At the age of 53, Serge Obolensky completed his first five parachute jumps, demonstrating a commitment to military service that spanned two World Wars and the Russian Civil War. Born in Pushkin in 1890, he transitioned from the life of a Russian aristocrat to a multifaceted career in the United States as an entrepreneur, publicist, and hotel executive.
Military Service and Guerrilla Combat
Obolensky left his native Russia after fighting Bolshevik forces as a guerrilla combatant. His military career eventually brought him to the United States military, where he served as a lieutenant colonel in the paratroopers. He was also a member of the Office of Strategic Services. His dedication to military affairs was later commemorated through the Serge Obolensky Room at the Soldiers', Sailors', Marines', Coast Guard and Airmen's Club in Manhattan, which displays his portraits and personal memorabilia.
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Upon settling in the United States, Obolensky engaged in several entrepreneurial pursuits. He co-founded Parfums Chevalier Garde with Aleksandre Tarsaidze, though the company struggled after losing access to French suppliers during the Second World War. He later served as president of the Sherry-Netherland Hotel. By 1949, he established his own public relations firm, Serge Obolensky Associates, Inc., which managed high-profile accounts including Piper-Heidsieck champagne. In 1958, he reached a significant professional milestone when he was appointed vice chairman of the board of directors for the Hilton Hotels Corporation.
Personal Life and Background
The son of Prince Platon Sergeyevich Obolensky-Neledinsky-Meletzky and Maria Konstantinovna Naryshkina, he was educated at the University of Oxford, where he played for the polo team in 1914. His personal life involved three marriages. His first, in 1916 at Yalta, was to Princess Catherine Alexandrovna Yurievskaya, a daughter of Emperor Alexander II, which ended in divorce. In 1924, he married Ava Alice Muriel Astor, with whom he had a son, Ivan. Following a divorce in 1932, he married Marilyn Fraser-Wall in 1971. Obolensky died in 1978 and is interred at the Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Southfield, Michigan.
Fast facts
- Born: 1890, Pushkin
- Died: 1978, Grosse Pointe Farms
- Education: University of Oxford
- Military Rank: Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Paratroopers
- Notable Business Role: Vice chairman, Hilton Hotels Corporation
- Award: Cross of St. George 2nd class
- Autobiography: One Man In His Time (1958)
Questions readers ask
What was Obolensky's involvement with the Hilton Hotels Corporation?
He served as the vice chairman of the board of directors beginning in 1958.
Did he have children?
Yes, he had one son, Prince Ivan Sergeyevich Obolensky, with his second wife, Ava Alice Muriel Astor.
Where is he buried?
He is buried at the Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Southfield, Michigan.
Achievements
- Educated at University of Oxford
