Mrs. Victor T. Strom

Mrs. Neva Idene Montagu Nichols Strom, widow of Victor T. Strom of Ridgewood, NJ and Lake George N.Y., died in Glens Falls Hospital Wednesday September 6th after a brief illness.

Mrs. Strom grew up in Glens Falls NY, attended the Oakwood Friends School in Poughkeepsie, NY and graduated from Glens Falls High.

As a young adult, Neva lived in Manhattan where she was actively involved at Marble Collegiate Church, worshipping closely with Dr. Norman Vincent Peale. Neva enjoyed being social Chair for the Young Adults Group and there met her soul sister Eleanor Vaughn Sass.

She was with Ellie when she met the dashing, young Victor at a Young Republicans Ball... Dr Peale married them in a big ceremony on April 12,1958. As newlyweds they moved to Chelsea and soon met their other family to be, Harriet and Charles Hohman. In 1965, with Neva D. and Dina in tow, they moved to Ridgewood NJ and in 1968 expanded their family again with the birth of their beloved son, Rolf Thorsen (deceased 2000).

Neva and Victor loved the Adirondacks, and in 1970 purchased their summer home on Lake George. They enjoyed being members at the Lake George Club and socializing with the other members of Woodfin Park, all of whom became lifelong friends. No matter where they were, in Ridgewood or Lake George, their home was warm and welcoming, and their doors generously open for family, friends and guests.

For twenty years, Neva was a Girl Scout leader. She and her best friend, Marjorie Poole, received National Recognition when they won the much acclaimed Juliette Gordon Lowe Award for outstanding leadership.

Neva had a great love of history. She devoured books and was a walking encyclopedia on genealogical matters, the history of Lake George and the old family home of Depe Dene.

She was also very creative....mastering the arts of sewing, knitting, and needlepoint.

These talents and her love of history are what brought her to work at the Hermitage Museum in Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ, there she created costumes for their seasonal, production of "A Christmas Carol ", and also for the Ridgewood parents scholarship production of "Jamboree".

When she finally retired from all her volunteer work, Neva kept busy doing crosswords, reading and lunching with her Red Hat lady friends.

Neva is survived by two daughters; Neva D. Strom-Dula (Tom) of New York, grandchildren Nikolas, and Hannah Dula. Daughter; Dina Fairchild Grant, of Healdsburg California, grandchildren; John, George, and Katie Grant and lastly, their beloved dog Babalou.

Services and interment will be Saturday October 14, at 3:00 at West Side Presbyterian Church, 6 S. Monroe St., Ridgewood, N.J. with reception to follow.