What a much-loved partner left behind

Janny Scott explains how saving things helped her grieve – and preserve her connection with journalist Joseph Lelyveld 

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When someone you love dies, the grieving process is different for each of us.  But one thing is always the same: You've got to decide what to do with the things your loved one left behind.

Janny Scott experienced this in January 2024 when Joseph Lelyveld, her partner of 19 years, died from complications of Parkinson's Disease.

Joe had been a star at the New York Times, eventually becoming executive editor (the top editorial position) and winning a Pulitzer Prize for Move Your Shadow, his 1985 book about apartheid South Africa. From his career and travels, he left behind some genuine treasures. But mostly, Janny was surrounded by everyday items that filled their apartment, especially the contents of Joe's tiny home office.

So Janny made a deliberate decision.  She'd leave Joe's office exactly as he left it, creating what Janny calls The Museum of Joe.

In this episode of I Couldn't Throw It Out, Janny – a former New York Times and L.A. Times reporter and author of A Singular Woman, the bestselling biography of Barack Obama's mother – shares what she saved and why.  

Listen in to understand how one of us – and maybe all of us – can keep a connection to people we've loved through the things we never plan to throw out.

Find out more about Joseph Lelyveld and Janny Scott at: throwitoutpodcast.com

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More info, photos, and transcript: throwitoutpodcast.com
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