HELEN M. DELLAPENNA

Helen M. (nee Zawadzki) Dellapenna passed away peacefully at home on December 8, 2021, surrounded by her three loving daughters. She reached her goal of 95 years of age and her family celebrates this achievement! Helen was born on August 20, 1926, in South Hadley, MA, the eldest of six children, and graduated with honors from South Hadley High School in 1943. Following graduation, Helen went to work as a bookkeeper, where she eventually met her late husband of 55 years, Alfred P. Dellapenna. Together they had three daughters, Laura A. Dellapenna of Albuquerque, NM; Martha M. Dellapenna of Warwick, RI; and Nancy D. Siegel and her husband, Jeffrey, of Westfield, MA. Helen is survived by her siblings, Frances Lapinski of Venice, Florida, James Zawadzki, of San Diego, CA, Dorothy Skibel of South Hadley, MA and Carolyn Casiello of Feeding Hills, MA. Helen returned to the workforce in the late 1970s at the Showcase Card & Gift Shop in the former Fairfield Mall, Chicopee, MA. She was the assistant manager for five years until she retired in 1988. Helen also belonged to several associations and clubs over the course of her life. Helen loved bus trips via SIS Tours and the Granby Council on Aging. She traveled to Cape Cod for family vacations in Wellfleet and Wareham, MA for many summers. She sadly did not have her mother’s green thumb and many African Violets met their ends at her hands. She had a long line of wonderful cats and dogs throughout her life, and Alfie and Lucy were especially loved. Helen loved Polish food—especially the Polish plates at the John Paul II Community Center during the Winter and Spring Festivals. A lifelong learner, Helen had a keen interest in news and current events. She tackled the Springfield Republican daily crossword puzzle for many years, enjoyed winning at Trivial Pursuit and loved her magazines and books. Helen was a lifetime communicant of Mater Dolorosa Church and Our Lady of the Cross Church in Holyoke, MA. The Dellapenna family thanks Father Albert for the administration of the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick for Helen. The family wishes to express their sincere thanks to Compassus Hospice and the dedicated team of healthcare professionals who provided exceptional quality care to Helen in the last fifteen months of her life. The family is especially grateful to Donna and Liz, Personal Care Attendants extraordinaire, for their devoted home care and respite services. You all helped make Helen’s days at home a joy! A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. on December 15, 2021, in Our Lady of the Cross church followed by interment at Mater Dolorosa Cemetery in South Hadley, MA. A reception for family and friends will follow. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Helen’s name to the Massachusetts/New Hampshire branch of the Alzheimer’s & Dementia Association at www.alz.org/man

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