Helena Amado
August 28, 1955 – October 29, 2025
Helena Amado, 70, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, at Lowell General Hospital, after a long and courageous battle with COPD and other lung complications. She faced every challenge with strength, faith, and the unwavering love of her family.
Helena was born on August 28, 1955, in Bogotá, Colombia, the daughter of Gilberto Amado and Lisandra Garzon. Her birth was officially registered on September 26, 1955—a quirk she loved to celebrate—allowing her to enjoy two birthdays each year surrounded by her family.
Helena was educated in Bogotá, where she also spent many years working as a teacher. In 1996, she moved with her family to New York, where she built a new life filled with energy, purpose, and care for others. Never one to sit still, Helena worked a variety of jobs, caring for the elderly, and eventually earning her CNA license to further pursue her passion for helping people. She also worked as a hostess at a banquet hall, always bringing warmth and hospitality wherever she went.
Earlier this year, Helena moved to Tewksbury to be closer to her family. She loved to travel and had a remarkable spirit for exploratino, visiting Alaska, Israel, Jerusalem, Dubai, Ecuador, Mexico, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, the Bahamas, and returning to Colombia every year, a place she dearly loved. She often dreamed of visiting Greece and Rome, trips she had hoped to take.
Helena found joy in simple pleasures, playing Lotería, gardening, cooking, and spending time with her children and grandchildren. Her laughter, strength, and boundless energy will be deeply missed by all who knew her.
She is survived by her three beloved children: Sandra Navarro and her husband Manuel of Kansas City, Missouri; Ingrid Hernandez of Tewksbury; and Wilmer Carvajal and his wife Paula Molina of New York City. She was the proud grandmother of Joshua Franco and his wife Alanna Jones, Isabella Carvajal, Lara Chang, Anthony Bank, and Jaicob Carvajal.
Helena also leaves behind her siblings in Colombia: Julio Amado, Blanca Amado, Jairo Amado, Gilberto Amado, Janneth Amado, Nancy Amado, and Wilson Amado; as well as many dear friends, including Maria Eugenia Correa of Colombia, Tita Cabrera and Luz Maria Pacheco of New York, and Maryury Jaramillo of Lawrence, each of whom stood by her with love and friendship through her most difficult years.
Family and friends are invited to attend her visitation on Sunday, November 2, 2025, from 12 p.m. until 3 p.m. at the Tewksbury Funeral Home, 1 Dewey Street, Tewksbury, MA. A funeral service will take place during the visitation. www.tewksburyfuneralhome.com