Even her friends laughed at the way she would seat herself intently in the lobby of the Paris Hotel in Monte Carlo, at a table "very strategically placed," in the words of one, to court the passing society. We hoped to let the public know about these outstanding individuals and to send a message to other excellent government employees that their dedication and considerable accomplishments are valued." His commitment to causes and institutions extended beyond writing checks to giving time and energy. At the least, then, Gwendolyn's will disposes of more than $140 million. "I'm sure part of it was to show Herb Miller he was serious.". She was a member of Main Street Church of Christ in Monticello, AR. Cafritzs passing was confirmed by the charitable organization named after Morris and his wife, The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation. There is, for example, the very palpable legacy of real estate developed by Morris Cafritz, including several lots and office buildings downtown. None of the Cafritz sons can be said to need the money that is at stake. There are also real estate assets at Arlingtons 3701 N. Fairfax Drive, which is the former home of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. From the others he solicited their names, bending to murmur prompts into the ear of the star. Two and a half years later Gwendolyn Cafritz was dead of cancer, at 78, and the following summer -- three years after that final party -- her two younger sons filed suit in D.C. Superior Court to. He was for years the president of the Jewish Community Center and donated the land for its first headquarters on Q Street NW. Of the $54 million the foundation has given away since 1970, $32 million has gone to the arts and humanities, almost $9 million to community services, $8 million to education and almost $5 million to health. Gwendolyn Cafritz, 78, Washington Hostess - The New York Times His father, one of Washington's leading commercial and residential builders from the early 1920's to the 1960's, distinguished himself as an outstanding civic leader known for generosity. Today he shares office space and support staff with Conrad's growing interests, but for the most part pursues his own deals. "She wanted something, and she put up with a lot of {expletive}, and she got it. Food has always been a go-to for people in mourning. The foundation, which Calvin led for over 30 years (after his mother Gwendolyn died in 1988), focuses on programs in the arts and humanities. In Memoriam: Calvin Cafritz. "Very sort of philosophic, sort of honorable." "He got up at 5 or 5:30, and he wanted to show me what a hard-working man he was.". Calvin, 58, who finds himself a defendant in this lawsuit, is usually described as gentlemanly, methodical and reserved. "He's part of a legendary family, and he's the only one who seems interested in keeping up the legend," says one friend. . recalls Raymond Carter, a former vice president of the Cafritz Co. "He always had a new job going. ", As is often true when the secretive disease of alcoholism is combined with the see-no-evil sociability of Washington, Gwendolyn's problem was rarely recognized. 2000 Pennsylvania Avenue NW She retained the right to will awaythe remaining three-quarters, or $63 million, which sheleft to the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation. In addition, there are at least 10 apartment buildings in D.C. Conrad, say friends, has watched in frustration as downtown Washington boomed and the foundation failed to take maximum advantage of its holdings. Copyright 2023 Echovita Inc. All rights reserved. Mr. Mr. Jane Lipton Cafritz was elected in the second half of 2022 to succeed her husband as the foundations president and CEO. Cafritz developed real estate here for more than four decades, until his death in 1964, and by the sheer volume and variety of his building activities was for a time the undisputed king of his field. "There were moments when you wanted to go around and have everybody wear not just a name tag, but a bio,"says their good friend Margaret Lenzner. . Mr. Between 1925 and 1941, Cafritz built more than 85 apartment houses, including 15 large luxury buildings, such as the Majestic and the Hightowers on 16th Street NW and the Westchester on Cathedral Avenue NW. Gwendolyn Cafritz died of cancer last November. . In the process, he amassed one of the first great fortunes to be carved out of Washington itself. Senator Barry Goldwater . Cafritzs grace, elegance, discernment, desire for excellence and commitment to making the most of every day and every situation will continue to inspire and motivate all who knew and loved him, his obituary reads. Money -- to be sure. Kateryna Pyatybratova directs the centers