HAVERHILL: Helen V (McDonald) Woodlock, 86, died early Tuesday, June 1, 2010 in the Penacook Place in Haverhill. She was the wife of the late Paul B. Woodlock who died in 1988.
Born in Chelsea on May 24, 1924 she was the daughter of the late Frank and Agnes (Callahan) McDonald. During her retirement years, Helen was a resident of Atkinson, NH, Melbourne, FL and Ruskin, FL for over thirty years. She was a graduate of Chelsea High School and the Fisher Junior College.
Helen was employed as an administrative assistant for a few years before she had children. She was a singer in a high school swing band and continued singing in choruses. She enjoyed playing piano and singing at family gatherings all her life. She was a talented seamstress, making clothes for herself and her children. Helen and her husband, Paul square danced throughout New England and Florida for most of their married lives together. They were active campers with their six children and were charter signers for the start of The New England Campers Association.
After rearing six children to school age, Helen returned to work first as a teacher at a nursery school in Atkinson. She then began a career as a photo journalist, first with The Haverhill Journal and later with The Manchester Union Leader. Helen also worked as the Assistant Town Clerk in Atkinson and later was voted into office as the first Atkinson Selectwomen, where she served for two terms. The Town of Atkinson honored Helen and Paul, naming the new recreation area on Pope Road, Woodlock Recreation Area for their forward thinking, dedication and Recreation Committee work to the establishment of the park.
She is survived by three sons and daughters-in-law, Paul, Jr. and Alfreda Woodlock of Haverhill, Kenneth and Tari Woodlock of Ruskin, FL and Kevin and Maureen Woodlock of Greenville, SC; two daughters and sons-in-law, Michelle and Bruce Crepau of Wilmington, NC and Gretchen and Patrick Dinan of Derry, NH; nine grandchildren; a great-grandchild; a sister, Barbara Perry of Lowell; a sister-in-law, Marie Woodlock of Manchester, NH and several nieces and nephews. She was also predeceased by her daughter, Christine Erehisman and a brother, Francis McDonald.
Her funeral services will be held on Saturday in the Linnehan-Grondin Funeral Home, 129 Kenoza Avenue, Haverhill at 10 a.m. Visiting hours will be held on Friday from 4 - 7 p.m. Relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in her memory to the American Lung Assoc., 460 Totten Pond Rd., Suite 400, Waltham, MA 02451. or to the American Diabetes Assoc., 330 Congress St., 5th Floor, Boston, MA 02210. Interment will be held in the Atkinson Cemetery.