Tags Posts tagged with "Helen Giles"

Helen Giles

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Helen Giles

Prepared by the Giles family

Helen Giles, beloved wife, mother and grandmother, passed away on April 17 in Port Jefferson, at the age of 87. She was surrounded by the love of her children, Steven, Brian (Sarah) and Karen, and her grandson Mark.

Helen was born in Mastic to Ylia (John) and Akila (Kate) Weremchuk and had two brothers, George and Walter, all of whom preceded her in death. After graduating high school, Helen worked at Grumman in Calverton for several years before marrying Bruce Giles of Port Jefferson. Bruce, who passed away in 1984, and Helen lived in Setauket, where they raised their three children.

Helen was known as a devoted wife, mother, homemaker and friend. With strength and resilience, she carried on after Bruce’s death from leukemia at age 50. Family was always Helen’s priority. She took great joy in gardening, cooking, summer BBQs on the patio, (her baked beans were a family favorite,) and baking Christmas cookies. She particularly cherished making holidays special for her family. Helen also loved the beach and often took her young children to the ocean, a tradition the family continued into adulthood. Cupsogue Beach became a cherished legacy for them.

A private family prayer service was held for Helen at O.B. Davis Funeral Homes in Port Jefferson. Her ashes were interred with Bruce’s remains at Cedar Hill Cemetery. The family later held a small memorial to honor Helen’s life at her Saddle Lakes home in Riverhead, where she had lived for the past twelve years.

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0 323
Helen Giles

Prepared by the Giles family

Helen Giles, beloved wife, mother and grandmother, passed away on April 17 in Port Jefferson, at the age of 87. She was surrounded by the love of her children, Steven, Brian (Sarah) and Karen, and her grandson Mark.

Helen was born in Mastic to Ylia (John) and Akila (Kate) Weremchuk and had two brothers, George and Walter, all of whom preceded her in death. After graduating high school, Helen worked at Grumman in Calverton for several years before marrying Bruce Giles of Port Jefferson. Bruce, who passed away in 1984, and Helen lived in Setauket, where they raised their three children.

Helen was known as a devoted wife, mother, homemaker and friend. With strength and resilience, she carried on after Bruce’s death from leukemia at age 50. Family was always Helen’s priority. She took great joy in gardening, cooking, summer BBQs on the patio, (her baked beans were a family favorite,) and baking Christmas cookies. She particularly cherished making holidays special for her family. Helen also loved the beach and often took her young children to the ocean, a tradition the family continued into adulthood. Cupsogue Beach became a cherished legacy for them.

A private family prayer service was held for Helen at O.B. Davis Funeral Homes in Port Jefferson. Her ashes were interred with Bruce’s remains at Cedar Hill Cemetery. The family later held a small memorial to honor Helen’s life at her Saddle Lakes home in Riverhead, where she had lived for the past twelve years.

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From left, Chris Ryon, Steve Albanese and Town of Brookhaven historian Barbara Russell.

By Chris Ryon

Many years ago, I convinced my neighbor Helen Giles to donate a bell her late husband had purchased to my other neighbor, Carl Erikson. Helen’s husband, Bruce, had owned the building on the corner of Old Coach Road and 25A in East Setauket and dreamed of restoring the cupola and bell to the historic schoolhouse building. 

Carl Erikson had a passion for church bells and the church he cared for, the Russian Orthodox Church in Setauket. Carl put the bell in back of his shop at the church. Known as “Father John” to his parishioners, he sadly passed away over two years ago. He was my neighbor and friend for 20 years. 

Carl studied and analyzed bells and even had plans to cast his own. He bought scrap brass and had designs on how to melt and cast his own. He was also a physics teacher and loved numbers and engineering.

I was buying a large bandsaw from Carl’s estate when I saw the bell on a woodpile. I knew the present owner of the building was planning to reconstruct the bell tower. After discussing it with the executor it was donated back.

Steve Albanese now owns the old schoolhouse building. I called his busy accounting office and told his secretary that I had the bell. Steve called later and could not believe that the bell was coming back to him. He was working on plans to rebuild the cupola this spring and was looking for a bell. The bell now sits proudly in his office waiting area waiting to ring again.

Chris Ryon is the historian for the Village of Port Jefferson.