Our Dear Friend
Passes at 96
"Dee Rosenwald"
Meet Dorothy "Dee" Rosenwald one of my favorite customers and a dear friend.
Dee was one of the first customers to come to my salon, when I first opened in Doylestown back in 1993.
I'll never forget the first time that she waltzed into my salon dressed head to toe in "Green Leather" and introduced herself to me as if she was the Queen of Buck's County (at the spry age of 72). And as I soon discovered, she was indeed a true legend in the area.
Dee was so excited to have a "real New York hairdresser" (as she put it) in the area that she came in to me as soon as she heard I was in town. And I'm happy to say that Dee remained a loyal client and a dear friend of our salon for 24 years.
But to me Dee was much more than a customer at our salon. Dee was one of the most engaging and interesting persons that I have ever met.
Dee was smart, funny, fashionable and wise. She would always captivate all of us in the salon (staff and customers alike) with her incredible stories and her amazing sense of humor. At about 4 ½ feet tall, she still had a commanding presence, when she entered a room.
Dee was an artist, sculptor, historian, teacher and soldier (yes, a military soldier) mother and wife.
Dee was also an amazing storyteller. At one point she held regular lectures at the Logan Inn, called "Tea with Dee", where she would tell historical stories about Bucks County and about the architecture in the New Hope area.
Also, Dee would always tell me the most amazing stories of her passed life and I would be captivated like a child listening to a grandparent.
Some of the memories shared were about living in Paris during the war and meeting General Patton, as well as several past Presidents. She would proudly talk about how she used to sneak off of the military base and hang out with Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas to discuss art and literature.
She would tell me about her second husband, Bucks County artist Robert Rosenwald, and how his father and grandfather started the Sears and Roebuck Company. She would tell how when Robert was a child, his wealthy family had to hide him from the Nazis so he wouldn't be kidnapped.
Once, soon after her husband died, it was Mothers' Day. So I asked my wife if she would mind if Dee would join us for a Mother's Day dinner. She agreed and my wife, Cynthia, our daughter, Sienna, and me took Dee to eat a Rat's Restaurant at the Grounds for Sculpture in New Jersey.
I was thinking that it would be a real treat for her, and that she had never been there before. But as soon as we arrived, she told me that not only had she been there several time before, but also she and her husband were special guests during the grand opening of the park! However, she had never eaten at Rat's, so was happy to try it.
Needless to say, I could go on and on about how much I enjoyed spending time with Dee. She was at true treasure and a dear friend. My entire salon team, as well as I, will miss her dearly.
Thank you Dee and "Vaya con Dios",
...David
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