DONOR PROFILE
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rwin Muskat and his late wife Margie have had a long affiliation with The Derryfield School. It began, as son Dan ’82 jokingly recalls, when his mom decided he and his sisters, Sue ’84 and Lisa ’85, should go because then they could walk to school and she wouldn’t have to drive them! Kidding aside, Dan’s glad that his mother did send them to Derryfield, so glad, in fact, that Derryfield is now host to a second generation of Muskat children, the daughters of Dan and his wife Lisa, Alex ’15 and Sam ’17. As loyal attendees of Derryfield’s annual Grandparents’ Day, Irwin recalls, “Where I went to school, there was a lock on every locker, every locker was smashed in, and every locker had graffiti on it. I looked at the lockers [at Derryfield] and asked, “do they use these?!?” It still amazes me that you don’t have locks on your lockers. I don’t think that’s typical.” Along with the delights of the day, Irwin is amazed and impressed at the work his granddaughters are doing. He recalls a time when he was able to help them with their school work several years ago, but both Dan and Irwin now agree that, for example, the level of math Alex and Sam study has surpassed both of their classroom memories.
irwin & margie muskat The Muskats traveled to Israel with their extended family for Sam’s bat mitzvah. From left to right: Irwin, Dan ’82, Margie, Sam ’17, Sue Ellen Knoll ’84, Lanna Knoll, Lisa, Alex ’15, Sheila Kaminsky, and Phil Knoll.
The Muskats support Derryfield for one reason: “We give out of an appreciation for what the School has been able to do for both our children and grandchildren and in hopes that other kids will have the same opportunity,” says Irwin. “Our grandchildren are getting an unbelievable education and at the same time, and more importantly, the enthusiasm that the School generates in the grandkids; it was so totally opposite of what both of us, Margie and I, experienced when we went to school. All in all life has been very good to all of us,” Irwin reflects. “We have managed very nicely and Margie had a very nice life too. We have just been very blessed and very lucky.” Derryfield has been blessed by the Muskats’ generosity and volunteerism. We missed Margie at Grandparents’ Day this fall, but her generous spirit lives on in her husband, children, and grandchildren, and we are proud that they continue to value and support the School.