Helen Fennell

Our dear mother passed away on Sunday, April 17, 2011 in Sydney, N.S. Helen was the last surviving offspring of Edward and Winifred Troke of Little Lorraine. She was predeceased by husband Mike and daughter Leona (MacDonald). She is survived by nine children; Ron and Mike, Sydney, Constance Hope, N.Y., Sheila, Margaret and Theresa, Tor, Mary McCloskey, VT, Joyce Avent, Minn and Tom, NL. She also leaves fourteen grandchildren and eleven great grand children. Helen arrived prematurely on August 1, 1915. Her incubator was fashioned from a shoe box placed on a warm oven door by a prayerful country doctor. Childhood was shared with seven siblings in a hard scrabble fishing village where an ingrained work ethic and a zest for life predominated. Brothers Jack and Tom Troke taught her to dance at the local parish hall and to enjoy their hard earned bounty at the Main a dieu lobster suppers – two of her lifelong pleasures. She prevailed through fifty plus years of marriage, and motherhood of her large family despite limited resources. She baked from scratch, sewed her children’s clothing without patterns and coaxed robust gardens from ungenerous soil. Helen was a dynamo who danced to Lefty Frizzle, sang along with the Clancy Brothers, patronized the Holy Redeemer bingo games and joyfully chanced two dollar wagers at the Sydney race track. She regaled her family with stories of her early years. In mid life, she enjoyed a twenty five year career at Zellers and forged many lasting friendship. She relished vacation trips to visit her now far flung offspring. Their return visits to her home were met with marathon baking sprees. Abetted by her daughters, she now embraced the role of fashionista. From her deck, built by her son Tom, she savored her books, tea and much loved garden. In her retirement years she explored C.B.’s restaurants with her side-kick Carol. She followed sports with son Ron, cheering for Tom Henke and Al McInnis, but her heart belonged to Gordie Howe. She delighted us in her final years with her quick wit and sassy observations. Her favorite songs were now sung (on request) by son Mike. Her surviving children remain grateful for the gifts she imparted; a passion for reading and learning, top notch seamstress skills, a tiller’s touch, a solid work ethic and especially a family folk lore second to none. Visitation for Helen Fennell will take place at T.W.Curry Parkview Chapel on Thursday, April 28, 2011, 2 hours prior to her funeral mass at 2 p.m. at St. Joseph’s Church with Fr. Conrad Edwards officiating. Interment in Resurrection Cemetery, Sydney Forks. Online condolences may be made at twcurry.com.