Los Angeles , California ( CNN ) -- Roy Edward Disney , the nephew of Walt Disney , died Wednesday after a yearlong battle with stomach cancer , according to a Walt Disney Co. spokesman . Disney `` played a key role in the revitalization of the Walt Disney Co. and Disney 's animation legacy , '' the company said . He died in a Newport Beach , California , hospital at the age of 79 . His father -- Roy O. Disney -- co-founded the Disney entertainment business with Walt Disney in 1923 . Roy E. Disney 's 56-year association with the company culminated in 2003 when he stepped down as vice chairman of Disney 's board and chairman of the Disney Studio 's Animation Department . He kept the title director emeritus and consultant in recent years , the company said . `` As head of Disney Animation , Disney helped to guide the studio to a new golden age of animation with an unprecedented string of artistic and box office successes that included 'The Little Mermaid , ' 'Beauty and the Beast , ' 'Aladdin ' and 'The Lion King , ' `` the company said . A private funeral service and cremation are planned , the company said . His ashes will be scattered at sea , it said . He was born in in Los Angeles seven years after his father and uncle began building the Disney empire . His entertainment career began in 1952 -- after he attended Harvard University and Pomona College -- with a job as an assistant film editor on the `` Dragnet '' TV series . He joined the family business a year later as an assistant film editor at the Walt Disney Studios . He received two Oscar nominations . One was as a writer and production associate on the 1959 short subject film `` Mysteries of the Deep , '' and the second was for his work in 2003 as executive producer of `` Destino , '' a film based on storyboards and original art by the iconic artist Salvador Dali . Disney founded Shamrock Holdings , an investment company owned by the Disney family , in 1978 . He also was an avid competitive sailor , the company said . He held several elapsed-time records for offshore races in the Pacific Ocean , including multiple wins in the 2,225-mile Transpac race between Hawaii and California , it said . CNN 's Brittany Kaplan contributed to this report .
Roy Edward Disney dies at 79 after battle with stomach cancer . His dad co-founded Disney entertainment business with his uncle Walt Disney in 1920s . `` Little Mermaid , '' `` Lion King '' among successes when Roy E. Disney headed animation . Roy E. Disney received two Oscar nominations in 50-plus year career .