Helen M. Holden
St. William’s Church Parishioner
TEWKSBURY: Helen M. (Dunn) Holden, age 81, a resident of Tewksbury for 66 years, passed away at her home in the care of her family and Circle Home Hospice on Monday, December 17, 2018.
She was the beloved wife of former Tewksbury Fire Fighter, Kenneth W. “Bunky” Holden, who passed away on October 3, 2017.
Born in Dedham on May 17, 1937, she was the daughter of the late Leo B. Dunn, Sr. and the late Dorothy M. (Harnden) Dunn.
Helen was raised in Dedham until moving to Tewksbury in 1952.
She attended Dedham schools and graduated from Tewksbury High School in 1954.
In earlier years, she worked as an administrative assistant at the Academy of Notre Dame in Tyngsboro and volunteered at the Oblate Novitiate in Tewksbury.
Helen was an active member of the St. William’s Church community and served as a Eucharistic Minister, taught in the CCD Program, was a member of the Ladies Sodality and the Couples Club, and served as a mentor in the Marriage Encounter Program.
Helen enjoyed making braided rugs, quilting, sewing, painting, woodcarving, and skiing.
She is survived by her children, Mark T. Holden and his wife Linda, Shelley M. Holden, and Ann Marie Boucher and her husband Richard all of Tewksbury, Deborah M. Vitali and her husband Anthony of Raynham, Timothy J. Holden and his wife Jennifer of Chelmsford, James J. Holden and his wife Tracy of Tewksbury, and William J. Holden and his wife Kelly of Chelmsford; siblings; Richard A. Dunn of Capital Heights, MD, Barbara A. Farley and her husband James of Tewksbury, Patricia K. Cummings and her husband Francis of Litchfield, NH, Ida M. Mulhare and her husband Michael of Tewksbury, Pamela M. Kempton and her husband James of Ft. Mill, SC, Mary Jane Moorehouse and her husband Steven and Dawn M. Dunn all of Tewksbury. She leaves 18 grandchildren, many nieces, nephews, and extended family members.
Helen was the mother of the late Patricia M. Crawley, and sister of the late Dorothy Dunn Page, Leo B. Dunn, Jr., Francis X., and John O. Dunn.
Calling hours are Thursday, Dec. 20, from 4-8 p.m. at the Farmer & Dee Funeral Home, 16 Lee St., Tewksbury. Her funeral procession will begin on Friday, Dec. 21, at 9 a.m. at the funeral home, followed by her Funeral Mass at 10 a.m. at St. William’s Church, 1351 Main St., Rte. 38, Tewksbury. Interment at Tewksbury Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to the Tewksbury Food Pantry, 999 Whipple Rd., Tewksbury, MA 01876.