Helen C. Belcher passed away peacefully on February 19th, 2011. At the time of her death, Miss Belcher was a resident at Newfield House, in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Miss Belcher is survived by her sisters Marjorie S. Belcher and Ruth S. Belcher, both of Plymouth, Massachusetts and Elizabeth P. Rogers, of Urbana, Illinois. Her brother, Edward L. Belcher and sister Hilda B. Mortimer pre-deceased her. She is remembered lovingly by her entire family, which also includes 11 nieces and nephews and 12 great-nieces and nephews.
Helen was born in Plymouth on March 25th, 1921, the daughter of the late Edward R. and Helen L. Belcher. She attended the Plymouth schools, graduating from Plymouth High School in 1938. She attended Mount Holyoke College and graduated with honor in 1942. She then enrolled in a special wartime nursing program at Massachusetts General Hospital, receiving her diploma in 1942. After working for several years at the New York Hospital School of Nursing, she enrolled in the University of Washington, completing a Master's Degree in Nursing in 1952. Helen's career included positions in the U.S. Public Health Service (Washington, D.C.) the Southern Regional Nursing Education Board (Atlanta, Georgia) and as the Director of Nursing Programs at the New England Board of Higher Education (Boston, Massachusetts). In 1980, she was appointed Nurse Consultant in the regional (Boston) office of the Public Health Service, a position she retired from in 1986.
Since 1986, Helen lived in Plymouth and served on the Boards or as a Trustee of several civic and historical societies including The Cura Visiting Nurse Association, the Plymouth Antiquarian Society and the Pilgrim Society, where she was a Trustee Emeritus. She served in a variety of capacities on many Boards and Committees of The Church of the Pilgrimage. The Wildlands Trust of Southeastern Massachusetts was also one of her favourite causes. Leading up to and following her retirement, Helen was the primary care giver to her sister, Ruth Spooner Belcher.
A memorial service for Helen will be held at the Church of the Pilgrimage, 8 Town Square, Plymouth at 11:00Am on Saturday, February 26th, 2011, followed by a collation for family and friends. Burial will be private. There will be no visiting hours. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, gifts be made to the Church of the Pilgrimage, the Plymouth Antiquarian Society or the Pilgrim Society.