Audrey Geisel

Audrey Grace Florine Stone was the daughter of Norman Alfred Stone, an English medical furniture salesman, and Ruth Benson, a nurse whose family was from Norway. She was baptized at the Ravenswood Covenant Church in Chicago, Illinois, United States. She grew up in and around Queens, New York, moving around as often as an "army brat".{{cite book |date=1996 |last=Morgan |first=Judith |title=Dr. Seuss and Mr Geisel |publisher=Da Capo Press |location=New York, United States |page=203 |isbn= 0-306-80736-X}} Her parents' marriage was "off and on" and her father left early in her life.{{cite news |date=2018-12-25 |work=Star Tribune |author=Brian Melley |title=She guarded Dr. Seuss's whimsical world |url= https://www.newspapers.com/image/515747527/?terms=%22Audrey%20Dimond%22&match=1 |page=A12 |location=Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States}} When she was five, her mother moved into a nurses' dormitory at the Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital and sent her to live with a friend in New Rochelle, New York. However, her mother did visit her on weekends. At this time, the young Audrey attended Julia Richmond School, Manhattan.

Geisel studied nursing at Indiana University School of Nursing in Indianapolis, earning a Bachelor of Science in nursing in 1944. Of her university application, she said she knew she was supposed to say that she wanted to "serve humanity", but what she really wanted was "to be in the centre of the action."

She worked in Massachusetts{{cite web |url=https://geiselmed.dartmouth.edu/about/geisels/www.dartmouth.edu/ |title=Audrey and Theodor Seuss Geisel |author= |website= geiselmed.dartmouth.edu |access-date=2023-05-03}} and at the Coleman Obstetrical and Gynecological Hospital at the Indiana University Medical Center.{{cite book |date=1996 |last=Morgan |first=Judith |title=Dr. Seuss and Mr Geisel |publisher=Da Capo Press |location=New York, United States|page=204 |isbn= 0-306-80736-X}} Long after she finished working as a nurse, she continued renewing her credentials, refusing to "hang up the whites” officially.{{cite book |last=Morgan |first=Judith |title=Dr. Seuss and Mr. Geisel |date=1996 |publisher=Da Capo Press |isbn=0-306-80736-X |location=New York, United States|page=228 |language=English}}

In 1945 she married fellow student Edmunds Grey Dimond. He became a resident physician at Indiana University{{cite news |date=1945-03-27 |work=The Indianapolis Star |title=Sets nuptials Easter |url= https://www.newspapers.com/image/104937431/?article=26195e2f-e81e-4eb7-8c82-ebd9488f6a7f&focus=0.747357,0.043849308,0.980845,0.3060187&xid=3398&_gl=1*18ja9wn*_ga*MTU1MzA2NTMxMi4xNjgwNzg4ODk4*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*NGViNjlmMDYtZGNhMS00Y2JlLTlhMjctZjNjNzQ2ODAwNWZjLjIwLjEuMTY4MzU1MTMzNS40Ni4wLjA. |url-access=subscription |page=6 |via=Newspapers.com}} Medical Center and later Dean of Cardiology at the University of Kansas. While the couple travelled to and lived in Japan and Netherlands for his work, where she took lessons in sculpture. They had two daughters, Lark Grey (b. 1953), a sculptor, and Leagrey, a bookstore owner. Of her role as a mother, she said, "I was the kind of mother I now regret […] But I don't live with regret, because what you see is what they got." After Audrey's death, her daughters disputed this self-description, saying they had developed a warm relationship with their mother.{{cite news |last1=Kelly |first1=Ray |title=Dr. Seuss stepdaughter seeks to set record straight about Theodor Geisel, love of children |url=https://www.masslive.com/news/2019/01/dr-seuss-stepdaughter-seeks-to-set-record-straight-about-theodor-geisel-love-of-children.html |work=masslive |date=18 January 2019 |language=en}} The family moved to La Jolla, San Diego,{{Cite web |last=Bravo|first=Christina |date=2022-08-16 |title=Take a Look Inside Dr. Seuss' La Jolla Home Before it Sells For The 1st Time in 70 Years |url=https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/take-a-look-inside-dr-seuss-la-jolla-home-before-it-sells-for-the-1st-time-in-70-years/3024517/ |access-date=2024-12-30 |website=NBC 7 San Diego |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2022-06-25 |title=For subscribers: UC San Diego plans to sell the storybook home of 'Dr. Seuss' author Theodor Geisel |url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-06-25/uc-san-diego-home-geisel |access-date=2024-12-30 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}} in 1960 for Dimond to join Scripps Clinic, while Geisel volunteered in cancer wards.{{cite web |url= https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1994-11-20-9411200452-story.html |title=Wearing the hat |author=Michael J Bandler |website= Chicagotribune.com |date=20 November 1994 |access-date=2023-06-06}}

