Nancy Alden Oppenheim

Beloved mother, grandmother, wife, aunt, talented artist and friend, Nancy Alden Baker Oppenheim, 97, of Summit, New Jersey, died Saturday, May 31, 2025. She died peacefully at home in the town where she had lived since 1971.
Nancy was a warm, loving, outspoken and direct person. She loved to sing, whistle, play the piano, decorate her home and cultivate her many gardens. She was a lover of beauty and nature and would marvel at a bright orange sunset, the color of the sky at dawn, the bright red of a cardinal or the brilliant colors of the leaves in fall. She was independent, hardworking and loved to travel. She was an excellent public speaker, a great writer, a world class gift wrapper and had great style. Through all of life's ups and downs she didn't complain, she just got things done.
Nancy was born in New York City on January 10, 1928 on the eve of the Great Depression. She grew up in Montclair, New Jersey and graduated from Montclair High School in 1946. Nancy supported herself from a young age working a number of jobs. She attended secretarial school, was a psychiatric aide at a sanitarium, a fashion model, and spent much of her early career in journalism and public relations. She was a reporter and editor for the Montclair Times, the head of Public Relations for the Newark Museum and later for the National Junior League of America. There, she and her staff managed media, events, publicity and published their national magazine where she interviewed many women leaders including Nancy Reagan. She held managerial positions when it was uncommon for women to do so.
When Nancy was 8 years old, she met Robert Oppenheim, who would become her husband. They crossed paths several times over the years and after World War II, following Robert's release from the military, they met again by chance in a hotel lobby in New York City. They dated for several years, married in 1963 and were together until Robert's death in 1986.
Nancy was passionate about painting and spent 40 years as a professional artist following in the footsteps of her parents who were both painters. She attended the Art Student's League in New York City and studied under several notable artists. Nancy used the intentionally ambiguous professional name Alden Baker to avoid what she felt was bias against female artists. Throughout her career she won many prestigious awards and competitions including more than two dozen Best in Show and Solo awards. She worked primarily in pastel specializing in landscapes, still life paintings, and was an especially talented portrait painter, able to capture the personality of her subjects. Her work is part of many private and corporate art collections across the country.
Nancy was very involved in the art community and held a number of leadership roles. She was a member of the Pastel Society of America, served on its Board of Governors and was an honorary lifetime member. She served as President and Vice President of the Art Center of New Jersey and Chair of the Pastel Division at the Pen & Brush Club in New York City. She taught in many art schools and was part of an artist exchange program between the United States and China where she taught several seminars in Chinese art schools. She loved to share her ability and her love of art, which she did with hundreds of students over the course of her life.
She will be remembered by her daughter Jessica Alden Oppenheim, her grandchildren Charlotte Alden Burke and Robert John Burke, son-in-law Martin Burke, half-brother Eugene Douglas Higgins, niece Janet Geduldig and many more family and friends. She is preceded in death by her beloved husband Robert Oppenheim, and her parents Grace Louise Higgins and Samuel Burtis Baker.
The family has requested, that if you plan on attending, to please wear your favorite color to celebrate Nancy's life.
Nancy fought valiantly against Alzheimer's Disease for 15 years. Donations can be made in memory of Nancy Oppenheim to the Alzheimer's Association by clicking here, or to the Pastel Society of America Make a Donation | Pastel Society of America by clicking here.