Helen Louise (Wolfe) Brown, 87, died on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017 at her home in West Tisbury. She was the wife of Raymond E. Brown, who predeceased her.
Helen was born on August 8, 1930, in Somerville, to George William Wolfe and Helen (Gannon) Wolfe. She attended the Charles Street School and the Summer Street School, and graduated from Concord High School in New Hampshire, where she grew up. She graduated from New Hampshire School of Nursing, with affiliation at New Jersey Medical Center.
Helen worked at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital from December 1959 to March 1994, mainly in the maternity department. She had many co-workers whose names would be familiar to Islanders: Turk Kingsbury, Betsy Boggess, Tootie Johnson, Jane Keenan, Almeida Reed, Gladys Welch, Louise Yapp, Judy Hathaway, and Ann Burt, just to name a few.
After a few years of retirement, she went on to work at the Howes House Council on Aging in West Tisbury, where she enjoyed being the receptionist from 2004 to 2012. Helen loved to knit, work on crafts, socialize, and go to the beach. She had many close friends, and enjoyed living on the Vineyard since the 1950s.
Helen is survived by stepdaughters Pamela Brown Martisauskas of Oak Bluffs and her son Jason Martisauskas and family; Helen Brown Harley of Rhode Island and her daughters Nancy Iadeluca and Patricia Harley and family; Jeanne Brown Bryan of New Orleans and family; Pamela Ridgeway, Rebecca Jacoves, and Peter Bryan and their families; Elizabeth Brown Ciciora (predeceased) and her son Jeffrey Ciciora, his wife Sandy and their daughter Molly Ciciora and son Benjamin Ciciora; she was also predeceased by Patricia Brown West of Florida and her sons Andrew West and Elon “Trip” West.
She is also survived by her sister Nancy Nylen of New Hampshire and her family, Mark, Carol (predeceased), Paul, Jon, and David and their families. Helen was predeceased by her two brothers, Kenneth Wolfe and Robert Wolfe. Members of Robert’s family are Sally, Robert, Peter, Gary, and Jane and their families. Helen is survived by many nieces and nephews, and great-nieces and -nephews.
A graveside service was held on Wednesday, Dec. 6, in the Oak Grove Cemetery on State Road in Vineyard Haven, officiated by the Rev. Dr. Leo Christian, which was followed by a gathering of friends and relatives at Helen’s home in West Tisbury. Arrangements were under the care of Chapman, Cole and Gleason funeral home on Edgartown Road in Oak Bluffs.
The family would like to give their appreciation to the VNA, Elder Services, Hope Hospice, Horizons for Geriatrics, and Sostek for their services and care given to Helen during her illness.
Donations in her memory may be made to the West Tisbury Fire Department and EMTs, P.O. Box 490, West Tisbury, MA 02575, or to Friends of the Up-Island Council on Aging, P.O. Box 3174, West Tisbury, MA 02575.
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