Carol A. Rosenthal passed away in Princeton, NJ on March 15, 2024, one week before what would have been her 82nd birthday. Carol was the daughter of James and Marion Magruder, and born and raised in Ephrata, PA. She received her Bachelor of Arts from Rider University in New Jersey. After graduating from college, Carol worked for RCA in Princeton, NJ as the assistant to a senior executive for several years.
In 1968, following a brief first marriage, Carol met Albert Rosenthal, a dermatologist, who himself had been recently divorced, at a frame shop in Trenton, NJ. It was their mutual love of art that brought them together and kept them together through nearly 42 years of marriage until Al’s passing in April 2011.
Al’s and Carol’s abiding passion for the visual arts spurred them to become esteemed collectors of German Expressionism, American Art, Pre-Columbian Art, African Art, Asian Art and scrimshaw walking sticks (an interest inspired by Al’s New Bedford and Nantucket roots). Al and Carol were instrumental in building the collections of the New Jersey State Museum — their great passion. For over 30 years, they contributed significantly and generously, filling in many gaps in the museum’s American Arts collections. Each of them also served on the Board of the Friends of New Jersey State Museum, including stints as its Chairperson, and on the Arts Committee of the museum. In addition, Carol helped manage the museum’s gift shop for many years.
In November 2010, the NJ State Museum held a retrospective of the Rosenthal’s donations, along with a celebration widely attended by friends, family and the arts community honoring their legacy. On that occasion, Al and Carol received letters of commendation from both Governor Christie and the NJ State Legislature.
Al and Carol also gave generously to other museums, including contributions to the Princeton University Art Museum, the Newark Museum and the Constitution Museum in Salem, MA, as well as to the Guggenheim, the Museum of Modern Art and the Museum of Natural History in New York. Al and Carol also donated sculpture to Capital Health System‘s Mercer Campus and, in March 2011, were honored by Mercer County Community College in NJ as distinguished benefactors.
Al used to say on more than one occasion that without Carol and her sense of taste and keen judgment, engaging and likable personality, they would never have been able to accomplish all that they did together. To those fortunate enough to have known Carol, she will always be warmly remembered for her understated graciousness, kindness and sense of fun. And for her family, she will always be a beloved “second mother” to her stepchildren and the adored “Nanu” to her grandchildren.
Carol is survived by two of her three stepchildren, Jill (Jay) Reitschmied and Bruce Rosenthal (Kim Masterson) (her eldest stepson, Robert Rosenthal and his wife, Emmanuelle, having sadly predeceased her); her four grandchildren, Peter (Cristina) Hugick, Mark (Christine) Hugick, Sophia Rosenthal and Avery Rosenthal; two great- grandchildren, Luisa and Noah Hugick; and her brother, Richard Magruder (Diane Glossman).
In lieu of flowers, her family requests that donations be made to: Friends of New Jersey State Museum, 205 West State St., POB 530, Trenton, NJ 08525-0530; or Trenton Area Soup Kitchen, 72 Escher Street, Trenton, NJ 08609, trentonsoupkitchen.org.