HENRIETTA, COUNTESS DE HOERNLE
100TH BIRTHDAY GALA COMMITTEE
GALA HONORARY CHAIRS CHRISTINE LYNN I BARBARA AND DICK SCHMIDT
GALA CHAIR COMMANDER ISABELLE K. PAUL DCGSJ I GALA VICE-CHAIR DAME ALYCE E. ERICKSON DSJ
PRESENTED BY THE ORDER OF ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM, KNIGHTS HOSPITALLER COMMANDERY OF FLORIDA
UNDER ROYAL CHARTER AND CONSTITUTION OF HIS LATE MAJESTY KING PETER II OF YUGOSLAVIA
MEDIA CONTACT: KAYE COMMUNICATIONS, INC. (T) 561-392-5166
BONNIE S. KAYE bkaye@kcompr.com (C) 561-756-3099 I JON A. KAYE jkaye@kcompr.com (C) 561-756-3097
BIOGRAPHY OF HENRIETTA, COUNTESS DE HOERNLE GCSJ, MMSJ
Our Legend, Her Legacy
“GIVE WHILE YOU LIVE, SO YOU KNOW WHERE IT GOES.”
“I’M AN AMERICAN BY CHOICE.”
“GIVING STARTS AT HOME AND BOCA RATON IS MY HOME.”
--Henrietta, Countess de Hoernle
Henrietta, Countess de Hoernle, the woman whose name has become synonymous with giving, was born in the
German Black Forest town of Karlsruhe on September 24, 1912. Her mother, Theresa, was a violinist, and her
father, George, was a pianist.
The Countess came to America in 1931 aboard the S.S. Pennland to live with her grandparents in Jackson Heights,
in Queens, New York. She enjoyed parties and events and met each of her three husbands at The Liederkranz
Club, a social Manhattan social club founded by German-Americans to promote social and instrumental music.
“Liederkranz” literally means “a wreath of songs”. Patrons of that early society have advanced the careers of many
singers and its chorus has performed at the Metropolitan Opera House as well as in Boston and Philadelphia.
The Countess's first husband, Karl Heinz Bisping, died in an accident. They had one daughter who currently lives
with her family in Yorktown Heights, New York. Her second husband, Jeff Gass, served in the U.S. Army during
World War II and contracted malaria in the South Pacific. They had one daughter, who lives in York, Pennsylvania.
After the war, Gass was in charge of all the documents for the Nuremburg trials. The family has donated many
documents related to this period to the Harvard University Law Library. Mr. Gass died in 1949 from complications
of his malarial condition.
In 1950, the Countess met businessman and engineer, Adolph, Count de Hoernle, at a Liederkranz Club
masquerade ball. Soon after marrying, the couple moved to Bronxville, NY, a Westchester County suburb of New
York City, where the Countess began volunteering at Lawrence Hospital’s thrift shop. While there, she noticed
many plaques in the hospital stating "This room is donated by ... ". Inspired by the generosity of others, the
Countess encouraged her husband to do the same. At the same time, The Countess also volunteered for local
Meals On Wheels programs. Together, the Count and Countess soon began to provide music scholarships to
singers through their Liederkranz society and among the first recipients was opera star, Gene Boucher.
Adolph sold his company, Stewart Stamping, in 1965 and following some considerable world travel and many visits
to the area, the couple retired to Boca Raton in 1981—convinced that Boca Raton was, indeed, the “Jewel of The
Gold Coast”.
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BIOGRAPHY OF HENRIETTA, COUNTESS DE HOERNLE GCSJ, MMSJ/2/2/2/2
The commitment to her life's charitable work became their “new” life in Florida. And, like the tropical foliage did they
bloom! Time, talent and treasure became the by-words as service on institutional and organizational boards,
community involvement and leadership in philanthropic efforts and commitment to the region became paramount.
Boca Raton Community Hospital received their first “Sunshine State” gift, and it hardly was their last. Other health
organizations, educational facilities, scholarships, cultural programs, community singing and theater groups,
abused women and children, students, veterans, first-responders, the elderly and, in particular, the desperately
needy, sick, and poor have all benefited from the remarkable spirit of kindness and giving that rules the life and
daily work of the Countess de Hoernle, our legend as she inspires us with her legacy.
A comprehensive listing of the individuals, organizations, programs, and ideas that became reality in whole or in
part by the Countess’s care and nurture append this biography.
Lives of goodness create ripples that extend far beyond our vision. The helpful hands of our honoree have made
our city, state, nation and the world a better place.
On the Countess’s 100th Birthday, September 24, 2012 the community will celebrate and offer very best wishes for
the Countess’s continued good health and happiness several ways: the C100 Birthday Gala presented by Order of
St. John of Jerusalem, Knights Hospitaller Commandery of Florida and Constitution of His Late Majesty Peter II of
Yugoslavia and a special “Red, White & Boca-Blue” Countess Appreciation Day showering her with record-breaking
“community wishes”.