Cafritz Awards program. If you know of an upcoming event for Calvin Cafritz, please add one. Following the death of his father, Calvin became president of The Cafritz Co., Cafritz Construction Co. and Ambassador, Inc. in 1964. Morris grew up working in the store, stalking the Maine Avenue wharf for the freshest fish sold there and learning to love the adolescent city he saw around him. [2] He is buried in the Washington Hebrew Congregation Cemetery, Washington, D.C. Philanthropy [ edit] Some observers speculate that Conrad, hardheaded real estate man that he is, simply wants some say in the disposition of the real estate owned -- in many cases, co-owned -- by the foundation and Gwendolyn's estate. One possible reason for that -- and for any bitterness that might motivate the lawsuit -- is suggested by the suit's underlying argument: "For many years, beginning at a time not precisely known to plaintiffs, but at least by the time of the death of the late Morris Cafritz, the Decedent began suffering from a number of conditions that resulted in physical and mental debilitation," reads the complaint. Cafritz's passing was confirmed by the charitable organization named after Morris and his wife, The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation. And to the publicity-loathing cave dwellers, the Georgetown hostesses who were society leaders by birth, Gwendolyn's so-visible efforts made her a figure of fun. The Morris and. The holdings also include a major share of the two Universal buildings at Connecticut and Florida avenues NW, and shares of the massive River House apartment buildings in Pentagon City. We welcome you to provide your thoughts and memories on our Tribute Wall. Several friends read this changeability as part of a larger ambivalence about whether he wants to be an insider or a maverick, heir to a famous tradition or the rebel who subverts it. The trust was established at the death of Morris Cafritz in June 1964 in the interests of saving estate taxes. . Find Calvin Cafritz obituaries and memorials at Legacy.com In plain English, Gwendolyn Cafritz's two younger sons are contending in court that their mother was too feebleminded to write her will; document requests filed in court suggest they may try to prove she was incapacitated by alcoholism. ", She gave only two parties in the last 15 years of her life -- one in 1978, her first in five years, and the final party in 1986. She carried her isolation to her grave. But maybe they just don't want Gwen Cafritz to have the last word. Calvin Fritz Obituary (1952 - 2021) - Legacy Remembers David Kessler's top 4 tips for dealing with holiday grief. "He wasn't overly enthused about it, but those were her wishes, and he sort of enjoyed it in a quiet way. Since 1989, Cafritz led the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, a charitable organization named for his parents. He was the eldest son of real estate titan Morris Cafritz and his wife Gwendolyn. "He took me into the kitchen and showed me how the cook would leave coffee for him in the morning," remembers the friend. Calvin Cafritz, their eldest son, became Board Chairman in 1989 and in 1993, he was elected President and CEO of the Foundation. The Washington Harbour purchase, along with a current joint venture to develop a riverfront office and hotel project in Rosslyn, has caused speculation that Conrad Cafritz is increasingly eager to be identified with high-quality, high-profile projects that might bring him more notice. But it has that air of a property just turning past ripeness, toward seed. January 16, 2023, 1:16 AM D.C. developer, businessman and philanthropist Calvin Cafritz, the eldest son of real estate icon Morris Cafritz and his wife Gwendolyn, died Thursday at Sibley Memorial Hospital. Devoted father to Laurence (Sherri) Cafritz and Jodi (Mark Bronsky) Cafritz; cherished grandfather to Daniel, Ryan, Jeremy, Jack and Mick; beloved friend of first wife Sandie Cafritz; loving brother to the late William (Buffy) Cafritz; treasured uncle to Sandy (Helen . Calvin Cafritz began his career with Cafritz Construction in 1947, pausing briefly to attend college and serve in the military. Calvin Cafritz Rockville, Maryland March 29, 1931 - January 12, 2023 Share Obituary: Tribute Wall Obituary & Events Share a memory Send Flowers Obituary An obituary is not available at this time for Calvin Cafritz. The house was not so much well-tended as beautifully preserved, arrested in time; and the party duplicated the past in every anachronistic detail. But Conrad has rolled out impressive legal artillery, captained by former White House counsel Lloyd N. Cutler, and seems prepared to dig in for a long siege -- at least long enough, perhaps, to wring a settlement from