Born in Fresno, California
Delbert Eugene Webb is born on May 17, 1899. He leaves high school to become a carpenter's apprentice.
Our History
The story of Del E. Webb and the Foundation he inspired, established in 1960 to carry his legacy of community investment forward in Arizona, California, and Nevada.
The Man Behind Our Mission
Delbert Eugene Webb · May 17, 1899 – July 4, 1974
Del E. Webb was born in Fresno, California, in 1899, and dropped out of high school to become a carpenter's apprentice. After a bout with typhoid fever, he moved to Phoenix, Arizona, in 1928 to recover, where he went to work for a small contractor building a new grocery store. When his employer's paycheck bounced and the man disappeared, the grocer asked young Webb to take over the job instead — and the Del E. Webb Construction Co. went into business with total assets of one cement mixer, ten wheelbarrows, twenty shovels, and ten picks.
The company grew quickly, earning major government contracts to build air bases and military installations across Arizona and Southern California during World War II. By the 1960s, the Del E. Webb Construction Co. was one of the largest construction firms in the United States. A lifelong baseball fan, Webb also partnered with Dan Topping and Larry MacPhail in 1945 to purchase the New York Yankees, an ownership stake he held until the team was sold in 1964.
Webb's most enduring legacy, however, is Sun City, Arizona — the first major active retirement community in the country. Launched on January 1, 1960, Sun City's opening weekend drew roughly 100,000 visitors, ten times the number expected, and made national news. The concept of "active" retirement living transformed the Phoenix area and reshaped how the nation thought about aging, and the Del E. Webb Sun Cities are now home to over 64,000 residents from 50 states and 50 foreign countries.
Del E. Webb passed away in 1974, but his belief in building thriving, well-cared-for communities lives on through the Foundation that bears his name.
Milestones
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1899
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1928
Founds Del E. Webb Construction Co.
After recovering from typhoid fever in Phoenix, Webb takes over an unfinished construction job and starts his namesake company, which will grow into one of the largest contractors in the country.
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1945
Buys the New York Yankees
A lifelong baseball fan, Webb partners with Dan Topping and Larry MacPhail to purchase the New York Yankees, an ownership stake he holds until the team is sold in 1964.
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1960
Sun City Opens — and the Foundation is Established
Sun City, Arizona, the nation's first major active retirement community, opens on January 1, 1960, drawing roughly 100,000 visitors on opening weekend. That same year, the Del E. Webb Foundation is established to further Mr. Webb's legacy of community investment.
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1974
Del E. Webb Passes Away
Mr. Webb passes away on July 4, 1974, at the age of 75. The Foundation he set in motion continues to carry his name and his commitment to building stronger communities.
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Today
Continuing the Legacy
More than six decades later, the Del E. Webb Foundation continues thoughtfully stewarding the resources Mr. Webb endowed, funding transformative healthcare, youth, and community projects throughout Arizona, California, and Nevada.
The Foundation Today
Our Founding
Established in 1960, the Del E. Webb Foundation was created to carry forward Mr. Webb's belief in building better communities, long after his construction company and the Yankees had made him a household name.
Our Growth
Over the decades, the Foundation has grown its grantmaking across Arizona, California, and Nevada, guided by a volunteer Board of Directors committed to responsible stewardship of Mr. Webb's endowment.
Our Impact Today
Each year, the Foundation funds nonprofit projects in healthcare, youth services, and community improvement — continuing to invest in the kind of long-term, positive change Mr. Webb valued most.
Continue Mr. Webb's Legacy With Us
If your nonprofit organization is creating positive, transformative change in Arizona, California, or Nevada, we would like to hear from you.
How to ApplyDel E. Webb Foundation
Providing grant funding in support of positive, transformative, community improvements in Arizona, California, and Nevada.