Pink ribbon creator Evelyn Lauder died ate age 75 Saturday in New York City.
CNN reports that Lauder died from complications of ovarian cancer at her home with her family by her side.
Lauder, originally from Vienna, Austria, and her parents fled Nazi-occupied Europe and settled in New York City.
When she was a freshman in college, Lauder married her husband, Leonard A. Lauder, the son of Estee and Joseph Lauder, who co-founded the cosmetics giant.
After joining the Lauder family’s business, she eventually rose to be senior corporate vice president and head of fragrance development worldwide.
Lauder, a well-known women’s health advocate, helped develop the pink ribbon as a symbol for breast cancer awareness.
"My mother carried the torch of our company heritage and the values that were passed to her by my grandmother, Mrs. Estee Lauder," her son, William Lauder, said in a statement.
"My mother and father were life partners as well as business partners. They nurtured the culture and growth of the Estee Lauder companies, and as we grew, my mother was our creative compass and pillar of strength. Together my family and the company celebrate the beautiful person she was."
Lauder is survived by her husband, two sons and five grandchildren.
