Post Humous Recipients - Women's Hall of Fame
The post humous award below honor local women who made strides in the workforce, always striving to move forward with their career and inspire women everywhere.
2012
Karen Z. Bell
Karen Z. Bell had a lifelong connection with Westchester County. She was born and raised in Mount Vernon. After graduating from Vassar College, working for the Department of Labor, and graduating from Boston University Law School, she worked as an Assistant District Attorney in the Bronx. In 1977 Karen and her husband, Sanford Bell moved to Larchmont where they raised their children. Karen maintained law offices first in Larchmont and later, in White Plains, became active in the Westchester Women’s Bar Association, and served as President. Karen lived in Larchmont until her death December 2010.
Karen had many community and professional involvements but her endeavors on behalf of women and children were a cornerstone of her legacy. For decades, she was a cherished mentor to women lawyers who credit her with their own success as community leaders. Karen saw the suffering of children whose parents were divorcing. She
served for more than 20 years as a court-appointed law guardian protecting the interests of those children.
As her practice evolved, Karen became acutely aware that litigants in matrimonial proceedings, particularly women, were often at a substantial disadvantage because
they lacked funds to secure the counsel they so desperately needed. Karen was instrumental in the creation of the Moderate Means Panel at the Pace Women’s Justice Center through which attorneys serve for reduced compensation to provide Westchester women with high-quality affordable legal representation.
In recognition of this effort Karen was the first recipient of the Moderate Means Award. Karen also recognized that there might be a better, more humane alternative
to expensive, emotionally draining litigated divorce. From this realization arose another initiative of lasting impact-her enthusiastic support of collaborative divorce. Karen’s skill and commitment were an inspiration to her colleagues in collaborative divorce. Her empathy, sensitivity, advocacy and knowledge made her invaluable to her clients and the collaborative process. Joan Baez said “You don’t get to choose how you’re going to die, or when. You can only decide how you’re going to live now.”
Karen Bell’s choices about how to live will long benefit countless women and families of Westchester County and will continue to inspire her children, Catherine and Maddie and Jonathan and Julie, her grandchildren, Oliver Z. Bell and Emma Karen Bell-Ribble, and her many friends and professional colleagues.
2010
Mary Ann Quaranta
Marion S. Sinek
2006
Audrey G. Hochberg
2004
Mother Irene Gill, OSU
2003
Katherine C. Marquand
2002
Ruth Kellogg Batchelor
Luella Lamer Slaner
2000
Betty Sanders Shabazz
1999
Rev. Shannon Bernard
Ruth Inabu Fox
1998
Sheila Petersen
1997
Janice Burns
1991
Vicki Stein
1990
Hon. Ruth V. Washington
1989
Marylynn G. Pierce
Renee Pollack
1988
Marjorie Damman
1987
Hon. Jane H. Todd
1986
"Aunt" Bessie Hargrove
1985
Lila Acheson Wallace
Bessie Emanuel Smith
2012
Karen Z. Bell
Karen Z. Bell had a lifelong connection with Westchester County. She was born and raised in Mount Vernon. After graduating from Vassar College, working for the Department of Labor, and graduating from Boston University Law School, she worked as an Assistant District Attorney in the Bronx. In 1977 Karen and her husband, Sanford Bell moved to Larchmont where they raised their children. Karen maintained law offices first in Larchmont and later, in White Plains, became active in the Westchester Women’s Bar Association, and served as President. Karen lived in Larchmont until her death December 2010.
Karen had many community and professional involvements but her endeavors on behalf of women and children were a cornerstone of her legacy. For decades, she was a cherished mentor to women lawyers who credit her with their own success as community leaders. Karen saw the suffering of children whose parents were divorcing. She
served for more than 20 years as a court-appointed law guardian protecting the interests of those children.
As her practice evolved, Karen became acutely aware that litigants in matrimonial proceedings, particularly women, were often at a substantial disadvantage because
they lacked funds to secure the counsel they so desperately needed. Karen was instrumental in the creation of the Moderate Means Panel at the Pace Women’s Justice Center through which attorneys serve for reduced compensation to provide Westchester women with high-quality affordable legal representation.
In recognition of this effort Karen was the first recipient of the Moderate Means Award. Karen also recognized that there might be a better, more humane alternative
to expensive, emotionally draining litigated divorce. From this realization arose another initiative of lasting impact-her enthusiastic support of collaborative divorce. Karen’s skill and commitment were an inspiration to her colleagues in collaborative divorce. Her empathy, sensitivity, advocacy and knowledge made her invaluable to her clients and the collaborative process. Joan Baez said “You don’t get to choose how you’re going to die, or when. You can only decide how you’re going to live now.”
Karen Bell’s choices about how to live will long benefit countless women and families of Westchester County and will continue to inspire her children, Catherine and Maddie and Jonathan and Julie, her grandchildren, Oliver Z. Bell and Emma Karen Bell-Ribble, and her many friends and professional colleagues.
2010
Mary Ann Quaranta
Marion S. Sinek
2006
Audrey G. Hochberg
2004
Mother Irene Gill, OSU
2003
Katherine C. Marquand
2002
Ruth Kellogg Batchelor
Luella Lamer Slaner
2000
Betty Sanders Shabazz
1999
Rev. Shannon Bernard
Ruth Inabu Fox
1998
Sheila Petersen
1997
Janice Burns
1991
Vicki Stein
1990
Hon. Ruth V. Washington
1989
Marylynn G. Pierce
Renee Pollack
1988
Marjorie Damman
1987
Hon. Jane H. Todd
1986
"Aunt" Bessie Hargrove
1985
Lila Acheson Wallace
Bessie Emanuel Smith
