Remembering PAULINE YEARWOOD

Please join us in remembering Pauline Yearwood, who passed away Dec. 22, 2015, from pancreatic cancer. Pauline was a devoted volunteer for C.A.R.E. for 17 years and gave her time selflessly. Most recently, she filled the role of adoption counselor, and helped dozens of homeless cats find adoptive homes. Pauline was a remarkably kind woman, an animal lover and activist, vegan, and a true original. Pauline will be remembered fondly and missed by many.

Pauline's obituary follows below.

If you have a memory of Pauline that you'd like to share, please write us at news@carenorthshore.org.

Pauline Dubkin-Yearwood, journalist, mother, and animal rights activist, died December 22, 2015 in New Paltz, NY, aged 73. Pauline died peacefully in her sleep surrounded by her family after a yearlong epic battle with pancreatic cancer. She is survived by her loving and heartbroken children, Leonard and Lagusta, her sweet cats Angel and Shanthi, and so many beloved friends and loved ones. Born the same year as Wonder Woman, she brought just as much determination, verve and feminist pep to her many projects and passions. Everyone she came in contact with was touched by her kindnesses and awed at how widely she projected her concern and compassion.

Pauline was born in Chicago, Illinois in December, 1941 to Leonard Dubkin, a naturalist and journalist, and Muriel Schwartz, an actress and writer. She attended Frances W. Parker School, Bryn Mawr College, and Medill School of Journalism before giving herself over to the societal transformations taking place in the 1960s and resolving to never wear a neutral-colored item of clothing again. From 1965 until late November 2015 she earned a living through various forms of writing, reviewing plays for alt-weekly newspapers and editing and reporting for Jewish newspapers including the Chicago Jewish News (where she was the managing editor for almost twenty years) while doing personal creative writing on the side. She devoted countless hours to animal-related volunteer projects, most notably for over a decade as an adoption counselor at Community Animal Rescue Effort in Evanston, IL, to whom she requested donations be sent in lieu of flowers.

She wished that after her death her body be used in any way that could spare animal suffering, so an anatomical gift has been made to New York Medical College in Valhalla, NY.

MEMORIES OF PAULINE YEARWOOD

I had the pleasure of volunteering with Pauline for 17 years. We worked the same shelter shift for much of that time and also worked the C.A.R.E. Booth at Vegan Mania together. She found wonderful forever homes for many cats during those years. I will miss her kind heart and creative mind!

– Megan Lutz