Helen was passionate about poetry, especially Emily Dickinson, and shared her favorites with everyone, from close friends to the young women at The Ellis School in Shadyside where she was a Teacher and Headmistress from 1958 to 1971.
She committed many to memory and held informal poetry classes at Calvary Episcopal Church in Shadyside where she was a member for many years. She and Charles would invite friends to their Butler home on for special weekends devoted to poetry readings.
"Her interest in poetry was like oxygen," recalled Samuel Hazo, Founder and Director of the International Poetry Forum in an article in the Post-Gazette in 2003.
Born in Pittsburgh, Helen graduated from Mount Holyoke College in 1929 and married Charles in 1933. While at Ellis, she wrote a memorable faculty show that integrated classic Greek literature with Beatles music. In 1983, she produced and hosted the series, "Voices from Afar," which aired Sunday mornings on WQED-FM and featured local actors reading the personal letters of famous people from history.
Gov. Dick Thornburgh named her a Distinguished Daughter of Pennsylvania. In 1987 she received Metropolitan Pittsburgh Public Broadcasting's Q Award for Excellence for her radio series.
Her husband Charles worked for USX Corp., serving as a Research Engineer, Director of Personnel and Company Executive before retiring in 1972. The couple rarely spoke of the great tragedy in their lives, the loss of their three children Michael, Melissa and Emily, who died of Wilson's Disease, a rare genetic defect.
Charles died on September 21, 1989, at the age of 79 and Helen died on January 17, 2003, at the age of 95. The fund supports the continued work of the East End Cooperative Ministry among other designations.
Type of Fund
- Unrestricted