Wallis Annenberg
RANCHO MIRAGE (COMBINED SOURCES) — Wallis Huberta Annenberg, a renowned philanthropist and leader of the Annenberg Foundation Trust that owns and operates the Sunnylands Center and Gardens in Rancho Mirage, died Monday at age 86.
“To the public, she was a dynamic force in philanthropy. To us, she was a mother, grandmother, friend, mentor and a force of nature whose life and family remain committed to honoring public service. Her generosity and commitment will be lifting people up for many generations to come,” Annenberg’s children and co-directors of the foundation and trust at Sunnylands, Lauren Bon, Gregory Weingarten, and Charles Weingarten, said in a joint statement
The billionaire philanthropist supported the arts, science, education, and animal welfare causes over decades in Southern California
Annenberg died at home from complications related to lung cancer, the family said in a statement to the Los Angeles Times.
“Wallis transitioned peacefully and comfortable this morning to her new adventure,” the statement said. “Cancer may have beaten her body but it never got her spirit. We will hold her and her wisdom in our hearts forever.”
Her name adorns institutions across the Los Angeles area, including the Wallis Annenberg Building at the California Science Center, the Wallis Annenberg GenSpace senior center and the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts.
The Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, the world’s largest bridge for animals on the move, will open next year over the 101 freeway in western Los Angeles County.
Annenberg inherited the foundation from her father Walter and stepmother Leonore Annenberg, who were known as philanthropists who designated more $3 billion in grants and gifts to “major research universities, hospitals, medical centers, public schools and cultural and civic organizations” throughout their lifetime.
In a 2012 interview with Palm Springs Life, Annenberg was asked about the reopening and future of Sunnylands following a renovation.
“It will be the gathering place that it once was but a very open and inclusive one,” she said. “Environmental workshops, conferences and events on all of the pressing causes to which the Annenbergs have dedicated themselves. We’ve gotten so much pleasure out of the place. Why not open it up to the world and pass it on?.”
In 2024, she was awarded the 2022 National Humanities Medal by former President Joe Biden for her efforts to “transform and bolster the arts and humanities in public life, especially in her adopted home of Los Angeles,” according to the statement.
The center, located at 37977 Bob Hope Drive, was once a winter getaway for the family that hosted presidents, royalty, and celebrities.
“It was a family retreat, a place where you could watch the sunset with Ronald and Nancy Regan, with Frank and Nancy Sinatra. It was a home and also a constant, dynamic exchange of ideas,” Wallis said in a past interview.
The center opened to the public in March 2012 as an art museum with a cafe, gift shop and multimedia offerings detailing the founders’ history.
Under Wallis Annenberg’s leadership, the foundation expanded its philanthropic scope beyond media, arts and education to include animal welfare, environmental conservation, and healthcare.
Her father, Walter Annenberg, started the foundation after selling his publishing empire, including TV Guide and other publications, in 1989 to Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. Walter Annenberg died in 2002.
Born in Philadelphia, she moved to Los Angeles in the early 1970s after marrying neurosurgeon Seth Weingarten. The couple divorced in 1975.
Wallis Annenberg received the 2022 National Humanities Medal from President Joe Biden for her life in philanthropy.
She is survived by four children and five grandchildren.
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