Helen Woodward Gibbs...Woodward....Beck

Helen Woodward was a dark haired beauty from Haddonfield, New Jersey. She and her parents, Mr. and Mrs. John R. Woodward moved to Sewell, New Jersey, close to Pitman in 1945. Her family may have lived on the Kings Highway in Haddonfield with her grandparents. That has to be confirmed. She met Ed after his discharge from the service.
To this day people that knew them both are stumped about what it was about Ed that attracted Helen Woodward.
They were married in the First Presbyterian Church of Pitman, New Jersey in 1947. The reception was held at the Hotel Pitman. The Hotel was auctioned off in the 1960's but would have been a wonderful site to visit.
Upon Ed's confession, Helen returned to New Jersey, being driven back there by Ed's parents. She returned to her parents' home and never communicated with her husband again.
He told his lawyer that he had written to her but claimed to have received no response.
Her parents spoke for her, claiming that Helen owed Ed nothing and she was off limits. Claims were made that she had taken to her bed and was "ill".
The Woodwards couldn't possibly imagine what would happen to their daughter once married to Gibbs but they weren't fond of Ed from the start and were less than supportive of the marriage.
Helen Gibbs legally reverted to her maiden name in 1951, the year of Ed's execution, relocated to Englewood, New Jersey. She clearly wanted distance between herself and the south Jersey locales that brought such horror to her life.
She worked for a real estate firm in Fair Lawn, not far from Englewood and it was reported to me that she remarried in the late 1950's to a man named Beck.
The questions about a possible pregnancy continue. A few persons that knew her believe that she did, indeed, return to New Jersey pregnant.
At this point, no one is comfortable sharing what they think the outcome of the pregnancy was.
Was there a "Woodward" born in 1950 that really was the son or daughter of Edward Lester Gibbs? Was a child placed up for adoption? Was the pregnancy terminated medically or spontaneously?
Was the child "given" to relatives to raise?
And if the pregnancy was a fact, did the person ever know their genealogy or heritage?
The Gibbs family never, ever answered the O'Donels letters expressing Christian compassion and forgiveness. That speaks volumes to many of us.
A simple response wouldn't have been that costly to most of us. Painful, yes, but not psychologically costly. Not the case in the Gibbs family.
So many people were doomed at set, certain points in history.
Ed Gibbs was doomed the day he was conceived.
Helen Woodward was doomed the day she found herself wanting to date Ed Gibbs.
Marian Baker was doomed the moment her hand touched the cold, wet metal door handle of the car on Chesnut Street in front of the Lancaster Post Office.
That car was only going one way. And it wasn't back to the college. Not if Ed Gibbs could help it.
A sightseeing ride to relax? Sorry, Ed, it wasn't like that.
You had a plan. Maybe not to brutalize Marian the way you did. But you were going to give in to your darkest, most twisted urges that afternoon and no one was going to stop you. Especially Marian Louise Baker.
Marian's uncle Jack, Leroy O'Donel was heard saying that he would have liked a chance to get his hands on Ed Gibbs. He is far from the only one with that wish.
It is amazing, sad and somehow reassuring that that sentiment is still felt today by some.
It means that they haven't forgotten. And they haven't stopped loving or wanting to protect Marian.
I said before that this story has begun breathing on its own.
Many people are paying attention. And there's been some stir in New Jersey and elsewhere.
Yes, I want the whole truth to be told. Finally.