Great granddaughter of Eli Lilly Dead at age 94

Thursday, December 31st 2009,
Ruth Lilly, the great-granddaughter of pharmaceutical tycoon Eli Lilly, is dead at 94, USA Today reports.

She was a celebrated philanthropist who donated most of her fortune, an estimated $800 million, to charity. Education, healthcare and poetry were among the causes she cared about.

In 2002, she gave a whopping $100 million to a little-known Chicago-based poetry foundation. "Poetry has no greater friend than Ruth Lilly," John Barr, president of the Poetry Foundation, told the paper.

But money did not always buy Lilly happiness.

Lilly fought with depression, spending years at Methodist Hospital trying to conquer her illness. When she was in her 70s, she began taking Prozac, one of Eli Lilly & Co.'s drugs, to treat her depression.

"That thing made a world of difference," her physician Jack Hall told Star in 2002. "Prozac really helped her — it changed her life."

Lilly was famously reclusive, "perhaps the most famous person few people ever saw," USA Today noted. She spent most of her time in a huge mansion attended by almost 50 people.

Irene McCutchen, Lilly's niece, told USA Today that in Lilly's later years, "her philanthropy widened her circle of contacts and interests. Ruth's life became much more interesting and rewarding as her interests in philanthropy involved her with a wide variety of Indianapolis institutions."

"She enjoyed visiting with many wonderful and talented people who served the community of Indianapolis, Indiana," McCutchen said.

Lilly is survived by five nieces and nephews, 14 great nieces and nephews and 10 great-great nieces and nephews.


Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/money/2009/12/31/2009-12-31_ruth_lilly_heiress_to_the_eli_lilly_fortune_dead_at_94.html#ixzz0bIy6Pze8

The fact is that Ruth was preyed upon by many folks in the Indy area. In fact, some of it was quite obvious and shameful. In the last 15 or so years, Ruth was easily persuaded to embark on all sorts of pursuits at the behest of the people around her. The Ruth Lilly story is as sad as an extremely wealthy person's could be. At the end of her life she was merely the heavily medicated, easily plucked golden goose for many, many people.

RIP Ruthie!

Cheers!

the stories of the battles for money, control, were incredible. Backstabbing, private eyes, faked evidence, and way too much money for anyone's own good.

that she couldn't hold on for one more day, to avoid the estate tax completely. My sympathies are with those in her family who are genuinely mourning.

Just ask the survivors of Bhopal...

thanks for the extra info.