Phyllis Mills Wyeth, a noted horse breeder and carriage driver, died Jan. 14 at age 78 with her husband, artist Jamie Wyeth, at her side.
She was often a model for her husband, whose most famous paintings include “And Then Into the Deep Gorge,” which depicts her driving a pair of grays through the woods.
“And Then into the Deep Gorge,” by Jamie Wyeth
Horses were a big part of her life. In addition to owning driving horses, she also had a racing stable in Chadds Ford, Pa. Her best-known homebred was 2012 Belmont Stakes winner Union Rags.
The daughter of James and Alice DuPont Mills made a name for herself as an advocate for the handicapped and disabled after she was injured in a head-on automobile accident at age 20. She used crutches and a wheelchair for the rest of her life.
After working for John F. Kennedy, both when he was a U.S. senator and during his time in the White House, she remained active in Washington D.C., working as a consultant for the National Endowment for the Arts and as vice-chairwoman of the National Committee on Arts for the Handicapped.
Mrs. Wyeth was an early supporter of the Tri-County Conservancy, which became the Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art, and was a founding member of its board. She also was a conservationist and environmentalist.
As a special tribute exhibition, the Brandywine River Museum of Art plans to host a selection of paintings of Phyllis by her husband, who is the son of artist Andrew Wyeth.
Funeral services will be private.