A Tree Grows in Roseland

On Monday morning, a memorial tree at the Essex County Environmental Center in Roseland was dedicated to the memory of a Verona resident and a true friend to the environment, Anny Landsberger.

Landsberger, along with her husband, Kurt, donated more than $100,000 to the Center since 2005, which has enabled the center to host more than 15,000 students for field trips and programs, many from nearby urban and inner-city school districts.

Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. dedicated the red bud tree, which sits near Garibaldi Hall on the 1,361-acre campus of the Environmental Center, to Anny, and lauded she and Kurt for their "lifelong dedication to environmental stewardship and education."

"The Landsbergers are long-time advocates for enhancing awareness and understanding about the environment and their generous donations are helping us with our mission to introduce new generations of students to the wonders of nature,” DiVincenzo said. “The tree planted for Anny Landsberger is a simple reminder of her love of nature and will hopefully inspire new generations of students to do become environmental stewards.”

At the base of the tree is a small plaque dedicated to Anny by her husband. It reads "Together we've shared a lifelong dedication to environmental stewardship and education."

Kurt Landsberger, who attended the ceremony with his son, David, said he was "delighted" with the dedication, calling it "a beautiful tribute" to Anny.

"My wife and I always advocated for the environment. We started our business together, it was successful and we decided to use some of our profits to do what we could to educate children about the environment," he said.

Interestingly, it was Kurt and Anny's business savvy that enabled them to turn their attentions to giving back to nature.

Kurt and Anny started and ran Bel-Art products, a pioneering provider of plastics in the laboratory market, manufacturing products to this day under the Scienceware brand. In 1971, the couple started Maddak Inc., which has since grown to become the largest manufacturer of aids for daily living in the United States. The company produces small, often inexpensive products designed to help disabled or injured people lead more independent lives by making daily tasks easier to accomplish.

Anny had two master's degrees, one in Sociology from Seton Hall University and one in German Literature from Montclair State University. Anny and Kurt have two sons, David and Allen, five grandchildren and a great-grandchild. Anny died on March 2, 2010.