his opponents. Philanthropic 50: Calvin and Jane Cafritz: They Sing For More Than For some people, the best send-off is one that they would have loved to attendthemselves: a big party. He never tired of committing himself to this mission, which only grew bigger with time. She was forever trying to tell me some long story I could never make head or tail of. Meanwhile, for as long as it takes, Conrad's childhood home turns a sleeping face to Foxhall Road, drapes drawn at all the windows. Her two younger sons have also filed a separate petition that pursues only the marital trust. Perhaps one day Calvin, or Conrad, or some Cafritz now unknown, will find a way to bring together the opposite forms of ambition that thrived in this house, and give a second start to the dynasty that never was. Conrad, who was a losing bidder for the job, waged a lengthy challenge, arguing that Western was giving short shrift to the minority partners whose participation qualified the partnership for the contract award; though he finally lost last year, he succeeded in forcing a renegotiation of terms between Western and the Redevelopment Land Agency. "Carter Cafritz is just a genuine nice fellow," says Raymond Carter, a former vice president of the Cafritz Co. "Conrad is more in the father's mold. Yet Morris made little impression on Gwendolyn's social world, and she often went out or took vacations alone. There are, superficially, great similarities among the three brothers, who all share their mother's dark coloring. Rogers had served as her personal attorney since her husband, Washington real estate magnate Morris Cafritz, died in 1964. His mother, Gwendolyn, one of Washington's leading hostesses in the post-World War II years, was President of the Foundation from 1964 to 1988. To one interviewer she said that art was "the theme, you might say" of her life, "as in a Wagnerian opera." Implicitly, Carter and Conrad Cafritz are also challenging her designation of Calvin, the eldest, as the only son who will have a future role in running the foundation, which already controls assets of more than $220 million. "I've just bought 100 acres of downtown Washington," he was fond of saying. "Conrad was persistent as hell in getting that project," says one person familiar with Conrad's business. Michael J. Dowling, who became the Cafritzes' butler in the early '60s, describes a tragically common decline. He was an excellent listener and always got both the big picture and important details by asking insightful questions. He served in these roles until 2022, when Jane Lipton Cafritz, his wife, was elected Board Chair and President and CEO. Echovita Inc is a registered trademark. Memorial services will be held at 2:00 pm on December 2 at First Presbyterian Church of Richardson with David Schaefers officiating. Another longtime beneficiary of Cafritz Foundation support has been The Textile Museum. To those who thronged to the parties, the children were rarely in evidence. She is survived by her daughter Jane Cafritz (Calvin) of Washington, DC, five grandchildren: James Speyer, Irina Rubenstein and . To Edward R. Murrow, in a 1956 interview, she said that to speak of Washington cocktail parties was "unfair to Washington. According to Susan Boerstling, GWs assistant vice president for corporate and foundation relations, the partnership of the Cafritz Foundation with GW is unique in terms of other universities in the area. The annual Cafritz Awards Gala has been held on campus for many years, Boerstling noted, representing a partnership between the university, the foundation and the Office of the D.C. Mayor. An old friend remembers a Fourth of July party at which one or more of the boys stood in a window above the path that led indoors from the pool to the cocktail area, throwing firecrackers down onto the guests.

. Most of the band's song titles are too profane for citation in mainstream reviews (or newspaper magazines such as this); one, a song that would surely have outraged the vocalist/guitarist's grandparents, is titled "You Look Like a Jew.". The D.C. community is better for his engagement and we will miss him terribly.. ", While she cultivated the mighty, Morris looked closer to home, helping to found the Washington Community Chest, becoming an activist in local Jewish groups. Cafritz was a tireless promoter of the city. This is in alignment with GW efforts to benefit the local community., Cafritz was a leading force in the establishment of GWs Center for Excellence in Public Leadership (CEPL) in 1997, to help support the D.C. government just as it was coming out of receivership from the U.S. Congress. The George Washington University community is remembering the life of Calvin Cafritz, a businessman, philanthropist