Three years ago, on July 20, 2014, the Arlington Diocese lost a
cherished friend and philanthropist, Rose Bente Lee Ostapenko. Rose’s
philanthropic imprint is especially visible in the immediate area as well as
several counties throughout Virginia. It is fitting to look back and reflect on
her remarkable life.
In the 1930s as a teenager, Rose immigrated to the United States
from Germany. Later, when she married Raymond H. Bente, his reputation as an
entrepreneur coupled with her talent as a designer with a fondness for fabric
and fashion, made them an ideal match. By combining their talents, they founded
House of Fine Fabrics, which grew into a large retail chain of 17 stores in the
Washington area.
After Ray’s death, Rose sold the business in 1978. Now
established as an astute businesswoman, Rose began investing in development and
partnered in projects in the metro region and beyond.
Already charitable, she truly embarked on her philanthropic
lifework after she married Robert E. Lee, a commissioner and chairman of the
Federal Communications Commission. The focus of her eventual legendary
generosity included her faith, education, healthcare, the arts and the poor.
After the death of her second husband, she married Rear Adm.
William M. Ostapenko in 1999, who encouraged Rose to continue and expand her
philanthropic legacy.
A vital component of Rose’s generous acts of giving was that her
gifts delivered permanence and resulted in multiple brick-and-mortar projects.
She accomplished this by establishing the Robert E. Lee Oncology Unit at
Virginia Hospital Center in memory of her late husband who died of cancer. She
later funded the Rose Bente Lee Ostapenko Outpatient Oncology Center. She also
supported the Vince Lombardi Cancer Research Center at Georgetown University
Hospital as well the Hospice Center in Arlington.
As a board member at Marymount University in Arlington, Rose’s
vision and generosity established the Rose Bente Lee Endowment Scholarship in
Nursing, benefiting close to 100 students to date. Her gift of the Marymount
Student Center, later named the Rose Bente Lee Center, was followed by the Rose
Bente Lee Ostapenko residence hall in recognition of her contributions and
leadership.
Always the visionary, Rose donated 30 acres to the Germanna
Community College Educational Foundations in Culpeper for a technology skills center.
She also supported Niagara University in New York and the University of Notre
Dame in South Bend, Ind., where she served on the advisory board for three
years.
As a Catholic, she was a longtime parishioner at St. Agnes Church
in Arlington where she helped fund numerous projects including gifting two organs
to the parish.
Some years ago, Bishop Paul S. Loverde discussed with her the
need for a priest retirement home. In her quiet and preferred style, she
provided the majority of funds for the construction of the St. Rose of Lima
Retirement Villa in Annandale.
Bishop Loverde, who is now retired, lives at the villa with six
other priests. It was important to Rose that diocesan priests, who have served
the community so faithfully and for so long, have a retirement home for
themselves. The wheelchair-accessible, 15,000-square-foot home provides a
peaceful, dignified environment, which can accommodate up to 15 priests.
Rose expressed her affinity for seniors when she solely funded
the construction of Malta House, an assisted living residence in Hyattsville,
Md., for seniors who can no longer live on their own and may need assistance or
supervision. The facility has 31 private rooms/baths for residents who receive
three home-cooked meals daily.
Rose’s faith extended beyond the Christian faith. She was a loyal
supporter to the United Jewish Appeal Foundation and the Jewish Council for the
Aging. In addition, the Salvation Army was a recipient of her generous charity
for years.
As a testament to her faith, Rose had chapels built at Malta
House, St. Rose of Lima Retirement Villa and the Air Force Academy. After
donating 60 acres of land in Orange County to help Childhelp USA East, she
donated funds for a chapel for that facility.
Rose loved how the arts lifted the human spirit and supported the
National Ballet, the National Symphony Orchestra, the Virginia Chamber
Orchestra and Wolf Trap. She supported the John F. Kennedy Center for the
Performing Arts by underwriting six box seats in the Opera House. Rose, along
with many others, was a founder of the National Museum of Women in the Arts,
which opened in Washington in 1987.
She was a creative, fearless, strong business woman, who,
according to her nephew, Bob Neuland, was at ease negotiating in a man’s world.
Her ability to see the bigger picture and welcome roles of leadership came
easily to Rose. When she learned of a problem, she simply, yet discretely,
acted to solve it.
“We will never know how many lives have been uplifted, comforted
and strengthened through her generous and compassionate spirit, but through her
many acts of kindness she left a lasting impact for generations to come,” said
Arlington Bishop Michael F. Burbidge.
“Her work now continues with the establishment of the Rose Bente
Lee Endowment Fund from her estate that will generate substantial annual income
for perpetuity to help the Catholic Church in the Arlington Diocese.”
Koch is director of planned giving for the Office of
Development.