Mary French Rockefeller
| Mary French Rockefeller | |
|---|---|
Laurance and Mary French Rockefeller in 1965
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| Born |
Mary Billings French May 1, 1910 |
| Died | April 17, 1997 (aged 86) New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center |
| Resting place | Rockefeller Family Cemetery Sleepy Hollow, New York |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Vassar College (1931) |
| Occupation | Philanthropist |
| Known for | Member of the Rockefeller family; Member of the Billings family; Philanthropy |
| Board member of | YWCA National Board (1955-1973) |
| Spouse(s) | Laurance Rockefeller |
| Children |
Laura Rockefeller Chasin Marion Rockefeller Weber Lucy Rockefeller Waletzky Laurance S. Rockefeller Jr. |
| Parent(s) | John French Mary Montagu Billings French |
Mary French Rockefeller (May 1, 1910 – April 17, 1997) was an heiress, socialite, philanthropist, and a member of the extensive Rockefeller family. She was married to Laurance Rockefeller, son of John Davison Rockefeller Jr. and Abby Aldrich Rockefeller. She was the mother of Laura Rockefeller Chasin, Marion Rockefeller Weber, Lucy Rockefeller Waletzky, and Laurance Spelman Rockefeller Jr.
Mary Billings French was born to John French (b. December 4, 1863) and Mary Montagu Billings French (1869–1951), daughter of financier Frederick Billings. Her mother was an heiress while her father was a lawyer, and the couple married in 1907. John was the son of Warren Converse French and Sarah Ann Steele. Mary's mother (the elder Mary) was a society figure and maintained an apartment with her sister on Madison Avenue in New York City before she married.
Mary (the younger) had two siblings, being her older brother John (1909–1984) and her younger sister Elizabeth, who went by "Liz" (1912–1976). John had been a roommate of Nelson Rockefeller while both attended Dartmouth College. The French children were born into "wealth and privilege", though Mary tried to live an unostentatious lifestyle as an adult. Through her mother, the younger Mary was a tenth generation descendant of Major Simon Willard, a Massachusetts historical figure.
Mary met Laurance S. Rockefeller in 1927. On August 15, 1934, Mary married Laurance at the , located on Elm Street. The ceremony was officiated by Reverend Herbert Hines and was attended by approximately 300 guests, followed by a reception at "The Hills", Mary's estate at the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller compound. Together Mary and Laurance had:
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