Elena Vassar

20th Century Fox executive

By VARIETY STAFF

Elena Vassar, a former 20th Century Fox executive and personal assistant to music's Alfred Newman and Lionel Newman as well as Jimmy Van Heusen, died Monday April 29 of a heart attack at the Motion Picture and Television Fund Country House in Woodland Hills. She was 85.

Vassar, who worked for the Fox Music Dept. from 1948 until her retirement in 1980, worked closely with composer-arrangers Alfred and Lionel Newman and with composers Bill Conti and John Williams. She served as president of Women of the Motion Picture Industry (WOMPI) 1968-1970.

After her retirement from Fox, she spent a decade working for composer-lyricist Van Heusen.

She is survived by her son, film and TV director David Vassar, and two granddaughters.

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday at All Saints Church in Pasadena, 132 N. Euclid Ave., Pasadena, CA 91101.

In lieu of flowers, family suggests donations in her name be made to the Motion Picture and Television Fund.