Ava Lowle Willing facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ava Lowle Willing
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Willing сirca 1911
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| Born | September 15, 1868 |
| Died | June 9, 1958 (aged 89) New York City, New York, U.S.
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| Resting place | Locust Valley Cemetery, Locust Valley, New York |
| Spouse(s) |
Thomas Lister, 4th Baron Ribblesdale
(m. 1919; died 1925) |
| Children |
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| Parent(s) | Edward Shippen Willing Alice Caroline Barton |
| Relatives |
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Ava Lowle Willing (born September 15, 1868 – died June 9, 1958) was an American socialite. She was known for being the first wife of Colonel John Jacob Astor IV, a very wealthy businessman. Later, she married Thomas Lister, 4th Baron Ribblesdale.
Contents
Early Life
Ava Lowle Willing was born on September 15, 1868, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her parents were Edward Shippen Willing and Alice Caroline Barton. She grew up with an older sister, Susan, and two older brothers, John and Edward Jr.
Personal Life and Marriages
First Marriage to John Jacob Astor IV
On February 17, 1891, Ava married John Jacob Astor IV in Philadelphia. He was a very famous and rich man from the Astor family. After their wedding, they went on a five-week honeymoon in Europe. They received many fancy gifts, including a beautiful townhouse in New York City.
Ava and John Jacob Astor IV had two children:
- William Vincent Astor (born 1891 – died 1959)
- Ava Alice Muriel Astor (born 1902 – died 1956)
Their family lived in several grand homes. These included their New York townhouse at 840 Fifth Avenue, a large country estate called Ferncliff in Rhinebeck, New York, and their mansion called Beechwood in Newport, Rhode Island. By 1896, Ava also became very active in English society. She had a country home near London and a townhouse in Mayfair, London.
In 1909, Ava and John Jacob Astor IV divorced. She received a large financial settlement. Their son, Vincent, lived with his father before going to Harvard University. Ava took care of their young daughter, Ava Alice. While Vincent was at Harvard, his father, John Jacob Astor IV, was on the first trip of the RMS Titanic. Sadly, he was one of the people who passed away when the ship sank. This made young Vincent one of the richest people in the United States.
Second Marriage to Thomas Lister
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In September 1911, Ava and her daughter moved to England. They lived in her townhouse in London and a country estate called Sutton Place.
When World War I began, Ava helped with the war effort. She was involved with the American Women’s War Relief Fund and served as its vice-president.
On June 3, 1919, Ava married Thomas Lister, 4th Baron Ribblesdale in London. After their marriage, she was known as Lady Ribblesdale. Thomas Lister passed away six years later, in 1925. They did not have any children together. After his death, Ava did not marry again.
In June 1940, Ava returned to the United States. She came back as a war refugee and got her American citizenship again. From then on, she was known as Mrs. Ava Willing Ribblesdale.
Later Life and Passing
Ava Lowle Willing passed away on June 9, 1958, in her apartment in Manhattan, New York. She is buried at Locust Valley Cemetery in Locust Valley, New York. Most of her estate was left to her daughter Ava Alice's four children, who were her grandchildren.
