Patricia Disney Dead: Disney Matriarch Dies In Los Angeles At Age 77

By Associated Press

LOS ANGELES -- Patricia Disney, who was once married to Walt Disney's late nephew Roy E. Disney and was vice chairwoman of Roy's investment company, died Friday after a long struggle with Alzheimer's disease.

She was 77.

Patricia Disney died in her Los Angeles home, surrounded by her four children, said family spokesman Clifford Miller.

An advocate for higher education, Patricia Disney served as a trustee of Occidental College in Los Angeles and a regent of St. Mary's College in Moraga, Calif. She also was a member of the board of the Peregrine Fund, a foundation that preserves birds of prey.

Her former husband, Roy Disney, was a longtime top executive at The Walt Disney Company, which was founded by his uncle. The couple divorced in 2007, and he died in 2009.

The Walt Disney Company President and CEO Bob Iger expressed condolences in a statement Friday.

"Her passing marks a sad milestone for the Disney family, and we will always remember her irrepressible spirit and dedication to our company," Iger said. "Patty was known for her kindness, outgoing nature and especially for her philanthropy, and will be missed by all who knew her."

She is survived by her children, Roy Patrick Disney, Susan Disney Lord, Abigail Disney and Timothy Disney, and 17 grandchildren.

UPDATE:

By the Huffington Post

If anyone would like to give a gift in memory of Patricia Disney, her family suggests either The Alzheimer's Association (Southern California Chapter) or Providence Saint Joseph Foundation.

For more information about how to donate, as well as stories and photos of Disney's life, please visit welovepatty.com.

Related on HuffPost:

Comments

[Npn Npn]

09:25 AM on 02/05/2012

For those of you who don't know yet, Walt was a closet case. Most of the top Disney PR/marketing closeted gay republican guys were hired by Reagan to provide the propaganda to get him elected Gov of California. Reagan kept them with him until he had the chance to be President, at which time Nancy unceremoniously dumped this pack. They remained gay, closeted and Republican until the end of their lives. Sandy Quinn was the name of one of them, who ran Quinn Brian PR for a long time in LA.

[Mattie]

02:47 PM on 02/05/2012

I don't care, he provided hours and hours of amazing movies for me, my child and now my grandchild. She sounds like she gave back to those in need during her life, and it's her life being discussed here. Condolences to her family.

[Npn Npn]

08:03 PM on 02/05/2012

Fair enough. For those who do care, the info is there. God Bless.

[PurpleTomato]

03:30 AM on 02/06/2012

Well said Mattie.

[juslin217]

05:26 PM on 02/05/2012

Why does that matter? This story is about Patricia Disney...oh yes, you just wanted to slam Republicans...

[Npn Npn]

08:03 PM on 02/05/2012

It is background info that is true, like it or not. Your reply says a lot more about you than me.

[jonme]

01:28 PM on 02/04/2012

Give Money ? They Have none to give.....we have been paying disney for years...give some back greedy children...

[NeoConsAreFinished]

09:08 PM on 02/04/2012

They are not asking you to give them money. They are asking you to give to charity if you feel the need.
And the Disney company is owned by a large corporation now.

[LNWells]

11:26 AM on 02/04/2012

If you don't care - why are you here?!

Your anger says more about you than it does about her.

[Sabrina McNockHarris]

07:20 AM on 02/04/2012

She is probably going to be buried in a Mickey Mouse coffin! LOL

[darksideofthespoon]

08:32 AM on 02/04/2012

That was in poor taste.

[Sabrina McNockHarris]

09:47 AM on 02/04/2012

You are right, a Minnie Mouse coffin then. Jeez...Disney is really sexist!

[dwill123]

11:12 AM on 02/04/2012

No, in the family tradition she will be cryogenically frozen.

[roch20]

05:53 AM on 02/04/2012

RIP

[profhdjr]

01:22 AM on 02/04/2012

Patricia Disney, rest in peace.

[socalcde]

11:34 PM on 02/03/2012

So sorry. Did they divorce 4 years ago because of her illness?

[Ami Munro]

10:24 AM on 02/04/2012

The husband just went by what Pat Robertson said "Alzheimer's makes divorce ok". So sad.

[LNWells]

11:28 AM on 02/04/2012

It is sad with some elderly people - they can basically fall into extreme state of mental illness. It happened in our family 90 yr old grandpa -basically did all kinds of wacky and paranoid things in the last year of his life.

[montanasian]

09:18 PM on 02/03/2012

RIP