Mrs. Rothschild was born in New York City where she attended Hunter College. She and her Helen Rothschild, a resident of Gainesville since 1994, passed away on June 15, 2013, surrounded husband moved to New Jersey in 1951 and continued to live there until 1994 when they moved to Gainesville. In South Brunswick, NJ, Mrs. Rothschild was the President of the Board of Trustees of the South Brunswick Public Library from 1965 to 1985 and chair of the Middlesex County Library Trustees Association for two years. She was employed as editor/librarian at Aerochem Research Laboratories, Inc. of Princeton from 1967 until her retirement in 1993. At Aerochem she was one of the early users of what would become the Internet.
Mrs. Rothschild was an active volunteer in the Gainesville community, most recently as the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Institute for Learning in Retirement from 2003 to 2004. She was an active participant in many of their classes and programs, especially the opera classes. She was often the facilitator for these classes and she always conducted them with gusto.
For over seven years she served as a Reader at the Radio Reading Services of WUFT-FM in the College of Journalism and Communications at the University of Florida. She was a volunteer at Haven Hospice of North Central Florida and was accorded the Hospice Volunteer of the Year award in 2004. She served for many years as a member of the Board of Directors of the Jewish Council of North Central Florida and was an active participant in their annual Yom Hashoah Holocaust Remembrance Day programs. Mrs. Rothschild wasalso a former Vice President of the Gainesville Newcomers Club and, along with her husband Ralph, was a member of their Dinner and Conversation Group and a member of the Book Club. She was also a member of the Jewish Newcomers and Friends Club.
Her hobbies included gardening and raising koi fish. She was a long-time member of the Gainesville Koi, Goldfish and Watergarden Club and was the editor of their monthly bulletin. She also enjoyed being a member of the Nature’s Coast Koi and Watergarden Club. She and her husband were happy to make Florida their adopted home, exploring our parks, museums, gardens, rivers, and beaches.
She is survived by her husband Ralph S. Rothschild and son Robert Rothschild (Cathy DeWitt) of Gainesville and daughter Emily Rothschild (Sue Brix) of St. Paul, Minnesota.
Funeral services will occur at Forest Meadows Funeral Home on Wednesday June 19, 2013 at 11:30 am. Family and friends will gather at 10:30 at the Funeral Home for a time of visitation. Donations in Helen Rothschild’s name may be made to Haven Hospice of North Central Florida, www.havenhospice.org.
Ralph and family,
Helen was a wonderful person, friend and fellow pondhopper. She was loved by all who knew her. Although she is not here with us any longer , she will always be in our hearts. Our heartfelt condolences
Dori and Dave Pereyra
Dear Ralph,
Our hearts go out to you and your family.
We will miss Helen very much. She was a warm, significant and caring friend who enriched all who spent time with her.
Fondly,
Dick and Shirley Barkin
Dear Ralph,
Our hearts go out to you and your family.
We will miss Helen very much. She was a warm, significant and caring friend who enriched all who spent time with her.
Fondly,
Dick and Shirley Barkin
Rob– Our sincerest condolences to you and your entire family on the passing of your Mom. What an accomplished woman. And what a special Mom to raise such a mensch.
Dear Ralph, Rob, and Cathy,
My thoughts and prayers are with you. Even when we are expecting it, this transition is difficult. I have always appreciated your family. I am sending healing love your way.
Marilyn
Dear Ralph,
I have long known how generous and thoughtful you are in this community: but, I am only now learning that your lovely wife, Helen, shared those qualities with you. What I did know is that she made the absolute best cookies!
Our hearts are with you now. Please know that know that your friends at the Mediation Program are thinking of you.
Sharon
Dear Rob, Ralph and Cathy,
We join these many waves of love to add to your strength during this Time of mourning. What a loss. What a special woman in your lives.
May Helen reach the HIghest possible evolution. And may you each find some measure of comfort in your memories and may they all become blessings.
Love,
Bahira and Shaya
To Helen’s Family,
I volunteered with Helen at Hospice. We both could work and talk at the
same time and there was an instant mutual admiration between us. I’m
not of the Jewish faith but love it. We talked about the Holocaust and
the documentary “Paper Clips” and the Holocaust museums. We talked
about our families, our travels, what we were going to fix for dinner, etc.
She was a very special person and had a fantastic life journey which will
continue on into eternity. God Bless all of You….. Sally Hopkins