Helen McMahon Sullivan died on July 21st after a brief illness.
She was born and raised in Philadelphia, attended West Catholic High School, followed by secretarial school. While working for the Signal Corp during WWII, she met the love of her life and was married to Donald for 67 Years. Colonel Sullivan died in 2010.
In 1950 the Korean War brought the family with five young children to the West Coast. Helen lived in Ventura County for 65 years, a parishioner at Our Lady of the Assumption for 49.
Mostly a homemaker and a loving mother, mom also worked for the Naval Disbursement Office at Port Hueneme for a dozen years.
A lifelong ocean swimmer, mom loved to body surf and only stopped in her 80’s when she dislocated her shoulder on a vicious wave. Thereafter she swam in the pool. She taught us all how to swim.
She was Den Mother to many Cub Scouts, an enthusiastic supporter of Scouting, and volunteered to run the Press Courier paper routes with the girls’ help while the three boys were at Boy Scout Summer Camp.
Humble and hard working, she could sew, knit, crochet or repair almost anything. She loved her garden and fruit trees, even planting peach, plum and apple in the last few years. She canned or froze her fruit and shared her jams and jellies with all. She loved her fresh squeezed orange juice.
Though mom only finished high school, she was a believer in higher education, and encouraged all of her children, grandchildren, and everyone else to pursue a college degree or higher. When the children left the house, mom and dad loved to travel. She had not seen much of the country when she was growing up during the Depression, and wanted to see all that she could when the time came. She visited every state and many foreign countries.
Mom was fun, and a joy to be with. She loved to dance, especially to Big Band music. She loved all the songs from the Rodgers & Hammerstein musicals. She watched Hallmark movies while exercising. She had a wonderful sense of humor which interwove nicely with her clear thinking and solid convictions. She was gracious and kind, full of common sense - a very practical person with a healthy amount of skepticism. She was as sharp as a tack and retained her mental faculties until the very end.
All of mom's grandchildren and great grandchildren were extra special to her. Nothing could bring a smile to her face faster than seeing a picture of a little one. She adored using Facebook to see these photos and stay in touch with what everyone was doing. At age 94 she spent 2 hours every morning enjoying her mocha and tracking the activities of her extended clan.
Mom's Catholic Faith was central to her life, her whole life. Her activities corresponded with her age, from First Friday Masses and Novenas, to daily rosaries and multiple prayers for anyone who asked. Family dinners were often graced with Jesuits, local clergy, and Naval Chaplains. When COPD slowed her down and required afternoon breathing treatments, she expanded her prayers to occupy the time.
Helen is survived by her sister, Alice Stinson, of Brigantine, NJ; five children: Peter (Marie) of Larkspur, John (Mary Ellen) of Torrance, Donald (Genevieve) of Mill Valley, Kathi (Jim Russell) of Ventura and Betsy (Michael Bazdarich) of La Canada; 21 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Rosary will at 7 PM Monday, July 27th at the JOSEPH P. REARDON FUNERAL HOME, 757 E. Main Street, Ventura. Mass will be celebrated at noon, Tuesday, July 28th, at Assumption Church. Burial will follow at Santa Clara Cemetery in Oxnard. After interment, there will be a reception in the Santa Cruz Room at Assumption.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Catholic Charities or a charity of your choice.