Audrey met Seuss and his first wife, Helen Palmer, at a party in La Jolla.{{when|date=June 2024}} Of their first meeting she said, "As we went through the line, I noticed that when we got to Dr. Seuss, the inflection of the person introducing us was slightly different […] I thought, 'Well, it's for some reason.' Being my facetious best, I said, 'Dr. Seuss, you must have a very interesting specialty. The right or the left nostril?' And I remember him looking at me kind of startled and making no response."{{cite news |date=2018-12-21 |newspaper=The Washington Post |author=Staff reports |title=Audrey Geisel, caretaker of the Dr. Seuss literary estate, dies at 97 |url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/audrey-geisel-caretaker-of-the-dr-seuss-literary-estate-dies-at-97/2018/12/21/188c5810-054e-11e9-9122-82e98f91ee6f_story.html |location=Washington, United States}} The two couples became friends and later Audrey and Theodor began an affair,{{when|date=June 2024}} about which she said, "The feeling was that at his age you grab for the gusto. You don't wait. You don't think you have that much time."{{cite news |date=1986-07-13 |work=Miami Herald |author=IC |title=Hmmph? Dr. Seuss writing for adults? |url= https://www.newspapers.com/image/631250601/?terms=%22Audrey%20Dimond%22&match=1 |page=896 |location=Miami, Florida, United States}} Devastated by her husband's affair with Dimond, Palmer died by suicide on October 23, 1967.{{cite news |first=Joyce |last=Wadler |title=PUBLIC LIVES; Mrs. Seuss Hears a Who, and Tells About It |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A0DE7D7143DF93AA15752C1A9669C8B63 | newspaper=The New York Times |date=November 29, 2000 |access-date=2008-05-28}} In May 1968 Seuss wrote to friends, "Audrey and I are going to be married […] I am acquiring two daughters, aged nine and fourteen. I am rebuilding the house to take care of the influx. I am 64 years old. I am marrying a woman seventeen years younger… I have not flipped my lid. This is not a sudden nutty decision… This is an inevitable, inescapable conclusion […] All I can ask you is to try to believe in me."{{cite book |date=1996 |last=Morgan |first=Judith |title=Dr. Seuss and Mr Geisel |publisher=Da Capo Press |location=New York, United States|page=201 |isbn= 0-306-80736-X}} Audrey divorced Edmunds Dimond on 21 June 1968.

After the legally required six-week wait, Geisel married Seuss on August 5, 1968, at the Washoe County Courthouse in Reno, Nevada. They invited no friends.{{cite book |date=1996 |last=Morgan |first=Judith |title=Dr. Seuss and Mr. Geisel |publisher=Da Capo Press |location=New York, United States |page=202 |isbn= 0-306-80736-X}} They lived in a "Mount Soledad aerie" in La Jolla, where Seuss had previously lived with Palmer.{{cite magazine |date=February 2004 |author=Tom Blair |title=Dialogue |magazine=San Diego Magazine |location=San Diego, California, United States |edition=Volume 56, Number 4 |publisher=Curt Co|page=46}} It had an "old stucco observatory and elegant, helter-skelter maze of rooms they have built around it."{{cite book |date=2006 |last=Levine |first=Stuart |title=America's best newspaper writing: collection of ASNE prizewinners |publisher=St Martins |location=Boston, United States |page=169 |isbn= 0-312-44367-6}} When she moved in with Seuss, Geisel sent her daughters to boarding school{{cite news |date=2018-12-22 |work=Aruba Today |author=Brian Melley |title=Audrey Geisel, widow and promoter of Dr. Seuss, dies |url= https://archive.org/details/BNA-DIG-ARUBATODAY-2018-12-22/page/n5/mode/2up?q=%22Audrey+Geisel%22 |page=6 |location=Aruba, United States}} of which she said "They wouldn't have been happy with Ted, and Ted wouldn't have been happy with them."{{cite news |date=2000-12-10 |work=The Courier-Journal |author=Joyce Walder |title=Remembering Dr. Seuss and his grinch |url= https://www.newspapers.com/image/111482702/?terms=%22Audrey%20Dimond%22&match=1 |page=45 |location=Kentucky, United States}} Her daughters later disputed this statement and said that Seuss had been a warm and loving father. She also said "I've never been very maternal. There were too many other things I wanted to do. My life with him was what I wanted my life to be."

