Lynn Gross Straus

STRAUS--Lynn Gross. Lynn Gross Straus of Mamaroneck, NY passed away on January 28, 2023. Born in New York City in 1925 to Beatrice Rittenberg and Philip Gross, she was a graduate of Scarsdale High School and Vassar College, majoring in Child Study. After attending Bank Street College of Education where she obtained a Master of Science Degree, she taught elementary school at the Ethical Culture Fieldston School. She was pre-deceased by the love of her life, her husband of 54 years, Philip Albert Straus Sr. Their half-century romance was a life fully lived replete with a loving family, friends, rewarding work, travel, skiing, tennis, sailing, opera, art, and a dedication to philanthropy and social justice. Her lifelong passion and advocacy for early childhood education and improving care for at-risk children has had a lasting impact. In the 1960s, she and her sister, Joan Scheuer, created the innovative pre-kindergarten program, "The Village 4's" in Mamaroneck, which became a model for the national Head Start program. She applied her expertise to notable innovative model infant and toddler care programs at the Jewish Board of Guardians' Infant Care Unit, the Parent Child Development Center in Birmingham, and the Parents Place "drop-in" center for parents of infants. She was the loving mother of Philip Jr. (wife Margaret Harris), Donald (partner Elizabeth Nipper) and Katherine; grandmother of Miriam, Peter, Elizabeth, and Sarah; sister of Joan Scheuer and her twin Peggy Lazarus (predeceased); and great-grand- mother of Linden, Avery, Talia, Sienna, Bennett, Oren, and Anabella. The family is receiving visitors on Sunday, February 12, 2023 from 3 to 6pm (for info: philstraus@me.com A memorial celebration of her life will be held at the Beach Point Club, 900 Rushmore Avenue, Mamaroneck, NY 10543-4599 on April 15, 2023 from 11-2pm. To confirm the date and time, you can call 914 698-1600, ext 107. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent to the Bank Street college of Education https://give.bankstreet.edu/ campaign/givingtuesday- campaign/c377230; 610 W. 112th St, New York City, NY 10025 or Zero to Three: https://www.zerotothree.org/ get-involved/?form=donate; 2445 M Street NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20037.