Helen Marie Ramirez-Odell

Helen Marie RAMIREZ-ODELL, age 79, of Chicago, Illinois passed away peacefully at home surrounded by her husband and daughter on Tuesday, March 22, 2022. Helen was born July 22, 1942. Beloved wife to Paul A. Odell, loving mother to Moira (Ramirez) Melendez, beloved step-mother to Cyndi (Odell) Christel and Stephen (Merri) Odell, loving grandmother to Michael Melendez, Carson (Sarah), Steve, Ryan (Emily) and David, beloved great grandmother to Makailyn, Isabelle and Ryan Junior, beloved daughter to the late Irving J. and Jessamine Hershinow, loving sister to Bob (the late Pat) Hershinow and Paul Hershinow, loving aunt to Kevin McLinden, dear cousin to Ellen Nyberg, Larry (Marianne) Nyberg.

Graduated from Loyola University, School of Nursing

She worked for the Chicago Public Schools as a School Nurse for over 40 years.

Author of Working Without Uniforms: School Nursing in Chicago 1951-2001;

ERA Advocate; Chicago Teachers Union School Nurse Representative, Women’s Rights Committee; Chicago Teachers Union, Retiree Delegate; served on the board of Chicago Working Women’s History Project; Founding Member of the Women’s Labor History Project; Member of AAUW; active in the National Organization for Women and the League of Women Voters; Member of the Coalition of Labor Union Women and actively worked on the Mother Jones Statue Project.

Best remembered for all her work and dedication in the organizations she belonged to and so passionately believed in.

She was a wonderful loving mother, wife and grandma.

A visitation for Helen will be held Sunday, April 3, 2022 from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM at Malec & Sons Funeral Home, 6000 North Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60646. A chapel service will occur Sunday, April 3, 2022 from 3:00 PM to 3:30 PM, 6000 North Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60646. A committal & interment will occur Monday, April 4, 2022 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery, 20953 W. Hoff Rd, Elwood, IL 60421.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.MalecandSonsFH.com for the RAMIREZ-ODELL family.