Adelaide Zagoren

Adelaide Zagoren (Marcus), 94, of Highland Park died Jan. 31, 2014. She was born and raised in New Brunswick and lived in Highland Park before moving to Monroe Township and later returning to Highland Park.

Mrs. Zagoren began her career as a journalist for the New Brunswick Home News, and then worked with the United Way of New Jersey as an associate director. She became executive director of the Douglass Alumnae Association of Rutgers University’s Douglass College from 1968 to 1994, and was employed as an executive director for the Raritan Valley Girl Scouts Council in Highland Park.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in 1940 from New Jersey College for Women-Douglass College.

She was listed in Who’s Who in American Women and Who’s Who in the East. She was a member of the board of directors of the Circle in the Square Theater in New York, past president of the sisterhood of Anshe Emeth Memorial Temple, vice president of Region II of Association of Girl Scouts Professional Workers, and public relations chair of the Jewish Federation of Raritan Valley. She also was president of the Blanche and Laurie Foundation for 19 years, a member of the board of directors of the George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick since 1994, a member of the board of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Foundation, and past president of Mutual 16 of Rossmoor.

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She was appointed by the Supreme Court of New Jersey to the District 8 Free Arbitration Committee. She also authored a book, Involving Alumni in Career Assistance Programs.

Among her many awards, she received the Thanks Badge, the highest award in Girl Scouting for Outstanding Volunteer Service; was selected as one of six Women of Achievement by the New Jersey Federation of Women’s Clubs and Douglass College; recipient of the Distinguished Recognition Alumnae Awards of Douglass College and the Council of Advancement and Support of Education by the Rutgers College Alumni Association; and recipient of the Margaret R. Corwin Award for Alumnae Service. She was recognized as a Rutgers University Hall of Distinguished Alumni in 2006, and also received the Rutgers University Medal in 1994, one of the university’s highest awards.

Predeceased by her husband, Charles, in 1985, she is survived by her son, Robert (fiancee Lynn Suzanne Tress) of Boca Raton, Fla.; her daughter, Laura Zagoren (Norman) Baron of Hackettstown; her twin sister, Ruth Marcus Patt of Princeton; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Services were held Feb. 2 with arrangements by Crabiel Parkwest Funeral Chapel, New Brunswick. Memorial contributions may be made to The Associate Alumnae of Douglass College-Adelaide Zagoren Lecture Series, 181 Ryders Lane, New Brunswick, NJ; or Anshe Emeth Memorial Temple, New Brunswick.