Gertrude Helwick

Gertrude Macaluso Helwick passed away peacefully on February 19, 2015, in the hospice wing of the downtown Baton Rouge General Hospital, after a brief stay occasioned by a home accident. She always carefully concealed her age; and, in deference to her final wishes, the family will refrain from posting her birth date and photograph.

Gertrude was born in New Orleans to the late Giuseppe ("Joseph") Macaluso of Alia, Palermo, Sicily, and the late Maria ("Mary Rose") Crusta Macaluso of New Orleans. Her six siblings, all of whom predeceased her, included Francis Joseph Macaluso, Sr.; Joseph Anthony Macaluso; John Harry Macaluso, Sr.; Laurence Joseph Macaluso; Frances Rita Macaluso Volk; and Rosemary Macaluso Nelson. One of her sons, Stephen Alan Helwick, MD, also preceded her in death.

Surviving family members include her other son, Michael Leonard Helwick; his daughter, Stephanie Edens Helwick; and Angela Sue Ball, Michael’s partner of eight years. Also surviving are Stephen’s widow, Caroline Andrews Helwick; their daughters, Erica Andrews Helwick and Diana Catherine Helwick Stokes; and numerous nieces and nephews. Before she died, Gertrude was happily looking forward to the birth of her first two great-grandchildren by Diana and her husband, Patrick Stokes.

Gertrude was a graduate of Lafayette Elementary School and McMain High School. She married her childhood sweetheart, Joseph Leonard Helwick, Jr., during World War II, on August 10, 1942. The marriage produced two sons, Michael Leonard Helwick and the late Stephen Alan Helwick, MD, who was killed by a motorist in 1987 while riding his bicycle. After growing up and initially settling in the Carrollton area of the city, Gertrude helped her husband, Joe, establish one of the city’s first State Farm insurance agencies. After Joe’s death in 1990, Gertrude continued to help her son Michael continue in that endeavor.

In 1961, Gertrude and Joe moved to their Lakewood South home, which backed up to the 17th Street Canal. She continued to live there after Joe’s death until Hurricane Katrina. After Katrina, Gertrude lived with her son Michael in Covington until moving to her condominium in Metairie Towers in 2007. Living in Metairie Towers, she became a daily mass attendee at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church across the street. She was an ardent supporter of her church, becoming one of the prime movers in setting up a fund for the purchase of one of the stained-glass windows in the new church.

Until she died, Gertrude was active in a number of social organizations. Over the years, these included the Garden Sprouts, the Metairie Women’s Club, an investment club, and a literary club that evolved into a classic-movie club that she hosted.

Visitation will be held from 10:00 AM until noon on Tuesday, February 24, 2015, in St. Francis Xavier Church, at 444 Metairie Road. Funeral services will be held immediately thereafter in the church. Interment will be in Metairie Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, and in accordance with Gertrude’s final wishes, donations may be made to the Discalced Carmelite Nuns, 73530 River Road, Covington, LA 70435 (http://www.covingtoncarmel.org/).