A vast inheritance does not always lead to a lavish lifestyle. Mitzi Perdue, an heiress connected to two major American business families, has access to enormous wealth. Yet her daily choices look surprisingly ordinary. She rides the subway, flies economy, wears secondhand clothes, repairs old shoes, and has spent years living in a modest apartment.

Her story offers a different view of wealth. For Perdue, money has never been a reason to disconnect from everyday life. Instead, she has focused on work, service, agriculture, journalism, and humanitarian causes.

Born Into Two Business Dynasties

Mitzi Perdue was born in 1941 as the fifth child of the Henderson family. Her father, Ernest Henderson, helped build the Sheraton hotel business. At age 26, Perdue and her siblings inherited a controlling stake in the company after their father's death.

The Henderson family's hospitality business eventually became a multibillion-dollar enterprise. The Sheraton empire was valued at $12.2 billion in the account shared by Fortune.

YouTube | DelmarvaLife | Mitzi Perdue inherited a controlling stake in Sheraton Hotels at age 26 after her father passed away.

Perdue later married Frank Perdue, the businessman who became widely known as the "chicken king" for leading Perdue Farms, one of America's largest chicken producers. The company generated more than $10 billion in revenue in 2024.

That combination gave Perdue access to wealth from two prominent American business families. Still, neither family encouraged extravagant spending.

"The Hendersons and the Perdues did not encourage extravagance," Perdue told Fortune in a June 2025 interview. "In both families, nobody wins points for wearing designer clothes."

A Very Different Billionaire Lifestyle

Perdue's financial position could easily support private jets, luxury homes, designer wardrobes, and other expensive comforts. Instead, she has deliberately kept her lifestyle modest.

She has lived for years in a one-bedroom apartment building in Salisbury, Maryland. The building is home to working people, including nurses, police officers, and Perdue employees. She described it as solidly middle-class and said it was not considered "posh."

Perdue has also pointed out the striking difference between her housing costs and those of some friends in New York City. According to her, one year's rent for her apartment can equal what some of her New York friends spend on rent in a single month.

When visiting New York City, she often takes the subway rather than booking a private car or Uber. She also takes worn shoes to a cobbler instead of replacing them.

Travel follows the same principle. Even when traveling for work, Perdue flies economy.

"My apartment building I lived in for 14 years is very solidly middle-class, and I love it," she said. "If you're always going on private jets, what inkling do you have about the real world?"

From Hand-Me-Downs to Harvard

Perdue's approach to money began long before she inherited family wealth. As a child, she wore hand-me-down clothing. She attended public school for part of her education before later attending private school and eventually studying at Harvard.

When her father died, Perdue gained access to her inheritance. She could have chosen a quiet life centered on managing investments, but that option did not appeal to her.

"I could have just put everything in the stock market and let somebody else manage it," she said.

Instead, she became involved in agriculture. Perdue purchased land near the University of California, Davis, allowing the university to conduct agricultural experiments there. She also spent long hours managing the rice farm.

Her interests later expanded into journalism. She began covering farming practices and mental health, combining professional work with subjects that mattered to her personally and socially.

Giving Back Through Wealth

Perdue's work took another direction in 2022 when she began writing about the war in Ukraine. Her connection to the region also became part of her charitable efforts.

She sold a $1.2 million engagement ring that belonged to her late husband, Frank Perdue, and directed the proceeds toward humanitarian efforts supporting people affected by the war.

She is also working on an AI trauma therapist intended to help people in Ukraine who need mental health support. The project addresses a shortage of resources as demand for assistance continues.

Even while traveling for these efforts, Perdue continues to fly economy rather than choosing luxury transportation.

Her Definition of a Good Life

Instagram | realtordotcom | Despite her family's Sheraton and Perdue Farms wealth, Mitzi Perdue lives simply and focuses on meaningful work.

Perdue's frugality goes beyond saving money. She connects her lifestyle with a broader belief about happiness and service.

"I'm unaware of getting praise for wearing really expensive clothes—you get praised like heck for being an Eagle Scout, or working for Habitat for Humanity," she said. "You get praise for serving others."

That outlook also shapes how she thinks about wealth. Rather than focusing on what money can buy, Perdue places greater value on what a person can contribute to others.

"I'd sure rather have a life of a feast of unending joy versus not being able to count five happy days," Perdue said. "If you want to be happy, think what you can do for somebody else. If you want to be miserable, think what's owed to you."

Stewardship Over Spending

Perdue's philosophy reflects lessons from both the Henderson and Perdue families. She has argued that family businesses surviving for generations require more than financial success. They require responsible stewardship.

"The families that last learn stewardship," Perdue said. "They're not there to go spend it all. They're there to be stewards for the next generation."

Mitzi Perdue's lifestyle offers a different perspective on inherited wealth. Her decision to fly economy, ride the subway, repair her shoes, and live in a modest apartment reflects a practical approach to money rather than a desire to display it.

Even with ties to the $12.2 billion Sheraton business and the Perdue Farms empire, she has continued working in areas such as agriculture, journalism, and humanitarian efforts. Her experience suggests that wealth can be treated as a responsibility rather than simply a source of luxury.

For Perdue, staying connected to everyday life and contributing to causes that help others matter more than expensive possessions or status.