Rebecca “Becky” Benaroya, the Seattle philanthropist whose name appears on the city’s concert hall and major medical research centers, died Wednesday, Feb. 25. She was 103. For decades, her and her family’s giving reshaped downtown Seattle and supported research into diabetes and autoimmune disease.
Longtime donor’s death confirmed
As reported by the Puget Sound Business Journal, Benaroya died on Wednesday at age 103. The Business Journal noted her long support of local arts, museums and medical research institutions.
Benaroya Hall and the arts
According to the Seattle Symphony, Jack and Becky Benaroya provided early seed money that launched the campaign for Benaroya Hall, which opened in 1998 and remains the symphony’s home. That gift is widely credited with helping anchor the revitalization of downtown Seattle.
Medical research and diabetes work
The Benaroya name also carries weight in medicine. The Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason continues to list the family among its benefactors and highlights work translating immunology discoveries into patient care. The family’s backing helped build research capacity that still attracts national grants and clinical trials.
A regional arts patron
Benaroya’s giving extended beyond Seattle’s music scene into museums and collections. The Seattle Times reported that Benaroya’s multimillion-dollar gift created a Benaroya wing at the Tacoma Art Museum, bolstering the museum’s glass and studio art holdings.
When donations sparked debate…