Ailsa Mellon Bruce

Ailsa Mellon Bruce (June 28, 1901 – August 25, 1969) was a prominent American socialite and philanthropist who established the Avalon Foundation. Early life Ailsa was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on June 28, 1901. She was the daughter of the banker and diplomat Andrew W. Mellon and Nora Mary (née McMullen) Mellon (1879–1937). Her parents divorced in 1912 and from 1921 to 1932, Ailsa served as her father's official hostess during his tenure as United States Secretary of the Treasury, and again when he was U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom in 1932–1933. Her only sibling was brother Paul Mellon (1907–1999), who was also a philanthropist and was known as a prominent owner/breeder of thoroughbred racehorses. Ailsa attended Miss Porter's School in Farmington, Connecticut and spent her summers as a teenager in Europe. Philanthropy and legacy Bruce established the Avalon Foundation in 1940, which made grants to colleges and universities, medical schools and hospitals, youth programs and community services, churches, environmental projects, and an array of cultural and arts organizations. In 1947, the Avalon Foundation was instrumental in the establishment of the Hampton National Historic Site in Maryland.