Rebekah Harkness | |
|---|---|
 Harkness in 1972 | |
| Born | Rebekah Semple West April 17, 1915 St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. |
| Died | 17 June 1982 (aged 67) New York City, U.S. |
| Other names | Betty Harkness |
| Education | John Burroughs School Fermata |
| Alma mater | Franklin Pierce College |
| Known for | Harkness Ballet |
| Spouses | Dickson W. Pierce
(m. 1939; div. 1946)William Hale Harkness
(m. 1947; died 1954)Niels Lauersen
(m. 1974; div. 1977) |
| Children | 3 |
Rebekah West Harkness (née Semple West;[1] April 17, 1915 – June 17, 1982) also known as Betty Harkness, was an American composer, socialite, sculptor, dance patron, and philanthropist who founded the Harkness Ballet. In 1947, she married William Hale "Bill" Harkness, an attorney and heir to the Standard Oil fortune of William L. Harkness, which made her one of the wealthiest women in America. In addition to her marriage, Harkness also became well known for her personal eccentricities, as well as her contributions to the arts.