Marina von Neumann Whitman

Marina von Neumann Whitman, of Newbury Court in Concord, MA, died on May 20, 2025, at the age of 90. She was born in New York, NY on March 6, 1935 to noted mathematician John von Neumann and his wife Mariette (Kovesi). She graduated from Radcliffe in 1956. While at Radcliffe, she met and fell in love with Robert (Bob) Whitman, whom she married in 1956.

Despite graduating first in her class from Radcliffe, she was unable to attend Princeton, her first choice for graduate training in her chosen field of economics, because Princeton did not admit women for graduate study at the time. Instead, she studied at the more forward-thinking Columbia University and received her Ph.D in economics in 1962. She used this training as a springboard to a distinguished career devoted to the practical application of economics in public policy, international affairs, and industry, and to establishing a leadership role for women in these areas. She began her academic career at the University of Pittsburgh, rising to the rank of Distinguished Public Service Professor of Economics. In 1972, she became the first woman to be appointed to the President's Council of Economic Advisers; in 1987, she was hired as chief economist for General Motors, and subsequently became the first woman to rise to the level of Group Vice President at GM. She also served on the Board of Directors of several leading multinational corporations, banks, and research and policy institutions, including the Institute for Advanced Study and Harvard University (Board of Overseers). She completed her career as a professor at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business and the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy. Throughout her career, she served as a mentor to many young professional women seeking to break into traditionally male-dominated fields in industry and public policy. She was the author of three books on international economics and "The Martian's Daughter," a memoir about her life and her famous father.

Beyond her work, she enjoyed spending time with her husband and family, traveling, and socializing with a wide community of friends.

She is preceded in death by her daughter, Laura, in 2023, and her husband, Bob, in 2024. She is mourned by her son, Malcolm; her brother, George Kuper; and his wife, Danielle; her son-in-law, David Downie; her grandchildren, William and Lindsey Downie; dear family friends, Tracy Keller and Caroline Otto; and many others who knew her.

Services are private.

Arrangements under the care of Concord Funeral Home, 74 Belknap Street, Concord, MA 01742  978-369-3388  www.concordfuneral.com