Back in 2001, Robert “Dick” Deskovick gave Morristown the sculpted fountain that welcomes guests to the historic Green.
Now, another gift should help ensure that the fountain has many more generations of visitors.
Deskovick and his wife, Louise “Jackie” Deskovick, a Morristown native, have donated $5 million to Morristown Medical Center to complete renovations to its maternity center, which will be named for them. The Franklin Building also will become the Deskovick Pavilion.
“Anyone born and raised in this area is a fan of the hospital. It’s an exceptional facility,” Dick Descovick, a retired builder and co-founder of First Morris Bank (now Provident Bank), told MorristownGreen.com.
The couple’s gift will support renovations to the center’s facade and entryway, and also will underwrite new equipment and programs.
It completes a $12 million project to transform the 76,500-square-foot space into a “state-of-the-art haven” for new moms, newborns and their families, the hospital said.
Women now will be able “to deliver their babies in our new spa-like environment, with private rooms, the latest technology and family-centered care,” said hospital President David Shulkin, MD, in a statement.
“Every mother can now be sure she will receive here the very best beginning possible for her baby,” added Finn Wentworth, chairman of the hospital foundation’s $100 million Campaign 3SIXTY fund drive. With the Deskovicks’ donation, the capital campaign is within about $12 million of its goal.
Dick Deskovick said two things persuaded him to help the medical center: The example of his close friend, Joseph Goryeb, whose generosity endowed the Goryeb Children’s Hospital; and the Deskovicks’ experiences with a few health problems.
“When we get to the hospital, we always get exceptional care,” said Dick Deskovick, a trustee of the Morristown Green and a resident of Morris Township for 50 years.
When the couple expressed interest in making a donation, the hospital suggested the maternity center. “It needs a little dressing up,” Dick said. The donation surpassed a $2.7 million target for that facility.
The couple also are big fans of the Morris Minute Men rescue squad.
“Someone there said, ‘You’ve been using us so much, you ought to have your own ambulance!'” Dick recounted. “I told them call me, and I’ll buy you one.”
The new ambulance is scheduled for delivery this month, he said.
The fountain on the Green
