BEVERLY HILLS—Margie McNally Petersen who was a lifelong philanthropist as well as the wife to the late publishing giant Robert E. Petersen has passed away at her Beverly Hills home on the evening of November 25. Her death was a result of a lifelong battle with breast cancer; she was 76 years old. Together they were the co-founding benefactors of the Southern California Petersen Automotive Museum.

Margie Petersen, philanthropist and co-founder of Petersen Automotive Museum passes away at age 76. Photo courtesy of Truck and Trend.

Petersen was born and raised in the state of New York. Also a professional model, Petersen appeared on hundreds of magazine covers and TV commercials for a variety of advertisers such as Coca-Cola and Ivory Soap. Petersen was also a TV actress who was under contract under MGM, from reports.

Her husband Robert E. Petersen was founder and chairman of the board Petersen Publishing Company. They were not only the founding benefactors of the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles but they served as the Board of Directors also. The couple owned the famous Scandia Restaurant located on the Sunset Strip and the Petersen Galleries which is in the city of Beverly Hills. The Gallery featured up and coming Western and Wildlife artist then later showcased Plein Art and Hudson Valley artists.

Mrs. Petersen involved herself with various charitable  organizations during her life such as The Amazing Blue Ribbon of the Music Center, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, The Diadames, The Los Angeles Orphanage Guild, The League for Children, Child help U.S.A. and was also the St. Jude Research Hospital Woman of the Year. Petersen was also one of the founders of the Cedars Sinai Research for the Woman’s Cancers which rose close to $7 million in almost four years, to help fund a new institute dedicated to women’s cancers.

In honor of the passion for life and philanthropy both Margie and her husband shared, the Margie & Robert E. Petersen Foundation gifted reportedly $15 million to St. John’s Health Center and John Wayne Cancer Institute that included the naming of the Margie Petersen Breast center at St. John’s Health Center located in Santa Monica. Petersen, who was a breast cancer survivor for over 20 years, was a founding member of STOP Cancer and a member of the Associates for Breast Cancer (ABCs) and Prostate Cancer Studies.

Petersen shared a great deal of interest in interior design. In fact, she was the Vice President of the Petersen Interiors & Design, which was used as an in-house design firm for her late husband’s publishing company. She had a hand in designing a 16,000 square feet mission style terminal building which housed the Petersen Aviation at the Van Nuys Airport.

Today, the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles is represented as the Nations’ premiere automotive museum which excites thousands each year. Its mission serves to educate and excite generations of auto lovers with many great stories, vehicles as well as be inspired from the Petersen legacy.  

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