Helen Bridges

Oneonta, New York - This is written so that future generations will know about the life an extraordinary woman.

Helen Lubin Bridges (nee Helen Fay Lubin) was born Feb. 11, 1939, in Chicago, Illinois. She was placed up for adoption and was soon adopted by Adolph and Rose Lubin and raised in a Jewish home with her brothers Joseph and Robert from Springfield, Illinois. Helen loved nature and the outdoor life she had on their farm property on Hazel Dell Road in Springfield. Helen loved to waterski, swim, fish, raise steers for 4-H, ride her 17-hand horse and spend time with her many close friends.

She graduated from Springfield High School and went on to study at Northwestern and the University of Illinois. It was at University of Illinois that she met her first husband, law student William Sholem. They were married in 1958 and their first child, Betsy, was born in 1959. Susan was born soon after in 1963. Soon thereafter the family moved from Springfield to San Francisco.

Shortly after arriving in San Francisco, Helen became a single mother - fearless, creating a safe and creative environment for Betsy and Susan to flourish in. They moved to Los Angeles in 1966. It was there where she met her second husband and love of her life, Douglas Bridges, while working as a singer for the movie "Paint Your Wagon" at Paramount Studios.

In 1969, the family moved to what became the home of her heart, Chester California, a small community high in the mountains of Northern California. In 1970, the family was made complete with the birth of Helen Elizabeth Bridges, now Iishana Artra.

Because of their love of travel, Helen and Doug moved the family for two years to live in Switzerland and Italy and had future moves back to Chester, then Tampa and Gainesville Florida, Albuquerque New Mexico, Wichita Kansas, and finally to Franklin and Oneonta.

Helen was adventurous and had an innate curiosity that led her to pursue multiple types of engagement, for community and charitable activities and for personal growth and education. Music and art were her passions and her accomplishments demonstrate that. She was a concert pianist, sang with the San Francisco Civic Light Opera, was an accomplished painter and sculptor, and had a book of poetry published called "Where the Early Morning Walks," under the penname Kirsten York.

She was truly a lifelong learner, studying Speech Pathology at Northwestern University, music at the University of Illinois, and received her bachelor's in performance arts (voice, piano and sculpture) at San Francisco State University. She also studied sculpture in Florence, Italy. She later obtained her Masters in Sociology at the University of Florida.

Helen contributed to each community she became part of and was an active Kiwanis leader and member. She loved studying the Bible with members of Oneonta's First Baptist Church, often asking challenging questions as her inquiring mind sought clarity. She also was a devoted lay Franciscan.

Helen leaves a legacy of love, creativity, and inspiration. She was predeceased by her husband, Douglas Bridges and grandson, Cory Babcock. She is survived by daughters Betsy Gould (Mark), Susan Nies (Ron), and Iishana Artra (Ananda); granddaughters Lindsey Busfield, Sarah Nies, and Kyla Nies; and great-granddaughters Elliana and Aspen Busfield.

A private graveside service will be held Tuesday, Sept. 1, at Oneonta Plains Cemetery in Oneonta.