Jacqueline Desmarais
Jacqueline Desmarais | |
|---|---|
| Born | 20 September 1928 Sudbury, Ontario, Canada |
| Died | 3 March 2018 (aged 89) |
| Occupation(s) | Philanthropist, patron of music and opera |
| Known for | Patronage of Canadian music and opera; head of Montreal Symphony Orchestra guild (1989–1999) |
Jacqueline Desmarais (September 20, 1928 – March 3, 2018) was a Canadian billionaire renowned for her significant contributions as a patron of music and opera.
Early life
Jacqueline Maranger was born on September 20, 1928, in Sudbury, Ontario, within the Greater Sudbury area, to parents Ernest Marenger and Albertine Thanase.
Career
Desmarais' net worth was estimated at $4.2 billion by Forbes in January 2015. She devoted many years to supporting Canadian music and opera, notably serving as head of the guild for the Montreal Symphony Orchestra between 1989 and 1999. In 1997, she launched a foundation under her name aimed at nurturing emerging opera artists.
Honours
- In 2011, French President Nicolas Sarkozy appointed Desmarais as a Knight of the Legion of Honour, commending her as "a great friend to France and a great lady of the arts."
- That same year, she was awarded an honorary doctorate from the faculty of music at the Université de Montréal.
- She was designated Grand Officer of the National Order of Quebec in 2012.
- The following year, in 2013, she received the rank of officer within the Order of Canada.
- In 2016, Desmarais was honored as Companion of Quebec’s Order of Arts and Letters, and a pavilion at Montreal’s Sainte-Justine Hospital was named after her.
Personal life
On September 8, 1953, Jacqueline married financier Paul Desmarais (1927–2013) in Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, Quebec; he also originated from Sudbury. Together they had four children: two sons—Paul Jr. and André, with André married to France Chrétien Desmarais, daughter of former Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien—and two daughters named Sophie and Louise. Jacqueline lived on a 75-acre property known as Domaine Laforest located in Sagard, Charlevoix, Quebec until her passing.
Death
Jacqueline Desmarais died on March 3, 2018, at the age of 89.