“All I know is something like a bird within her sang,
Anyone who sings a tune so sweet is passin' by,
Laugh in the sunshine, sing, cry in the dark, fly through the night…” -RH/JG
Marilyn Mary Heller Woods Bernsten, the 5’2” powerhouse born in Scarsdale, New York on April 25th, 1927, has joined her parents Michael and Lenore Heller, her sister Gloria DePhillips, and her first husband, Charles F. Woods, in eternal peace on December 17th, 2018 while at home in Bedminster, New Jersey. She was surrounded by her family and accompanied by a chorus of love from her surrogate children too numerous to list here.
The matriarch of two families, Marilyn is survived by her rock and loving husband of 39 years, Howard M. Bernstein, brother Robert Heller, sister Susan Maloney, her children Margaret Woods Ryan and William H. Woods, his wife Gwen Woods, her step children and their spouses: Bonnie Bernstein and Hank Dobin, Jill and Doug Teakell, and Geoff and Karen Bernstein. It was well known that she was always armed with pictures of her nine grandchildren Dan, Noah, Mark, Charlie, Josh, Julia, Jack, Corina and Zach, along with her three great grandchildren Micah, Lily and Walker.
A graduate of LaSalle College, Marilyn had a successful early career as an administrator for companies in the New York City area including IBM, Merrit Chapman and Scott, and the Chubb Corporation.
Later in life she joined her second husband as managing partner and chief salesperson for their company, Adco Services Inc.
Always the first on the dance floor and the last to leave, Marilyn excelled at everything she undertook with grace and style. Her hobbies included making jam, overfeeding the birds, gardening, slot machines and poker. Her passion for living was unequaled and relentless up to her last moments. She leaves a legacy of love for all, as she treated everyone she met, as if they were her child.
In lieu of of a memorial service, it was Marilyn’s wish to have her ashes laid to rest in locations that brought her joy. She asked that any gifts in her name be sent to her favorite charity, St. Judes Children’s Hospital.
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