Shortly before completing her second decade of life, a whip-smart, brave and beautiful young woman named Helen had mastered baseball scorecard maintenance and knew the perfect pitch to toss insults the way of any Brooklyn Dodgers opponent at Ebbets Field. She shared joyous summer days at Coney Island with her parents and, as was her nature, remained fearless in the face of the Steeplechase’s most daunting rides. Having mapped and memorized the world of a New York City kid quite thoroughly, and with a high school diploma in hand, Helen took her first great journey into the world beyond the five boroughs.
Enlisting in the United States Air Force, this new WAF was introduced to the great State of Texas, which suited her well and which she maintained a fondness for and connection to throughout her life. The military next stationed her in Germany, igniting a globe traveling fervor and fascination with world history and politics. Returning stateside with an honorable discharge, Helen earned several degrees from NYU in her areas of interest, including a Ph.D.
Helen met her perfect match in a brilliant, kind and handsome young scientist named Harvey. Together, they raised their three children in a home where life was never dull and travel adventures were the norm. There was not a continent Helen hadn’t stepped foot on at this point and one of the great honors of her life was being among the first group of American citizens to visit China in the late 1970’s. Helen encouraged all she encountered to pursue their own dreams, especially the generations of history and political science students she taught and advised for nearly half a century as a tenured professor at Fairleigh Dickinson University.
Ever mindful of her own history, Helen remained actively engaged in veterans’ causes. She also loyally watched every televised New York Mets game she could. Busy days were spent in the Texas Hill Country with her family (which now included her three children’s spouses and two adored grandkids), many friends, and eventually the most wonderful of caregivers and healthcare providers. Then, Helen took her last great journey of all, following her parents and husband into the world beyond.
in lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the following organizations:
www.operationhomefront.org
www.freedomservicedogs.org
Services are Private.
or send flowers to the family in memory of Dr. Helen G Brudner, please visit our