In Memoriam: Former Longtime Fair Havenite, LaVanche ‘Lee’ Walker Weber, 97

Former longtime Fair Havenite LaVanche Eleanor Walker Weber, known to one and all as “Lee”, passed away peacefully on Monday, Sept. 23, at home with her children by her side. She was 97.

Lee arrived on Jan. 1, 1927, the third of four children born to Helen Marie Rothacker and Charles Herbert Walker, of Newark.

“A graduate of Weequahic High School in 1944, she started working while still in school at Bamberger’s as a gift-wrapper. After her formal schooling ended, Lee found work as a showroom model in Manhattan’s fashion district. She then went on to become assistant to bathing suit designer, Carolyn Schnurer, and later was hired by Kimberly Knitwear. In later years she was involved in the creation and production of the first Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issues. In short, fashion forever loomed large in Lee’s life, as anyone who ever met her, or ever glimpsed her closet, will readily tell you.

“Later, Lee became involved in event planning and management. Along with her business partner, Midge Fitzgerald, she coordinated and planned events including Night of 100 Stars at Radio City Music Hall, 90 Minutes for Life (the fashion industry’s first fundraising effort to fight AIDS), the 20th Anniversary Celebration of Lincoln Center, the reopening of the Fulton Street Fish Market, annual celebrations for El Museo del Barrio and various private, celebrity celebrations, including the wedding of Whitney Houston.

“Far more important to Lee, however, was her volunteer work. She volunteered with the Monmouth County Junior League as a young woman, but her great passion was reflected in her over 60 years as an auxiliary member, then Board Member, then Board President and finally President Emeritus at FCS (Family and Children’s Service) of Monmouth County. She was given the Junior League of Monmouth County’s Award for Sustainer Community Volunteerism in 1989, and then FCS’s Lifetime Service Award along with her dear friend, B.J. Thompson in 2011.”
Loved ones of LaVanche “Lee” Walker Weber in her obituary

Lee met the love of her life, Henry (Hank) Weber through her brother, Buddy. They married in 1951 and raised their family first in East Orange, then New Shrewsbury, finally moving to Fair Haven in 1967. They loved each other devotedly until Hank’s passing in 2007.

Lee is pre-deceased by: her dear husband, Hank; her beloved son, Gregory; her parents, Helen and Charles; her siblings Jean, Charles, Jr. (aka Buddy), and Donald.

She leaves behind: her daughters, Cynthia Weber-Cleary (Denis), of Highlands, and Jenifer Weber, of Red Bank; her daughter-in-law, Kelly Weber, of Atlantic Highlands; and her grandchildren Lauren, Emma, Mac, Charlotte and Eli, “who all miss her already, but are all fiercely proud of the loving, fearless, wise-cracking, elegant, soft-hearted, maddening, magnificent person who was the matriarch of our family.”

She also bids farewell to many well-loved friends from all walks of life, including: Diane Dey, Joyce Haebler, Joan Nugent, Arlene Lospinosa, Sissie Redden, and Ann McKee, with special mentions of Heidi Burton, Rebecca Beebe, and Maud Quarmayne, who each conspired to help make her last years very happy ones, indeed.

Visitation will be held at Thompson Memorial Home in Red Bank on Monday, Sept. 30, from 4 to 7 p.m., and a celebration of life will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 1, at 11 a.m. at the Presbyterian Church at Shrewsbury. The family requests that any memorial gifts be directed to FCS of Monmouth County 191 Bath Ave., Long Branch 07740.

— Edited obituary prepared by family via Thompson Memorial Home