and longtime supporter of GW. For one thing, he has a dark, avowedly cynical sense of humor. She has pressured the Smithsonian to increase the number of minorities in high-ranking positions and has been arrested outside the South African Embassy as a leader of Mother's Day protests there. Mr. Cafritz said that the awards are designed to "shine a light on the contributions of extraordinary government employees. He resigned seven years later to form Cafritz Enterprises. With that philosophy he built a substantial reputation for philanthropy. Calvin Cafritz (1931-2023) | The Georgetowner The holdings in downtown Washington include buildings in the 1700 and 1800 blocks of K Street and a parking lot at 12th and K; buildings in the 1300 and 1600 blocks of L Street; property in the 1600, 1700 and 1800 blocks of I Street. (91 years old). Influence over the city's future -- no doubt. Another asks the bank to produce "all documents relating to purchase or provision of wine, champagne, or liquor on behalf of or for Gwendolyn Cafritz or for delivery to or consumption at 2301 Foxhall Road. Calvin Cafritz, D.C. developer and head of the Cafritz Foundation, dies The George Washington University community is remembering the life of Calvin Cafritz, a businessman, philanthropist and longtime supporter of GW. It is a secretive organization: The foundation would answer no questions for this article. Old press notices, written in the uncritical fashion of the day, recount her summers in Monte Carlo; her typical day in Washington (beginning with a ride in her limousine -- license number 2301, to match her address -- to the Supreme Court or the Capitol, to take in a decision or an interesting hearing); her winter trips to Palm Beach; her shopping trips in Paris; her ladies lunches at the Mayflower Hotel. She had not given a party for eight years, and even then, she had been memorializing the past; the real tradition, the old wine being decanted on this lambent June evening, had been decades in storage. Cafritz Family Obituaries | Cafritz Last Name Obits Perhaps as a result, he works hard, with much of Morris's old drive. It is hard not to wonder what the effect might have been of hearing Gwendolyn Cafritz's will read for the first time. Calvin Cafritz, D.C. developer, businessman and philanthropist has died Ways to honor Calvin Cafritz's life and legacy. Conrad has six children -- three adopted sons, who were Jennifer's by a first marriage; two daughters with Jennifer; and, with Peggy, 5-year-old Zachary. For the sons of Gwendolyn Cafritz, to accept her last will and testament would be to allow her, in more than one sense, the last word. Here, still, was the art moderne house, nearly as startling in 1986 as it had been when Morris Cafritz built it for his young family almost 50 years earlier. CAFRITZ SONS WIN ESTATE CHALLENGE - The Washington Post Marvin Katz was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma to Dr. Donald LaVerne Katz and Lila Maxine Katz on December 12, 1935. Real estate was more than mortgages and refi nancing in the Cafritzian heyday; it was empire building . Or purchase a subscription for unlimited access to real news you can count on. Cafritz is survived by Jane, his third wife, who is a lawyer in the area. He also is a director. The control of so much money, especially in a city with limited corporate philanthropy, brings enormous power. "Conrad is really an anomaly," says lawyer and real estate developer Donald Brown. Calvin Cafritz Obituary (1931 - 2023) - Washington, DC - The Washington sales@governmentexecutiveconsultingservices.com, Copyright 2022 Government Executive Consulting Services. Rachel M. Ratowsky, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, passed away peacefully in her sleep on Tuesday, February 2, 2021. 'Their Financial Needs Are Adequately Provided For'. Funeral arrangement under the care ofSAGEL BLOOMFIELD DANZANSKY GOLDBERG FUNERAL CARE INC. He was 91. It has been variously reviewed as "one of the more important bands to emerge from the new head-slamming school of American guitar/noise bands" and "the gnarliest, most scuzzed out molotov to hit the streets since the heady days of Teenage Jesus and The Jerks." In May, Jane Lipton Cafritz hosted a lunch that brought together a number of young opera singers and many of their supporters and admirers. Cafritz started by investing in real estate, and was always ready to make a prescient purchase, but his true passion was construction. Services Guestbook Condolences. "Maybe we try a little harder because our family name is well-known," he told a reporter in 1965. The entire time, he fought with gloves off, publicly charging his rivals with bad faith. 