Helen M. Norton

She is survived by her husband, William Norton, of Concord, NH; daughter, Emily, of Arlington, VA; son, Tim, a senior at Southern NH University; mother, Helen Maksymink of Philadelphia, PA; sister, Nancy, and brother-in-law Leo Tysak of Jamison, PA and their children Jared, Brandon and Tara. She was predeceased by her father, William.

Helen loved the outdoors and her passion for hiking, biking and skiing brought her from Philadelphia to New Hampshire in 1977. She joined Concord Hospital as an Operating Room Technician, and completed NHTI’s RN program in 1983. She then joined Concord Otolaryngology, where she worked until this fall. Helen found many friends and admirers and was not shy about speaking her mind and sharing her beliefs.

Helen held a deep Catholic faith and took great pride in her family. She took an active role in raising her children, leading her daughter’s Girl Scout troop and running the St. John’s Regional School ski program for five years.

Helen had a variety of interests and always sought adventure. She was a certified scuba diver, tried skydiving and at one point owned a motorcycle. She was an avid skier and hiker, an AMC member for many years. She climbed 45 of NH’s 4,000-Footers and backpacked to all of NH’s AMC huts. She cultivated her green thumb and became a Master Gardener in 1994, sharing her plants with many people. She especially enjoyed adding garden art, building three bottle trees and creating a hub cap fence and a bowling ball sculpture. She was an excellent cook, seamstress, quilter and craftsperson.

Calling hours will be held on Sunday, December 18, 2011 from 4pm-6pm and 7pm-8pm at the Bennett Funeral Home, 209 N. Main Street, Concord.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday, December 19, 2011 at 10am at Christ the King Parish St John the Evangelist, 72 S. Main Street, Concord.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her name may be made to the CRVNA Hospice House, 30 Pillsbury Street, Concord 03301.

Arrangements under the direction of Bennett Funeral Home, Concord, NH.