Elvira Edwards Thomsen Woodworth

October 23, 1929 – October 10, 2025

Elvira Edwards (Thomsen) Woodworth entered Eternal Life on Oct. 10, 2025, at Heaton Woods Residence, Montpelier, Vermont. She was born in Island Park, NY, on October 23, 1929, to Frances Edwards (Galpin) Thomsen and Carl Thomsen. Elvira spent her early years on a farm in Trucksville, PA, until her family moved to Wilkes-Barre.

Elvira discovered the piano at age 11 and became an accomplished pianist. Her music, mostly classical, could be heard in the house after her five children were in bed or in those rare quiet moments during the day. She had fond memories of family road trips to Wisconsin to visit her Danish relatives and to Long Island, where her maternal grandparents lived close to the ocean. Elvira never traveled to Denmark, but some of her children did, and she enjoyed hearing about the family she had never met. As a result, she began a correspondence with her cousin Else Andersen, which lasted several years.

Elvira loved to entertain, making elaborate trays of food for holidays, graduations, AAUW luncheons, and other festivities. Elvira enjoyed sewing everything from draperies to Halloween costumes to prom dresses. She played bridge, enjoyed crossword puzzles, and Sudoku.

Family outings to Jones Beach, piling everyone into the car to go get Carvel ice cream, long trips to North Carolina's Outer Banks, Wisconsin, Niagara Falls, and of course, Wilkes-Barre – anything that involved the entire family was her passion.

Elvira graduated from Meyers High School in Wilkes-Barre, PA; attended Bucknell Junior College, part of Wilkes College; and graduated from Bloomsburg Teachers College with a Bachelor's degree in Business Education. Elvira also attended Hofstra University and earned a Master's degree in Education. She taught high school business education in Wallkill, NY; Massapequa, NY; and at Farmingdale State College, NY.

Elvira is survived by her daughter, Frances Woodworth Weinbaum, Montpelier, VT (Peter); son, Donald Hoover Woodworth, Atkinson, NH (Nancy); daughter, Nanette Louise Woodworth, Hayes, Virginia; daughter, Vera Woodworth Rubeo, Ulster Park, NY (Paul); and daughter-in-law, Kathleen Woodworth, Massapequa, NY. She was proud of her 14 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. Elvira was whispered the news of the birth of her 13th great-grandchild, Edith Lorraine Rubeo, on October 9, 2025, which brought a smile.

She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Barbara Woodworth, Wilkes-Barre, PA; brother-in-law Alan Woodworth, Belvedere, NJ; many nieces and nephews; first cousin Larry Galpin (Bertie), Newark, Delaware, and relatives in Denmark, particularly Steen Andersen (Birna Trap).

Elvira is pre-deceased by her husband, Donald Hoover Woodworth, (who, once she saw him in his Navy whites, knew he was the one!); son, William Thomsen Woodworth; granddaughter, Rosalee Faith Woodworth; grandson, Tyler Woodworth Bronzino; son-in-law, Michael Anthony Bronzino; sister and brother-in-law, Frances Catherine Thomsen Brooks (Joseph Brooks); brother and sister in law, Carl Thomsen (Barbara "Babs" Thomsen); as well as her brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Charles Woodworth (Doris) and William Woodworth (Barbara Ecker); and sister-in-law, Claire Woodworth.

Elvira came to live in Vermont in 2019 to be near her daughter, Frances, and moved into assisted living in Montpelier because she valued her independence. The family is deeply appreciative of the extraordinary care she received at Heaton Woods Residence over the past 5 years and from the Bayada Hospice team in the last 6 months of her life.

Intelligent, generous, witty, engaging, and independent to the end, she left a lasting impression on all she met.

The family will celebrate her life in a private event with Heaton Woods staff and residents on what would have been her 96th birthday. There will be a Memorial and Committal service in the Spring of 2026 in Wilkes-Barre, PA.

For those who would like to make a gift in honor of Elvira, please consider Heaton Woods Residence, 10 Heaton Street, Montpelier, Vermont 05602 https://livingwellgroup.org and Bayada Home Health Care, 463 Mountain View Drive, Suite 100, Colchester, VT, 05446 https://www.bayada.com/support.

Arrangements are in the care of Guare and Sons Funeral Home, 30 School Street, Montpelier, VT.  Those wishing to express online condolences may do so at www.guareandsons.com.