Garden at The Valley Hospital in Paramus To Be Named for Lenni and Bob Puritz

5/11/22

The Valley Hospital in Paramus’ 40-acre campus will provide a beautiful, park-like setting with gardens, lawns, and walking paths, allowing families, patients, and visitors to relax and have a moment of serenity. When the hospital opens in 2023, the lower plaza garden space will be named for Lenni and Robert (Bob) Puritz, longtime friends of The Valley Hospital and philanthropic supporters of the Foundation. The couple, married 68 years at the time of Bob’s passing in 2019, were devoted members of the greater Ridgewood community and committed to its development. Lenni, a realtor with Terrie O’Connor Realtors, served on the executive boards of United Way, West Bergen Mental Healthcare, Community Blood Center, and the Glen Rock Unified Scholarship Council. Bob, a local real estate developer and native of Ridgewood, was actively engaged on numerous boards and committees and served as President of the Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce and Chairman of the Van Neste Memorial Park Committee, and he was a member of the Kasschau Shell Committee responsible for the construction of the band shell in 1958 at Veteran’s Field.

As a trustee of both The Valley Hospital and Foundation, Bob first was appointed to the hospital’s board in 1971, and then to the Foundation’s board in 1983, committing many years in service to an institution for which he held deep affection. “He treasured his involvement with Valley and took great pride in the relationships he nurtured and
in the hospital’s development,” remarks Lenni. Bob remained committed to Valley as both an Honorary Trustee and a member of the President’s Council; as Lifetime Benefactors, Bob and Lenni supported the annual fund, past campaigns, Butterflies, Women For Health, and Valley Hospice. “Bob was a dedicated trustee whose leadership was marked by hard work, determination, and good humor,” says Audrey Meyers, President and CEO of Valley Health System. “Bob and Lenni have not only been generous donors, but dear friends to all of us at Valley.”

In loving tribute to Bob, Lenni has made a significant gift in support of The Valley Hospital in Paramus. “Bob loved gardening, and he loved Valley,” she says. “This opportunity to name one of the gardens at the new hospital was a wonderful way to honor his memory.”