Obituary of Evelyn M. Abrams

Evelyn M. Abrams, age 85, of Ledgewood, New Jersey died Thursday, September 4, 2014, at Merry Heart Nursing Home in Succasunna, New Jersey. Evelyn was born November 9, 1928 in Dover, New Jersey. She was the daughter of the late Ethel (Stark) Abrams and the late Jerry Abrams. After graduation from Roxbury High School in 1946, Evelyn attended Keuka College, in New York, from which she graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Liberal Arts in 1950. She also studied Education at Montclair State College and took graduate courses in Fine Arts at Newark State College. Evelyn's education prepared her for a career in service to her country and community. After college, she joined the American Red Cross. She served in the Red Cross for thirty-two years, starting as a recreation worker and ending her career as a Station Manager. During her career, Evelyn was assigned to military hospitals around the world. She was posted to Germany and England during the 1950's. 1967 found her in Nha Trang, Viet Nam where she was assigned to the 8th Army Hospital. In 1968, Evelyn was sent to the 121st Evacuation Hospital ASCOM in Korea. It was there, in December 1968, the crew of the USS Pueblo was treated after their release from North Korea. On her return to the States, Evelyn completed tours at St. Alban's Naval Hospital, Fort Dix, Fort Meade, Indian Town Gap, Pearl Harbor, Trippler Army Medical Center, and Bethesda National Medical Center. She received a number of promotions, including a promotion to the position of Hospital Field Director, in 1974, at Indian Town Gap where the mission was to work with Cambodian and Vietnamese refugees. In 1980, Evelyn served as the Assistant District Director for Volunteers on the Red Cross District Staff at Fort Belvoir, Virginia and ended her career, in 1992, as Station Manager at the U.S. Marine Corps Base at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Evelyn's service to the military and military families was interrupted only once, between 1957 and 1966, when she returned to Roxbury and taught fifth grade and art in the Roxbury Public School System. Evelyn was an avid traveler who included family and friends in her travels; visiting India, Japan, Hong Kong, and exploring and camping the National Parks in the United States. Evelyn is survived by her sister, Jane VonDerHeide; her brother Donald Abrams and his wife Ann; one niece, Lisa Vanderhoof and her husband Ken; and four nephews, William VonDerHeide and his wife Dianne, Barry VonDerHeide, Kenneth VonDerHeide; and Brian Abrams; and one grand-niece and six grand-nephews. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend Evelyn's Life Celebration on Monday September 8 from 4:00pm to 8:00pm at the Leber-Lakeside Funeral Home, 150 Landing Road, Landing. A Funeral Mass will be offered on Tuesday September 9 at 10:00am at St. Therese RC Church, Succasunna. The funeral home will open at 9:00am. Interment to follow mass at the Succasunna United Methodist Church Cemetery, Succasunna. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to the American Red Cross (www.redcross.org/donation or to Covenant House (www.ny.covenanthouse.org).