Vivian W. Piasecki

1930 - 2023

Vivian Weyerhaeuser Piasecki October 20, 1930â€"July 10, 2023 Haverford, Pennsylvania Vivian Weyerhaeuser Piasecki, humanitarian, philanthropist of the Philadelphia community died peacefully at 92 at 8:00 a.m. on Monday, July 10th. After six decades of sharing her wisdom, love, and joy, she will be remembered by the thousands of people whose lives she touched and who sought her advice and counsel. Her appreciation of music, the arts, science, history, and education made her a valuable addition to dozens of institutions which she served and whose destinies she shaped, including: the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Franklin Institute of Science, the U.S. Constitution Center, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, the Smithsonian Institution, and WHYY. In 1980, she was appointed Chair of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission by Governor Dick Thornburg. She also was among the first female board members of several businesses, including Fidelity Bank, Greentree Insurance, Potlatch Company, among others. In addition to supporting established Philadelphia institutions, she also created and nurtured many new ones reflecting her deep personal, moral, and religious values â€" Gladwyne Montessori School, the Margaret Roper Forum, St. Malachy School, the Balch Institute, and the Bryn Mawr Film Institute. In each of these endeavors she worked with creative individuals to form organizations that uplift both local communities and the nation itself. Born in Chicago, Illinois, to a prominent and industrious midwestern family, she was the oldest child of Frederick King Weyerhaeuser and Vivian O'Gara (both deceased), followed by a younger sister Lynn Weyerhaeuser Day (deceased). She grew up a devout Catholic in St. Paul Minnesota, attending the Visitation Convent. Later, she attended Miss Porter's School in Farmington, Connecticut, Sara Lawrence College, graduating from Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York in 1952. From Vassar she moved to New York City where she attended law school at Fordham University. During her residence in New York, she campaigned for the election in 1952 of Dwight D. Eisenhower for President. One of her notable public appearances was on a mechanical elephant as an "I Like Ike" girl, captured in a 1956 Life magazine photograph at the New York Republican convention. In 1958 she married charismatic helicopter pioneer and inventor Frank N. Piasecki (1919-2008) of Philadelphia, whose tandem helicopter design revolutionized the industry. Now Piasecki Aircraft Corporation remains one of the leading flight engineering companies in America today. Together, they raised seven children, who have each pursued rich careers in the world of flight, business, and the creative arts. Vivian was predeceased by her husband Frank and survived by her seven children, Lynn (Court) Cunningham, Nicole (Peter Heymann), Frederick (Cathy), Frank (Claudia) Michael (Deborah), John (Gretchen Sprafke), Gregory and twenty-one grandchildrenâ€"Nikodem, Christina, Frederick, Nicholas, Charles, Vivian, Otto, Benjamin, Caspar, Mila, Clara, Olivia, Franklin, James, Alexander, Vivian, Cornelia, Lydia, Nicole, Jack, and Michael. Once finalized, details about the Mass and burial will be posted to the McConaghy Funeral Home website.