Mars family

The Mars family is an American family that owns the confectionery company Mars, Inc., bearing their name. The family once was ranked as the richest family in the United States of America by Fortune magazine, in 1988. It has since been surpassed by the Walton family and the Koch family, and was ranked as the third richest family in America in 2016.[1]

Private mausoleum in Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis

Upon the death of Forrest Mars Sr., he and his two sons were ranked No. 29, 30, and 31 by Forbes magazine's list of richest Americans, and they each had a worth of approximately $4 billion. In March 2010 the three children of Forrest Mars were tied for 52nd place amongst the world's richest people according to Forbes, with a net worth of US$11 billion each.[2][3][4] One of these sons, Forrest Mars Jr., died in 2016, and his four daughters inherited his wealth, with three of them working for the company as of 2019.[5] As of April 2020 the combined private fortune of the family members was estimated at around $126 billion, making them one of the richest families in the world, more wealthy than even any royal family such as for example the Al Saud dynasty of the absolutistic monarchy of Saudi Arabia.[6]

The family is very considerate and protective of their privacy, rarely if ever giving press interviews or, with the exception of Jacqueline Mars and Victoria B. Mars, being photographed in public.[7]

The Mars family was among 18 billionaire families who lobbied Congress to eliminate the estate tax.[8]

Family members
Mars family tree
  • Franklin Clarence Mars (September 24, 1883 – April 8, 1934) – founder of Mars, Inc. Invented the Milky Way bar.
    • Ethel G. Kissack (September 29, 1882 – April 11, 1980)[9] – first wife of Frank C. Mars (married 1902, divorced)
      • Forrest Edward Mars Sr. (March 21, 1904 – July 1, 1999) – son of Frank C. Mars and Ethel G. Mars. Invented M&M's.
        • Audrey Ruth Meyer (May 25, 1910 – June 15, 1989) – wife of Forrest E. Mars Sr.
          • Forrest E. Mars Jr. (August 16, 1931- July 26, 2016) – son of Forrest E. Mars Sr.[10]
            • Virginia Cretella (born 1929/1930)[11] – first wife of Forrest E. Mars Jr. (divorced 1990)[12]
            • Deborah Adair Clarke – second wife of Forrest E. Mars Jr.[12] (divorced 2010)
          • John Franklyn Mars (born October 15, 1935) – son of Forrest E. Mars Sr.[10]
            • Adrienne Bevis – wife of John Mars (married June 1958)[19]
              • Linda Anne Mars (born May 23, 1960) – daughter of John and Adrienne Mars[13][19]
              • Frank Edward Mars (born March 13, 1963) – son of John and Adrienne Mars[10][13][19]
                • Susan Alleman Mars – wife of Frank E. Mars[20]
              • Michael John Mars (born November 22, 1967) – son of John and Adrienne Mars[10][19][21]
                • Sarah Ann Robbins (born April 19, 1968) – wife of Michael John Mars (married 1993)[19][21]
          • Jacqueline Mars (born October 10, 1939) – daughter of Forrest E. Mars Sr.[13]
            • David H. Badger – first husband of Jacqueline Mars (married 1961, divorced 1984)[13]
              • Alexandra B. Airth (born Alexandra Badger, 1966/1967) – daughter of Jacqueline Mars and David Badger[10][22]
                • Andrew Towne Carey (born 1966/1967) – husband of Alexandra Mars Badger (married 1991)[22] (divorced 1995)
                • Alan Airth – husband of Alexandra Badger[23]
                  • Graysen Leslie Airth - daughter of Alexandra Badger and Alan Airth[24][25]
              • Stephen M. Badger (born September 18, 1968) – son of Jacqueline Mars and David Badger
              • Christa M. Badger (born c.1975) – daughter of Jacqueline Mars and David Badger[10]
            • Harold 'Hank' Vogel – second husband of Jacqueline Mars (married 1986, divorced in 1994)[13][26]
    • Ethel Veronica Healy (1884 – December 20, 1945) – second wife of Frank C. Mars (married 1910, widowed 1934), president of Mars Candy Company, Chicago, after death of husband[27]
      • Patricia Mars (1914 - 1965) – daughter of Frank C. Mars and Ethel V. Healy[27][28][29]
        • William Furst – husband of Patricia Mars
        • Alan Feeney – husband of Patricia Mars