The couple travelled widely around the world, including Cambodia, India, France, United Kingdom, Kenya, Turkey, Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Australia, New Zealand, Morocco, Israel, Lebanon, and many other countries and territories.{{cite book |date=1996 |last=Morgan |first=Judith |title=Dr. Seuss and Mr Geisel |publisher=Da Capo Press |location=New York, United States |page=207 |isbn= 0-306-80736-X}}{{cite book |date=1996 |last=Morgan |first=Judith |title=Dr. Seuss and Mr Geisel |publisher=Da Capo Press |location=New York, United States|page=223 |isbn= 0-306-80736-X}}{{cite book |date=1996 |last=Morgan |first=Judith |title=Dr. Seuss and Mr Geisel |publisher=Da Capo Press |location=New York, United States |page=232 |isbn= 0-306-80736-X}}{{cite book |date=1996 |last=Morgan |first=Judith |title=Dr. Seuss and Mr Geisel |publisher=Da Capo Press |location=New York, United States|page=236 |isbn= 0-306-80736-X}}

When Seuss started losing his sight to glaucoma in 1975, Geisel served as his "eyes and driver". Geisel took credit for Seuss's appearance, saying "I created the beard. He had a nose that was looking for a beard all his life."{{cite news |date=2000-12-10 |work=The Courier-Journal |author=Joyce Wadler |title=Remembering Dr. Seuss and his grinch |url= https://www.newspapers.com/image/111482702/?terms=%22Audrey%20Dimond%22&match=1 |page=47 |location=Kentucky, United States}} It was in part to make Seuss's life easier as he began to lose his sight. In 1989 Geisel was diagnosed with a benign brain tumour. It was successfully removed in January 1990.{{cite book |date=1996 |last=Morgan |first=Judith |title=Dr. Seuss and Mr Geisel |publisher=Da Capo Press |location=New York, United States |page=283 |isbn= 0-306-80736-X}} She nursed Seuss during his final illness. He died of cancer in 1991.{{cite book |date=1996 |last=Morgan |first=Judith |title=Dr. Seuss and Mr Geisel |publisher=Da Capo Press |location=New York, United States|page=287 |isbn= 0-306-80736-X}}

File:DrSeussStatue.jpg at the University of California, San Diego in La Jolla]]

Geisel first visited Seuss' birthplace, Springfield, Massachusetts, soon after their wedding. In 1997 she initiated fundraising to create a Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden in the town, by donating $1m. The garden includes bronze sculptures created by Geisel's daughter, Lark Grey Dimond-Cates.{{cite web |url=https://springfieldmuseums.org/press-release/audrey-geisel-helped-make-springfield-history-first-ever-museum-dedicated-husband-dr-seuss/

|title=Audrey Geisel helped make Springfield history with first-ever museum dedicated to her husband, Dr Seuss |author= |website= springfieldmuseums.org |date=21 December 2018 |access-date=2023-06-06}} Fifteen years later, with Geisel's approval, Springfield opened The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum.{{cite magazine |date=5 March 2020 |author=Joan E B Coombs |title=Dr. Seuss inspires readers of all ages |magazine=Barre Gazette |location=Turley, Massachusetts, United States|edition=Volume 185, Number 47 |publisher=James L Fitzpatrick |page=4}}

In her introduction to The Complete Cat in the Hat Geisel wrote about Seuss's writing process and how she was responsible for collecting "as many paperback thrillers as I could find, bring them home, stash them in a secret location and bring them out one at a time" when he was stuck for ideas and needed a break.{{cite book |date=2004 |last=Seuss |first=Dr |title=The cat in the hat |publisher=Collins |location=New York, United States |page=4 |isbn= 0-00-717956-1}} Of her relationship with Seuss, she said, "The idea was to keep the body there so it could take that mind as far as it wanted to go. I kept the Band-Aids going."{{cite magazine |url=https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,998551,00.html

|title=Seuss on the Loose |author=Jess Cagle |magazine= Time |date=20 November 2000 |access-date=2023-06-06}}

Geisel was "credited with reinvigorating her husband's creative output". He published 20 books during their 25-year marriage, including The Lorax, You're Only Old Once! and Oh, the Places You'll Go!.{{cite web |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/78905-obituary-audrey-stone-geisel.html

|title=Obituary: Audrey Stone Geisel |author=Shannon Maughan|website= www.publishersweekly.com |access-date=2023-06-06}} She was proud of her contributions to Seuss's work. His editors at Random House told her "His juices were getting diluted, and he needed something to start him again."{{cite news |date=2000-11-29 |newspaper=The New York Times |author=Joyce Wadler |title=Public Lives: Mrs Seuss Hears a Who and Tells about it |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2000/11/29/nyregion/public-lives-mrs-seuss-hears-a-who-and-tells-about-it.html |page=B2 |location=New York, United States}}

