Poetic Obituaries: Of all her gifts, perhaps the most unexpected

was the $100 million she donated in 2002 to an obscure, Chicago-based poetry association that revealed something deeply personal: [Ruth] Lilly was a poet at heart. Not only did she read it, she wrote it, though to little acclaim.

The unusual gift sustains Garrison Keillor's daily radio poetry readings on "The Writer's Almanac," sponsors the poetry professorship at IU and honors top poets with prestigious annual awards.

"Poetry has no greater friend than Ruth Lilly," said John Barr, president of the Poetry Foundation, which received the grant.

from The Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis philanthropist Ruth Lilly dies at age 94
from The Indianapolis Star: Lawyer: She was a poet, via pseudonym
also The New York Times: Ruth Lilly, Drug Heiress and Poetry Patron, Dies at 94
also Poetry Foundation: In Memoriam: Ruth Lilly, 1915-2009

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