Benefactor Spreads Cheer

Santa has come early for both Guild Hall and Ashawagh Hall, in the form of gifts bequeathed by a Springs woman. A ceremony in honor of the late Anita Ober was held at Ashawagh Hall on Sunday, during which a pair of faux boix outdoor chairs and a table were unveiled. Cast in rebar and concrete, they are comfortable to sit in and, with their weight, certainly would be hard to steal — both qualities that made the set attractive to J. Mickey Rowley, who was like a stepson to Ms. Ober and is the executor of her will. “She was very specific,” Mr. Rowley said about Ms. Ober’s wishes as expressed both to him in person, and in her will.

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Correction: The original version of this article spelled J. Mickey Rowley's name. incorrectly. 

Ms. Ober had left $10,000 to the Springs Improvement Society, which owns Ashawagh Hall, to pay for the set. However, when it came time to acquire the furniture, Mr. Crowley donated his own money, to allow the society to use the $10,000 for other purposes. Mr. Crowley and his partner, David Ogden, both of whom split their time between their houses in Philadelphia and Springs, worked with Gina Maxwell, the manager and buyer at the Bayberry in Amagansett, in their search for just the right pieces. The stone base of the table, which bears a memorial plaque, was carved by a neighbor and friend of Ms. Ober’s, Leander Arnold, who is a third-generation stone mason. 

Andrea Grover, Guild Hall’s executive director, spoke during the dedication. She was five months into the job when she learned earlier this year that Ms. Ober had left $100,000 to Guild Hall. “Who was this woman?” Ms. Grover asked. The answer was that Ms. Ober was a patron of the arts who had also volunteered in the gift shop at Guild Hall for many years. 

Another of Ms. Ober’s bequests was $100,000 to Doctors Without Borders. As part of the ceremony at Ashawagh Hall, all present raised steins of beer and sang “Ein Prosit” in German. That is exactly what Ms. Ober wanted to see happen, Mr. Crowley said.