Helen Knubel Perry, 87, of Milford, NJ and North Truro, MA passed away at the Seashore Point Wellness and Rehabilitation Center in Provincetown, MA on Saturday, September 2nd, 2017.
Helen was born February 9, 1930, in Rochester, NY to Alice Bark Knubel and Frederick Herrmann Knubel. She and her family moved to New Rochelle, NY when she was 16 years old. She earned a bachelor's degree from Gettysburg College and a master’s in Physical Therapy from Boston University Sargent College. After graduating in 1954, she spent a year in Stuttgart, Germany with the Lutheran World Federation helping to relocate WWII refugees to the United States. After her return, she went to work at Bellevue Hospital in New York City. In 1958, Helen married Donald Dunham Perry of Scarsdale, NY, and settled in Morristown, NJ. During this time, Helen and Donald were members of the Masterworks Chorus and once performed at Carnegie Hall. In 1967, Helen and Donald moved to Milford, NJ where they raised three boys and were married for 48 years until Donald’s death in 2006.
Helen worked for many years as a physical therapist at the VA hospital in Lyons, NJ and then at Hunterdon Medical Center in Flemington, NJ in both the outpatient and home nursing programs. She also partnered in a successful gourmet cheese shop in Milford for several years. Helen loved her long summers on Cape Cod, playing bridge with her dear friends, solving the NY Times Crossword puzzle, catching up with friends over sandwiches at The Homestead, and volunteering at the Truro Historical Society. She was well known for her famous banana bread and Portuguese kale soup. She was an active member of the United Church of Christ in Milford and the Christian Union Church in North Truro.
She was pre-deceased by her brother Frederick H. Knubel and her sister Dorothy Knubel Dodd. She is survived by her sons Tom (Judy) of Easley, SC, Andy (Kassie) of Edmonds, WA, and David (Karime) of Zurich, Switzerland and two grandchildren.
Special thanks to the incredible staff at Seashore Point who took such special care of Helen over the last two years with love and compassion. Also thanks to the Council on Aging of Truro, MA who provided great support for Helen in her later years.
A service to celebrate Helen's life will be held at the Christian Union Church in North Truro on Sunday, September 24th, 2017 at around 12 PM following the regular church service. Immediately following will be her interment at the Old North Cemetery in North Truro. There will also be a service at the United Church of Christ in Milford at a later date to be announced. Donations may be made in Helen's memory to the Truro Council on Aging, P.O. Box 500, Truro, MA 02666-0500.