Helen H. Cromer
Helen H. Cromer
Febraury 17, 1935
May 23, 2019
SOUTH FREEPORT - Helen Howard Cromer, 84, of Middle Street in South Freeport passed away peacefully on Thursday, May 23, 2019 at Sedgewood Commons in Falmouth.
Born on February 17, 1935 in Concord, NH, Helen was the daughter of Charlotte Kitchin Howard. She was raised in South Freeport by her mother, with the help of her aunts and uncle, and attended Rye High School in Rye, NY, the University of Maine, and the University of Guelph in Ontario, where she earned a Master’s Degree in Plant Pathology. Helen pioneered as the first woman ever accepted into the School of Forestry at the University of Maine. After completing her education, she worked at Parke Davis in Detroit before marrying and raising five children in Birmingham, MI. In 1986, she returned to Maine and worked at The Foundation for Blood Research until retiring in 2004. Helen also lovingly cared for her mother until she died at age 100 in 2012.
Helen had a passionate and infectious love of nature which she translated into countless hours of her time contributed to the Birmingham Public Schools Environmental Center, the Cranbrook Institute of Science, Seven Ponds Nature Center and Maine Audubon, among many others. A devoted church member and life-long school volunteer, Helen had many gifts that she loved to share, including choral singing, playing recorder and hand bells, beekeeping, baking, knitting, sewing, and tying fishing flies. Common threads across her remarkable set of skills were truly passionate interest, an eye for detail, a knack for creative solutions, and the determination to do any task, big or small, with precision and grace. Above all, Helen’s most cherished role was being a mother. She generously gave of herself throughout her
life so her children could find greater success, comfort, and opportunity.
Helen is predeceased by her sister Charlotte Howard Magnuson of Brunswick. Helen is survived by son Clark Cromer of Escondido, CA, son Charles Cromer of Minneapolis, MN, daughter Rachel Whyte of Palmyra, WI, daughter Ann Cromer of South Freeport and son James Cromer and his wife Dinah Gray of Bethlehem, NH; grandchildren Wesley Meyer, Anna Ellis, Courtney Cromer, Ruby Cromer, Christiana Cromer, Grady Cromer, Carter Cromer, Sylvie Cromer and Josephine Cromer. A memorial service will be held later this summer in Michigan. To share thoughts and condolences with Helen’s family, please visit coastalcremationservices.com
Memorial donations of Honeybees in Helen’s name through Heifer International would be welcomed.
Online condolences may be expressed below.
| ||