 She was awarded the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2003; she received honorary doctorates from Harvard University, Johnson & Wales University (1995), Smith College (her alma mater), Brown University (2000), and several other universities.In 2007, Child was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame.On August 13, 2004, Child died of kidney failure in Montecito, California, two days before
her 92nd birthday.