Member Memoir W hether you have been a member for 30 years or 3 months, your connection to the Gardens matters greatly to us. From a casual stroll through the Woodland Walk, a picnic at our Sunday Afternoon concert series in July, to the end-of-year hol- iday celebration, the season is only made better by how our members interact with us. Denward W. Collins, Jr. has been a member of Old Westbury Gardens for over 40 years. Be- low is a letter written by Mr. Collins accompanied by a newspaper clipping from 1977 with a photo of Collins and his late wife, Ruth, enjoying a Picnic Pops concert.
Our sincerest thanks to Mr. Collins for sharing his story and being a lifelong champion of Old Westbury Gardens.
If you would like to share your personal connection to the Gardens as a Member Memoir, email it to membership@oldwestburygardens.org. We will consider it for a future issue.
Old Westbury Gardens,
Ruth and I were married Oct. 1958, the same time OWG opened to the public. My father enjoyed many polo games there in the early 1930s. Dad was so pleased to go back and find it as beautiful as he re - membered. Ruth and I attended regularly (and most Picnic Pops). We took our sons in the 1960s and grandchildren in the 1980s and 1990s. Many friends and visiting guests were taken to OWG. I knew this was worthwhile when our granddaughter’s friend came back after a tour by Mary Kate and relayed to us so much of the history which we had taught to our sons and grandchildren - OWG will continue!
Ruth died March 28, 2021. When I return now, I feel her presence. It had always been our “special” place.
The Nassau County Historical Society en- joyed two society programs at OWG. We had to limit seating in the ballroom to 90. We cut off reservations beyond that number. However, I was called and asked if Mrs. Peggie Boegner could attend with a guest. As president of the NCHS, I, of course, said yes. Later date, she spoke at our society as a featured guest. (We miss her).
Looking forward to many years at OWG.
Sincerely, Denward Collins Jr.
4
Made with FlippingBook interactive PDF creator