Ethel Pew Benson Wister, known to her friends as "Peppi" and her grandchildren as "Yaya," passed away surrounded by her family on June 16, 2024, at 82 years of age.

Born on March 2, 1942, to Richard Benson and Mary Caven Pew, Ethel was raised outside of Philadelphia, where she spent most of her life and raised her four children. She was brilliant and curious, attending The Shipley School, Saint Timothy's School and later Stanford University, where she pursued her passion for history, graduating in 1963.

In 1966, she married William Rotch Wister Jr., with whom she shared four children: Alberta (Effie), Sabina, Noelle, and Will. She was a devoted mother and the bedrock of the family, guiding her children and putting their needs above her own. She was also a loving grandmother; she assisted in raising her eldest grandchild and cherished her interactions with her three younger grandchildren in her later years.

Ethel was the great-granddaughter of Sun Oil Company founder Joseph Newton Pew and she fully embraced the Pew family's philanthropic spirit. She dedicated a significant part of her adult life to serving as a director of the Glenmede Trust Company and the Pew Charitable Trusts. Before joining the board at Pew, she was a staff member, visiting hospitals, schools, and community centers where Pew's charitable gifts made a difference. Her passion for social causes had a huge impact on the City of Philadelphia. She cared deeply and compassionately advocated for the mentally ill and homeless.

With her appreciation for nature and animals, she helped procure grants to fund the creation of the Brandywine Conservancy and Museum of Art. She supported the Willistown Conservation Trust and loved walking her dogs in conserved areas where she could see trees, birds, and other animals.

She had a deep love for music, art, and education and as a director for several organizations while being deeply involved with others. She loved the Philadelphia Academy of Music, the Philadelphia Opera Company, the Philadelphia Orchestra, People's Light and Theater Company, and Concerto Soloists. Her collaboration with Luciano Pavarotti on the Pavarotti International Voice Competition was a testament to her passion. She also served on the board of Lincoln University and the Barnes Foundation and played a significant role in paving the way for the collection's first international tour. Her interest in education and creating opportunities for all lead her to work closely with Lord Mountbatten building the United World Colleges international student programs.

She first visited Cape May to learn about her family history and stayed at Angel of the Sea Bed & Breakfast, formerly the home of her maternal great-grandfather, William Weightman. Weightman founded Powers & Weightman, the company responsible for inventing the malaria-curing drug quinine. She was proud of her family's accomplishments and loved the Scheie Eye Institute and served on the board of the Wistar Institute, helping advance research on cancer, immunology, and infectious diseases.

Many who had the privilege of knowing her fell in love with her unique character. She exuded remarkable charm, warmth, elegance, wit, strength, open-mindedness, and acceptance. She had an endless patience that was apparent in all her conversations. She was genuinely interested and gave her complete attention to whomever she was speaking. She ensured they felt loved and valued. She had an insatiable curiosity and constantly sought to expand her understanding of the world and share her ideas with others.

She is survived by her four children and her four grandchildren and her nieces Helen Booth and Rachel Collins. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Willistown Conservation Trust for open space preservation.

Her family and friends gathered privately to celebrate her life. She will be deeply missed but forever in our hearts. May she rest in peace. Those who loved her are forever grateful for her extraordinary kindness, thoughtfulness, generosity, and love.