Fred Smith is of course a giant in the history of American business. His vision and daring revolutionized global commerce and connected the world in unprecedented ways. But to those who knew him, Fred was something even rarer: a leader whose values ran even deeper than his ambition.

It's hard to imagine a Memphis household that wasn't affected in some way, large (employment) or small (the Grizzlies), by FedEx founder Fred Smith.

Fred Smith, the founder of shipping giant Federal Express, has died at the age of 80, the company announced Saturday.