. In 1973, Lauder reduced her role in the company's day-to-day operations. She resigned her post as president, but stayed on as the company's chairman of the board. Her oldest son Leonard took over running the family business. Lauder suffered a terrible loss in 1983 with the death of her beloved husband Joseph. In his honor, she established the Joseph H. Lauder Institute of Management and International Studies at the University of Pennsylvania.In her later life, Lauder devoted much of her time to her philanthropic efforts. She died in New York City on April 24, 2004. The company that she built still remains in the family. Her oldest son Leonard is the chairman emeritus of the Estée Lauder Companies; her younger son Ronald is the chairman of Clinique Laboratories, LLC, and her grandson William Lauder is the executive chairman of the Estée Lauder Companies.