As the major contributor, Leslie Ridley-Tree signed the last beam raised for what became the Ridley-Tree Cancer Center, as did CEO Dr. Kurt Ransohoff and health and construction workers; she made significant contibutions to Cottage Hospital, Alzheimer’s research, Sarah House, Council of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, and many other organizations. | Credit: Paul Wellman (file)
Leslie was a lady.
While the word “lady” connotes a woman of noble rank; it actually derives from a term for “breadmaker,” seemingly appropriate for the woman who metaphorically kneaded, baked, and distributed bread throughout Santa Barbara.
Leslie and her late husband, Paul Ridley-Tree, were the leading philanthropists of Santa Barbara during the last 30 years, funding hundreds of millions of dollars to organizations.
