Name Ella Heemstra Role Actress | ||
 | ||
Occupation Socialite and volunteer worker Children Audrey Hepburn, Ian Edgar Bruce Quarles van Ufford, Arnoud Robert Alexander Quarles van Ufford Spouse Joseph Victor Anthony Ruston (m. 1926–1935), Hendrik Gustaaf Adolf Quarles van Ufford (m. 1919–1925) Parents Elbrig Willemine Henriette van Asbeck, Aarnoud van Heemstra Similar People Audrey Hepburn, Joseph Victor Anthony, Andrea Dotti, Mel Ferrer, Robert Wolders | ||
Siblings Miesje van Limburg Stirum | ||
Pronounce "Baroness Ella Van Heemstra" - Russian accent vs. native U.S.
Ella, Baroness van Heemstra, (12 June 1900 – 26 August 1984) was a Dutch aristocrat and the mother of the actress Audrey Hepburn.
Contents
- Pronounce Baroness Ella Van Heemstra Russian accent vs native US
- Biography
- Personal life
- Later life
- Honours
- References
Biography
Ella van Heemstra was a Dutch aristocrat and the third of five daughters of Baron Aarnoud van Heemstra, who was mayor of Arnhem from 1910 to 1920 and served as Royal Governor of Suriname from 1921 to 1928. Ella's mother was Elbrig Willemine Henriette, Baroness van Asbeck (1873–1939), who was a granddaughter of jurist Count Dirk van Hogendorp. She spent much of her childhood at Huis Doorn.
Personal life
Van Heemstra was married and divorced twice, and had three children.
Aged 19, van Heemstra married Jonkheer Hendrik Gustaaf Adolf Quarles van Ufford (1894-1955). They divorced in 1925. Van Heemstra had two sons from this marriage, both of whom were born in the Dutch East Indies:
- Michael Allan Quarles van Ufford (born 17 July 1945)
- Evelyn Joyce Quarles van Ufford (born 2 August 1947)
- Audrey Yvonne Quarles van Ufford (born 10 May 1954)
- Sandra Claire Quarles van Ufford (born 15 October 1958)
- Andrew Ian Quarles van Ufford (born 6 January 1967)
Van Heemstra married secondly Joseph Victor Anthony Ruston (1889-1980) (later Hepburn-Ruston) on 24 September 1926 at Batavia, Java, Dutch East Indies. They were divorced on 24 June 1939 and had one daughter:
Later life
In the early 1960s she lived in Los Angeles with her friend Leonard Gershe and then later in San Francisco where she did volunteer work for soldiers coming back from Vietnam. When she visited Los Angeles she was entertained by friends like George Cukor, Mrs. Mildred Knopf (wife of Edwin H. Knopf) and Veronique Peck. She spent the rest of her life in her daughter's house in Tolochenaz where she died in 1984. Audrey accompanied her mother's body to the Netherlands for funeral.
Honours
Ella was named Dame of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem by Queen Elizabeth II on 7 September 1971.