Helen Elaine Kelly

Kelly, Helen Elaine was summoned by Almighty God to enter into the heavenly kingdom at 1:09am on January 13, 2016 from the Hospice of Dayton. She was the last of four siblings, born in Bronx, New York to the late Christopher Stelyn and Aglaia Soutsous on August 2, 1929. Her parents were natives of Greece with her mother being from Athens and her father from Solonika in 1914.

The family relocated to Chicago, Illinois in 1932, where Helen’s mother owned a stuffed candy and fruit business to support her family. Helen attended elementary school in Chicago and was a proud graduate of Lucy Flouer Technical High School for Girls in 1947.

Following graduation, Helen was employed by the Ohio Mutual Casualty Company in Chicago, as a Bookkeeping Machine Operator. Helen and her mother moved to Dayton, Ohio in 1952 as suggested by her brother James so all could be together as a family. In Dayton, also as a Bookkeeper, Helen was employed at Gallagher Drug Company and Rike’s Department Store and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Helen then went to work for the City for the City of Dayton in the Department of Taxation, prior to her marriage to Martin J. Kelly on March 2, 1957 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Two years earlier she took instructions to enter the Catholic faith where she happily received conversion. Helen developed a deep devotion to the Infant of Prague Novena, the Miraculous Medal of the Blessed Virgin and the Sacred Heart. She practiced daily recitation of the holy rosary.

Among other interests, Helen enjoyed traveling and camping with her family. One of her favorite past times was cooking Greek pastries and adding to her large cook book collection. She liked to attend auctions, antique shows, vintage building tours and was an avid reader. She was a volunteer at St. Anthony School where her five children attended. She enjoyed working in the school kitchen, library and the classroom where she would help tutor children. Additionally, Helen volunteered at the Dayton Irish Dancing competitions every year since her children took Irish dancing and worked at the First Dayton World Affair on 1971.

Helen is survived by her loving husband, Martin, their five children, Mary, Timothy, Andrew, John, Stephanie and eight grandchildren. Visitation hours: Friday, 4-8pm Westbrock Funeral Home, 1712 Wayne Ave. Mass of Christian Burial, 10:00 am Saturday at Emmanuel Catholic Church. Burial, Calvary Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Hospice of Dayton, envelopes will be available at the funeral home.