"Always warm and most interesting to be with" -Doreen K

I first heard of Vanessa Merton through my volunteer work with immigrants in the Port Chester community. Vanessa was on the vanguard of work being done in the New York City area and especially in Westchester. Her innovative work at Pace University Law School was the gold standard in the area. I heard Vanessa speak once and Vanessa was frequently quoted whenever a decision regarding immigration arose.

My daughter Margot was fortunate to marry into Vanessa’s extended family and I then had several opportunities to meet Vanessa in person - and to spend “normal" family time together. She and her family were always warm and most interesting to be with.

One example of the “private” Vanessa stands out. Three years ago, two days before Christmas, I broke my shoulder and was in the emergency room at White Plains Hospital, late in the evening. My local family was out of town. My husband was not well and I needed pain medicine to help get through the night. For legal reasons, the hospital could not give me any. Vanessa and Steve (the busiest people) were dispatched to the nearest pharmacy that was available, waited patiently for the prescription and brought it to me at the hospital. Their son, Darrow, joined my late husband and me at the hospital - making sure we were OK until our friends arrived to take us home. (Margot arrived on a late plane and handled all from that point on.)

I admire Vanessa greatly for her wonderful work but also for her kindness. Her family knew she was the person to call - she drove around late at night and, of course, was reluctant to accept praise.

Fondly,
Doreen K