Brooke Astor dead at 105

[MonkeyFunk]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070813/ap_on_re_us/obit_astor

NEW YORK - Brooke Astor, the civic leader, philanthropist and high society fixture who gave away nearly $200 million to support New York City's great cultural institutions and a host of humbler projects, died Monday. She was 105.


Astor, who recently was the center of a highly publicized legal dispute over her care, died of pneumonia at Holly Hill, her Westchester County estate in Briarcliff Manor, family lawyer Kenneth Warner said.

"Brooke was truly a remarkable woman and an irreplaceable friend," longtime family friend David Rockefeller said. "She was the leading lady of New York in every sense of the word."

Although a legendary figure in New York City and feted with a famous gala on her 100th birthday in March 2002, Astor was mostly interested in putting the fortune that husband Vincent Astor left to use helping others.

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Wow, what a life.

[MonkeyFunk]

1. edited

to add a bit about her.

Her father-in-law was John Jacob Astor, the millionaire businessman who died on the Titanic.

[Shine]

2. "I grew up feeling that the most important thing in life was to have good manners and to enhance the

lives of others."

well said, Brooke. :thumbsup:

Rest in peace.

[Scooter24]

3. The Astor's were once the wealthiest people in the US

and their family is rich with fueds and stories.

One of my favorite NYC hotels also pays tribute to the Astor's, the Waldorf-Astoria.

Brooke was a remarkable woman. May she Rest in Peace.

[greatauntoftriplets]

4. A class act....

I once stayed at the Waldorf-Astoria. My mother got us in there on a Hilton family plan rate for $28 a night back in the late 1960s. I have no clue how she did it, but....