L. Ron Hubbard spent the remaining years of his life at his ranch the "Whispering Wind."
Lafayette Ronald Hubbard -LRB- March 13 , 1911 -- January 24 , 1986 -RRB- , better known as L. Ron Hubbard -LRB- -LSB- ɛl rɒn ˈhʌˌbərd -RSB- -RRB- and often referred to by his initials , LRH , was an American author and the founder of the Church of Scientology .. Scientology. Scientology. Church of Scientology. Church of Scientology. In 2014 , Hubbard was cited by the Smithsonian magazine as one of the 100 most significant Americans of all time , as one of the eleven religious figures on that list .. After establishing a career as a writer , becoming best known for his science fiction and fantasy stories , he developed a system called Dianetics which was first expounded in book form in May 1950 .. science fiction. science fiction. fantasy. fantasy. Dianetics. Dianetics. He subsequently developed his ideas into a wide-ranging set of doctrines and practices as part of a new religious movement that he called Scientology .. Scientology. Scientology. new religious movement. new religious movement. His writings became the guiding texts for the Church of Scientology and a number of affiliated organizations that address such diverse topics as business administration , literacy and drug rehabilitation .. Scientology. Scientology. Church of Scientology. Church of Scientology. business administration. business administration. literacy. literacy. drug rehabilitation. drug rehabilitation. The Church 's dissemination of these materials led to Hubbard being listed by the Guinness Book of World Records as the most translated and published author in the world .. Guinness Book of World Records. Guinness Book of World Records. The Guinness World Record for the most audio books published for one author is also held by Hubbard .. Although many aspects of Hubbard 's life story are disputed , there is general agreement about its basic outline .. Born in Tilden , Nebraska , he spent much of his childhood in Helena , Montana .. He traveled in Asia and the South Pacific in the late 1920s after his father , an officer in the United States Navy , was posted to the U.S. naval base on Guam .. United States Navy. United States Navy. Guam. Guam. He attended George Washington University in Washington , D.C. at the start of the 1930s , before dropping out and beginning his career as a prolific writer of pulp fiction stories .. George Washington University. George Washington University. He served briefly in the United States Marine Corps Reserve and was an officer in the United States Navy during World War II , briefly commanding two ships , the USS YP-422 and USS PC-815 .. United States Navy. United States Navy. United States Marine Corps. United States Marine Corps. Reserve. Military reserve. World War II. World War II. He was removed both times when his superiors found him incapable of command .. The last few months of his active service were spent in a hospital , being treated for a duodenal ulcer .. duodenal ulcer. Peptic ulcer. After the war , Hubbard developed a philosophy he called Dianetics , which he called `` the modern science of mental health '' .. Dianetics. Dianetics. philosophy. philosophy. He founded Scientology in 1952 and oversaw the growth of the Church of Scientology into a worldwide organization .. Scientology. Scientology. Church of Scientology. Church of Scientology. During the late 1960s and early 1970s , he spent much of his time at sea on his personal fleet of ships as `` Commodore '' of the Sea Organization , an elite inner group of Scientologists .. Commodore. Commodore ( rank ). Sea Organization. Sea Organization. His expedition came to an end when Britain , Greece , Spain , Portugal , and Venezuela all closed their ports to his fleet .. At one point , a court in Australia revoked the Church 's status as a religion , though it was later reinstated .. Hubbard returned to the United States in 1975 and went into seclusion in the California desert .. California. California. In 1978 , a trial court in France convicted Hubbard of fraud in absentia .. Others convictions from the same trial were reversed on appeal , but Hubbard died before the court considered his case .. In 1983 L. Ron Hubbard was named as an unindicted co-conspirator in an international information infiltration and theft project called `` Operation Snow White '' .. unindicted co-conspirator. unindicted co-conspirator. Operation Snow White. Operation Snow White. He spent the remaining years of his life on his ranch , the `` Whispering Wind , '' near Creston , California , where he died in 1986 .. California. California. A small group of Scientology officials and physician Dr. Eugene Denk attended to him before his death , for a number of ailments including chronic pancreatitis .. Scientology. Scientology. In 1986 , he died at age 74 in a 1982 Blue Bird motor home , which was situated on his property .. The Church of Scientology describes Hubbard in hagiographic terms , and he portrayed himself as a pioneering explorer , world traveler , and nuclear physicist with expertise in a wide range of disciplines , including photography , art , poetry , and philosophy .. Scientology. Scientology. Church of Scientology. Church of Scientology. hagiographic. hagiography. explorer. explorer. nuclear physicist. nuclear physicist. philosophy. philosophy. In Scientology publications , he is referred to as `` Founder '' and `` Source '' of Scientology and Dianetics .. Scientology. Scientology. Dianetics. Dianetics. His critics , including his own son Ronald DeWolf , have characterized him as a liar , a charlatan , and mentally unstable , though DeWolf later repudiated those statements .. Ronald DeWolf. Ronald DeWolf. charlatan. charlatan. Though many of Hubbard 's autobiographical statements have been found to be fictitious , the Church rejects any suggestion that its account of Hubbard 's life is not historical fact .