Lois Rosenthal

Lois Rosenthal (May 18, 1939 – July 20, 2014) was an American author, publisher, arts & humanities philanthropist, and community volunteer. She was based in Cincinnati, Ohio. She served on the boards of the Cincinnati Art Museum, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Freestore Foodbank, Art Links, Cincinnati Museum Center, and the Mercantile Library of Cincinnati. Rosenthal was known for her hands-on philosophy of service in her community and was named Enquirer Woman of the Year in 1999 by The Cincinnati Enquirer.

Early life and education Lois Rosenthal was born May 18, 1939, in Cincinnati, Ohio She attended classes at Avondale School, is a graduate of Walnut Hills High School. Her husband ran the publishing end of specialty books and magazines, and she edited Story, a magazine focused on new fiction. The Rosenthals sold the business in December 1999 to concentrate on their charitable foundation.

Early philanthropy

In 1988, Lois and Richard Rosenthal established the New Play Prize at the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park.

In the 1970s, as a Planned Parenthood board member, she worked as a patient escort and guided young women through crowds of protesters.

She worked for the benefit of exotic animals and brought education programs to the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden.

Her work on behalf of California lettuce field workers led to a friendship with union leader Cesar Chavez.

Rosenthal Family Foundation

She and her husband, Richard H. Rosenthal established the Rosenthal Family Foundation in 1986.

Lois launched the Rosey Reader Program in 1993, which distributes free books to inner-city schools. In 10 years of the Rosey Reader Program, more than 2 million books were read by students.

The couple also founded Uptown Arts, an Over-the-Rhine arts academy that offers free lessons to 300 inner-city children each year in such disciplines as art, music and dance. Uptown arts is housed in a restored three-story, Liberty Street building that also houses the Rosenthal Family Foundation.

With her husband, she co-founded the Rosenthal Next Generation Theater Series at the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park which introduces children to plays.

Her work at the Cincinnati Freestore Foodbank enables distribution of fresh foods to the needy.

In their effort to fund emerging artists, she and her husband sponsored a ballet called Blue Until June that was choreographed to the music of Etta James.

Awards She was the National Magazine Award, 1992 and 1995 (finalist five times). In 1997, she was awarded the YWCA's Career Woman of Achievement. She was named Enquirer Woman of the Year in 1999 by The Cincinnati Enquirer. A memorial was held for her in September 2014 at the Marx Theater at The Playhouse in the Park in Cincinnati. She was survived by her husband Richard, and their children Jennie Rosenthal Berliant and David Rosenthal and many grandchildren.