Helen Elizabeth Moriarty

HYANNIS - Helen (Corbett) Moriarty of Hyannis, died peacefully at her home September 8, 2012 at the age of 88. She was the daughter of the late Francis and Margaret Corbett and the wife of the late James J. Moriarty, all of Medford.

Born and raised in Medford, Helen was a graduate of Medford High School. She received her Bachelor’s degree from Lowell’s State Teachers College and her Master’s Degree in Speech Pathology from Boston University. Helen was a second grade teacher at the Gleason School in Medford. She became the first Speech Pathologist in the city of Medford in 1972 and continued there until her retirement in 1989.

She lived in West Medford until she retired permanently to the Cape in 1990. While in Medford, she was a communicant at St. Raphael’s Church and was active in the Lady’s Sodality. She was also a member of the Thursday Fortnightly Club, where she served as a multi-term President in the 1980s.

Helen was an entertainer extraordinaire, most known by family and friends as “The Lady in the Tutti Frutti Hat”. She began performing in her twenties, starring in many Minstrel Shows during World War II, as well as many benefit shows throughout her lifetime. She loved to entertain her family and friends and continued to do so up until the day she died.

Helen is survived by her sisters, Eileen Mullett of Hudson, NH and Sister Cecilia Corbett of Boston MA. She will also be missed by her children, Mary Offiler and her husband Anthony, of Hyannis, MA, Elizabeth Bromage and her husband Bill, of Three Rivers, MA, Joseph Moriarty and his wife Rosalyn, of Sandown, NH, and James Moriarty and his wife Carla, of Methuen MA. She is also survived by ten grandchildren, Matthew Offiler and his wife Kristin, Andrew Offiler and his wife Lisa, Timothy Offiler, Joshua Bromage, Nathan Bromage, Martha Whelan and her husband Michael, Jonathan Moriarty, Daniel Moriarty, James Moriarty and Laura Moriarty. She was also the loving aunt to six nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her siblings, Francis, Kathleen and John Corbett and Josephine Calendriello and Ann Rogers.

Visitation hours will be Wednesday, September 12 from 4-7PM at Doane, Beal and Ames Funeral Home, 160 West Main Street, Hyannis. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday at 11:00 AM at St. Francis Xavier Church in Hyannis. Burial will follow at Oak Grove Cemetery in Medford. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, Kansas 66675.