Joan B. Mansfield: She Gave Away Her Fortune to Benefit Others

By Linda Harris Sittig

You may not recognize Joan Beverly Mansfield, but you most likely have played a part in her life.

JOAN’S EARLY LIFE

Born in 1928 in Minnesota to a storekeeper father, and a mom who played the violin, Joan grew up during the Depression. Her early dreams included becoming a nurse or veterinarian; instead, she became an accomplished musician. The piano and the organ were her specialties. By age 15, she gave piano lessons to children, and by age 29, she played the organ nightly for Minneapolis’s highly successful Criterion restaurant.

During one of her sessions, her future husband watched her play. She was an attractive blonde with an outgoing personality. He was smitten, but Joan was already married.

Fast forward twelve years, and the two meet again. Sparks flew, Ray proposed, but Joan turned him down. However, Ray persisted. Six months later, both divorced their current spouses and married each other.

Not an auspicious way to start a marriage, but they stayed together for fifteen years until he died.

He, being Ray Kroc.

JOAN’S MARRIAGE

Yes, that Ray Kroc of McDonald’s. As you may know, he turned a small hamburger enterprise into one of the most lucrative restaurant chains ever. Not only was Ray Kroc an aggressive businessman, but he was also a heavy drinker.

Dismayed by his drinking, Joan Kroc started an alcohol education charity called Operation Cork (Kroc spelled backward). She started small, helping produce addiction treatment videos. This step began what would become her legacy – a philanthropist who funded charities to help people in need.

When Ray died in 1984, Joan became the largest shareholder in the McDonald’s corporation and inherited 500 million dollars. Yes, you read that correctly. 500 million dollars. More money than anyone could ever spend in a lifetime. A philanthropist may never have been Ray’s middle name, but Joan made it her goal to use his fortune to support worthy causes.  And boy, did she.

JOAN BECOMES A PHILANTHROPIST

Six months after Ray’s death, a gunman entered the McDonald’s in San Ysidro, California, and opened fire. Twenty-one people were killed. As Joan grieved the horrific event, she also went into action and established the San Ysidro Survivors Fund to help the families involved.

Two months later, she attended the National Women’s Conference for Prevention of Nuclear War and promptly dedicated 3 million dollars to supporting nuclear disarmament.

And she continued. Her only stipulation was that she would never give to a cause that approached her for money. For each cause she supported, she did so because of her belief that the organization to whom she was bequeathing money existed to benefit mankind.

Here are just a few of her gifts that made me smile:

3.3 million to the San Diego Zoo

1 million to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital

1 million to the American Red Cross.

60 million to the Ronald McDonald Children’s Charities

200 million to National Public Radio

10 million to the San Diego Opera

18.5 million to the San Diego Hospice

1 million to Special Olympics

3 million to the Catholic Diocese of San Diego for a homeless shelter

50 million to Notre Dame University for an Institute for Peace Studies

50 million to San Diego University for an Institute for Peace Studies

1.5 billion to the Salvation Army for building community centers

While Joan admittedly enjoyed beautiful clothes, jewelry, and traveling in her private jet, she earned the nickname of St. Joan of the Arches. In giving away her fortune, she helped thousands involved with animal welfare, homelessness, sick children, nuclear disarmament, and the arts. And just as she had made many of her contributions anonymously, she rarely drew attention to herself.

Near the end of her life, when at age 75, she had been diagnosed with inoperable brain cancer, Joan often took a drive and sat outside the Kroc Rolando Park Center in San Diego. It had been one of the first Salvation Army Community Centers she had sponsored. And it had grown and flourished, seeing an attendance in its first year of 400,000 people.

Joan sat in the car, quietly enjoying seeing families playing, learning, and growing together.

So, the next time you order an Egg McMuffin, Chicken McNuggets, or even a Quarter Pounder, think of Joan Kroc and how McDonald’s was never just about fast food.

Thank you to blog follower Ed Jahn who wrote to me and suggested I learn about Joan Kroc. I am so glad I did! If you have a woman I should research, please email me: linda@lindasittig.com.

ANNOUNCEMENTS!!

THIS MONTH MARKS THE BEGINNING OF MY TWELFTH YEAR OF WRITING STRONG WOMEN! WHICH CALCULATES TO STORIES OF 132 DIFFERENT STRONG WOMEN WHO DARED TO CHALLENGE THE RULES AND PERSEVERED TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THIS WORLD.

Stay tuned to next month when I have an exciting announcement to make concerning one of my favorite strong women of all times – Josie Murray.

Sign up on the right sidebar to become a blog follower and encourage at least one or two friends to do the same. Remember, “Every Woman Deserves To Have Her Story Told.”

~ Linda