Helene J. Griffin

1930 - 2022

Helene J. Griffin

Lifelong Greenwich resident Helene J. Griffin, 92, died peacefully in her daughter's home in Monroe on Tuesday, January 18.
Helene was the only child of Louis and Mabel Lussier, born in Stamford in 1930. A true "Greenwichite", she grew up on Prospect Street – less than a mile from her long-time home on Ridge Street. After graduation from St. Mary Grammar School and Sacred Heart Academy, she attended the College of St. Elizabeth (Convent Station, NJ) and later graduated from the Katherine Gibbs School (NYC).
Helene met Navy (WWII and Korea) veteran John Griffin through the Newman Center, and they were married at St. Mary Church on December 1, 1956. Having regretted that she was an only child, Helene and John wasted no time starting their large and energetic family in White Plains – welcoming four sons in quick sequence from 1957 to 1962, followed by two daughters. They took tremendous pride in their children's initiatives and accomplishments, however large or small. In 1966 the family moved back to Greenwich, into "Top O'Rocke" at the corner of Ridge Street and Bruce Park Avenue – where Helene resided until her last days. Like John, she drew great pleasure in being a Greenwich resident – especially enjoying Island Beach and the ferry rides with her many friends and family.
In addition to her years as a dedicated homemaker, Helene was employed for 25 years with Greenwich Associates.
Beyond the demands and pleasures of family life, Helene loved and excelled at music. She was a very skilled pianist, and made sure that her children also learned to play and appreciate music. She was a fantastic soprano, appreciated for many years as a dedicated contributor to choirs and ensembles –starting in grammar school, continuing with the church choirs at St. Mary and St. Aloysius (New Canaan).
She performed for over twenty years with the Greenwich Choral Society, also serving on its governing board for several years.
Helene was an active St. Mary parishioner for nearly her whole life. Depicting her simply as "active", however, would be a great understatement. She served for decades as both a Lector and Eucharistic Minister. As a Religious Education teacher, she touched the lives of generations of children and families with her deep-rooted, yet always joyful and patient, insights – and her love for the sacraments. She dedicated countless hours sharing the gift of her faith and giving living witness to Christian values.
Remarkably, Helene also devoted similar time, energy, and love in charitable education outside the
church. She taught "ESL" for decades through the Literacy Volunteers of America. This was a labor of love for Helene; she frequently told her children how much she had come to admire, appreciate, and value those who enrich this country from their diverse backgrounds – and that helping them communicate effectively would enhance their lives. She maintained and cherished deep personal friendships from the associations made there.
When she wasn't working or giving of herself to her students, Helene relished games, fun family activities, and banter with her many close Greenwich and St. Mary friends. She was an avid reader, with particular affection for mystery and suspense novels. Helene especially loved the summer, with her activities most often focused on her beloved Island Beach setting and friends, and which she also shared with pride with visitors.
Helene was predeceased by her husband, John, in 2003 - and their eldest son, James, in 2015. Surviving family include her other five children: Thomas (Christine) of Cave Creek, AZ; Mark (Jeanna) of Southlake, TX; Daniel (Maureen) of Enfield, CT; Mary Kellogg (Kenneth) of Monroe, CT; Jennifer Gray (Terence) of Cape Elizabeth, ME; 18 grandchildren: Peter, Stephanie, Michael, Maryanne, Emily, Scott, Sara, Nigel, Matthew, Maria, Anna, Peyton, Samuel, Abigail, John, Thomas, Daniel, and Joseph; and her sister-in-law, Margaret Griffin. Her family's enduring memory is of a mother and grandmother with a "big personality" of contagious humor and warmth, but also of singular kindness – a model of extreme selflessness with her family, church, and community throughout her life.
Friends are encouraged to attend Helene's Mass of Christian Burial at St. Mary Catholic Church in Greenwich on Monday, January 24, at 10 AM. The family plans a gathering to celebrate her life at some point later in the year. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Helene's honor to either Catholic Relief Services or Literacy Volunteers of America