Although the phrase is often said, the death of Eleanor Tiefenwerth on Jan. 2 really does mark the end of an era. She was one of the pioneers of the 1960s social change movement, one she helped make a reality with almost a half-century of public service.
Executive director of the Bayonne Economic Opportunity Foundation – with which she was involved for more than 45 years until she retired in early 2011 – Tiefenwerth saw herself as the ultimate volunteer, only reluctantly brought into a paid position.
Tiefenwerth volunteered with the BEOF from its inception in 1965, but never intended to become an employee there, let alone the executive director – which she became in 1981.
“I spent my whole life volunteering,” she said during an interview last year, reeling off volunteer positions she’d held on parent-teacher organizations, Boy Scout councils, and other groups not just in Bayonne, but also in Hudson County.
“I tried to do whatever was necessary to help families be more productive.” – Eleanor Tiefenwerth
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Former Guttenberg Mayor Peter LaVilla called Tiefenwerth “the Mother Theresa of the soup kitchen.”
“She was affectionately known as Miss BEOF and the commish on the Bayonne Housing Authority,” LaVilla said. “She had time for everyone and anyone who was in need regardless of race, color, or creed. She had time and was a lady way ahead of her time. I had the honor of knowing her both as a reporter for The Jersey Journal and as the mayor of Guttenberg.”
U. S. Sen. Robert Menendez, who honored Tiefenwerth a number of times as both U.S. senator and a member of the House of Representatives, said she made life better for the people of Bayonne.
“It is with great sadness that I mourn the passing of Eleanor Tiefenwerth, a Bayonne resident who passionately dedicated her life to serving those in need,” Menendez said. “I offer my heartfelt condolences to her sister Lillian and beloved family. Eleanor’s extensive work to better the quality of life of the people of Bayonne will undoubtedly leave a mark in the lives of so many. Her memory will forever remain interwoven in the fabric of the community she so deeply cared about.”
Menendez said that in her 40 years as executive director of the BEOF, Tiefenwerth embodied its motto: “People helping people.”
“As a certified social worker and HUD certified housing counselor, Eleanor was well aware of what would bring comfort to those less fortunate,” Menendez said. “Eleanor made sure the elderly and the disabled felt more independent through the BEOF’s crosstown transportation program, and gave isolated residents the opportunity to be in the company of others during Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. May her numerous accomplishments and awards serve to make her family proud and bring them comfort for a life well-lived. Bayonne has lost a daughter that will be irreplaceable and sorely missed.”
Long history in Bayonne
Tiefenwerth, wife of the late William Tiefenwerth, attended Horace Mann School, Bayonne High School, and Jersey City State College (now New Jersey City University).
During her work in the community, Tiefenwerth helped fight to get a county vocational school in Bayonne and volunteered for organization after organization, and started with the BEOF in 1965 – when the foundation was established.
She probably would have remained a volunteer, except for an odd and tragic twist of fate. The assistant executive director went into the hospital for simple surgery and did not survive. The executive director asked her to take the job.
“I didn’t want to take the job,” Tiefenwerth said during an interview early in 2011. “I was very happy being a volunteer.”
But eventually, she took it.
That was in 1976. The BEOF operated out of storefront facilities then, which were scattered around the city. But she really wanted to bring the operations together under one roof. Five years later, the BEOF got an offer for the current building on Kennedy Boulevard. The executive director at the time didn’t want to take the building, but said Tiefenwerth could if she also took his place as the executive director in 1981.
She has been credited with expanding the Head Start Program in Bayonne. Over the years, Tiefenwerth has been credited with instituting such programs as crosstown transportation for seniors and people with disabilities, Meals on Wheels, and holiday gatherings for seniors.
She also served as a commissioner on the Bayonne Housing Authority, a member of the Community Education Advisory Council, and secretary to the Community Action Program.
Toy drives, food for seniors, holiday dinners – she did it all.
“We did whatever was necessary for the community,” she said, noting that she often partnered with other groups such as schools and businesses to accomplish these things. Toy drives for Christmas got a lot of support from the community from groups like the Marine Corps League and, most recently, the Bayonne Firefighters Union. She distributed through schools, the Police Athletic League, the Bayonne Youth Center, HIGHWAYS, and others.
In 1994, she spent two weeks in Russia with groups from People to People International and the Russian Ministry, exchanging ideas on social issues affecting the world.
Her trip came as an invitation from the Russian Ministry of Education as a result of her work at the BEOF. She was among a delegation of 24 from the United States who had an opportunity to exchange views with their counterparts in Russia. She also met with some prominent Russian leaders of the time, including the Russian Secretary of State.
During her long career, she received numerous awards for her selfless service to the community, including “The Jersey Journal” Women of Achievement Award, the Golden Recognition Award from Hudson County, and the Distinguished and Caring Service Award from the Hudson County Director of Human Services. She was a volunteer with the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and parent-teacher associations at municipal, county, and state levels.
Over the years, she’s had a strong group of supporters around her. One was her husband William, who not only served as a scoutmaster to one of the local troops, but often drove her where she needed to go so she could be involved with things even outside of Bayonne.
Former Mayor Dennis Collins was a close personal friend. When she retired, Tiefenwerth didn’t see herself as leaving a legacy.
“I tried to do whatever was necessary to help families be more productive,” she said. “Some I’ve helped, and some have helped me. If God gave me the opportunity to help people, then I’m pleased.”
Al Sullivan may be reached at asullivan@hudsonreporter.com.