January 2023 - Page 189 - obituaries death And he still fights his battles with a surprising intensity, rarely bothering with the shake-hands-and-forget-it bonhomie common in Washington business. 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. . Or purchase a subscription for unlimited access to real news you can count on. And by 1970, arts and humanities took the largest share of the funding. The same plain white damask draped the table, with plain white damask napkins tied around settings of her heavy Georg Jensen flatware. He's truly out to make a big impact on the city, I think. 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. He was 91 years of. Rogers had served as her personal attorney since her husband, Washington real estate magnate Morris Cafritz, died in 1964. 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. Asked in 1954 why all her sons bore two-syllable names beginning with "C," she replied, "Morris names all children, horses, dogs, apartment houses and everything around here. Late last year, Calvins wife Jane was elected to succeed her husband as the foundations president and CEO and he was named chairman emeritus. Of the three sons, Calvin seems to have had the best relationship with his mother. Write your message of sympathy today. Morris Cafritz is remembered more for the quantity than for the aesthetic quality of his works. Washington, DC 20006. He was an excellent listener and always got both the big picture and important details by asking insightful questions. At the least, then, Gwendolyn's will disposes of more than $140 million. Calvin Cafritz, a native and longtime resident of Washington, DC, was born March 29, 1931, as the eldest son of Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz. Cafritz Calvin Cafritz Washington developer and one of the region's leading philanthropists, died Thursday morning, January 12, 2023, at Sibley Memorial Hospital, in Washington, DC. ", Gwendolyn reportedly raised her children according to the dictates of her European background -- under the aegis of servants, to be seen and not heard. 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. He served in these roles until 2022, when Jane Lipton Cafritz, his wife, was elected Board Chair and President and CEO. Calvin Cafritz Rockville, Maryland March 29, 1931 - January 12, 2023 Share Obituary: Tribute Wall Obituary & Events Share a memory Send Flowers Share a memory of Calvin Cafritz. . Thanks to the support of the Cafritz Foundation for the last 25 years, CEPL has supported organizational transformation across the public sector in the city. Add a photo or a video 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. He was the eldest son of real estate titan Morris Cafritz and his wife Gwendolyn. "With so-called friends all around her, she was a very lonely woman," says Dowling. "Conrad was persistent as hell in getting that project," says one person familiar with Conrad's business. He was 91. All rights reserved. There are also real estate assets at Arlingtons 3701 N. Fairfax Drive, which is the former home of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. Rachel was a daughter of the late Abraham and Chierney Yarowsky. They have helped us to be innovative and to expand. Today he shares office space and support staff with Conrad's growing interests, but for the most part pursues his own deals. Today, he is married to Peggy Cooper Cafritz, who is a local power in the arts and in liberal political causes -- and the only Cafritz listed in Who's Who. To plant trees in memory, please visit the. Michael J. Dowling, who became the Cafritzes' butler in the early '60s, describes a tragically common decline. Obituary | Betty Colvin of Warren, Arkansas | Frazer's Funeral Home The foundation is Washington's largest source of private funds earmarked exclusively for local projects, large enough to give the person who controls it a potentially shaping influence on the city. Her two younger sons have also filed a separate petition that pursues only the marital trust. Calvin Cafritz (1931-2023) | The Georgetowner Echovita offers a solidarity program that gives back the funds generated to families. He was elected to the Board of Directors of the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation in December 1988 and since February 1989 had served as Board Chairman. Today, Calvin is foundation chairman. It is also different from proving that a respected lawyer and former Cabinet member, in league with a longtime family associate, unfairly loaded the dice. Authorize the publication of the original written obituary with the accompanying photo. The foundation's board of trustees consisted of Gwendolyn Cafritz and the two men who would become her executors -- Atlas and William P. Rogers, her attorney. "He's creative, he's smart, also ambitious, like his father. Influence over the city's future -- no doubt. Conrad's strategy has been diversity. Funeral arrangement under the care ofSAGEL BLOOMFIELD DANZANSKY GOLDBERG FUNERAL CARE INC. He was preceded in death by his brother Carter Cafritz. Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a33c63ad631098ddb002d9da023fc09f" );document.getElementById("gab125c3ec").