Westmont Magazine Remembering a Generous and Faithful Lady

Lady Leslie Ridley-Tree, whose generosity made a profound impact on Westmont and touched the lives of many people and organizations in the Santa Barbara community, died peacefully October 3 at the age of 98 with her family by her side.

“She personified what it means to be a true philanthropist,” says President Gayle D. Beebe. 

“She’s one of the most remarkable human beings to walk the face of the earth, and I loved being with her. She could be serious, and she could be incredibly joyful and funny, all in the same conversation.

“Every time we were together, I came away with a deeper appreciation for driving issues, a richer understanding of life and a greater commitment to efforts that make life so worth living. She was always looking for the best in situations without ever glossing over the difficulties. She made every one of us better, both our lives and our contribution.”

The Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art, named for her, opened in the heart of campus during the 2010-11 season. She donated 20 significant works of art to the college, including originals by Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, seven paintings by Barbizon artists, and a large painting of Lord Paul and Lady Leslie Ridley-Tree by Bo Bartlett. 

Ridley-Tree’s Corot collection, supplemented with selected loans of Corot’s art from museums and private collections, appeared in “Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot” in 2013 at the museum. A 2016 exhibition on campus, “Barbizon, Realism and Impressionism in France,” featured Ridley-Tree’s extensive collection.

Her most recent generosity helped Westmont acquire the Westmont Downtown building, 26 W. Anapamu, which now houses the college’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program in partnership with Cottage Health. She also contributed a significant gift to fund nursing scholarships. 

Along with gifts to the Westmont Orchestra, she created the Ridley-Tree Vocal Scholarship to support students in the college choir. Beginning in 2008, she created the Ridley-Tree Endowed Scholarship, which provides financial assistance to students with an interest in studying art, history, music or philosophy. 

The Lord and Lady Ridley-Tree Scholarship, which the Ridley-Tree Foundation created in 2001, has provided financial aid to Westmont students for more than two decades. 

The Ridley-Trees arrived in Santa Barbara in 1988 and gave generously to many local organizations, especially supporting health care, education and the arts. Paul Ridley-Tree established a successful airplane parts and repair business, which Leslie Ridley-Tree ran after his death in 2006.

“I will truly miss the joy that accompanied every meeting I had with her,” Beebe says. “She made me a better person and a more complete follower of God. She will always live in my memory as a person of great faith who is now at home with our Lord. We look forward with hope to the day when we will see her again.”