Sarita Kenedy East

Sarita Kenedy East (1889–1961) was a rancher and philanthropist from South Texas. She played an active role in the management of her half of La Parra Ranch, and after her brother had become ill, she also leased and oversaw the management of his half of the ranch. East was called patrona for her role in ensuring the health, education, and well-being of the ranch employees and their families. She was a generous philanthropist, particularly concerning Catholic charities. East received the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice medal from Pope Pius XII in 1952, in recognition of her service and donations to the church. Before she died, she donated $300,000 to establish a monastery in Chile for Trappist monks.

Already made wealthy by an inheritance from her father, East's wealth increased dramatically when oil was found on Kenedy Ranch and San Pablo Ranch. She established the John G. and Marie Stella Kenedy Memorial Foundation, which became the center of decades of court cases between the family and the Diocese of Corpus Christi against a Trappist monk named Brother Leo and J. Peter Grace, who had facilitated the creation of the charitable organization.

After East's death, the family claimed that the two men had exerted undue influence against East when her mind was not sharp due to her declining health and the medications that she took. Lawsuits were filed to contest the will and management of the estate. Brother Leo lost the case against him and all the subsequent appeals, including when the United States Supreme Court refused to hear his appeal. The Vatican had sent Archbishop John Krol of Philadelphia to investigate. Brother Leo was dismissed by May 1966.

The Kenedy Ranch is now operated by two different trusts. The John G. Kenedy Jr. Charitable Trust, as named by Elena Seuss Kenedy, manages the northern section of the ranch of approximately 200,000 acres. It is the land that John G. Kenedy had inherited. The southern section, about 235,000 acres, is operated by the John G. and Marie Stella Kenedy Memorial Foundation, established by East. It is the land inherited by East. Another charitable foundation was established called the Sarita Kenedy East Foundation, which is managed out of New York City.

Early life Sarita Kenedy was born on September 19, 1889, in Corpus Christi, Texas to Marie Stella (Turcotte) and John G. Kenedy. She was the granddaughter of Mifflin Kenedy, who founded the La Parra Ranch in what is now Kenedy County, Texas, which was named after Mifflin. The town of Sarita, which was located on the Kenedy ranch, was founded around 1904. John G. Kenedy named it for his daughter. Sarita's mother was a philanthropist, particularly dedicated to Catholic charities. She received the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice medal from Pope Pius XII in 1939 in recognition of her years of service and donations to the church. The Oblate Fathers, an order of missionary men, were guests at the ranch.

Sarita had her First Communion in 1902. The prayer book that she was given at her First Communion and the rosary beads that she carried with her are among the collection of the Bullock Texas State History Museum. An outdoors girl, she gravitated to riding horses, shooting firearms, and hunting, doing "as well as any man on the place". Arthur, although an entertaining and well-informed man, liked to be alone. He often worked at East's San Pablo Ranch, which adjoined his nephew Tom East, Jr.'s property, while Sarita remained at La Parra.

Early in their marriage, East and her husband both suffered from undulant fever, which left them infertile. Her brother, sterile from a case of mumps, and sister-in-law did not have children, either. due to large deposits of oil and gas that had been found on La Parra, which were expected to significantly increase her wealth. East established the John G. and Marie Stella Kenedy Memorial Foundation, a charitable organization, on January 21, 1960, with the assistance of Brother Leo and his contact J. Peter Grace. Initially, she was the only member of the foundation. Over time, she gave increasing control to Brother Leo and J. Peter Grace, until Brother Leo was made the sole member of the foundation just before her death. With $100,000,000 in assets, it became the largest charitable foundation in South Texas by 1984.

The Kenedy Ranch is operated by two different trusts. The John G. Kenedy Jr. Charitable Trust, as named by Elena Seuss Kenedy, manages the northern section of the ranch of approximately 200,000 acres. The southern section, about 235,000 acres, is operated by the John G. and Marie Stella Kenedy Memorial Foundation, established by East. Another charitable foundation was established called the Sarita Kenedy East Foundation, which is managed out of New York City.

Hugh Aynesworth and Stephen G. Michaud wrote If You Love Me, You Will Do My Will based upon Kenedy's life and the fight for her estate.