Justine Woollett Kelliher 10/22/1920 - 12/26/2013 Justine Woollett Kelliher, a 60 year resident of Newton, MA died Dec. 26, 2013 at the age of 93. She died peacefully at her daughter's home in Ashland, MA under hospice care after a long decline. She was married for 57 years to the late Giles C. Kelliher, who died in 2005. She was a devoted wife and mother who exemplified citizen activism in working to solve societal problems. She leaves her six children, Giles Jr & his wife, Elaine of Point Richmond, CA, Ralph of Acton, ME, Margaret Anne Kelliher-Gibson & her husband, Robert of Ashland, Justina & her husband, Richard Kovar of Philomath, OR, Julia & her husband, Glenn Smith of Nevada City, CA and David & his wife, Catherine Walthers of West Tisbury, MA, grandchildren, James, Suzy, Matthew, Jeffrey, Shawna, Willow, Alanna, Melissa, Merridith, Ralph, Kimberly, Niambi, Renee and Ronald, great grandchildren Anya, Melvin, Isaiah, Zhanee, Mikaela, Jayden, Miles, Miranda, Rocco and J.J. and many nieces and nephews. Born in Winthrop, MA on Oct. 22, 1920, a daughter of the late Ralph Sidney Woollett of Newport, RI and Margaret (Smith) Woollett of Philadelphia, PA, she was the younger sister of the late Margaret (Peggy) Goodwin & late Ralph Woollett. Justine grew up in Winthrop and at age 10 joined her sister at Kenwood Academy graduating in 1938. At Manhattanville College she became an avid student, graduating with a BA in Biology in 1942. She received a MA in Biology from Brown Univ. in 1943. Since the War effort needed nurses she entered Yale Univ. School of Nursing Cadet Nurses Program in 1944. The war ended before she graduated in 1946 with a MS, RN. While Justine was working on the OB/GYN floor of Boston Lying-In (BLI) Hospital she became interested in Childbirth and concerned about the medicalization of the process. She met her future husband, Giles, a returning soldier, at a YMCA dance that year. They were married on April 10, 1948. Justine's interest in a more natural way of childbirth increased as she helped her sister, Peggy during the hospital births of Peg's first 4 children. Justine was studying Dr. Grantly Dick-Read's method of "Childbirth Without Fear" and met Mrs. Wiffen who was teaching labor classes for a doctor at BLI. Through her contacts as a nurse Justine found a doctor to attend the home births of herself & Peggy. In 1954 Justine and Abigail Avery, also a Yale alumni, met with a group of Mrs. Wiffen's former students who wanted to start a natural childbirth education group and the Boston Association of Childbirth Education(BACE) was founded. Justine started classes in her home on Chestnut Terrace in Newton. Justine studied and worked avidly to give families better choices in childbirth both at home and in the hospital. She taught husbands to prepare and help their wives during childbirth, taught methods to avoid the need for drugs during labor, encouraged family bonding at birth with other members of the family and helped start the Nursing Mothers' Council to encourage and help mothers to breastfeed their infants. In 1970 Justine received a MA in Maternal & Child Health from Boston Univ. Justine taught more than 1500 students over 25 years, had 5 home births herself, was a labor coach at many of her student's births and attended her 3 daughters' homebirths. Justine worked in many different settings as a nurse over the years. Her passion was improving the choices and experiences for both birth and death. She did this personally, in her family and community and had an influence globally through the organizations she helped start and the students she mentored. During her years in Newton, Justine was also involved early in natural foods, recycling, and other environmental issues. She had an organic garden, ground organic wheat and made bread. She and Giles enjoyed folk dancing throughout their marriage. They retired together in 1976. Justine was involved the in elder care of her mother and sister in law until they both died in 1980. Justine and Giles traveled extensively both together and with family. They enjoyed their children who lived on both East & West Coasts, their grandchildren who spanned 30 years, and extended family and friends. They acquired property in Maine to preserve a wilderness area to enjoy with their extended family. In 1998, they celebrated their 50th anniversary with about a hundred friends and family. Giles was healthy and playing tennis until 2005 when he died at his son's home. Justine was healthy and active until she had her 1st stroke in 2008. Her son, Ralph lived with her until she sold the Newton house in 2010. She spent her summers with her son, David's family and was cared for by her daughter, Margaret Anne, at her home for the rest of the year. Though she mourned her cognitive and physical losses she looked forward to the many visits of her children, grandchildren & friends. She enjoyed nature and family right up to the end. She died as she requested at home with her daughter, Margaret Anne holding her hand on Christmas night just after midnight. Her last gift was to give her body to Harvard Medical School. A memorial is being planned by her children to celebrate her life with her family and friends. Please contact Margaret Anne at mk-g1@juno.com for more information.