She was also credited with "encouraging her husband to address more social issues" in his books, specifically The Lorax and the anti-war The Butter Battle Book.{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2018/12/audrey-geisel-dies-dr-seuss-widow-the-grinch-producer-97-1202524698/

|title=Audrey Geisel dies | first=Denise | last=Petski |website= Deadline Hollywood |date=21 December 2018 |access-date=2023-06-06}} When Seuss was stuck while trying to write a book about conservation issues, Geisel suggested a trip to Kenya to get his mind off his work. While there, Seuss saw a herd of elephants. Of the sight, he said he "grabbed a laundry list that I had beside me and wrote the whole book The Lorax in 45 minutes."{{cite book |date=2001 |last=Levine |first=Stuart |title=Dr. Seuss |publisher=Lucent Books |location=San Diego, United States |page=75 |isbn= 1-56006-748-9}} On the same trip, Seuss saw people cutting down acacia trees, and "he thought, 'they can't cut down my Dr. Seuss trees' – which he renamed Truffula trees."

During an interview in 1986, Seuss noted that Geisel studied art and called her "the colour expert […] She always makes sure to tell me what's bad."{{cite news |date=1986-10-22 |work=St. Louis Post Dispatch |author=Ellis E Conklin |title=Seuss |url= https://www.newspapers.com/image/142307467/?terms=%22Audrey%20Dimond%22&match=1 |page=101 |location=St Louis, United Staye}}

Geisel "accepted credit" for Seuss's change of colour palette for The Lorax.{{cite book |date=1996 |last=Morgan |first=Judith |title=Dr. Seuss and Mr Geisel |publisher=Da Capo Press |location=New York, United States|page=211 |isbn= 0-306-80736-X}} Seuss also said Geisel was "the only adult who could read [his stories] aloud."{{cite book |date=1996 |last=Morgan |first=Judith |title=Dr. Seuss and Mr Geisel |publisher=Da Capo Press |location=New York, United States|page=185 |isbn= 0-306-80736-X}}

In 1991, in response to the anti-abortion movement's adopting of a line from Horton Hears a Who! – "A person's a person no matter how small" – in support of its cause, Geisel stated she "doesn't like people to hijack Dr. Seuss characters or material to front their own points of view."{{cite magazine |date=24 November 2000 |author= Anne Navarro |title=New take on Grinch yields mixed results |magazine=Catholic News and Herald |location=Charlotte, North Carolina, United States|edition=Volume 179, Number 10 |publisher=Cathedral Pub. Corp |page=11}}

In the early 2000s Geisel dated Alexander Butterfield.{{cite news |date=2002-12-19 |work=The Orlando Sentinel |author=Nancy Imperiale |title=She had to be persuaded to accept Myers in role. |url= https://www.newspapers.com/image/269341217/?terms=%22Audrey%20Dimond%22 |page=40 |location=Orlando, Florida, United States}}

She received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on behalf of Seuss in 2004.{{cite book |date=2005 |last=Adil |first=Janeen R |title=Dr. Seuss: A great storyteller |publisher=Mitchell Lane |location=Hockessin, United States|page=18 |isbn= 1-58415-288-5}}

Before Seuss died, Geisel had "the impression that I was going to be fairly involved in everything, […] it began to dawn on me that there was going to be a tremendous transition after his loss – I was going to do everything!"{{cite news |date=2018-12-23 |newspaper=The Buffalo News |title=Audrey Geisel, 97, Dr Seuss' widow and the keeper of all his creatures |url= https://www.newspapers.com/image/878597127/|page=40 |location=Buffalo, New York, United States}} Seuss left behind "drawers, closets and files of unsorted, uncatalogued material".

To protect Seuss's name and copyrights, Dr. Seuss Enterprises was created in 1993. Geisel was President and CEO{{cite magazine |date=February 2004 |author=Tom Blair |title=Dialogue |magazine=San Diego Magazine |location=San Diego, California, United States|edition=Volume 56, Number 4 |publisher=Curt Co |page=46}} and would "hold court each morning with aides at a La Valencia Hotel's restaurant{{cite book |date= 2019 |last=Thompson |first=Stephanie |title=Where: Guestbook San Diego |location=San Diego, California, United States|publisher=Jeff Levy |page=49}} in San Diego […] arriving in a 1984 Cadillac with licence plate that said GRINCH."{{cite news |date=2019-01-14 |work=National Post |author=Katherine Q Seelye|title=A devoted guardian |url= https://www.newspapers.com/image/516869145/?terms=%22Audrey%20Geisel%22&match=1 |page=A9 |location=Toronto, Canada}} Geisel was the prima inter pares on the board of three directors.{{cite book |date=2004 |last=Nel |first=Philip |title=Dr Seuss: American Icon |publisher=Continuum |location=New York, United States |page=137 |isbn= 0-8264-1434-6}}

Of her role, in 1994 she said, "My absolute desire, creed, intent is to carry forth from this day Ted's books, the sharing and ongoingness of those books, generation by generation, for all the reasons they were written in the first place. They're in our language."{{cite web |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1994-11-20-9411200452-story.html

|title=Wearing the hat | first=Michael J. | last=Pandler |website= chicagotribune.com |date=20 November 1994 |access-date=2023-06-06}} Of looking after Seuss's characters she said "You keep firm control as if they really were your children. I don't want the Cat in the Hat in a bad part of town, so to speak."