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. But almost no one seems to doubt that Conrad is the main force behind it. Only between the lines or in conversations with old friends can one make out how nakedly she wore her ambitions, and how hard she was working to measure up. CAFRITZ SONS WIN ESTATE CHALLENGE - The Washington Post He was 91. All three sons were rumored to have difficult relationships with their mother, and it was rare to find them together, bearing in unison the family standard. "She was not, as they say, invited anywhere at the beginning," recalls Gore Vidal, whose novel Washington, D.C. includes a character "suggested," he says, by Gwendolyn Cafritz. Rachel M. Ratowsky Obituary ", 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. Morris was a famously frugal man who used to tell friends he couldn't afford to rent office space in the best of his buildings, and his major vanity, beyond lying about his age, appears to have been combing his pomaded hair over a bald spot at the back. Through his dedication to the Foundation and his beloved Washington, DC community, Mr. Cafritz was deeply committed to building a more just and beautiful region with access to opportunities for all. 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. 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. Receive obituaries from the city or cities of your choice. Calvin R Cafritz, (202) 223-3100, 1642 29th St NW, Washington, DC The control of so much money, especially in a city with limited corporate philanthropy, brings enormous power. A minor but colorful part of Cafritz's legacy was an idea borrowed from Harry Wardman, his predecessor as the leader of the field. 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. He was 91. Calvin Fritz Obituary (1952 - 2021) - Legacy Remembers ", Conrad and Carter Cafritz have chosen instead the purgatory of probate court, where their complaints suggest less lovely memories. 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. Mr. Cafritz is also survived by his brother Conrad Cafritz. 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. In 1971, he resigned from the company amid reports of conflict with his mother, and by the time she wrote a 1977 will, all three sons, including Calvin, had been dealt out of any inheritance. "Right at the moment he could be most charming, he does something to undercut it," says one friend. You can still show your support by sending flowers directly to the family, or plant a tree in memory of Calvin Cafritz. "Decedent's condition deteriorated after the death of her husband in 1964 and grew worse in the following years. Perhaps the most remarkable member of this third generation is his daughter Julia, who dropped out of Brown University four years ago with a classmate to found a band named Pussy Galore. Finally, there is an emotional legacy to be earned -- or perhaps shed. They're more like the French salons.". Carter appears something of a cipher even to old family associates. Marvin Katz Obituary - Richardson, TX - Dignity Memorial None of the Cafritz sons can be said to need the money that is at stake. Gwendolyn Cafritz died of cancer last November. (202) 338-4833, Georgetown Media Group. In the 21st century, it's not just urns and gravestones anymore. Throughout his career he was recognized not only for his natural intuitive insight but also for his in-depth study and acute analysis of every possibility for investment in real estate. Then there is the foundation itself, with its powerful endowment for the city. "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. Calvin Cafritz Obituary The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation has Died January 17, 2023 Calvin Cafritz Death, Obituary - Calvin Cafritz, the eldest son of Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz, died Thursday at Sibley Memorial Hospital. He was for years the president of the Jewish Community Center and donated the land for its first headquarters on Q Street NW. Real estate was more than mortgages and refi nancing in the Cafritzian heyday; it was empire building . Because Gwendolyn's estate has not been probated, its value is hard to establish. The foundation, among Greater Washingtons largest with more than $400 million in assets and some $65 million in annual revenue and expenses, according to its most recent Form 990, is expected to issue a formal statement in the coming days. ", High culture was one of her chosen routes to acceptance. We welcome you to provide your thoughts and memories on our Tribute Wall. 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. It is hard not to wonder what the effect might have been of hearing Gwendolyn Cafritz's will read for the first time. ON JUNE 10, 1986, GWENDOLYN D. CAFRITZ GAVE HER LAST PARTY. Following the death of his father, Calvin became president of The Cafritz Co., Cafritz Construction Co. and Ambassador, Inc. in 1964. Cafritzs passing was confirmed by the charitable organization named after Morris and his wife, The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation. Grief researchers say holding that missing funeral service, even a year or more later, can still help us heal. Cafritz Family Obituaries | Cafritz Last Name Obits . To Calvin Cafritz, she left the symbolic role of family chief, Morris Cafritz'ssuccessor in a world of primogeniture. Published by The Washington Post on Jan. 22, 2023. And {Gwendolyn} was just considered comical, and there were a lot of jokes about her. 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. The daughter of a Hungarian immunologist who had a role in devising the early Wasserman test to detect syphilis, Gwen Cafritz was the opposite of her husband. She was forever trying to tell me some long story I could never make head or tail of. That's what we call a success story. In high school, for example, Conrad stood out even among his privileged classmates at St. Albans. Leave a sympathy message to the family in the guestbook on this memorial page of Calvin Cafritz to show support. . 2017-2023 Tribute Archive. ", Today, he still combats a version of that assumption, pithily summed up by one detractor in this way: "You don't have to be Albert Einstein to take money and make additional money in real estate." 