Topline:
Philanthropist Wallis Annenberg has died at 86. The L.A. Times first reported she died Monday morning at her home in Los Angeles from complications stemming from lung cancer.
The announcement: "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," the Annenberg Foundation said a statement to LAist."Her generosity and commitment will be lifting people up for many generations to come.”
Why it matters: Her massive donations to arts, education and animal welfare causes have helped transform Los Angeles. Her name adorns a number of buildings around L.A., from the Wallis Annenberg Building at the California Science Center to the soon-to-debut Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing in Agoura Hills. Last year, Annenberg was awarded the 2022 National Humanities Medal for her many contributions to the arts and sciences and more across Los Angeles and California.
How the community is reacting: Beth Pratt, California regional executive director for the National Wildlife Federation and leader of the Save LA Cougars campaign, posted on social media mourning the loss of Annenberg.
I am just heartbroken. Wallis Annenberg was a remarkable human being. I am so grateful for her friendship and mentorship. She made the impossible possible. And did so much good on this planet. I will miss you, Wallis. pic.twitter.com/SCULPxcqqi
— Beth Pratt (@bethpratt) July 28, 2025
In a statement, Gov. Gavin Newsom called Annenberg "a visionary who believed not just in a better world, but in a kinder one."
"She worked on broader societal issues, including funding medical research, economic development, and environmental protection, but she deeply believed in supporting the American right to the pursuit of happiness," he added.
Edythe Broad, another leading philanthropist in L.A., called Annenberg one of the city's "most generous, curious and determined civic leaders."
“Wallis understood that a thriving city needs both heart and infrastructure," Broad said in a statement, "and her work to increase access to transformative tools, programs and physical spaces not only benefits L.A.’s current residents but also models a civic mindset of inclusion, care and innovation."
The co-founder of The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation continued: “We celebrate Wallis’s extraordinary impact and take inspiration from her fierce belief in Los Angeles. May her memory be a blessing.”