File:Seuss Landing entrance.jpg

Soon after establishing Dr. Seuss Enterprises, Universal Pictures approached Geisel about creating a Seuss-inspired ride at the Universal Islands of Adventure, Florida. She refused, being "concerned the park would cheapen the image of Dr. Seuss." After many redesigns, Geisel finally gave her approval in 1995, retaining a lot of creative control during the production process of Seuss Landing.{{cite book |date=2001 |last=Levine |first=Stuart |title=Dr. Seuss |publisher=Lucent Books |location=San Diego, California, United States|page=96 |isbn= 1-56006-748-9}}

In 1994, she signed a deal with Living Books, a joint venture between Broderbund Software and Random House, for the multimedia rights to Seuss's work.{{cite news |date=1994-04-22 | newspaper=The New York Times |author= |title=Dr. Seuss rights are sold |url= https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1994/04/22/issue.html |page=97 |location=New York, United States}}

By 1996, there was concern that Geisel had been over-saturating the market with too many Seuss-related products, with Brian Henson of Jim Henson Productions saying, "it is an unusual situation where there are different people working with the same characters on different sorts of projects all over the place. That makes it a little confusing." However, on one point Geisel was firm: "I don't want to go into the food business. I don't want one of our little people poking out from a box of Wheat Chex."{{cite magazine |date=21 October 1996 |author=Mike France |title=Cat in the Hat tack |magazine=Business Week |location=New York, United States|publisher=Bloomberg |page=95}}

In 1996 Steven Spielberg secured the rights to The Cat in the Hat for a live-action film.{{cite web |url= https://www.spokesman.com/stories/1996/jun/17/steven-spielberg-tim-allen-interested-in-cat-in/ |title=Steven Spielberg, Tim Allen interested in the Cat in the Hat |author=The Hollywood Reporter |website= Spokesman.com |date=17 June 1996 |access-date=2023-06-06}} However, in 1999 Geisel reclaimed the rights, saying, "They just couldn't get it right."{{cite web |url= https://www.newsweek.com/grinchs-gatekeeper-156985 |title=The Grinch's gatekeeper |author=Newsweek staff |website= newsweek.com |date=12 November 2000 |access-date=2023-06-06}}

After an aborted deal with TriStar Pictures had been cleared up, "one of Hollywood's biggest-ever book auctions"{{cite book |date=2003 |last=Gray |first=Beverly |title=Ron Howard: From Mayberry to the Moon… and beyond |publisher=Thomas Nelson |location=Nashville, Tennessee, United States|page=203 |isbn=978-1-4185-3074-7}} took place in 1998, with Universal Pictures paying $5 million for the rights to How The Grinch Stole Christmas and up to $4 million for Oh, The Places You'll Go. (As of 2020 it was slated for a 2027 release as part of Warner Bros.' new Seuss universe.){{cite web |url= https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2020/09/dr-seuss-movies-oh-the-places-youll-go |title=Dr. Seuss's Oh The Places You'll Go! Is headed to the big screen |author=Anthony Breznican |website= vanityfair.com |date=October 2020 |access-date=2023-06-06}} As part of the bidding process, which included Tom Shadyac, the Farrelly brothers, Gary Ross and John Hughes, each interested party needed to pay $3 million to secure a meeting with Geisel.{{cite web |url= https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-sep-16-fi-23114-story.html |title=Seuss Rights sold for up to $9 million |author=Claudia Eller |website= Los Angeles Times |date=16 September 1998 |access-date=2023-06-06}}

In 2004 she presided over Seusstennial: A Century of Imagination marking the centenary of Seuss's birth. In 2013 she "opened the Estate's vault" and allowed some of Seuss's hat collection to tour the States, as the Hats Off to Dr. Seuss exhibition.{{cite web |url=https://www.drseussart.com/exhibitions

|title=Hats off to Dr. Seuss |author= |website= drseussart.com |access-date=2023-06-06}} In 2015 she curated The Art of Dr. Seuss, an exhibition of paintings and sculptures.{{cite news |date=2015-09-02 |work=The Palm-Beach Post |author=Sarah Peters |title=Dr. Seuss art coming to mall |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/163840665/?terms=%22Audrey%20Geisel%22&match=1 |page=3 |location=Palm Beach, United States}}

Geisel was involved in the following Seuss-related publications:

