Lillian Disney
| Lillian Disney | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Lillian Marie Bounds February 15, 1899 Spalding, Idaho, U.S. |
| Died | December 16, 1997 (aged 98) West Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Stroke |
| Occupation | Ink and paint artist |
| Years active | 1928–1997 |
| Spouse(s) |
Walt Disney (m. 1925; his death 1966) John L. Truyens (m. 1969; his death 1981) |
| Children |
Diane Disney Miller Sharon Mae Disney |
Lillian Marie Disney (née Bounds; February 15, 1899 – December 16, 1997) was an ink artist who was married to Walt Disney from 1925 until his death in 1966.
Born Lillian Marie Bounds in Spalding, Idaho, she grew up in Lapwai, Idaho, on the Nez Perce Indian Reservation where her father worked as a blacksmith and federal marshal. She was working at the Disney Studio in "ink and paint" as a secretary when she met Walt.
Lillian and Walt Disney married in 1925 in (Idaho) at Lewiston's Episcopal Church of the Nativity. However, Walt's parents could not attend. As Lillian's own father was deceased, her uncle, who was chief of the Lewiston Fire Department, gave the bride away. She wore a dress which she had made herself. She and Walt had two daughters, Diane (died 2013) and Sharon (died 1993), the latter of whom was adopted. Lillian had ten grandchildren: seven by daughter Diane and her husband (Ron W. Miller), and three by daughter Sharon and her two husbands, Robert Brown and William Lund.
Her film career includes work as an ink artist on the film Plane Crazy. Lillian is credited with having named her husband's most famous character, Mickey Mouse, during a train trip from New York to California in 1928. Walt showed a drawing of the cartoon mouse to his wife and told her that he was going to name it "Mortimer Mouse." Lillian replied that the name sounded "too depressing" and she was very proud to have suggested the name "Mickey Mouse" instead of Mortimer.
Walt named one of the Disneyland Railroad cars the "Lilly Belle" in her honor, and the Walt Disney World Railroad has a locomotive named "Lilly Belle", where each locomotive is named for someone who greatly contributed to the Walt Disney Company. Walt Disney Imagineering created "The Empress Lilly", a paddle steamer replica, at Walt Disney World in Disney Springs and Lillian christened it on May 1, 1977. Lillian was inducted into the Disney Legends in 2003.
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