Helen Seely (born Mason)
Personal
Gender: Female
Date of Birth: 1899
Date of Death: August 19, 2002
Birth Place: Brooklyn, NY
Death Place: Pomona, NY
Helen Seely
Helen Seely, a longtime resident of Rockland County, died on August 19, at the Robert Yeager Health Center in Pomona. She was 103. Born in Brooklyn in 1899 to John and Catherine Mason, she was the last surviving member of a family of nine children. The Mason family built a large home in Pearl River in 1911 as a summer retreat where they entertained relatives, neighbors and friends from Brooklyn. The family moved there permanently in 1933 and Mrs. Seely occupied the home until 1979. Helen was a 1916 graduate of the Academy of St. Joseph in Brentwood, LI, and was the oldest living graduate. She attended Packer Institute in Brooklyn and worked for many years in the business world of NYC. She was active in the Women’s Suffrage movement and marched in the last Suffrage Parade in NYC. Mrs. Seely served as an editorial assistant at Dexter Press at its original location in Pearl River. She briefly owned and operated a restaurant on Central Avenue known as “The Wooden Horse”. During WWII, she served as USO Hostess at Camp Shanks and then as Assistant Manager of the USO in Pearl River. In the early 1950’s, Helen founded “Country Garden Caterers” and catered parties of all types, including many elaborate wedding receptions. Her clientele included local residents as well as patrons from New York City, Long Island, New Jersey, and Westchester County. For several years she also taught gourmet cooking in the Nanuet Adult Education Program. During the ’50’s and ’60’s, Mrs. Seely served as a foster mother to a series of teenage boys from St. Agatha’s Home. She took several at a time into her home as a bridge to their entering the community after completion of high school. She was a member of the Ladies of Charity, the Catholic Laywoman’s League, the Blessed Mother Sodality and the Mother Butler Guild. For many years, she was an active member of St. Margaret’s parish; in recent years, she attended St. Anthony’s Church. She was an avid reader, an accomplished pianist and artist, painting in watercolor and oil. She also enjoyed sightseeing and travel. Until the age of 97, she traveled regularly to Houston and the Boston area to visit her children and grandchildren. She is survived by her daughter, Joanna Reid of Houston, TX and her son Jeremiah of Venice, FL; also by six grandchildren: Erin and Michael Seely, and Elizabeth, Donald, Christopher and Marianne Reid. She also leaves behind six nieces and nephews, and a host of friends and neighbors. Services will be held at St. Anthony’s Church on Saturday at 10:00 a.m. with visitation at Higgins Funeral Home in New City on Thursday and Friday from 7-9. A Wake Service will be held on Friday at 2 PM. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St. Anthony’s School. MICHAEL J. HIGGINS FUNERAL SERVICE 321 S. Main St., New City, NY
Published in The Journal News (Westchester County, NY) August 23, 2002
