Woodbridge Woman Honored For Her Community Involvement

WOODBRIDGE, NJ — A woman who now lives in Edison, but for years lived in Woodbridge, and is very active with several Woodbridge community organizations, was honored this past Saturday by her alma mater, Caldwell University, as an outstanding alumna.

Elaine Tweedus was presented with the 2019 Peggy Harris Alumna of the Year Award on Sept. 21, given annually to alumni who have demonstrated outstanding service to the university.

Tweedus has also given her time and talents to the town of Woodbridge, as a volunteer with the Woodbridge River Watch, The Historical Association of Woodbridge, the Barron Arts Center and the Boy Scouts of America.

She is a certified advocate for the New Jersey Office of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman where she helps veterans navigate their benefits programs.

Tweedus had an accomplished career of nearly 50 years with Prudential, where she began in an entry-level position in legal and research and moved up through the ranks to become a corporate officer.

She grew up in North Arlington, attended Catholic Dominican schools for 16 years, and earned a bachelor’s degree in French from what was then Caldwell College for Women.

Tweedus and her husband Ed Lonyai, who passed away in 2018, made a gift to the university for the purpose of creating a new chapel in memory of their beloved “Aunt Mary,” who was a Sister of St. Dominic of Caldwell. The Sister Mary Dominic Tweedus Chapel was formally dedicated on Sept. 20.