Ron Joyce, the co-founder of the Tim Hortons doughnut chain, has died at the age of 88. Joyce's family said in a statement that he died peacefully in his Burlington, Ont., home with his family at his side. The cause of death was not immediately clear. Joyce invested in the first Tim Hortons shop in Hamilton in 1964 and helped grow it into a successful chain. In 1995, the company opened its 1,000th store. The Joseph Brant Hospital in Burlington, Ont., and its namesake foundation say in a statement that Joyce's generosity "has been felt across the country." Joyce donated $7.5 million to support the hospital's redevelopment and expansion. According to the Joyce Family Foundation website, he was born in Tatamagouche, N.S., in 1930.