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RANNY REESE WAS A POWERHOUSE WHO FOR FOUR DECADES CHAMPIONED A VISION OF A REVITALIZED HUDSON VALLEY. HER TRIUMPHS STAND AS ENDURING GIFTS TO US ALL.  BUT FRANNY WAS MUCH MORE THAN AN ACTIVIST. SHE WAS AN ARTIST - WATERCOLORS AND POETRY WERE JUST TWO OF HER MEDIA - AND HER TALK WAS PUNGENT AND PEPPERED WITH "FRANNYISMS." SHE WAS DEEPLY RELIGIOUS AND PONDERED HER FAITH UNTIL THE DAY SHE DIED. SHE GARDENED, PLAYED TENNIS, CHOSE PRESENTS FOR FRIENDS AND NURTURED GENERATIONS OF HER FAMILY WITH THE SAME PASSIONATE HUMANITY THAT MARKED THE WORK THAT MADE HER FAMOUS. |
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Long before it was fashionable, Franny deeply valued the people and places that make our valley a touchstone for our national heritage. A Scenic Hudson founder, she led efforts to protect Storm King Mountain. Taking resolve from her love of our richly historied river, Franny and a handful of other citizens battled Consolidated Edison's plans to build a power plant into the side of this landmark.
Early in the 17-year crusade, a federal court issued the Scenic Hudson Decision, which established the right of citizens to bring lawsuits to protect their natural resources, launching the modern environmental movement. Franny went on to help Scenic Hudson spearhead key legislation, including the Clean Water Act and Superfund law. Scenic Hudson's board chair from 1966 to 1984, she initiated land and historic preservation projects, created public parks along the river and joined other concerned citizens to oppose inappropriate developments.
She would always take on the good fight, whether driving the General Electric Co. to remove its toxic PCBs from the river or battling a proposed coal-fired cement plant that would threaten our health and prosperity. However, she was not content for Scenic Hudson just to oppose bad development. Always she challenged us to propose initiatives that would improve the Hudson Valley, such as the revitalization of the City of Beacon and the drive to create a progressive "green" development there.
Through her vision and actions, Franny created a culture of creative leadership at Scenic Hudson, positioning the organization to shape regional and national policy in the 21st century.
In this tribute Scenic Hudson celebrates and remembers Franny through the images and words of her family and friends. We are grateful for all that they have given. |
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| Pictured (top to bottom): At a Locust Grove Tea Party; at her home, Obercreek; as an activist; discussing issues with a colleague; receiving the Eleanor Roosevelt Val-Kill Medal in 1996 with Leah Rabin (Itzhak Rabin's widow), Queen Noor of Jordan and Dennis Murray, president of Marist College. |
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