Irene Adler Van Deusen: A Lasting Legacy of Art and Service

December 2006

Irene Van DeusenOur community was saddened earlier this year by the loss of a wonderful citizen – Irene Adler Van Deusen. Irene, a resident of Mendham, worked in Human Resources at Warner Lambert in Morris Plains and, prior to that, in Connecticut before her retirement in 1987.

Throughout her life she had a sustained interest in art, crafts, music, and theatre. She was active in volunteer organizations, having served on the board of the Voluntary Action Center (Volunteers for Morris County) and the United Way. She was a member of the Board of Directors of the New Philharmonic of New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, where she co-founded the innovative Music for Singles program.

Irene had a BA and MBA, but went back to school to earn a BA in Art History from Rutgers in 1997. She actively collected the work of local artists and subscribed to several theatres and orchestra series in New Jersey and New York City.

She always understood the need to promote the development of young and emerging artists and musicians. To support this work, she left a significant part of her estate to the Community Foundation specifically to “assist in the development and encouragement of young artists and musicians and encourage individuals to volunteer in their communities.”

The Community Foundation is honored to be able to carry on Irene’s legacy.