Eda Newhouse, Scarsdale's Consummate Volunteer, Passes Away at 88

Eda Loeb Newhouse, perhaps Scarsdale's most well-known volunteer, died on Monday, February 10, 2014 at age 88 after a short illness. She spent much of her life working for the enrichment and well-being of the community. She was recognized for her efforts in 2000 when she won the Scarsdale Bowl, the highest honor bestowed on a Scarsdale resident for public service in the community.

Though she was a resident of Scarsdale for 61 years, Newhouse retained the southern accent she picked up during her childhood in Montgomery, Alabama where her family was well known for founding the leading cotton merchant firm, Weil Brothers Cotton, Inc., established in 1878.

Mrs. Newhouse attended high school at the Walnut Hill School in Natick, Massachusetts and then attended Oberlin College, where she studied music. After graduating from college, Mrs. Newhouse moved to New York City and taught piano for several years at the Diller–Quaile School of Music.

In the winter of 1947, Eda Newhouse met the love of her life, the late Stanley Newhouse, Jr., of Kansas City, Missouri, at a party in New York City. They married in 1949 in Montgomery, Alabama. In 1952, the couple moved to Scarsdale where Eda continued her professional career as a piano teacher at the Hoff-Barthelson Music School up until her first child was born in December of 1953.

Like many new residents, Eda Newhouse initially became involved in community affairs by joining the Parent Teacher Associations and served on the boards of the Greenacres, Heathcote and Middle and High School PTAs and PT Council from 1959-1979. Within the schools she will be remembered for founding both the Scarsdale Recreation Program and the Scarsdale High School Recreation program for teens known as Asmodeus. Through her involvement with the PTA's she honed her organizational skills and worked with others to realize their objectives.

Eda Newhouse will best be known for her sustained commitment to historic preservation, and the Scarsdale Historical Society where she served as president for 28 years. Combining her passion for history, experience as an educator and seemingly unlimited amounts of energy, Eda Newhouse, and her Board of community leaders, helped steer the organization to a place of special prominence in the Scarsdale and broader Westchester County Communities.

Under Mrs. Newhouse's leadership the Scarsdale Historical Society restored and moved into the 1734 Cudner-Hyatt house and also acquired, moved and restored the 1828 Quaker Meeting House. However, she was most proud of the educational programs at the Society, which at their peak were serving almost 7,000 students annually. Her colonial fairs, tulip bulb sales, country stores, historic house tours and educational programs at the historical society were legendary.

In recent years, attendance and usage of the Scarsdale Historical Soceity's Cudner Hyatt House declined and the current Board of Directors applied to the Scarsdale Zoning Board of Appeals to remove a variance that requires it to operate as a museum so that they could find financially viable options for the building. Newhouse objected, calling the application "shocking and absurd." She told the zoning board that when she ran the Society there were 25 people on the Board of Directors as well as scores of others on the Advisory Board and that they "had a party every year and worked hard to find ways to keep the money coming in."

She served in a variety of leadership roles with the Town & Village Club, Friends of Scarsdale Parks, Scarsdale Community Center, Scarsdale Conservation Council, Scarsdale League of Women Voters, Citizens Nominating Committee, Scarsdale Women's Club and the Scarsdale Council for the Arts.

A few of the people she worked with in town shared their thoughts on Eda. Scarsdale Mayor Bob Steves said, "Eda is a prime example of what it means to give back to the community. She was a tireless worker on behalf of many Village programs and recruited numberless volunteers based on her example and sheer force of will. That her name is forever engraved on the Scarsdale Bowl is a fitting testament to her great contribution to the Village. She will be missed."

David Irwin, President of the Scarsdale Forum remembered Newhouse as well. "Eda Newhouse was a wonderful friend and a tireless contributor of her time and talents to the Scarsdale Forum over many years. She has played an important role on many of the Forum's committees and activities, including serving as a longstanding chair of its Program Committee where she has been responsible for many excellent Forum programs over the years. At the Forum as well as in her other activities, Eda always worked for the betterment of the community. She will be greatly missed."

BK Munguia, a former President of the Scarsdale Forum, had this to say about Newhouse: "Scarsdale has lost a committed advocate of its history, its green spaces and its gracious neighborhoods. She guided several generations of volunteers in the community on many projects. Eda never lost her Southern style of gracious entertaining even with her group of volunteers gathered at her kitchen table and she will be missed."

Lena Crandall, who served with Newhouse on the Friends of the Scarsdale Parks, remembered her love of flowers. "Eda and I first worked together on the Friends of Scarsdale Parks and the Village of Scarsdale Conservation Advisory Council. We had many discussions about the pros and cons of annuals - those pretty seasonal flowers that often require extra work, water and fertilizer. The end result? Eda settled on planting daffodils - beautiful spring-flowering bulbs that are known to survive for years without much care. So, when you see daffodils in public places this spring, please remember that Eda orchestrated their planting."

Beyond Scarsdale, Eda Newhouse served on the boards of the Westchester Community Foundation, The Westchester Arts Council, the Council of Women's College Clubs of Westchester, the Oberlin College Club and the Women's Enterprise Development Committee. She was also committed to advancing Jewish causes and was the founding board member of the American Jewish Committee's Westchester Chapter. She was also on the women's board of the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies.

Outside of community affairs, Eda Newhouse always loved music and was recognized by the New York Philharmonic as its oldest continual season ticket holder. She was a passionate bridge player and achieved the level of Silver Life Master through competitive tournament play. She was a consummate gardener and took great pride in showing her extensive gardens and in competing in various flower shows. A member of the Sunningdale Country Club for over fifty years, she was an avid golfer, and a member of the Club's bridge and bowling teams and enjoyed the club's social life.

Lastly, she was a fan, and with her husband, a long time season ticket holder of the New York Giants football team. She complained only days before her death that they had a disappointing and unsuccessful season in 2013, but she expected them to do better next year.

Eda Newhouse is preceded in death by her husband, Stanley Newhouse, Jr., her parents, Helen Weil Loeb and Lucien S. Loeb, and her brother James Loeb. She is survived by her sister, Katherine Loeb Wiener of Jackson, Mississippi, her sister-in-law Joan Byck Loeb of Montgomery, Alabama, her son, Douglas L. Newhouse and his wife, Holly M. Bannister, M.D. of Weston, Connecticut, her son, James L. Newhouse and his wife, Stephanie Kelly Newhouse of Bedford, New York, and three grandchildren, Olivia Newhouse, Robert "Nick" Newhouse and Alexa Newhouse. Numerous nieces and nephews with whom she was very close also survive her.

Visitation will be at Congregation Kol Ami, 252 Soundview Avenue, White Plains, NY on Friday February 21 starting at 10:00 am. There will be a Memorial service beginning at 11:00 am.

In lieu of flowers please send donations to:

The Fund for Westchester's Future
Westchester Community Foundation
200 North Central Park Avenue
Suite 310
Hartsdale, NY 10530

(Portions of this article were supplied by Eda's son James Newhouse)