Helen Tardio

TARDIO, HELEN - Her life on earth ended on 10/23/2010. She was 99 years young. She did not fear leaving this life and always felt she had a good life here -- but was ready to return to the Lord when He called her home. She had lived in Knoxville for the past 9 years and most recently at the Mercy Hospice center in Powell. She was born Helen Kokinda on 10/16/1911 near Wilkes Barre, PA in the small town of Askam. Her beloved husband of 60 years, Joe, cherished grandson Brian Tardio and all five of her siblings predeceased her. Helen never made it past the ninth grade, but she had an MBA in life. She was a great housewife, cook and mom, a superb manager of household affairs who raised her children while staying at home and who later went to work to help pay for their college expenses. She did not fear the unknown as she traveled alone to New York City during the great depression to take a job as a nanny to support herself and her parents. She enjoyed going to Atlantic City ---a favorite vacation spot for the family in the early days and later, a place for her and Joe to have some fun playing the "one armed bandits". One of her great passions was shopping for jewelry; She loved her gems but never realized how much of a gem she truly was to the people around her. She nurtured, cared for and loved her family. Helen is survived by her children: Bob Tardio of Knoxville, Marilyn Hudson of Charleston, SC and Joe Tardio of Tucson AZ; grandchildren: Adam Hudson, Rob, Jason and David Tardio and great grandson Hayden Tardio and many nieces, nephews, as well as grand nieces and nephews. Helen's life was made special the last few years by the care she received at River Oaks Assisted Living center in Lenoir City, the Montvue unit at Parkwest Hospital and more recently by the extraordinary out flowing of love from the staff and numerous volunteers at the Mercy Hospice Healthcare center in Powell. A memorial service will take place in her longtime hometown of Plains, PA at a date to be determined.