Helen Kamenos

Helen was born on December 8, 1955, in Cleveland, Ohio, to Martin and Mabel Kamenos. She was the oldest of four children, growing up alongside her two brothers, Bill and Mano and her sister Becky. In 1971, the Kamenos family moved to Northridge, California, where Helen would spend the rest of her life building a legacy of faith, education, and service.

After graduating from high school, Helen attended California State University, Northridge, where she earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in teaching and counseling. While in college, she worked at Fotomat, a job she often said was one of her favorites because it combined two of her lifelong passions—art and photography.

Helen dedicated her professional life to helping others learn and grow. She began her teaching career in middle school, including time at Nobel Middle School, before joining St. Nicholas School, where she taught for approximately fifteen years. She later became principal, serving the school for nearly a decade with dedication, compassion, and high expectations for both her students and faculty. She eventually continued her career as a counselor with the Los Angeles Unified School District, where she continued making a positive impact on countless young people and their families.

Her commitment to serving others extended far beyond the classroom. Helen was deeply devoted to her Greek Orthodox faith and was an active member of both St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church. She faithfully served on the Parish Council at St. Demetrios, taught Sunday School and was always willing to give her time, talents, and heart to her church community.

In 2011, Helen was diagnosed with breast cancer. Over the next fifteen years, she faced her illness with extraordinary courage, unwavering faith, and remarkable perseverance. Even through life’s greatest challenges, she remained an inspiration to those around her, never allowing her illness to define who she was.

Helen was also a gifted artist and creative spirit. She loved painting, photography, history and music. She played the violin and even taught herself to play the bouzouki. She enjoyed sports throughout her life, especially softball, volleyball, tennis, skiing and bowling. Her competitive spirit, creativity, and enthusiasm for life touched everyone who knew her.

Helen also became an author, writing the book A Journey to Perfection, which reflected her deep faith and her journey within the Greek Orthodox Church. Through her writing, she shared the beliefs and values that guided her life and offered encouragement to others seeking a closer relationship with God.

On July 19, 2026, Helen entered into eternal rest. While our hearts are heavy, we give thanks for a life so beautifully lived.

Her legacy lives on in the thousands of students she educated, the families she encouraged, the church she faithfully served, and the loved ones who will forever cherish her memory.

May her memory be eternal.

A Trisagion will be held at Bastian and Perrott, Oswald Mortuary, 18728 Parthenia Street, Northridge, 91324, on Tuesday, July 28th, at 7:00 pm.

A Funeral Service will be held at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, 9501 Balboa Blvd. in Northridge, on Wednesday, July 29th, at 10:00am, followed by a Committal Service at Oakwood Memorial Park, 22601 Lassen St. in Chatsworth.