Philadelphia has lost a most beloved and consummately gracious civic leader with the passing of Ruth Perelman. In our city's centuries-long history, Mrs. Perelman and her husband, Raymond, have made a mark unlike any other.  We at the University of Pennsylvania -- home of the Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine -- have benefitted invaluably from her tireless generosity and that of Raymond and their family. Ruth's generous spirit and strong commitment to education, medicine and culture in Philadelphia will be remembered for countless generations to come. 

Everyone at Penn joins me in offering our deepest condolences to the Perelman family.