5.8K. "Decedent's condition deteriorated after the death of her husband in 1964 and grew worse in the following years. Morris had one vision, and Gwendolyn another; whoever now gains control might offer still a third. Named in the lawsuit, besides Calvin, is everyone to whom Gwendolyn Cafritz made a bequest, including her former servants and grandchildren, two nephews and an old escort. With support from the Cafritz Foundation, the Center for Excellence in Public Leadership hosts a yearly awards gala to honor D.C. government employees who demonstrate outstanding public service. "When I heard about it, I wrote Conrad and told him I thought it was a horrible thing he and his brother were doing to his mother," says Dorothy L. Casey, a retired secretary who worked for the Cafritz Co. for decades, reflecting a widespread tendency to speak of Carter as his brother's satellite. Irene Bloch, as she is called, is a wealthy department store owner's wife who mounts a relentless campaign for acceptance in Washington society. But she had a disconcertingly self-serious way of advertising it. The India-born founder and CEO of District-based software company Hunch Analytics is an active benefactor of both Washington and Indian causes and nonprofit groups. In 1929 he also built the since-demolished Ambassador Hotel, at 14th and K streets NW, where he and his family lived until 1938. So if some of these nostalgic callers had once doubted or mocked her, with her grand house and her grand airs and her husband's enormous fortune, it was surely too late, in 1986, for any of these social acquaintances to want to shatter this fading legend. In 1962, when it was the product of Morris Cafritz's vision, the largest grants went to the United Jewish Appeal and the Community Chest Federation. And even then, there was always fussing. These two, according to the complaint by Carter and Conrad Cafritz, "exerted undue influence" in Gwendolyn's decision to leave her entire estate to the foundation, of which they are both trustees. "I think it has the clean linear design of a Botticelli, and the elegance of an English portrait," she burbles, in her faintly accented great-lady voice, "and that's the way I would like my children to remember me. It took lawyers and IRS agents 4 years to settle the estate, which was valued in 1968 at $66 million. "That black sense of humor asserts itself, or he'll do something outrageous." Her hair was still a lacquered black, heavily dressed as always at the back of her head. Calvin Cafritz, a successful businessman, was involved in real estate for more than fifty years. As time went on, she lost complete control, and she had to drink more. In the past two decades Washington has been one of the hottest real estate markets in the country, building new fortunes, multiplying old ones, constantly attracting new players from other cities. It is with deep sorrow that we announce the death of Calvin Cafritz (Rockville, Maryland), who passed away on January 12, 2023, at the age of 91, leaving to mourn family and friends. "Jews in general just didn't figure. Cardiac Arrest.Most Shocking Celebrity Deaths of All Time, Over the last few decades, there have been some shocking and untimely deaths of few celebrities, Celebrity deaths in 2022: Remembering the famous faces we lost this year . Even as the chaos of wartime Washington started to loosen social strictures, Washington's leading hostess, Evalyn Walsh McLean, stopped entertaining; this opening, together with a boost from Eleanor "Cissy" Patterson, publisher of the Washington Times-Herald, gave Gwendolyn her opportunity. It's surprising how much a musical selection can affect mourning. As the hostess had asked, Ridgewell's Caterers heaped the silver platters and chafing dishes with the same filling, fusty food -- the whole poached salmon, the ham and turkey and carved tenderloin; none of the pastas or blackened seafood or grilled vegetables then in fashion. And by 1970, arts and humanities took the largest share of the funding. That's why her final victory rather delighted me. That's what we call a success story. Echovita offers a solidarity program that gives back the funds generated to families. In 2021 alone some 430 grants were given to 413 nonprofits of all sizes, including the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Washington National Opera (through the Cafritz Young Artists of Washington National Opera program), the Phillips Collection, the National Gallery of Art, and countless colleges, universities,and schools throughout the DC area. The "Cafritz" in the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artists Program. Washington, DC 20007 Atlas too declined to comment, but he issued a statement when the suit was filed saying that he had no role in drafting the will, and