Alison DeHaven

Alison Arthur DeHaven, born on September 28, 1962, and raised in Cranford, New Jersey, passed away surrounded by the love of her family and friends.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, July 1st, 2026, from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Gray & Pescitelli Funeral Home and Cremation Service, 12 Springfield Ave, Cranford. A funeral service will take place at the funeral home on Thursday, July 2nd, 2026 at 9:45 AM, followed by a procession to Fairview Cemetery in Westfield for the committal ceremony.  

Alison graduated from Cranford High School in 1980 and went on to earn her Bachelor’s degree in English from Gordon College. She later received her Master’s degree in Social Work from Columbia University in New York City.

She dedicated her professional life to serving others, specializing in mental health and community-based social services throughout New York City. Alison served as Director of Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) at Goddard Riverside and later as Vice President of ACT for The Bridge, a nonprofit health agency serving the Bronx and Harlem, where she oversaw nine teams devoted to caring for some of New York’s most vulnerable populations. Her work reflected her deep compassion and lifelong commitment to those living on the margins of society.

Alison was predeceased by her beloved father, Richard Craig Arthur.

She is survived by her devoted husband, Brandon DeHaven; her loving mother, Joyce Allison Arthur; her brother, Dan Arthur and his wife, Dawn Marie Arthur; her nephew, Michael Louis Arthur and his wife, Emily Arthur; her nephew, Jeffrey Arthur; and her niece, Julia Alison Hyldahl, her husband, Pierce Hyldahl, and their son, Arthur Hyldahl. She is also survived by the DeHaven family: Kiley; Mark and Guixia; Jeff and Diane; Walter and Wendy; and their beloved nieces and nephews.

To know Alison was to know someone who was intelligent, spirited, and full of life. She cherished deep conversations over a home-cooked meal and a glass of wine and had a remarkable ability to make people feel seen and cared for. She devoted her life to helping others and loved deeply and wholeheartedly.

She found joy in the beach, gardening, and hosting unforgettable gatherings, never missing a detail when planning a celebration. An adventurer at heart, Alison loved traveling the world, biking across the country, and enjoying music, especially performances at Carnegie Hall. She delighted in life’s simple pleasures and unique treasures—bees, mermaids and, true to her playful and irreverent self, all things delightfully cheeky.

Although she spent much of her life in New York City, Alison and Brandon later made their home in North Plainfield, New Jersey. She cherished her family and leaves behind a legacy of compassion, laughter, and unwavering love.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that memorial contributions be made to Morris Habitat for Humanity in Plainfield, New Jersey, in Alison’s honor.