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." All Rights Reserved. James Edward Cafritz <p>James Edward Cafritz of Bethesda, MD, passed away on Tuesday, December 22, 2020, at the age of 90. Calvin, 58, who finds himself a defendant in this lawsuit, is usually described as gentlemanly, methodical and reserved. Vidal wrote, "Irene's evening dress was much too vivid, too personal, too fashionable for the calculated dowdiness" of a dinner in old-line Washington. About - The Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation 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. If youre in charge of handling the affairs for a recently deceased loved one, this guide offers a helpful checklist. She is survived by her daughter Jane Cafritz (Calvin) of Washington, DC, five grandchildren: James Speyer, Irina Rubenstein and . G Guest 4 hours ago Comment Share T The staff at Sagel Bloomfield Danzansky Goldberg Funeral Care Inc a day ago We plant this tree as a living memorial to Calvin. Her hair was still a lacquered black, heavily dressed as always at the back of her head. 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. 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. Calvin Frazier - Wikipedia She set aside bequests for two nephews ($35,000 each); a former company employee, Dorothy Casey ($10,000); and four former servants (two bequests of $50,000 and two of $25,000). Mr. Cafritz' 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. Prepare a personalized obituary for someone you loved.. March 29, 1931 - Conrad and his first wife entertained often in their Georgetown house in the '60s, giving parties -- often liberal fund-raisers -- that offered cozy intimations of radical chic. [2] He is buried in the Washington Hebrew Congregation Cemetery, Washington, D.C. Philanthropy [ edit] "She was good to me, and she was a good woman in my eyes," he says. As time went on, she lost complete control, and she had to drink more. In Remembrance. He has always been involved in the bread and butter real estate of housing, from building single-family homes in Prince William County to renovating apartment complexes in Alexandria; he was a major beneficiary of the Washington condo boom. 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. In Washington, D.C., when Irene Bloch's husband dies, a character says, "We should build him a monument, and dedicate it to the Unknown Husband. She was multilingual and had studied art history at the University of Budapest. Calvin Cafritz Washington developer and one of the region's leading philanthropists, died Thursday morning, January 12, 2023, at Sibley Memorial Hospital, in Washington, DC. Operating under his own banner, Calvin Cafritz Enterprises, he has built both residential and commercial buildings in D.C. and Virginia. In the '70s she became a near-recluse. Ways to honor Calvin Cafritz's life and legacy. "Carter, he always did what the other two did," says Casey. Obituary. If you could walk around to the back, you might look out at the famous view; and you might almost see as far as Southeast D.C., where Morris lies with his in-laws, still waiting. The mission of the foundation is improving the quality of life for all Washington, D.C., metropolitan-area residents, Boerstling said. Calvin Cafritz, D.C. developer and head of the Cafritz Foundation, dies But it was a heady enough wine to call out 300 guests, and the ghosts of many more who had preceded them. Would you like to offer Calvin Cafritzs loved ones a condolence message? 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. "Jews in general just didn't figure. "Conrad is really an anomaly," says lawyer and real estate developer Donald Brown. Since 1989, Cafritz led the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, a charitable organization named for his parents. From the others he solicited their names, bending to murmur prompts into the ear of the star. He was 91 years of age. At the same time, he and Tompkins had the foresight to buy the land now known as Pentagon City. Her skin had an unhealthy, pouchy pallor; extending an uncertain hand, she had the air of a dreamer deploying remembered charms. 91. Peggy Cooper Cafritz, grande dame of the Washington arts and education When the Duke and Duchess of Windsor came and danced downstairs in "the Club," with the dance floor lighted from below. We welcome you to provide your thoughts and memories on our Tribute Wall. The entire time, he fought with gloves off, publicly charging his rivals with bad faith. She was 78 years old. ", The Cafritzes slept in separate bedrooms, Morris rising at dawn to get to the office. In any case, he was at least 20 years older than his bride when they married in 1929. 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. The best poems for funerals, memorial services., and cards. He was 91 at the time he died. Calvin Cafritz Obituary (1931 - 2023) | Rockville, Maryland Mr. Says a friend, "He thinks they're a lot of fuddy-duddies living in the 17th century." 1050 30th St. NW Cafritz is survived by his third wife, Jane Lipton Cafritz, a Washington lawyer whom he married in 2000; his three children; three stepchildren (including Olivia Rubenstein, who earned a masters degree from GSEHD in 2018); and numerous grandchildren and step-grandchildren, as well as his brother, Conrad Cafritz, chairman and CEO of Cafritz Interests. She carried her isolation to her grave. Her gown, as in the past, was spectacularly formal: folds of purple satin sweeping to her ankles beneath a fitted bodice. I hope they will. But Carter and Conrad Cafritz are not named in their mother's will. a medically-induced . Site design by, D.C. developer and head of the Cafritz Foundation. "She felt that was the end, when she couldn't function socially.". The D.C. community is better for his engagement and we will miss him terribly.. "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. In the last half-century, the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation has awarded more than $507 million in grants. Copyright 2023 Echovita Inc. All rights reserved. The strange paradox of her marriage was that Morris's money enabled her to carry out her lavish social dreams, while the family's being Jewish also placed limits on her chances of realizing them. Senator Barry Goldwater . And other times she didn't. 