Susane “Suzy” Josephson Finesilver, Americans for the Arts National Patron, passed away February 1, 2015. She was a longtime supporter of the arts both nationally and locally in her home city and state of San Antonio, Texas, where she was born in 1916 and lived her entire life. 

She served on the National Advisory Board of the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington D.C. and was one of the museum’s founders more than 25 years ago. She also was a founding board member and former vice president of the museum’s Texas Committee. She was a board member of the Southwest School of Art and Craft, now known as the Southwest School of Art. She was a member of the School of Visual Arts Board at the University of North Texas in Denton. She also served on the boards of the Mid-America Arts Alliance and Texas Arts Alliance, and formerly, the American Council for the Arts. She was a member of the Prince of Wales Foundation for many years. She also was a patron of the United World Colleges. 

Suzy Finesilver is a Life member of the Santa Rosa Children’s Hospital Auxiliary and was board chairman of the Christmas Clearing Bureau. During World War II, she was a Grey Lady for the Red Cross and U.S.O. Travelers Aid. She was honored as an Outstanding Volunteer at the First Annual Salute to Outstanding Volunteers by San Antonio Homes and Gardens Magazine 1985-86. Suzy had a musical education and played piano, clarinet and saxophone. She was a 1934 graduate of Thomas Jefferson High School and attended the University of Texas at Austin where she studied education.

We will miss her dedication to the arts and volunteerism that helped shape so many organizations working to advance the arts and arts education across the country.