References
  1. Dolan, Kerry A. "Billion-Dollar Clans: America's 25 Richest Families 2016". forbes.com. Retrieved May 8, 2018.
  2. "The World's Billionaires (2010): No. 52 Forrest Mars Jr". Forbes. March 3, 2010. Retrieved February 24, 2011.
  3. "The World's Billionaires (2010): No. 52 John Mars". Forbes. March 3, 2010. Retrieved February 24, 2011.
  4. "The World's Billionaires (2010): No. 52 Jacqueline Mars". Forbes. March 3, 2010. Retrieved February 24, 2011.
  5. Hoffower, Hillary (March 31, 2019). "The mysterious family behind the $127 billion Mars chocolate empire". Newcastle Herald. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  6. https://www.investopedia.com/articles/insights/052416/top-10-wealthiest-families-world.asp
  7. "Party Pictures 3/29/06 – A little Washington and Palm Beach". www.newyorksocialdiary.com. Archived from the original on May 5, 2013. Retrieved May 8, 2018.
  8. "Spending Millions to Save Billions: The Campaign of the Super Wealthy to Kill the Estate Tax" (PDF). Public Citizen. April 2006.
  9. "Descendants of Gilbert Kissack". Retrieved February 25, 2011.
  10. The Five Principles of Mars. Signed by Mars family members: Alexandra B. Airth, Christa M. Badger, Forrest E. Mars Jr., Frank E. Mars, Jacqueline B. Mars, John F. Mars, Michael J. Mars, Pamela D. Mars-Wright, Stephen M. Badger II, Valerie A. Mars, Victoria B. Mars.
  11. "AAVC Service to Vassar Award: Virginia Cretella Mars". Alumnae and Alumni of Vassar College. Fall 2005. Retrieved February 25, 2011.
  12. Pottker, Jan (April 29, 2008). "Sweet Secrets: Opening Doors on the Very Private Lives of the Billionaire Mars Family". Washingtonian. Retrieved February 25, 2011.
  13. Gleick, Elizabeth (February 21, 1994). "Crisis in Candy Land". People Vol. 41 No. 7. Retrieved February 25, 2011.
  14. "Valerie A. Mars To Wed Teacher". The New York Times. April 22, 1984. Retrieved February 25, 2011.
  15. "Board of Directors". www.conservation.org. Retrieved May 8, 2018.
  16. "WEDDINGS; Pamela Mars, Lonnie Wright". The New York Times. January 3, 1993. Retrieved February 25, 2011.
  17. "Marijke E. Mars Weds S. J. Doyle". The New York Times. June 30, 1991. Retrieved February 25, 2011.
  18. "Majrike Mars". Bloomberg Billionaire Index, bloomberg.com. Retrieved April 26, 2018.
  19. "Descendants of William Langley Bevis". Archived from the original on January 3, 2013. Retrieved February 25, 2011.
  20. "Frank E. Mars On Campus February 2010". Elizabethtown College. February 2010. Retrieved February 25, 2011.
  21. "WEDDINGS; Sarah Robbins, Michael J. Mars". The New York Times. October 3, 1993. Retrieved February 25, 2011.
  22. "Miss Badger to Marry Andrew Carey". The New York Times. March 3, 1991. Retrieved February 25, 2011.
  23. Our Supporters. Pretend City Children’s Museum.
  24. https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/notoriously-secretive-the-mysterious-family-behind-the-127b-mars-chocolate-empire-20190329-p518qt.html
  25. Deb Ball Celebrates 64th Birthday, by Michael Gross, December 30, 2018, Avenue Magazine, ...additional Ball Chairmen included...Mrs. Jacqueline Mars...America’s debs were...Graysen Leslie Airth, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Alan Airth of Newport Beach, California...
  26. "Features: Old Money Goes Bad". The Canberra Times. 70 (21, 863). Australian Capital Territory, Australia. February 25, 1995. p. 49. Retrieved April 2, 2019 – via National Library of Australia., ...Jackie Mars, heiress to a $3 billion slice of the fortune, is being sued by her estranged husband, Harold Vogel...
  27. "Ethel V. Mars, Head of Candy Firm, Dies". Billboard. January 5, 1946. Retrieved February 25, 2011.
  28. The Sweet, Secret World of Forrest Mars (Fortune, 1967), by Harold B. Meyers, By Fortune Editors March 31, 2013, Fortune, ...His half sister, Patricia Mars Furst Feeney, had another third...
  29. Mary Patricia Mars Fleming (4 Feb 1914–24 Apr 1965), Find A Grave Memorial no. 66172715, citing Holy Hope Cemetery and Mausoleum, Tucson, Pima County, Arizona, USA ; Maintained by GirlGoneGreen (contributor 47106189). Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 30 March 2019), memorial page.
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