Afternoons with Eeda: Reflections on Courage, Curiosity and Change

Afternoons with Eeda: Reflections on Courage, Curiosity and Change For five years on weekend afternoons, former Marshall House Director of Marketing and Development Cheryl Sadowski met with Mrs. Eeda Dennis. Eeda was an Norwegian and American citizen who generously supported the preservation of General Marshall’s home, Dodona Manor, as a house museum and heritage site in Leesburg, Virginia. Over countless cups of tea and Norwegian sandwiches, Cheryl talked with Mrs. Dennis and her son, Alfred, at their home, Sage Hill Farm, about Eeda’s childhood in Oslo, Norway; growing up amid Nazi occupation and post-WWII reconstruction; and living abroad during the 1950s and 60s as the wife of a career U.S. foreign service officer. Eeda reflected on decades living in Loudoun County, Virginia, volunteering with the Leesburg Garden Club and other local preservation organizations while the county underwent massive changes in population and industry. These conversations were curated by Cheryl and published by Eeda’s family in a private memoir, newly reprinted and available for sale in support of the George C. Marshall International Center. Mrs. Dennis passed away in July 2025 at the age of 100. Eeda’s story offers meaningful lessons amid today's world of international turmoil and domestic discord. Into this, Cheryl weaves her own story about her afternoons with Eeda and working at Dodona Manor. Join us for an “After Hours” summer patio event that promises to be lively and poignant.