no advance knowledge of its contents. Papers filed in court by his sons' lawyers say he was born in 1888; his gravestone says 1890, which would have made him only 14 when he started his business career. Calvin R Cafritz, (202) 223-3100, 1642 29th St NW, Washington, DC Calvin Cafritz obituary - fskhub.com No one needed to be told that this was Gwendolyn Cafritz's last hurrah. She was born January 30, 1936 in Kennett, MO to the late David Richard Roberts and Betty Burbank Roberts. One interrogatory demands that Riggs National Bank, which was Gwendolyn's bank, "identify all individuals or facilities that, from 1954 until Gwendolyn Cafritz' death, provided to Gwendolyn Cafritz any care, advice, counseling, or treatment relating to her consumption of alcohol . The Cromwell, Aberdeen, Fernbrook, Rosedale, Isleworth, Traymore and Zellwood are in sorry shape today, but still stand as a modest monument to the name C-A-F-R-I-T-Z. Once it was built, he wasn't interested in it.". Calvins father Morris built the now-demolished Ambassador Hotel at 14. and K Streets NW, homes next to the National Arboretum, the Greenwich Forest neighborhood in Bethesda and several office buildings downtown. But almost no one noticed what seemed apparent to Gore Vidal, in brief glimpses of her during the '60s: "Toward the end {of the decade}, she was always drunk whenever I saw her. CAFRITZ V. CAFRITZ - The Washington Post Because Gwendolyn's estate has not been probated, its value is hard to establish. It is, as always, unclear where her inborn quirkiness shaded into the effects of alcoholism; but many of her friends, in later years, simply came to think of her as "difficult" or "eccentric"; Almost everyone has a story about her forgetting their names, or making some sudden comment of shocking rudeness. There are no events at this time. Each is in his second marriage; each is in some way involved in the arts. Leave a sympathy message to the family in the guestbook on this memorial page of Calvin Cafritz to show support. Betty Lou Roberts Colvin, age 84 of Warren, AR passed away November 5, 2020 at Chapel Woods Nursing Home in Warren, AR. Morris Cafritz incorporated the foundation in 1948 to give money to Washington-area charities, and when he died 16 years later, he left it half his estate, mostly as stock in dozens of closely held corporations; as the new majority owner of most of these companies, and with Gwendolyn owning most of the rest, the foundation became in essence the owner of the Cafritz Co., its subsidiaries and its assets. Calvin Cafritz - Rockville, Maryland , Sagel Bloomfield Danzansky Twenty-four years later, when Gwendolyn Cafritz died, her estate consisted of two parts: the marital trust established under Morris's will, and her own property -- the landmark house on Foxhall Road and various real estate, stocks, bonds and savings accounts. . Morris Cafritz - Wikipedia It was an invitation to stroll around the house and remember: When Gwen Cafritz, with her 19-inch waist and Balmain gowns, her raven hair and regal air, had won constant publicity for her parties -- 22 to dinner, with toasts over champagne, and enormous receptions like this one each spring and fall. The 2019 Philanthropic 50 - Washington Life Magazine And he still fights his battles with a surprising intensity, rarely bothering with the shake-hands-and-forget-it bonhomie common in Washington business. "He's creative, he's smart, also ambitious, like his father. But Gwendolyn sometimes took pains to tell friends that she herself was not Jewish. Cafritzs encouragement has particularly strengthened the Washington-area communitys appreciation of textiles as a vital form of artistic expression and global cultural heritage.". Tech Tip: How to Turn Documents and Images into PDFs in Android. Mr. Cafritz was married previously two times; his first wife was Enid Cafritz and his second wife was Joyce Smith. And {Gwendolyn} was just considered comical, and there were a lot of jokes about her. Cafritz was a native and longtime resident of Washington, DC. As he stood by her chair, he could name at a glance quite a few of the guests -- Chief Justice and Mrs. Warren Burger . Calvins brother Carter passed away in 2019. Website by Red Clay Creative, Chances are, many Washingtonians might not even realize how much real estate the Cafritz family is responsible for in the area. The Cafritz Foundation was one of the biggest in the D.C. area, with over $400 million in assets and around $65 million in annual revenue and expenses, according to The Washington Business Journal. That task was left to her closest relatives. And it is over the foundation, established to memorialize the name and works of the Cafritz family, that the Cafritz family is now at war.