Roy E. Disney died Wednesday at age 79 after a year-long struggle with stomach cancer, said the company founded by his uncle Walt Disney.

His father, Roy O. Disney and his uncle Walt founded the Walt Disney Company in the 1920s. Walt was the creative genius of the company, while his father Roy Disney took care of finances.

“He was a great man who believed deeply in the art of animation. He put his heart and soul into preserving Disney’s legendary past, while helping to move the art of animation into the modern age by embracing new technology,” John Lasseter, chief creative officer for Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios, said in a statement.

Roy E. Disney, born in 1930, worked for the company as a writer and producer. But it is as a shareholder of Disney he had the most influence on the company.

Thus, in 1984, he led a successful campaign to oust the company’s son Walt Disney, Ron Miller. Nearly 20 years later, he was the head of another revolt by investors, which ultimately led to the departure of Michael Eisner.

Roy E. Disney Dies After Battle With Stomach Cancer