Mary 'Gogo' Kiplinger, wife of Cornell trustee emeritus Austin H. Kiplinger, dies at age 88

Gogo Kiplinger, 88, a homemaker and wife of Cornell trustee emeritus and chairman emeritus of the board Austin H. Kiplinger '39, died July 15 in Seneca, Md., of ovarian cancer.

Born Mary Louise Cobb in Bronxville, N.Y., she became known as Gogo as a teen, when her mother gave her the nickname to describe her social life at the time. After graduating from New Trier High School in Winnetka, Ill., she attended the Warrenton Country School, a French-language finishing school in Warrenton, Va., and then worked part time as a fashion model in Chicago and married Austin in 1944.

In 1946, the Kiplingers moved to Chevy Chase, Md., when Austin co-founded The Kiplinger Magazine with his father, journalist and publisher W.M. Kiplinger. Gogo served as the full-time mother of two sons, as a Sunday school teacher, Cub Scout den mother and PTA member. She also did adult literacy instruction and centered many of her activities at Montevideo, the historic property she and her husband restored in 1958. Built in 1828 by descendants of Martha Custis Washington, the farm estate Montevideo was the site of many Kiplinger events, often attended by ambassadors, congressmen and other dignitaries.

Kiplinger is survived by her husband of 63 years, her children and extended family. Her life will be celebrated at a reception at Montevideo, Saturday, July 28, at 11 a.m. at 16801 River Road, Seneca, Md., about 13 miles past the River Road Exit of the I-495 Capital Beltway. The family welcomes Cornell friends to the reception.

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