay Rosser, said.(Reporting By StaffEditing by Marguerita Choy)