Blanchette Ferry Rockefeller
| Blanchette Ferry Rockefeller | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Blanchette Ferry Hooker October 2, 1909 Manhattan, New York, U.S. |
| Died | November 29, 1992 (aged 83) Briarcliff Manor, New York, U.S. |
| Resting place | Rockefeller Family Cemetery, Sleepy Hollow, New York, U.S. |
| Spouse(s) |
John Davison Rockefeller III (m. 1932—1978; his death) |
| Children |
John Davison Rockefeller IV Hope Aldrich Rockefeller Sandra Ferry Rockefeller Alida Davison Rockefeller |
Blanchette Ferry Hooker (October 2, 1909 – November 29, 1992) was the wife of John D. Rockefeller III and mother of Jay Rockefeller. She was twice president of the Museum of Modern Art.
Blanchette Ferry Hooker was born in Manhattan, New York on October 2, 1909. She was the daughter of Elon Huntington Hooker, founder of Hooker Chemical Company, and his wife, Blanche Ferry.
She graduated from Miss Chapin's School in 1927, where she was president of the student government. She graduated from Vassar College in 1931 with a B.A. in music. On November 11, 1932, she married John D. Rockefeller III, a scion of the prominent Rockefeller family, at Riverside Church in New York City. They had four children:
Blanchette devoted her time to community service, education, and the arts - in particular the collection of Asian and American art. "She had been active in the affairs of the Museum of Modern Art since 1949 and was elected a member of the Board of Trustees in December 1952. In 1958, at a time when many Americans derided modern art or thought it communist and subversive, Rockefeller lent her support to the International Program that helped send The New American Painting, the first major exhibition of Abstract Expressionism, to eight European cities."
In 1948, Blanchette Rockefeller commissioned a guest house by architect Philip Johnson. Located at 242 East 52nd Street next to the Turtle Bay Music School, it was one of the first residential buildings in New York City to reflect the influence of the Modern movement. The 1950 guest house was a place in which she could display her modern art collection and entertain friends. The Rockefellers donated the house (historically landmarked in 2000) to the Museum of Modern Art in 1955.
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