Helen Gahagan

1944 - 2022

Helen Gahagan, 78

1944 - 2022

Danvers - Helen Gahagan passed away on Wednesday, November 30, 2022, at the Jeffrey and Susan Brudnick Center for Living in Peabody after a long and courageous battle with Parkinson's disease. Born to Joseph and Irene (Sullivan) Gahagan, Helen grew up in Peabody and graduated from St. John's High School in 1962. From a young age, Helen knew she wanted to be a teacher and that journey began at Salem State College where she studied social studies and earned her Bachelor and Master's degrees.

Her teaching career began at St. Margaret's in Beverly Farms and continued at Memorial Middle School in Beverly where she excelled as a geography teacher for over thirty-five years. Facts were important in Helen's classroom but equally important were learning patience, exhibiting tolerance, practicing kindness and showing respect for each other. "All part of my lesson plans," she used to say.

Teaching was Helen's passion, and her students were like family. She cared about them, encouraged them, supported them, listened to them and always expected them to work to the best of their abilities. "Tough but fair" was an often-heard phrase about Ms. Gahagan.

In recent years Helen sometimes met former students as caregivers, and it delighted her that they still used that phrase when recalling times spent in her class. One nurse added that "in Ms. Gahagan's class there was also time to laugh."

She was delighted when along with other North Shore teachers she received the "Golden Apple Award" given by the Salem Evening News in 1991 to highlight the teaching profession. Past and present students were invited to submit the names of teachers who made a difference in their lives. Dedication, caring and enthusiasm were qualities cited by students. "Teaching was my greatest pleasure," Helen said. "It was something I couldn't not do."

In retirement, Helen continued to work part-time at Oxford Global Resources in the Cummings Center and to be a resource volunteer for the American Cancer Society at Beverly Hospital and Lahey North in Peabody. As a cancer survivor herself she knew all too well the questions and fears of newly diagnosed patients. Again, her teaching skills served her well.

Helen loved to travel with family and friends. Trips to Ireland were at the top of her favorite list. She will be missed by all who knew her kind and fun- loving personality. She was a loyal friend, devoted sister, a natural caregiver, an admirer of angels and a fierce advocate for those less advantaged.

Because Helen believed one person can make a difference, she might be remembered in a special way with a smile for a stranger or an unexpected gesture of kindness which like glitter tossed from a bottle could spread easily and far.

Helen is survived by two brothers, John and his fiancé Alison Reichert, and Thomas, all of Peabody, her sister-in-law Maryann Gahagan of Beverly, and close cousins Margaret Dee of Lynn and Edmond Dee of Peabody. Also, by 7 nieces and nephews, Heidi Silverstein and her husband, Mark of Stamford, CT, Donna Vivado, Matt Brown and his wife Karen of Scituate, Mark Brown and his wife Tanya of Topsfield, Karen Gahagan of Salem, Nancy Leonard and her husband Jeff of Lexington, and Paula Tap and her husband Matt of Natick, and 8 wonderful great nieces and nephews (of whom she was very proud). Helen was preceded in death by a brother, Joseph and sisters, Irene and Mary.

Helen's family would like to thank the staff at Brudnick Center and Care Dimensions â€" especially Helen's hospice team - for their loving care and support these past two years and those at Linden at Danvers who aided Helen early in her journey.

Service Information: Visiting hours will be held at the Conway Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home, 82 Lynn St., Peabody, Wednesday, December 14 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. followed by a service at the funeral home at 11:00 a.m. Relatives and friends are invited to attend. Burial will be in St. Mary's Cemetery, Salem.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Helen's name can be made to Care Dimensions online at giving.caredimenions.org or by mail at 75 Sylvan St., Suite 8102, Danvers, MA 01923 or to K.I.N.D: Kids in Need of Desks to provide desks to students in Malawi at unicefusa.org/kind-desks.