Deanne Molinari

Deanne “Dee” Molinari was born in Rochester, NY in 1937, the first child of four for Ralph and Mildred Molinari. Her family emigrated from Southern Italy and she grew up in a modest household full of family and love. She earned her Bachelor of Arts from University of Rochester in 1958 and her Masters of Arts in Psychology from Ohio State University in 1961.

She enjoyed her long and rewarding career as a student life administrator beginning with her role in student housing at the University of Rochester, followed by her many roles at SUNY Purchase beginning in 1972 as Director of Housing, Dean of the Conservatory of Dance, Assistant VP of Organized Activities, and Executive Assistant to four Purchase presidents, before retiring in 1994 to Fairport, NY. An avid community supporter and educator, she enjoyed many years volunteering with the Friends of Fairport Library. After finally settling in the Masonic Village in Elizabethtown, PA in 2016, she continued to be active in her community leading the Knitting club, Wine & Cheese club and supporting activity groups for the residents, while maintaining ties to her many artistic communities through Purchase Alumni reunions and events, attending musical and artistic events and making donations.

Her deep love of music, art and visual arts led to her many and ongoing contributions, the creation of scholarship programs and other support of art programs for decades, and it gave her great joy to be able to help students. She also was a founding member of the Wilson Society, created the Dee Molinari Education Fund at the University of Rochester’s Memorial Art Gallery (where she was a longtime volunteer), and The Molinari Family Scholarship Fund at the Eastman School of Music.

She is survived by her brother, Richard and sister Elaine, her partner Clint Spiegel, six nieces and nephews, many great nieces and nephews, cousins, and friends. We will miss her dearly. She is predeceased by her brother, Robert.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts in memory of Dee may be made to the University of Rochester’s Eastman School of Music Molinari Family Scholarship Fund (A11397) or the Molinari Education Fund at the Memorial Art Gallery of the University of Rochester (A11670). Gifts can be made online by visiting giving.rochester.edu or by mail to University of Rochester, Box 270032, Rochester, NY 14627.