Canyon News HOLLYWOOD—It’s always sad when a marriage ends, especially one that lasted 27 years. Bill and Melinda Gates announced on May 3 that they were ending their marriage. They are known for their wealth and commitment to philanthropy. They were one of the richest and most philanthropic power couples in the world. As we all know Bill Gates co-founded Microsoft which launched in 1975, he met Melinda French in 1987. It was during that time he was CEO of Microsoft and Melinda worked in product development. In was only in 1993, Bill proposed to Melinda. A year later they tied the knot on New Years Day in 1994 at the island of Lanai in Hawaii. Some of the guests included Warren Buffet. Gates actually hired all the helicopters to keep paparazzi away and booked all empty hotel rooms as well. They also held a reception on January 9, 1994 at a private estate in Seattle.