Affectionately referred to as Jude, Nurse Jude, Nurse Rooney or Grammie by the many family, friends and associates who were blessed to know her. She was born in Tarrytown, New York on October 5, 1935, the only child of Charlie and Alma Freeland and grew up in da Bronx – Kingsbridge to be precise. Jude is a proud graduate of the former Saint Vincent’s Hospital School of Nursing, founded by the Sisters of Charity. She went on to get advanced degrees and training in social work, palliative care and bereavement. Jude dedicated her life to the field of nursing and the care of others with abundant charisma and passion. While she initially worked in the hospital setting, she found her true calling in the early 70s. At that time and for the next 30 plus years, she dedicated herself to hospice care, first for private agencies and then with United Hospice of Rockland upon its founding in 1988; dispensing comfort, compassion and caring to the seriously and terminally ill and their families. She would “recharge her batteries” each summer by taking eight weeks off from caring for the sick and dying, to dispense band aids, ice packs, water, kisses and TLC as the camp nurse at Sleepy Hollow Day Camp, in Monsey, New York. Upon retirement, she dedicated herself to the HIV/AIDS Ministry and Women’s Prayer Group at the Church of the Presentation in Upper Saddle River, New Jersey.
She is survived by her beloved husband of 51 years, Bob; her son Mark and his fiancé Kimberly McGrath and her children of Pearl River, New York, her daughter Bethann and her partner Gina Crossetta of New City, New York; her cherished and adored granddaughter Emily Rose, a large extended family of cousins and in laws and many special friends.
Visiting hours will be held at the Church of the Presentation, 271 West Saddle River Rd., Upper Saddle River, NJ on Tuesday, August 14th from 4:00-8:00 PM. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated also at Presentation on Wednesday, August 15th at 10:30 AM. Arrangements under the direction of Wanamaker & Carlough Funeral Home, Suffern, NY.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a memorial donation in Jude’s honor to either United Hospice of Rockland, 11 Stokum Lane, New City, NY 10956 or the Church of the Presentation’s Funeral Ministry or Soup Kitchen, 271 West Saddle River Rd., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.
