The First Bank of Greenwich Honors Louise Weber
Louise Weber was the ever-dedicated member of the community whose many contributions over the years included being a prominent member of the Garden Club of Old Greenwich as well as a Board Member and former Chair of the Bruce Museum before having sadly passed last November. On Wednesday, January 10 Weber was honored by The First Bank of Greenwich in a heartwarming event held at their main office on East Putnam Avenue in Cos Cob. Featured were two exquisite tabletop holiday trees Weber had designed for the Greenwich Historical Society’s annual Holiday Festival of Tabletop Trees of which the Bank had purchased at a silent auction for Louise Weber was the ever-dedicated member of the community whose many contributions over the years included being a prominent member of the Garden Club of Old Greenwich as well as a Board Member and former Chair of the Bruce Museum before having sadly passed last November. On Wednesday, January 10 Weber was honored by The First Bank of Greenwich in a heartwarming event held at their main office on East Putnam Avenue in Cos Cob. Featured were two exquisite tabletop holiday trees Weber had designed for the Greenwich Historical Society’s annual Holiday Festival of Tabletop Trees of which the Bank had purchased at a silent auction for visitors and customers to enjoy throughout the holiday season. This memorable and moving event captured much of Weber’s spirit with those in attendance happily coming together in honor of her wonderful legacy, talent and contributions to the world of horticulture through the Garden Club of Old Greenwich and beyond.
Louise Weber standing in front of one of her beautifully designed tabletop holiday trees from several years ago. (Photo courtesy of the Garden Club of Old Greenwich)
“Louise Weber was wonderful and I’ll always remember first meeting her. When you meet somebody special, you just know,” said Frank Gaudio, President and Chief Executive Officer of The First Bank of Greenwich. “We’ve been very fortunate to have these trees here over the holidays.”
Weber ’s two tabletop holiday trees, meanwhile, were on display as golden centerpieces at the moving event that was attended by many of her friends, including many longtime colleagues who had known her through the Garden Club of Old Greenwich.
Moreover, Weber’s trees, which were decorated with beautiful birds, butterflies and golden nests that she had painted with blue ‘eggs,’ among other interesting things, vividly seemed to capture her personality, talent, and eye in regard to her gardening and f lower expertise while also representing a symbol of the major role she played in regard to the Garden Club of Old Greenwich and other organizations within the community.
“Louise had a great love for the Garden Club of Old Greenwich. She knew f loral design and she knew gardening and also just loved birds,” said Wendy MacDonald, a longtime Greenwich resident and president of the Garden Club of Old Greenwich from 2014 to 2016 who had been a close colleague and friend of Weber’s over the years. “Louise and I had a long history together and she was my mentor.”
“Louise was near and dear to all of us,” said Barbara Johann, Manager of the Greenwich Historical Society Museum Store who is very involved with the organization’s Annual Holiday Festival of Tabletop Trees Event. “She was so loving, and we were honored in all she did.”
Others agreed.
“She really was a great person and was an expert at so many things,” said Sue Baker, the renowned retired Greenwich High School teacher, Conservationist and Preservationist of who the Sue H. Baker Pavilion at Greenwich Point is named after. “She was so compassionate a person, was gung-ho on everything and demanded excellence in all she did.”
One of the two trees designed by Louise Weber on display at the bank.
Weber, a lifelong Greenwich resident, was someone whose life involved tremendous heart, dedication, hard work and commitment, that is for certain.
As a young girl, Weber had grown up on Tod’s Driftway next to Greenwich Point and then graduated from Greenwich High School. From there, she went on to earn a Master of Arts Degree from Teachers College at Columbia University.
As a longtime Board Member of the Bruce Museum, Weber served as its Chair from 1988 to 1992, having made a major impact with that organization in terms of her involvement and dedication during her time there.
Weber, who joined the Garden Club of Old Greenwich in 1983, became a force there, serving as its President from 1994 to 1996 and again from 2006 to 2008.
Known for her humble, kind, and lively spirit, Weber was also a member of the Board of Directors for the Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut, having served six years as the organization’s Horticulture Chair, among other notable things.
“She was always precise, and she knew the handbook and the rules,” said Wendy MacDonald. “She was not only a large presence in the Garden Club of Old Greenwich, but at the state level. She was all about a gold standard in every way.”
Frank Gaudio, President and Chief Executive Officer of The First Bank of Greenwich honored the spirit and legacy of Louise Weber, longtime member and former President of the Garden Club of Old Greenwich, with many of her friends, including those belonging to the GCOG, at a memorable event held at The First Bank of Greenwich’s Cos Cob office on Wednesday, January 10th.
(Photo & Article by Liz Leamy for the Greenwich Sentinel)