Witherspoon Memorial at UCLA Is Set

A reception in memory of Blanche Witherspoon, co-founder of UCLA’s fund-raising organization for performing arts called Design for Sharing, is planned for Nov. 28 on the UCLA campus.

Mrs. Witherspoon died of natural causes at her Sherman Oaks home Oct. 27. She was 95.

She began her career in arts education in the 1920s by creating an educational and promotional department for the music company, G. Schirmer Inc., working in Los Angeles and in New York.

In 1934, she married Herbert Witherspoon, director of the New York Metropolitan Opera.

After his death the following year, she co-founded the Metropolitan Opera Guild in New York and became its executive director. During her quarter-century tenure, the guild’s membership increased from 1,200 to 67,000.

Returning to her native Los Angeles in 1961, Mrs. Witherspoon served for five years as executive director of the Chamber Symphony Society. She also chaired Los Angeles auditions for the San Francisco and New York metropolitan operas for 15 years.

In 1966, Mrs. Witherspoon joined the staff of the UCLA Center for the Performing Arts, and three years later she co-founded UCLA’s Design for Sharing.

The organization now has about 1,000 volunteers who raise funds to enable 14,000 schoolchildren and 6,000 underprivileged citizens to attend campus performances each year.

Mrs. Witherspoon had continued to advise the group until a few months ago.