Rosheen Doree Rachel Marcus

Rosheen Doree unmarried daughter of immigrant Jews in New York's Lower East Side, was 16 when Carol was born. When the father abandoned Rosheen and her baby, she was pushed into a loveless marriage with philosophy professor. When a baby from that marriage was born, the philosopher demanded that the illegitimate child, Carol, be sent for adoption. Her mother walked out, found a job at a hat factory, and placed Carol in a foster home while she worked and saved money.

In 1933 Rosheen bustled into the foster home, collected Carol, and whisked her off to Park Avenue, where her new husband, Charles Marcus, lived in luxury. A co-founder of Bendix Aircraft Corporation, Marcus warmly welcomed his stepdaughter. Two years later he learned that his wife had hidden the existence of another daughter, Elinor, who had been left in a foster home when they married. With equal generosity Marcus welcomed his second stepdaughter to his 18-room apartment.

The transformation from the Lower East Side to Park Avenue was the stuff of immigrant daydreams. Carol Doree adopted her step-father's name, and as Carol Marcus was sent to the exclusive private Dalton School in New York.