Helen Edna Wilson

Helen was born in Laconia, NH, on March 23, 1940, the eldest child of Cecile (Labrecque) and Philip Paquette. She lived in Laconia until she was nine years of age and the family moved to Keene, NH. Helen graduated from St. Joseph Elementary School in 1954, and from Our Lady of Monadnock Academy High School in Jaffrey, NH, in 1958.

In June of 1958, she went to work as a secretary at the former Peerless Insurance Company where she worked until the birth of her first child in 1962.

In May of 1961, she married Edward H. Wilson, Jr. in St. Bernard Church in Keene, then moved to Marlborough. She was a stay-at-home mother during the early years of raising her family of three daughters, Christine, Catherine and Carol.

When her daughters were in elementary school, she went back to work as a secretary at the Marlborough School. During this time, she was active in the Sacred Heart Church in Marlborough as a religious education teacher, lector and Eucharist Minister. She was also a Girl Scout Leader for several years and active in the Cheshire County YMCA as a member of the board of directors, American Heritage Tour Leader, and volunteered at the annual phone-a-thon fund raiser.

She later returned to Peerless Insurance Company as an executive secretary, retiring from the company in 1998.

Helen was active in the town of Marlborough in a variety of capacities, as trustee of the Frost Free Library, member and secretary of the Heritage Commission, member and secretary of the Historical Society, member of the ladies auxiliary to the Marlborough Fire Company for many years, and member and secretary of the Evening United Group of the Federated Church in Marlborough. She also served as a ballot clerk at town meetings and a board member and secretary of the Marl-Harris Ambulance and Rescue for several years.

When Sacred Heart Church closed in 2006, Helen and her husband Ed, joined the Parish of the Holy Spirit in Keene. She served as a volunteer in the Catholic Faith Formation Center, Eucharist Minister in church and to the homebound and patients in the hospital, and as a member of the Ladies of St. Anne Sodality.

In retirement, Helen and Ed enjoyed spending time with their daughters and grandchildren, helping and caring for family members, traveling, and camping in their RV with family and friends until Ed’s death in November of 2015.

Helen is survived by her children, Christine Symonds and her husband Timothy of Keene, Carol Dexter and her husband Paul of Sanbornton, NH; son-in-law David Perley of Keene; her grandchildren Bryan Symonds (Sarah), Alyssa Perley, John Perley, Jenna Crawford (Josh), Emilio Sanchez (Andrew Vann); great-grandsons Reid Symonds, Oliver Symonds, and great-grandson Alton Crawford due to arrive any day now. Helen is also survived by three siblings, Anne Kimball, Mary Craig, Robert Paquette; sisters-in-law, Sandra Paquette, Gina Kovacs; several nephews, nieces, cousins and extended family members; and many close friends especially her treasured friend Sue West.

In addition to her husband Ed of 54 years, Helen was predeceased by her daughter Catherine Perley, her brother Philip Paquette, her parents and several aunts, uncles and cousins.

Family and friends are invited to call on Monday, July 6, 2026, from 10:30am to 11:30am at the Foley Funeral Home, 49 Court Street, Keene. A prayer service will be offered at the funeral home at 11:30am. Burial with committal prayers will follow the service in the Meeting House Cemetery, Frost Hill Road, Marlborough.

In lieu of flowers, for those who wish, donations may be made in Mrs. Wilson’s memory to Feeding Tiny Tummies, 305 Park Avenue, Keene, NH 03431; or to a charity of one’s choice.