To Honor Her Father: Valere Voorhees

When Valere Voorhees, a lifelong resident of Poughkeepsie, died at 93 last December, she left a legacy gift to the hospital where her father worked for most of his life.

Earle W. Voorhees, MD, (third from left in archival photo) was an ophthal-mologist who served at Vassar Brothers Medical Center over several decades. His daughter, Valere, attended Pine Manor College and Bender Laboratory of the Albany College of Pharmacy, before joining her father’s practice in Poughkeepsie. Active in the community, she served on the Vassar Hospital Association and other regional not-for-profits.

Valere’s generous philanthropy always included annual support for Vassar Brothers; when special projects were needed, she raised her hand. But her final gift was an especially meaningful one for her and her family: It has named the new ICU Waiting Room at the Medical Center in memory of her father, and Valere herself has been commemorated through the naming of the Executive Board Room in her honor.