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. You can still show your support by sending flowers directly to the family, or plant a tree in memory of Calvin Cafritz. "Watch Washington Grow to One Million," he urged in newspaper ads of the '40s, a slogan he changed to "Watch Washington Grow to Two Million" after the 1950 census counted more than 1.4 million in the metropolitan area. "Those were her orders: The Scotch should never be let go beneath the neck of the decanter. Calvin Cafritz, the eldest son of real estate developer Morris Cafritz, died last week at the age of 91. Marvin Katz was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma to Dr. Donald LaVerne Katz and Lila Maxine Katz on December 12, 1935. Gwendolyn Cafritz, 78, Washington Hostess - The New York Times It is not clear how old he was when he fell for a 19-year-old Hungarian-American beauty named Gwendolyn Detre de Surany; perhaps because she was so much younger than he, Cafritz appears to have habitually understated his age by six or eight years. "He just wanted to build, build, build, build!" The Cafritz Foundation is also responsible for developing Art Place at Fort Totten, a huge mixed-use project in the Northeast D.C. area. She was a member of Main Street Church of Christ in Monticello, AR. 5.8K. After Morris Cafritz died, his close associate Martin Atlas became executive vice president of the company, and vice president and treasurer of the Cafritz Foundation, while Gwendolyn Cafritz ultimately became president of both. The foundation, which Calvin led for over 30 years (after his mother Gwendolyn died in 1988), focuses on programs in the arts and humanities. "I used to call up the house and get her maid, and her maid would talk to me about her, and say that she was completely worn out and simply couldn't get up and get herself ready to go on the warpath," says socialite Polly Logan. Calvins father Morris built the now-demolished Ambassador Hotel at 14th and K Streets NW, homes next to the National Arboretum, the Greenwich Forest neighborhood in Bethesda and several office buildings downtown. He died on Thursday, Jan. 12, at age 91. Cafritz's passing was confirmed by the charitable organization named after Morris and his wife, The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation. He died on Thursday, Jan. 12, at age 91. In real estate, especially within the constricting borders of D.C., power isn't limited to those who own the land; controlling the land can be almost as good. ", Interviews suggest the sons will not lack for evidence to support their argument. We will miss his gracious and generous presence.. In 1971, Mr. Cafritz resigned to form Calvin Cafritz Enterprises, with investments in aviation, communications, and Washington area real estate. "I know Atlas hates publicity like poison," says Raymond Carter, a former Cafritz Co. vice president. Peggy, the product of a well-to-do black family from Mobile, Ala., has worked especially at promoting arts in the black community: She almost single-handedly founded the Duke Ellington School for the Arts and was Marion Barry's first chairman of the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities. The outcome of the lawsuit is unpredictable, though clearly it will be an uphill fight: Showing that someone was alcoholic is very different from demonstrating that she was incapable of writing a will. We welcome you to provide your thoughts and memories on our Tribute Wall. But of the property over which she had control, Gwendolyn left her children only "such photographs, family mementos, and similar objects of domestic use or ornamentation as my executors, in their absolute discretion, shall determine that I would wish to have preserved for my children.". After college and military service, he rejoined the firm in 1956 and served in various positions, until the death of his father in 1964 when he became President of Cafritz Company, Cafritz Construction Company, and Ambassador, Inc. During his tenure, the companies developed, constructed, and leased a number of additional office buildings in Washington's central business district. "That what she wanted was pointless is not for us to judge.". "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. Read more on bizjournals.com. Gradually, as Gwendolyn took command of it, its character changed. January 27, 2023. In May, Jane Lipton Cafritz hosted a lunch that brought together a number of young opera singers and many of their supporters and admirers. Age: 91 years old Also known as: Mr Calvin Cafritz, Calvin Cafritz View Full Report Mobile number ADS View Current Number Landline number (202) 223-3100 Email addresses ccafritz@cafritzfoundation.org Relatives Calvin Cafritz Jane Cafritz Current address 1642 29th St NW, Washington, DC, 20007-2901 See more results for Calvin Cafritz "Maybe we try a little harder because our family name is well-known," he told a reporter in 1965. Throughout the '40s and '50s it was her custom to give a large cocktail reception each spring, and to mark the opening of every fall season with a party honoring the start of the Supreme Court term. Calvin Cafritz - Rockville, Maryland , Sagel Bloomfield Danzansky