don't know how many know who he is (i didn't) but saw he died and did some wikipedia reading on him and appears to have been pretty significant. Died today at the age 94. some of the things he did

He was the first American to receive the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences. The Swedish Royal Academies stated, when awarding the prize, that he "has done more than any other contemporary economist to raise the level of scientific analysis in economic theory."Economic historian Randall E. Parker calls him the "Father of Modern Economics"
In 1996 he was awarded the National Medal of Science, considered America's top science honor
In 1966, he was named Institute Professor, MIT's highest faculty honor. He spent his career at MIT where he was instrumental in turning its Department of Economics into a world-renowned institution by attracting other noted economists to join the faculty
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Samuelson

Would of loved to have read the weekly columns, i guess, he and Friedman did in Newsweek. Would have been an interesting read for sure (and a great way to learn about the Keynesian and Libertarian perspectives in Economics)