Arts supporter Beatrice Gersh dies at 87

Published: Mon., March. 10, 2011, 1:40pm PTBeatrice Gersh Longtime La philanthropist and arts supporter Beatrice Gersh, whose late husband Phil founded the Gersh Agency, died of natural causes Sunday in La. She was 87. Services is going to be held at 3 p.m. Tuesday at Hillside Memorial Park & Mortuary, 6001 Centinela Blvd., La. Beatrice Gersh was a part of an organization that assisted found the Museum of recent Art in La, and she or he and her husband continued to be notable supporter from the museum. Born Beatrice Aberle in La, she attended Stanford and USC and trained history at USC before getting married to Phil Gersh. Phil Gersh founded the Gersh Agency in 1949, and also the couple grew to become a few of the first enthusiasts of contemporary art in La, serving around the L.A. County Museum of Art's Modern and Contemporary Art Council for several years. She seemed to be a founding father of the La Music Center along with a person in the background music Center's Blue Ribbon group. In 1989, MOCA presented "Choices in the Beatrice and Phillip Gersh Collection," an exhibit of pieces provided to the museum through the couple and choices in the Gershs' private collection. Phil Gersh died at 92 in 2004. Beatrice Gersh is made it by siblings Charles and Leon sons David and Bob, co-presidents from the Gersh agency, and grandchildren Steven, who's a Gersh agent Laura, a Gersh staffer Jessica Bill, a TV production staffer, and Annie. Donations might be designed to the Museum of recent Art. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com