Seuss dedicated the following books to Geisel and her daughters:

• Fox in Socks (1965) – dedicated to "Mitzi Long and Audrey Dimond of the Mt. Soledad Lingual Laboratories"
• The Cat in the Hat Songbook (1967) – dedicated to "Lark and Lea of Luddington Lane", Geisel's daughters
• I Can Lick 30 Tigers Today! and Other Stories (1969) – dedicated to Geisel.{{cite book |date=1996 |last=Morgan |first=Judith |title=Dr. Seuss and Mr Geisel |publisher=Da Capo Press |location=New York, United States |page=208 |isbn= 0-306-80736-X}}

Geisel was involved in the following in her role as CEO of Dr. Seuss Enterprises:

• 1998 – Dr. Seuss How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Premiered at The Old Globe, San Diego.{{cite book |date=2009 |last=Jenkins |first=Jeffrey Eric |title=The best plays theater yearbook, 2007–2008 |publisher=Limelight Editions |location=New York, United States|page=177 |isbn= 978-0-87910-366-8}} Geisel gifted them the rights, about which the former artistic director said, it was "a gift that has continued giving to our theatre and the community long after both of our individual departures." Geisel had a walk-on part in the 2006 production.
• 1999 – Geisel attended workshops for Seussical: The Musical. It premiered in 2000 in Boston.{{cite book |date=2006 |last=Stewart |first=John |title=Broadway musicals, 1943–2004 |publisher=McFarland |location=Jefferson, North Carolina, United States|page=528 |isbn= 0-7864-2244-0}} Of the production she said, "I was completely captivated."{{cite news |date=2000-09-10 |work=The New York Times |author=Peter Marks |title=The Road from Whoville to Broadway |url= https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/2000/09/10/issue.html |page=14 |location=New York, United States}}

Geisel became president of the Dr. Seuss Foundation, which was established in 1958.{{cite web |url= https://philanthropynewsdigest.org/news/university-of-california-san-diego-libraries-receive-1-million |title=University of California, San Diego Libraries Receive $1 million |author= |website= philanthropynewsdigest.org |access-date=2023-06-06}} A portion of all sales of Dr. Seuss books is donated to the Foundation{{cite book |date=2001 |last=Levine |first=Stuart |title=Dr. Seuss |publisher=Lucent Books |location=San Diego, California, United States |page=93 |isbn= 1-56006-748-9}} which supports the arts, civic and public affairs, education, health, international relief, social services and religious welfare with a focus on California.{{cite book |date=1995 |last=Levine |first=Stuart |title=The big book of library grant money 1996–1997: profiles of 1471 private and corporate foundations and direct corporate givers receptive to library grant proposals |publisher=ALA |location=Chicago, Illinois, United States|page=33 |isbn= 0-8389-0683-4}}

In 1993, together with Kellogg's Corporation, the Foundation donated 500,000 books to nearly 2,000 schools which served disadvantaged children. In 1998 Geisel waived royalties to How the Grinch Stole Christmas! and donated $100,000 from the Foundation to help cover the costs of free tickets for San Diego's children who would be unable to afford to pay otherwise.{{cite news |date=1993-02-20 |work=Detroit Free Press |author=|title=Kelloggs to give away free books |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/98015167/?terms=%22Dr.%20Seuss%20Foundation%22&match=1 |page=11 |location=Detroit, Michigan, United States}}

The fund supported (and continues to support) dozens of charitable organisations in San Diego through the donation of "millions of dollars". Of her support of San Diego, she said, "I truly love this town. And I saw all the problems in the underbelly […] all the mental problems, poverty, sociological problems. Illiteracy."{{cite magazine |date=February 2004 |author=Tom Blair |title=Dialogue with Tom Blair |magazine=San Diego Magazine |location=San Diego, California, United States|edition=Volume 56, Number 4 |publisher=Curt Co|page=46}} In 2000 she said, "I'm kind of the safety net under San Diego." Some of the causes she supported included:

• Center for Family Literacy{{cite web |url=https://today.ucsd.edu/story/audrey-geisel |title=UC San Diego mourns the loss of "Mrs Seuss" Audrey Geisel |author= |website= today.ucsd.edu |access-date=2023-06-06}}
• Charter 100
• Ida Green Cancer Center{{cite web |url=https://adminrecords.ucsd.edu/Notices/1995/1995-09-25-1.html |title=September 25 1995 |author=Winifred Cox |website= adminrecords.ucsd.edu |access-date=2023-06-06}}
• March of Dimes
• La Jolla Playhouse{{cite magazine |date=December 2006 |author= |title=Local Largesse |magazine=San Diego Magazine |location=San Diego, California, United States|edition=Volume 59, Number 2 |publisher=Curt Co |page=123}}
• Mental Health Association
• Mingei International Museum
• Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego
• Museum of Photographic Arts
• Old Globe Theatre
• Salk President's Club, founding donor{{cite web |url= https://www.salk.edu/engage/your-impact/imparting-a-legacy/ |title=Imparting a legacy |author= |website= salk.edu |access-date=2023-06-06}}
• San Diego Council on Literacy
• San Diego Museum of Art{{cite web |url=https://lajollamom.com/art-alive-san-diego/

|title="Art Alive" at the San Diego Museum of Art |author=Katie Dillon |website= lajollamom.com |date=16 April 2015 |access-date=2023-06-06}}

