Wallis H. Annenberg, philanthropist, daughter of former Inquirer owner Walter Annenberg, and ‘irrepressible spirit,’ has died at 86
She became chair of the board, president, and chief executive officer of the Annenberg Foundation in 2009 and oversaw contributions of nearly $2 billion to thousands of organizations.
Wallis H. Annenberg, 86, formerly of Philadelphia, daughter of former Inquirer owner Walter Annenberg, longtime global philanthropist, charitable innovator, and “irrepressible spirit,” died Monday, July 28, of complications from lung cancer at her home in Los Angeles.
Inspired by her father’s public service and humanitarianism, Ms. Annenberg embraced inclusivity and equity for people around her, care for the environment we share, and animal welfare around the world. She became chair of the board, president, and chief executive officer of the Annenberg Foundation in 2009 and oversaw contributions of nearly $2 billion to thousands of communities, projects, initiatives, and organizations in Los Angeles, Philadelphia, New York, and elsewhere that focused on education, healthcare, homelessness, and technology.
For years, she zeroed in on education projects, especially in Philadelphia and her adopted hometown of Los Angeles. “I am constantly reminded that the future of any society is in its children, and that future will be guaranteed with education,” she told The Inquirer in 1995. “No child is born to be a failure.”
In 2022, Ms. Annenberg earned a National Humanities Medal for her work to “transform and bolster the arts and humanities in public life.” In a tribute, family and friends called her “a true visionary and spirited innovator” and an “irrepressible spirit.” They said: “She made a life that was remarkable and full, and her generosity and commitment will be lifting people up for many generations to come.”
The Annenberg Foundation contributed recently to groups battling the California wildfires, and Ms. Annenberg supported the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania and the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California.
“This is a loss that resonates beyond words here in Los Angeles,” Mayor Karen Bass said in a tribute. “Wallis Annenberg’s selfless leadership and visionary spirit transformed our city in profound and lasting ways.”
Ms. Annenberg’s interests were eclectic, and she founded the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, the Wallis Annenberg GenSpace for seniors and Annenberg Space for Photography in Los Angeles, and the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing over 10 lanes of highway north of Los Angeles.
“She leaves a rich and enduring legacy of generosity, compassion, and impact that changed the world in so many ways,” officials of GenSpace said in a tribute. “Her vision and commitment spanned many issues.”
She championed public spaces for people with disabilities and community centers, and founded the free Annenberg Community Beach House in Santa Monica. She served on boards at USC, the California Science Center, the Los Angeles Performing Arts Center, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, the Harlem Children’s Zone, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and other organizations.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a tribute: “She was always determined to find new ways to help people achieve a better, more joyful quality of life, and above all else, to help people connect with each other.”
One of her favorite quotes is attributed to Winston Churchill: “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”
Wallis Huberta Annenberg was born July 15, 1939, in Philadelphia. Her parents divorced when she was 10, and she moved to Washington, D.C., with her mother, Ronny, and spent time with her father on the Main Line.
She graduated from National Cathedral School in Washington, was fourth in her class at Pine Manor Junior College in Massachusetts, and spent a year at Columbia University. She married Seth Weingarten in 1960, and they had a daughter, Lauren, and sons Roger, Gregory, and Charles. They divorced in 1975.
Ms. Annenberg was modest and unassuming, colleagues said. She especially enjoyed time with family and friends, and liked to watch football on TV. “We need more people like her in the world,” a friend said in a tribute.
Officials at Annenberg GenSpace said: “She will always be our North Star. We will miss her so much, but our work continues in her honor.”
In addition to her children, Ms. Annenberg is survived by five grandchildren and other relatives. A brother died earlier.
Services are to be announced.