Helen Elizabeth Shaw Kessler

Keeping her memories alive with a display of Helen in our HISTORICAL FISHING DISPLAY is an honor. Such a great lady!

Many of Helen's collectables will be up for auction at Langs a couple of weekends from now. I'm afraid the only thing I can afford is the catalog as I believe all items will go for very high prices. The fiddle fly has always been my favorite. Although it is valued at 600 to 800, I suspect it will go higher. A very nice write up and full page picture of Helen..Check out the auction site. I wish I could have made the service but had to be in NYC. My heart was with all who were able to make...

She was Aunt Helen to my kids and would come with Hermann to our house in Huntington L.I. and fly cast in our pool
When I got married I had moved to Hartford conn and one Sunday morning there was a knock on the door and it was Helen and Hermann and they had a mess of trout for breakfast that they had caught early that morning
Hermann was my father-inlaw's client and many of the illustrations and paintings that appeared in field & Stream came from his artists
I often think of them

There will be a Memorial Service to celebrate the extrordinary life of Helen Shaw Kessler, Saturday, August 30th, 2008 at 3pm at the Red Rock Historical Society on County Route 24.

My dad, Carleton, fished with Helen while she worked for rod builder Art Kade in Sheboygan, WI. I have many beautiful flies she tied, and always hoped I could meet up with her and have her identify them and autograph them for a shadow-box display. I never achieved that bit of nostalgia, but I am so thankful for the memories and the many wonderful contributions she made to the art of fly tying.

As a woman flyfisher and fly tyer, I am proud of Helen's persistance and respect her expertise. She will always be our hero.

What a wonderful lady whose good works will continue to inspire for many years to come. We will have 66 of her flies and other items on display at the Chicagoland Sport Show in Rosemont, Illinois through January 20th and at the Milwaukee Sport Show from March 12th through 16th at the State Fairground. Though we collected many articles and books by and about Helen, we learned many new things from this obituary. Thank you.

Dan Basore, Historical Fishing Display

Signora
siete stata la mia maestra, grazie al vostro libro costruisco le mosche restando fedele ai vostri insegnamenti.
Buon viaggio

I did an article with Helen about 15 years ago. I was taken by her personal charm and her wonderful tying skills, especially her "whimsy" flies. Sad to see her go, as we're not replacing people like her these days.