Obituary of Helen Haskins

Helen Sylvia Gregory HASKINS, 87, of Walworth, NY, formerly of Wellsville, passed away peacefully on December 7, 2017. Born January 11, 1930, in Shickshinny, PA, she was the daughter of Silas R. and Ellen J. Moss Gregory. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased a brother, Myron S. Gregory, Sr.; two sisters, Sarah A. Hassay and May E. Gregory; and a sister-in-law, Kathryn R. Gregory. Surviving are: her loving husband of over 61 years, W. Neil Haskins; four children, Sue (Daniel) DeGraff of Walworth; Betsey (Patrick) Haskins-Piccioli of East Rochester, Laurie (Bradley) Mitchell of Dansville, and David (Sujee) Haskins of Ellicott City, MD; eight grandchildren, Emily DeGraff, Thomas DeGraff, Sarah Mitchell, Scott Mitchell, Jordan Mitchell, Christopher Haskins, Nicholas Haskins, and Zachary Haskins; brother-in-law, William F. Hassay, Sr. of Hollywood, MD; and several nieces and nephews. A graduate of Shickshinny High School, she earned a bachelor's degree in education and home economics from Penn State University, State College, PA. She taught in Flordia, Pennsylvania, and New York, retiring in 1992. Helen was a loving sister, wife, mother, grandma, aunt, and friend. She and Neil enjoyed traveling together visiting family and friends. As a Girl Scout leader, she was very active and creative, encouraging her troops to put on dinners and shows, and teaching them many songs. She was an exceptional Home Economics teacher in several schools throughout her many years of teaching. She taught her students about nutrition and personal finance, and even wedding planning, in addition to the basic skills of sewing and cooking. She also worked as a real estate agent. Helen was a member of the Wellsville First United Methodist Church, Penfield United Methodist Church, UMW, DAR, and AAUW. She also enjoyed genealogy, oil painting, card playing, family gatherings, and was an avid Penn State football fan. She is missed greatly by all who knew and loved her. Friends may call from 12:00 – 2:00 PM on Saturday, December 16, 2017 at the Curtis L. Swanson Funeral Home, corner of routes 29 and 118, Pikes, with Funeral Services following at 2:00 PM. Burial will be in Bloomingdale Cemetery, Shickshinny, PA. Memorials in Helen's memory may be made to a charity of the donor's choice. Online condolences may be expressed at www.wellsvillefuneralhome.com and www.clswansonfuneralhome.com