Mary Warburg
Encyclopedia
Mary Whelan Prue Warburg (December 6, 1908 – March 8, 2009) was a philanthropist
and member (by marriage) of the Warburg banking family
.
Born in Colorado City, Texas
and raised on her father's sheep ranch near Hope, New Mexico
in the last days of the New Mexico Territory and the early days of statehood, Mary Whelan Prue reportedly fired a shotgun at Pancho Villa
as he raided the ranch, but missed him. She was 7 years old.
, where they worked as fashion models. Mary was later an assistant fashion editor at Vogue
. An early marriage, to Boston artist Richard Currier, ended in divorce in 1936. Her only child from this marriage, Stephen Currier, disappeared with his wife in 1967 aboard a private plane flying over the Caribbean Sea
. Their three children survived them.
(MoMA); and the American Ballet, the precursor of the New York City Ballet
. They had two children, Daphne and David.
Mr. Warburg, an arts patron, was the son of Felix Warburg, of the Warburg banking family, and his wife Frieda Schiff, daughter of banker and philanthropist Jacob Henry Schiff. Mary Warburg supported many charitable organizations, including the Henry Street Settlement
, the United Negro College Fund
, the Institute of International Education; the Association for Homemaker Service (a social welfare agency) and the Hole in the Wall Camps
, the network of camps for seriously ill children founded by Paul Newman
. She was also long active in Democratic Party circles.
, Mary Warburg worked with the United States Office of Inter-American Affairs.
, as well as numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
and member (by marriage) of the Warburg banking family
Warburg family
The Warburg family is a financial dynasty of German Jewish origin, noted for their accomplishments in physics, classical music, art history, pharmacology, physiology, finance, private equity and philanthropy. They are believed to be descended from the Venetian Jewish del Banco family, in the early...
.
Born in Colorado City, Texas
Colorado City, Texas
Colorado City is a city in and the county seat of Mitchell County, Texas, United States. The population was 4,281 at the 2000 census....
and raised on her father's sheep ranch near Hope, New Mexico
Hope, New Mexico
Hope is a village in Eddy County, in southern New Mexico, USA. It is about due west of Artesia on U.S. Route 82. It has had a Post Office since 1890.-Geography:Hope is located at ....
in the last days of the New Mexico Territory and the early days of statehood, Mary Whelan Prue reportedly fired a shotgun at Pancho Villa
Pancho Villa
José Doroteo Arango Arámbula – better known by his pseudonym Francisco Villa or its hypocorism Pancho Villa – was one of the most prominent Mexican Revolutionary generals....
as he raided the ranch, but missed him. She was 7 years old.
Early career and first marriage
She left school in her early teens, and, with her elder sister, Edwina, settled in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, where they worked as fashion models. Mary was later an assistant fashion editor at Vogue
Vogue (magazine)
Vogue is a fashion and lifestyle magazine that is published monthly in 18 national and one regional edition by Condé Nast.-History:In 1892 Arthur Turnure founded Vogue as a weekly publication in the United States. When he died in 1909, Condé Montrose Nast picked up the magazine and slowly began...
. An early marriage, to Boston artist Richard Currier, ended in divorce in 1936. Her only child from this marriage, Stephen Currier, disappeared with his wife in 1967 aboard a private plane flying over the Caribbean Sea
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
. Their three children survived them.
Marriage into Warburg family
In 1939, she married Edward Mortimer Morris Warburg, a founder of the Jewish Museum; the Museum of Modern ArtMuseum of Modern Art
The Museum of Modern Art is an art museum in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, on 53rd Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. It has been important in developing and collecting modernist art, and is often identified as the most influential museum of modern art in the world...
(MoMA); and the American Ballet, the precursor of the New York City Ballet
New York City Ballet
New York City Ballet is a ballet company founded in 1948 by choreographer George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein. Leon Barzin was the company's first music director. Balanchine and Jerome Robbins are considered the founding choreographers of the company...
. They had two children, Daphne and David.
Mr. Warburg, an arts patron, was the son of Felix Warburg, of the Warburg banking family, and his wife Frieda Schiff, daughter of banker and philanthropist Jacob Henry Schiff. Mary Warburg supported many charitable organizations, including the Henry Street Settlement
Henry Street Settlement
The Henry Street Settlement is a not-for-profit social service agency in the Lower East Side neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City that provides social services, arts programs and health care services to New Yorkers of all ages. It was founded in 1893 by Progressive reformer Lillian Wald.The...
, the United Negro College Fund
United Negro College Fund
The United Negro College Fund is an American philanthropic organization that fundraises college tuition money for black students and general scholarship funds for 39 private historically black colleges and universities. The UNCF was incorporated on April 25, 1944 by Frederick D. Patterson , Mary...
, the Institute of International Education; the Association for Homemaker Service (a social welfare agency) and the Hole in the Wall Camps
Hole in the Wall Camps
The Association of Hole in the Wall Camps is a nonprofit organization that unites the world's largest family of camps for children with serious and life-threatening medical conditions. Hole in the Wall Camps are free of charge to all campers and their families regardless of their ability to pay and...
, the network of camps for seriously ill children founded by Paul Newman
Paul Newman
Paul Leonard Newman was an American actor, film director, entrepreneur, humanitarian, professional racing driver and auto racing enthusiast...
. She was also long active in Democratic Party circles.
World War II
During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Mary Warburg worked with the United States Office of Inter-American Affairs.
Later years
Mary Warburg was widowed in 1992. Her elder sister, with whom she had decamped to New York so many years earlier, Edwina (the widow of Baron Leo d'Erlanger), had died in 1994.Survivors
Mary Warburg died at age 100. She was survived by her daughter, Daphne Astor of Hatley St George, England and her son, David Warburg, of Sebastopol, CaliforniaSebastopol, California
Sebastopol is a city in Sonoma County, California, United States, approximately north of San Francisco. The population was 7,379 at the 2010 census, but its businesses also serve surrounding rural portions of Sonoma County, totaling about 50,000 people...
, as well as numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.