HONORS & RECOGNITIONS
Titles of Chivalry
- GCSJ, MMSJ - Dame Commander of Justice of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Knights Hospitaller (Malta) and
recipient of the Order’s Grand Cross and Medal of Merit.
- OSJ (Malta) Ambassador at Large and Patroness of the Americas Priory and Commandery of Florida
- Dame de Grande Croix de Justice: Order Militaire et Hospitalier de Notre Dame du Mont Carmel
- Dame of the Noble Companion of the Swan
- Dame of the Knightly Association of St. George the Martyr
- Dame of the Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem; Dame of the Most Venerable and Holy
Orthodox Order of Saint Basil the Great.
Educational Honors
- LHD - Doctor of Humane Letters (honoris causa) Lynn University.
On Permanent Display
The Countess de Hoernle’s regalia, degrees, awards, plaques, shields, and commemorative photographs are
currently on permanent display at the Spanish River Library in Boca Raton.
News Links of Interest
Boca Raton Tribune, 09/22/11 (Dale King): http://ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00102052/00066
OSJ (Malta) The Herald, 11/01/12: http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs017/1107894918984/archive/1108900785463.html
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BIOGRAPHY OF HENRIETTA, COUNTESS DE HOERNLE GCSJ, MMSJ/3/3/3/3
COUNTESS: BY THE NUMBERS
-
Born Henrietta Rach in Karlsruhe, Germany on September 24, 1912.
Immigrated at age 18 to the U.S. in 1931 aboard the S.S. Pennland, lived with grandparents in Jackson Heights, Queens, NY.
Became an “American by choice!” on _________.
Twice widowed: (1) Karl Heinz Bisping (d.____); (2) Jeff Gass (d. 1949).
Last married on 10/26/1950 to engineer and entrepreneur Adolph, Count de Hoernle (b. 05/10/1903, Pforzheim,
Germany d. 09/10/1998, Boca Raton, FL
).
Two daughters, nine grand-children.
Family fortune created as owner of Stewart Stamping Corp., Bronxville, NY, manufacturer of stamped metal
products from _____-1965. The business closed in 2008.
Lived in Manhattan from _____ to 1950.
Moved to Bronxville (Westchester Co.) New York from 1950-1965.
Moved to Boca Raton in 1981.
Serves on 16 Boards of Directors each year; Over 30 different charitable boards in her lifetime.
Charitable focus: “The sick, the poor, education, health and veterans”.
40 named buildings in Boca Raton.
More than 50 in total throughout Palm Beach County and New York.
Honorary Life Trustee of the Boca YMCA.
Manages her charitable work from home, without any staff.
Has donated more than $40 million to charitable causes.
QUOTABLE QUOTES FROM THE COUTNESS
- “Give while you live, so you know where it goes.”
- “Giving begins at home, and this community is our home.”
- “I’m proud to be an American—by choice.”
- “There is no excuse for our veterans not to receive their benefits just because they do not have a permanent address.”
- Q: How would you like to be remembered? A: “As doing a lot of good and always giving someone a helping hand.”
- Q: Why is philanthropy important to Palm Beach County? A: “Because there is a need for it, especially for
children, the elderly and for hospitals. I do it so that others will participate in giving. I always feel that people
are not doing enough.”
Gregory W. Schultz CJSJ
8853 Via Grande East
Wellington, FL 33411 USA
T 561 337 4822
F 561 422 7170
E info@countess100.org
HENRIETTA, COUNTESS DE HOERNLE 100TH BIRTHDAY GALA COMMITTEE
BOCA WEST COUNTRY CLUB, BOCA RATON I SEPTEMBER 24, 2012 I OUR LEGEND, HER LEGACY
HONORARY CHAIRS
I CHRISTINE E. LYNN I BARBARA AND DICK SCHMIDT
GALA CHAIR I COMMANDER ISABELLE K. PAUL DCGSJ
GALA VICE-CHAIR I DAME ALYCE E. ERICKSON DSJ
ONLINE AT: WWW.COUNTESS100.ORG
FRIEND US: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/COUNTESS100
THE OFFICIAL COUNTESS’S 100TH BIRTHDAY GALA WILL BENEFIT LOCAL BOCA RATON CHARITIES!
PRESENTED BY THE COUNTESS’S BELOVED ORDER OF ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM, KNIGHTS HOSPITALLER OF FLORIDA, INC.
A 501 (C) (3) NON-PROFIT, TAX-EXEMPT, CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION CARING FOR THE SICK AND POOR SINCE 1048 A.D.
IRS EIN 27-3684638 FLORIDA N10000009466
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