Helen Avis Smith (Silvey), died June 7, 2019 at Burlington, MA.
Born May 28, 1924 to the late Ernest H. Silvey and B. Jeanette Silvey (Reynolds) in Medford MA. Helen grew up there while attending Medford public schools and graduating from Medford High School, class of 1942. She attended Mrs. Fay’s Secretarial School, which was located on Beacon Hill in Boston, and entered the insurance industry, working at the old Fireman’s Fund and American Mutual Insurance Companies before leaving to raise her family in 1956. Always proud of her Medford roots, she checked the score of the famous Thanksgiving Day football game with Malden every year.
On January 2, 1950, Helen married Donald H. Smith of Port Latour, Nova Scotia, Canada culminating an amazing ten-year courtship that had been lengthened by World War II and college. The two had first met at a dance in Nova Scotia while Helen was there visiting her grandparents and Donald was on the eve of heading off to the Royal Canadian Air Force. Remarkably, they kept their long-distance relationship alive, and in the end would enjoy a loving fulfilling marriage of almost 49 years.
They would eventually settle in Winchester MA in 1957 where they would make their home and raise their family of two sons, Donald Jr. and Paul. In the quiet close-knit neighborhood in Winchester Highlands, Helen was known for her chocolate chip cookies and baking for neighbors in times of troubles. Being an only child, she enjoyed several lifelong friendships with people she considered family, and it was family that was the biggest part of her life. Celebrating holidays, family vacations to Nova Scotia and being able to watch her four grandchildren grow up were cherished memories. She was a member of the Second Congregational Church.
She leaves her son Donald H. Smith, Jr. and daughter-in-law Lori of North Reading, MA, her son Paul E. Smith and daughter-in-law Marcy of Millis, MA, and her beloved grandsons Daniel, Brian, Joshua and Paul Jr. and his wife Shannon. She also leaves two special sister-in-law’s, Dorothy Smith and Ruth Wilson and her dear cousin Dianne Howard of Nova Scotia along with many nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews.
Services are private.