• San Diego Opera{{cite magazine |date=March 2012 |author=Margo Schwab |title=Fundraisers attract the well-dressed, well-healed crowd |magazine=SD Metrto |location=San Diego, California, United States|edition=Volume 2, Number 27 |publisher=Rebecca Page |page=30}}
• San Diego Symphony
• San Diego Zoological Society{{cite news |date=2018-12-28 |work=The Journal Times |author=San Diego Union-Tribune |title=So much more than Mrs. Seuss |url= https://www.newspapers.com/image/516775475/?terms=%22Audrey%20Geisel%22&match=1 |page=A5 |location=Wisconsin, United States}}
• Vista Hill
• Voices for Children

File:Dartmouth College campus 2007-10-02 1 Rope Ferry Road.JPG

Through the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC){{cite web |url= https://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/geisel |title=Awards, grants and scholarships |author= |website=ala.org |date=24 March 2021 |access-date=2023-06-06}} the fund established the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award for the "most distinguished American book for beginning readers". In 2012 the Dartmouth Medical School was renamed the Geisel School of Medicine, to reflect the couple's generosity over many years.

Following Geisel's death, the Chancellor of UCSD said the university "would not be the same top-ranked research institution it is today without her enthusiastic generosity and vast university involvement."{{cite web |url=https://today.ucsd.edu/story/audrey-geisel

|title=UC San Diego mourns the loss of "Mrs. Seuss" Audrey Geisel |author= |website= today.ucsd.edu |access-date=2023-06-06}} Geisel was involved in many aspects of the university's activities. Of her relationship with UCSD she said "I feel so much part of this university. I just do."

Geisel's support included:

• 1992 – donating almost 20,000{{cite web |url=https://ucsdtritons.com/news/2020/9/22/general-triton-tuesday-dr-seusss-affiliation-with-uc-san-diego-la-jolla.aspx

|title=Triton Tuesday: Exploring Dr. Seuss in San Diego |author=General |website= ucsdtritons.com |date=22 September 2020 |access-date=2023-06-06}} "drawings, sketches, notebooks and other memorabilia dating from the 1970s to 1990s" to UCSD library with a value of $2.3 million{{cite web |url=https://library.ucsd.edu/dc/object/bb1707779k/_2.pdf

|title=UCSD holds dedication ceremonies for Geisel Library, Dec. 1 |author=Pat JaCoby |website= library.ucsd.edu |access-date=2023-06-06}}

• 1993 – she opened the Geisel Room in a wing of the University's library.{{cite book |date=2013 |last=Anderson |first=Tanya |title=Who wrote that? |publisher=Infobase learning |location=New York, United States|page=110 |isbn= 978-1-4381-4914-1}}

File: Geisel Library3.jpg

• 1995 – gave $20 million, the single largest donation to UCSD, "believed to be the largest single donation ever made to any San Diego institution." The main library was renamed Geisel Library in recognition of the gift. Of the donation, Geisel said "The UCSD Library is so right for Ted. First, because literacy has always been our primary interest. If we could conquer illiteracy, many of the other causes we support to sustain people – the abused, the homeless, and the need for remedial education – would, to some extent, disappear. The library is the symbol of our commitment. And the UCSD Library is especially suited for that role. The first time Ted saw the form of that building he said to me 'If I had turned my thoughts toward designing a building, it might have looked strangely similar to this.{{'"}}{{cite web |url=https://adminrecords.ucsd.edu/Notices/1995/1995-09-25-1.html |title=September 25 1995 |author=Winifred Cox |website= adminrecords.ucsd.edu |access-date=2023-06-06}}
• 2007 – donated $1 million to establish the Audrey Geisel University Librarianship. The endowed position provides discretionary funding — in perpetuity — to continually enhance and expand the staff, resources and services of the library.

File:Audrey Geisel University House.jpg

• 2013 – donated $2 million for the renovation of the University House. It was renamed the Audrey Geisel University House in her honour
• 2015 – donated $3 million to Geisel Library to renovate the library's interior

She also supported the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Health Sciences, UCSD Sulpizio Cardiovascular Center and the Preuss School.

