Ruth Lilly
| Ruth Lilly | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
August 2, 1915 Indianapolis, Indiana, United States |
| Died | December 30, 2009 (aged 94) Indianapolis, Indiana, United States |
| Resting place | Crown Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis |
| Residence | Indianapolis |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Philanthropist |
| Board member of | Indianapolis Museum of Art |
| Spouse(s) | Guernsey van Riper Jr. (m. 1941–81) |
| Parent(s) | Josiah K. Lilly Jr. and Ruth (Brinkmeyer) Lilly |
| Relatives |
Eli Lilly (great grandfather) Josiah K. Lilly, Sr. (grandfather) Eli Jr. (uncle) |
Ruth Lilly (August 2, 1915 – December 30, 2009) was an American philanthropist, the last surviving great-grandchild of Eli Lilly, founder of the Eli Lilly and Company pharmaceutical firm, and heir to the Lilly family fortune. A lifelong resident of Indianapolis, Indiana, Ruth Lilly is estimated to have given away nearly $800 million of her inheritance during her lifetime, mostly in support of the arts, education, health, and environmental causes in Indianapolis and in Indiana.
Lilly made major direct donations to organizations in addition to gifts made through the Lilly Endowment, her family's private foundation, and in conjunction with the Ruth Lilly Philanthropic Foundation, the charitable organization established in her name in 2002. Both of these foundations continue Lilly's legacy of charitable support. Lilly's major gifts include those to the Chicago-based Poetry Foundation, Americans for the Arts in Washington, D.C., and Indiana University, especially its programs and buildings on the Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis campus.
Ruth Lilly, the daughter of Ruth (née Brinkmeyer) and Josiah K. Lilly, Jr., was born on August 2, 1915, in Indianapolis, Indiana. She was eldest of their two children. Her younger brother, Josiah Kirby (J.K. or Joe) Lilly III, was born on December 25, 1916.
Her great grandfather, Colonel Eli Lilly, founded Eli Lilly and Company in 1876. Her grandfather, Josiah K. Lilly Sr., succeeded Colonel Lilly as president of the pharmaceutical company in 1898 and became chairman of the board in 1932. Her father, Josiah K. Lilly Jr., joined the family firm in 1914 and served as its president (1948–53) and chairman of the board (1953–66). Her brother, J. K. (Joe) III, joined the family business in 1939, but resigned from the firm in 1948 and did not succeed his father as president.
...
Wikipedia