Mary Hellman

Our mother, Mary Ann Hellman, was born in 1931. This means she came of age in the 50’s with all that entails. Being a homemaker: handmaking Halloween costumes, sewing our clothes, kicking us outside and saying “drink from the hose” when we were clamoring that we were thirsty. She took up ceramics in her late twenties and held classes in our home – had her own kiln. Her children put flyers out door-to-door. Remember the great big ashtrays? And the Santa Claus mugs? There were couples card playing nights where both sets of children were banished to the back bedrooms. And bowling leagues. The Legion of Mary. The church choir. Girl Scout leader – those waste baskets made of empty ice cream cartons with rolled up magazine pages. She learned to play the guitar – in the 60’s of course. She took in various wayward teens short and long term. She once noticed that what, at first glance she thought was a light from a fireplace, was actually the house beginning to burn. She and my father woke the family and got them out. In the late 60’s she went back to school – with her best friend and her daughter. They all became registered nurses. Of course, then all neighborhood kids showed up for her to treat their “boo-boos.” This same time frame saw her marriage end. At some point an old flame got in touch. They stared dating again. Fell in love and married. They both had 6 children from their previous marriage with each partner having a child that predeceased them. The kicker is that 4 out of the 6 children had the same names!! Mary Ann and Bill Hellman were married for 30+ years. She was a “Nother Mother” to his children and he was a “Nother Father” to her children. With Bill she became a football and basketball fan; they were part of a camping club “The Cornballs” – hence there’s a picture of her dressed as a chicken. She was a very good dancer and a great cook (so was Bill). Always creative, she took up various crafts – making gorgeous wreaths, eggshell ornaments, crocheting blankets and scarves. She took up painting and made lovely paintings. She renewed her nursing license at 70 and aced the tests. She was a clothes horse and jewelry fiend. She enjoyed her clothes and her jewelry and always got her hair and nails done. In her late 80’s she joined the coloring club fad for her creative outlet and took up reading detective murders and playing Mahjong on the computer. She liked storms, sunsets, birds, flowers, squirrels and best of all – hummingbirds. She leaves behind her sister, Betty Baisley, and numerous nieces & nephews. Her children Rita (Joe), Debbie (Frank), Theresa, Robert, David (Cathey), Debbie (Harold), Chuck (Sharon), Chris (Janet), Therese, Christopher and all her grandchildren and great-grandchildren who all honor her and her gentle ways. Her kindness and generosity of spirit will be sorely missed by all who knew her.