Helen (Klemens) Fine

A Boston native, Helen was the daughter of the late Jacob (Jack) Klemens and Gertrude Klemens. She was predeceased by her beloved husband, Alvin M. Fine. She is survived by her devoted daughters Emily E. Fine of Townsend, MA, and Roberta (Bobbi) F. Haney and husband Mark A. Haney of Nashua, NH; grandchildren Jessica H. Briand and husband Richard (Fran) F. Briand of Burlington, Vermont; Laurel P. Kratochvila and husband Roman Kratochvila of Berlin, Germany; Trevor M. Haney of Amsterdam, Netherlands; Brett C. Haney of Jacksonville, Illinois and Kevin J. Powers of Foxboro, MA. She was the sister of Michael Klemens and his wife, her dear sister-in-law Nancy of Tarzana, CA, and the sister of the late Adele Waldman. She also leaves behind many nieces and nephews.

Helen was a physical therapy graduate of Boston University, Sargent College, class of 1948. She began her career at Children’s Hospital, Akron, Ohio during the polio epidemic, and then worked at the Mass Hospital School for Crippled Children in Canton, MA. While raising her girls, she built a private home care practice. The culmination of her career was the founding of the first rehabilitation department at Norwood Hospital, ultimately expanding the department into a cardiac rehabilitation unit, stroke medicine unit, home care service as well as several satellite departments. During her long career, many staff and students became life-long friends.

After falling in love with the island of Bonaire, Helen and Al built a house there to which they later retired, spending half of each year. Al was an avid scuba diver, and at age 50, Helen learned to dive, joining him in the sport. Helen and Al had many friends on Bonaire with whom they kept in close contact for many years.

Helen was an avid bridge player, reader, and “political junkie’’, boasting that she had never missed voting in an election. She was particularly interested in women’s issues and once flew to Washington with daughter, Bobbi, to march for reproductive freedom. After Al passed away, Helen relocated to The Huntington at Nashua, NH where she enjoyed a busy, active life.

Funeral services will be held at the Chapel at Sharon Memorial Park, 40 Dedham Street, Sharon, MA, on Thursday, August 17 at 1:00 PM, with interment immediately after. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating in Helen’s memory to The Southern Poverty Law Center, 400 Washington Avenue, Montgomery, AL 36104.