Helen J. Black

Helen J Black, 85 of West Chester, PA and Otter Lake, NY passed away on Sunday, April 25, 2021 at Paoli Hospital in Paoli, PA after a long illness. She was born on July 1, 1935 in Cold Spring, NY and was the daughter of the late John Irwin Jones and the late Isabelle Mae Jones. 

She grew up in Whitesboro, NY and was a graduate of Whitesboro Central School, class of 1954.  After graduation she went to work for the New York Telephone Company in New Hartford, NY.  On April 29, 1961 she wed Edward P Black at the New Hartford Presbyterian Church.  After a honeymoon trip to the US Virgin Islands, they made their home in Clayville, NY where she worked as a homemaker raising two daughters. She was active at the New Hartford Presbyterian Church and was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star.

In July of 1969, Edward was relocated to the Philadelphia area and they purchased a home in West Chester, PA.  Helen became active in various charitable organizations such as Meal on Wheels and assisted with Thanksgiving meals for the community of West Chester.  She was a long-standing member of the Westminster Presbyterian Church and participated in various activities at the church such as the choir, handbells, dinner and theater groups.  She was also a member of the theater/musical group known as the Forty Niners Chorus of West Chester, PA.  The chorus performed locally and, in the summer of 1976, they were granted permission to travel to Eastern Europe, performing in Romania, Turkey and the Black Sea area.  Helen was also active in the Madrigals choral group.

She worked part-time for Strawbridge & Clothier, The U.S. Census Borough, Barclay Friends Hall and H&R Block.

Helen loved traveling, taking road trips and spending time at the family home in Otter Lake, NY.   She worked locally for the Adirondack Scenic Railroad and was a member of the Central Adirondack Association and Niccolls Memorial Presbyterian Church.  Her hobbies included gardening, baking, sewing, painting ceramics, taking care of pets, entertaining and shopping.

She is survived by two daughters, Janet H Svoboda and her significant other Brad Labate of Flagler Beach, FL, Linda J Kelnock, and her husband Michael of West Chester, PA.  Also survived by Sister-in-law Suzanne E Patton of Lafayette, IN, nieces Lori, Jennifer and nephew Darren.  Grandnieces Maeve, Annie, Christine.  Grandnephews Thomas, Justin. 

She was preceded in death by her husband Edward P Black and her brother John I Jones of Cold Spring, NY.

Visitation for Helen and her late husband Edward will be held at 10:00am on Monday, July 5th at Niccolls Memorial Presbyterian Church in Old Forge, NY followed by a memorial service at 11:00am.   Interment will immediately follow at Riverview Cemetery in Old Forge, NY.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to the American Diabetes Association https://www.diabetes.org/donate/donate-memorial?s_src=WWPXXXX02LW001M001CC&s_subsrc=google&utm_sourc