18 Facts About Katherine Loker

Katherine Loker was an American heiress and philanthropist.

Katherine Loker donated tens of millions of dollars to fund university programs and infrastructure improvement at California State University, Dominguez Hills, Harvard University, and the University of Southern California.

Katherine Loker made significant contributions to the California Museum of Science and Industry, the California Hospital Medical Center in Los Angeles, the Donald P Loker Cancer Treatment Center, the Los Angeles Music Center, and the Richard Nixon Library in Yorba Linda, among other institutions.

Katherine Loker was honored in 1996 with the Harvard Alumni Association Medal and in 2007 received the Presidential Medallion, the highest award of USC.

The rose 'Katherine Loker' is named in her honor as are many facilities in California and Massachusetts.

Katherine Loker Ann Bogdanovich was born on August 13,1915, in San Pedro, a village in Los Angeles, California, to Antoinette and Martin Joseph Bogdanovich.

Katherine Loker's parents were immigrants from Komiza on the island of Vis in Croatia and moved to the United States in 1908.

Katherine Loker's father began their life in San Pedro, working on a fishing boat.

In that year, 1965, Katherine Loker became one of the founders of the California Museum of Science and Industry.

When her husband died in 1988, Katherine Loker continued with their philanthropy.

Katherine Loker provided funding to renovate the Harry Elkins Widener Memorial Library, rebuild the Memorial Hall tower, and support women's athletics at Harvard.

Katherine Loker met with officials at the California Hospital Medical Center in 2003 to discuss the need in Downtown Los Angeles for a health center for women.

Katherine Loker donated $1.5 million to the hospital to establish a neonatal intensive care unit and $3.5 million toward building a women's center.

Katherine Loker donated $1.5 million in honor of her husband to establish the Donald P Loker Acting Fellowship at the USC School of Theatre in 2006.

Katherine Loker was similarly recognized with an honorary doctorate from USC in 1997, and in 2007 received the Presidential Medallion, USC's highest honor.

Katherine Loker was awarded an honorary degree from California State University, Dominguez Hills, in 1999, and that year was recognized by The New York Times for her philanthropy.

Katherine Loker died on June 26,2008, in Oceanside, California, five days after having a stroke.

In 2012, the Los Angeles Center for Women's Health, for which Loker had provided funding nearly a decade before, opened at 1513 S Grand Avenue, Los Angeles.