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first lady established the
Drumthwacket Foundation, a non-profit responsible for the upkeep of the mansion and its grounds. She solicited the funds needed to complete the repairs and renovations on the mansion. At the time, Drumthwacket was furnished with existing furniture that had been donated, much of which was older or unsuited for the home's new ceremonial role. Debby Kean replaced those furnishings with high quality,
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had been sold to the state of New Jersey in 1966, under the agreement that it eventually replace Morven as the governors' mansion. Shortly after
Governor Kean took office, First Lady Debby Kean began overseeing the conversion of Drumthwacket into the New Jersey's new official residence. In 1982, the
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Kean also focused on children's and parenting issues during her tenure. She realized that many New Jersey state employees were struggling to obtain child care while they were working. She sought to establish new daycare facilities for the children of state, public employees and actively lobbied
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from 1982 to 1990 during
Governor Tom Kean's tenure in office. She chose to remain outside of active state politics, choosing instead to focus on children's issues, the arts, and
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lawmakers for the funding. Several new childcare centers were opened across the state. She remains the
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232:(May 15, 1943 – April 24, 2020) was an American children's advocate. She served as the
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beginning in 1982. The first lady also established the
Drumthwacket Foundation, a
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when
Governor Kean took office in 1982. The state's previous governors' mansion,
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responsible for the restoration and upkeep of
Drumthwacket and its grounds.
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364:. In 1985, Kean took part in an interview and profile for the
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from 1982 to 1990 during the tenure of her husband, former
568:"Deborah Kean, wife of former NJ Gov. Thomas Kean, dies"
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670:"Deborah Bye Kean, 76, wife of former governor, dies"
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317:. Bye met her future husband, a businessman named
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420:and decor needed for the formal residence.
47:January 19, 1982 – January 16, 1990
609:"Debby Kean, former First Lady, dies at 76"
432:, the Deborah B. Kean Childcare Center in
341:, Reed, and Alexanda. The family moved to
286:. She was the only child of Robert Bye, a
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715:First ladies and gentlemen of New Jersey
16:American children's advocate (1943–2020)
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250:Kean notably oversaw the conversion of
640:"Delaware Nuptials For Deborah E. Bye"
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377:Debby Kean oversaw the conversion of
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725:People from Bedminster, New Jersey
503:Nieto-Munoz, Sophie (2020-04-24).
305:in Wilmington. She graduated from
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294:Griffenberg) Bye. Kean attended
680:from the original on 2020-04-30
621:from the original on 2020-08-06
607:Wildstein, David (2020-04-24).
584:from the original on 2020-04-29
517:from the original on 2020-04-29
451:Debby Kean died at her home in
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402:New Jersey Historical Society
347:New Jersey General Assembly
337:. They had three children:
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438:developmental disabilities
400:, had been donated to the
303:college preparatory school
566:Deak, Mike (2020-04-24).
404:as its new headquarters.
392:did not have an official
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573:Bridgewater Courier News
428:for the state's largest
254:, a historic mansion in
453:Bedminster, New Jersey
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343:Livingston, New Jersey
264:governor of New Jersey
197:Bedminster, New Jersey
129:Bedminster, New Jersey
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362:historic preservation
352:Debby Kean served as
280:Deborah Elizabeth Bye
256:Princeton, New Jersey
99:Deborah Elizabeth Bye
394:Governors' residence
383:governors' residence
381:into the New Jersey
284:Wilmington, Delaware
282:on May 15, 1943, in
112:Wilmington, Delaware
578:MyCentralJersey.com
331:Old Drawyers Church
315:Millbrook, New York
288:corporate executive
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260:official residence
418:antique furniture
296:Tower Hill School
290:, and Elizabeth (
222:Deborah Elizabeth
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90:Personal details
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163: 1967)
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676:. 2020-04-25.
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430:daycare center
278:Kean was born
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682:. Retrieved
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648:. 1967-06-04
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409:Drumthwacket
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379:Drumthwacket
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252:Drumthwacket
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193:Residence(s)
124:(2020-04-24)
109:May 15, 1943
75:Succeeded by
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23:Deborah Kean
720:Kean family
710:2020 deaths
705:1943 births
446:visual arts
411:mansion in
407:The nearby
319:Thomas Kean
313:located in
258:, into the
245:Thomas Kean
152:Thomas Kean
63:Preceded by
56:Thomas Kean
699:Categories
684:2021-02-28
652:2021-02-28
625:2021-02-28
588:2021-02-28
521:2021-02-28
459:References
448:programs.
442:performing
390:New Jersey
358:New Jersey
354:First Lady
339:Thomas Jr.
268:non-profit
238:New Jersey
234:First Lady
205:Alma mater
178:Thomas Jr.
140:Republican
105:1943-05-15
68:Jean Byrne
35:New Jersey
413:Princeton
323:Manhattan
274:Biography
678:Archived
619:Archived
582:Archived
515:Archived
426:namesake
242:Governor
185:Alexanda
171:Children
52:Governor
434:Trenton
300:private
262:of the
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43:In role
510:NJ.com
398:Morven
199:, U.S.
146:Spouse
131:, U.S.
114:, U.S.
226:Debby
159:(
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444:and
298:, a
230:Kean
182:Reed
119:Died
95:Born
356:of
333:in
292:née
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236:of
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161:m.
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103:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.