Wally Amos pictured in 2007 in his home office in the Lanikai section of Kailua, Hawaii.

Lucy Pemoni/AP

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Lucy Pemoni/AP

Wally Amos, the entrepreneur behind the Famous Amos cookie enterprise, has died. He was 88 years old.

His cause of death was dementia, his children said in a statement.

“With his Panama hat, kazoo, and boundless optimism, Famous Amos was a great American success story, and a source of Black pride,” said children Sarah, Michael, Gregory and Shawn Amos.

“Our dad taught us the value of hard work, believing in ourselves, and chasing our dreams.”

Amos dedicated his life to making the perfect cookie and told NPR back in 2008 that the secret ingredient in his world-famous baked goods was love.

“I think it’s important to love what you do because that love is transferred to what you do, and it turns it into something absolutely fantastic,” he said at the time.

While most people today will associate the Famous Amos brand with the yellow-boxed cookies that line the grocery store snack aisle, Amos’ vision started in 1975 as a brick-and-mortar cookie shop in Los Angeles.

Using his aunt’s homemade recipe, the cookies were a hit and business boomed. But after declining sales in the late 1980s, Amos ultimately sold the company.

He later moved to Hawaii where he would continue baking his famous confections.

The family said Amos died at home peacefully with his wife, Carol, by his side. They suggested that in lieu of sending flowers, people could donate to the Alzheimer’s Association in his memory.

“We also know he would love it if you had a chocolate chip cookie today.”