Obituary of Helen Yood

Helen Hull Yood, age 91, died on Tuesday, November 10, 2009 at her home surrounded by her loving family and her devoted caregivers. She was born in Highland, VA and had lived in Plainfield for most of her life. Mrs. Yood graduated from the Staunton, VA public school system, Mary Baldwin College and from the University of Virginia Nursing School with her RN. She worked as the Head Nurse for Medical Services, University of Virginia from 1941- 43 and as a Delivery Room Nurse at Memorial Hospital in Syracuse University in 1943. After that, she became a full-time mother. She was a member and President of Cedar Twig at Muhlenberg Hospital, a Life Auxiliary member of Muhlenberg Hospital, the President of the Women's Division of the Jewish Community in Plainfield and a member of the Board of Directors of the Plainfield Jewish Community Center. She was also active in PTAs in Washington, Clinton, Evergreen and Cedarbrook Schools. Mrs. Yood was an avid and competitive bridge player who played in many tournaments over the years. She continued to play Rubber Bridge well into her 80's and also played Mah Jong. She was an accomplished traveler, going to many exotic destinations, including the Taj Mahal, the Galapagos Islands, Mexico, Istanbul, Copenhagen and Venice. Her favorite was Hawaii, which she had been to 6 times. She is survived by her husband with whom they just celebrated their 68th wedding anniversary, Harold S. Yood; her children, Pamela Anne Yood of Arlington, VA, Patricia Yood Herskovitz and her husband, Robert of Roanoke, VA, Paula Yood Peterson and her husband, Ronald of Watchung, NJ and Andrew Hull Yood, M.D. and his wife Ruth of NYC; her grandchildren, Jill Anne Patterson and her husband, Andrew, Reid Alan Herskovitz and his wife, Amber, and Kyle Bryce Peterson. She is also survived by her great-grandchildren, Casey Howard Patterson, Sydney Netta Patterson, Madilyn Dawn Herskovitz, Logan Parks Herskovitz and Jake Ryan Peterson. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, November 12th at 12:00 p.m. at Higgins Home for Funerals, 209 West 8th St., Plainfield followed by interment at Mt. Lebanon Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to Haven Hospice, c/o The JFK Medical Center Foundation, 80 James Street, Edison, NJ 08818-9972 or to the Alzheimer's' Association 225 North Michigan Ave., Fl. 17, Chicago, IL, 60001-7633.