Anne Bartley

"Anne truly lived her values ... always believing in the possibility of a better tomorrow" - President Bill Clinton

Anne Bartley, longtime philanthropist and political activist, who made her homes in Washington, DC, and San Francisco, CA, across the last 45 years, died on August 30, 2025, in Philadelphia, PA, at the age of 81, following a courageous battle with cancer. She was the daughter of the former First Lady of Arkansas, the late Jeannette Edris Rockefeller, and stepdaughter of the former Governor of Arkansas, the late Winthrop Rockefeller.

Ms. Bartley spent her formative years in Arkansas where she developed her interest in public service, working through the Legislature to establish the Department of Arkansas Natural and Cultural Heritage. Appointed by the late Governor David Pryor, Ms. Bartley was the agency's first director and the first woman to serve in an Arkansas governor's cabinet. She was later appointed by then-Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton to head the Arkansas Washington Office. Under President Jimmy Carter, Ms. Bartley served on the National Neighborhood Commission. She later served on staff for First Lady Hillary Clinton where she had a broad portfolio, including gender equality, healthcare, and arts and humanities.

In tribute to Ms. Bartley, President Bill Clinton said, "Hillary and I owe so much to Anne. She was there for me from day one of my political career as one of the biggest supporters of my 1974 congressional campaign, and she stuck with us in every race we ever ran. I was honored to appoint her Director of the Arkansas Washington Office when I was Governor and am very grateful for the exceptional work she did in the White House when I was President. Anne truly lived her values, supporting candidates and causes close to her heart and always believing in the possibility of a better tomorrow. We'll never forget her and all that she did for us, for America, and for the world."

Friends describe Ms. Bartley as passionate, committed and humble, with a deep sense of service and an unflagging humor. Her work with nonprofit organizations spanned more than four decades and was based on her unwavering commitment to citizens to play an active role in public policy decisions. In addition to her personal philanthropy, Ms. Bartley served on numerous foundation boards, including the Rockefeller Brothers Fund (10 years), Rockefeller Family Fund (more than 20 years, including 3 as board chair), Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, Bauman Foundation, and New World Foundation. Ms. Bartley's philanthropy and activism was particularly focused on the health of our democracy, climate change, and civic participation. She was not a passive donor. A hands-on activist, Ms. Bartley also served on the boards of number of nonprofit organizations, including Faith and Politics Institute, Forum Institute, Americans Coming Together, America Votes, and the NRDC Action Fund. She believed in building bridges and coalitions to effect policy change. She was a mentor to many working in the civic life of our nation. Always politically active, Ms. Bartley was a founding member and served on the boards of the Democracy Alliance, Strategic Victory Fund, and Committee on States.

Ms. Bartley is survived by her husband of 27 years Larry McNeil, her brother Bruce Bartley, and her five stepchildren: Cybele Cirie (Bruce Vetre) of Guilford, CT; Andrea Cirie (Jonathan Dawe) of New York, NY; Amanda Cirie (Stephen Roach) of Seattle, WA; Josh McNeil (Susanna Greenberg) of Philadelphia, PA; and Beck McNeil (Mandy McNeil) of Toronto, ON. She is also survived by six grandchildren: Olivia, Jack, Oscar, Caleb, Eli, and Sally.