She was on the following USCD boards:

• Campaign for USCD, honorary co-chair
• University Librarian Advisory Board{{cite web |url=https://triton.news/2018/12/ucsd-philanthropist-audrey-geisel-dies-97/

|title=UCSD Philanthropist Audrey Geisel dies at 97 |author=Ella Chen |website= triton.news |date=25 December 2018 |access-date=2023-06-06}}

• Board of Visitors of the School of Medicine
• Moores Cancer Center Board
• Women's Association of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, founding member

Following her death, Scripps renamed the pavilion on its Torey Pines site the Geisel Pavilion.{{cite web |url=https://www.scripps.org/about-us/who-we-are/history |title=History of Scripps Health |author= |website= scripps.org |date=15 February 2008 |access-date=2023-07-06}} Geisel's La Jolla home was donated to UCSD. It was put up for sale in 2022 with the net proceeds put into a Geisel Fund.{{cite news |date=2022-08-07 |work=The Sacramento Bee |author=David Caraccio |title=California home of Dr. Seuss for sale by UCSD |url= https://www.newspapers.com/image/865601268/?terms=%22Audrey%20Geisel%22&match=1 |page=D1 |location=Sacramento, California, United States}}

• Chancellor's Associates Silver Circle
• Director's Circle{{cite book |date=1996 |last=Longnecker |first=Martha W |title=American expression of liberty: art of the people, by the people, for the people |publisher=Mingei International Museum |location=San Diego, California, United States |page=164 |isbn=0-8109-6338-8}}
• Million Dollar Leadership Circle of Vista Hill{{cite web |url=http://vistahill.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/New-Vistas-Winter-2016.pdf

|title=Thank you Mrs Geisel! | first=Jose L. | last=Cruz |website= literacysandiego.org |access-date=2023-06-06}}

• National Hospice Foundation, founding trustee{{cite book |date= |last=Morfogen |first=Zachary |title=Ya gotta have art! |publisher=Ruder Finn Press |location=New York, United States|page=81}}
• Old Globe Theatre, honorary director{{cite web |url=https://www.theoldglobe.org/about-the-globe/board-of-directors/

|title=Honorary Directors |author= |website= theoldglobe.org |access-date=2023-06-06}}

• San Diego Council on Literacy, board member{{cite magazine |date=Winter 2016 |author= |title=Community Impact Leaders |magazine=New Vistas |location=San Diego, California, United States|edition=Volume 28, Number 2 |publisher=Friends of Vista Hill |page=10}}
• San Diego History Society, Curator's Circle{{cite web |url=https://sandiegohistory.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/times_2008_winter.pdf

|title=Contributions to the society |author= |website= sandiegohistory.org |access-date=2023-06-06}}

Geisel received the following:

Geisel created the following awards and positions:

• Audrey Geisel Friend of Military Children award{{cite web |url=https://unitedthroughreading.org/storybook-ball-2018/

|title=Military non profit united through reading |author= |website= unitedthroughreading.org |date=11 November 2018 |access-date=2023-06-06}}

• Audrey Geisel Endowed Chair in Innovation, Indiana University School of Nursing{{cite web |url=https://medicine.unimelb.edu.au/school-structure/obstetrics-and-gynaecology/research/COMMA/people-involved-in-comma

|title=Steering Committee |author= |website= medicine.unimelb.edu.au |date=31 August 2020 |access-date=2023-06-06}}

• Audrey Geisel University Librarian{{cite web |url=https://help.hathitrust.universityofcalifornia.edu/support/solutions/articles/9000227530-celebrating-uc-san-diego-s-mass-contributions-to-hathitrust

|title=Celebrating UC San Diego's Mass Contributions to HathiTrust |author=Renata Ewing |website= hathitrust.universityofcalifornia.edu |access-date=2023-06-06}}

• Audrey Geisel Chair in Biomedical Sciences, Salk Institute for Biological Studies{{cite web |url=https://nomisfoundation.ch/people/gerald-shadel/

|title=Gerald Shadel |author= |website= nomisfoundation.ch |access-date=2023-06-06}}

• Audrey Geisel Cancer Foundation{{cite web |url=https://saveplants.org/about-us/meet-our-board/

|title=Meet our Board |author= |website= saveplants.org |access-date=2023-06-06}}

• Audrey S Geisel Managing Director, The Old Globe Theatre, San Diego{{cite web |url=https://www.theoldglobe.org/about-the-globe/staff-page/ |title=Staff |author= |website= theoldglobe.org |access-date=2023-06-06}}

{{Portal|Biography}}

• Dr. Seuss and Mr Geisel: A Biography (1995) Morgan, J. and Morgan N. Pub. Da Capo Press. {{ISBN|030680736X}}

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