Helen Elizabeth Pepe

Helen Elizabeth Brezina Pepe was born on October 17, 1926 to Helen Sharp Brezina and Colonel Frank M. Brezina at Sternberg General Hospital in Manila, PI. She was the 2nd child of that union.

During her early childhood, she had a somewhat privileged life while living in the Philippines and learned to speak Tagalog. Before the start of WW2, her family moved to San Diego, CA, where she spent her formative years. At the age of 10, her family went on the "grand tour of Europe" and met several heads of state, most notably the president of Austria, Michael Hainisch. This was especially exciting to her as her father was a naturalized citizen who was born in Vienna, Austria.

When WW2 began, her father was recalled to active duty personally by General McArther and was stationed on Corregidor; this was the impetus for the community service activities of Helen Brezina Pepe. Helen and her mother became plane spotters in the military command center at the Naval Operating Base located in San Diego; they also did other minor activities, such as bringing altar cloths to the ships located in San Diego Harbor.

Helen "Betty" Pepe graduated from San Diego High School and went to her senior prom at the Hotel Del Coronado. She married Marine Corps MSgt (then corporal) Matteo L. Pepe on March 15, 1944; they had six children spanning a 20-year period. As a Marine wife, Helen and her family moved every 2-4 years between Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Station (North Carolina), Patuxent River (Maryland), Coronado Naval Air Station (California), and others.

Upon Matt Pepe's retirement from the USMC in the '60s and the family's move to King of Prussia, PA, Helen joined the King of Prussia Women's Club, where she learned the art of flower arrangement. She grew the flowers for her arrangements and entered flower arranging contests, winning the contests on several occasions. Her arrangements ranged from the very simple to more complex, and some of them had a Japanese influence. Helen also took a job with the John Wannamaker department store to save money to buy her miniature poodle "Monique". In the days when pizza delivery was not available and pizza was somewhat of a luxury, Thursday was often "Pepe's Pizza Night."

In 1971, a smaller Pepe clan moved to Pasadena, MD. Helen became a DAR member on June 8, 1972, joining the Severn Chapter DAR in Severna Park, Maryland. However, she became even more interested in genealogy and began researching her family tree in earnest when she moved to Florida and joined the Lawrence Kerney DAR chapter in Cape Coral. Since her mother, Helen Sharp Brezina, was a member of the DAR, as was her maternal grandmother, Harriet Kimball Sharp, Helen became determined to gather proof of more Revolutionary War Patriots. She put a great deal of effort into researching her genealogical lines. She visited genealogical libraries in Florida, Washington, D.C., and Chicago, IL, and several cemeteries, two of which were located in Chicago; she was also a member of the Genealogical Society of South Brevard. During her Chicago cemetery trip, she was accompanied by her eldest son Joseph L. Pepe, who was also researching genealogy, and her daughter Dr. Elizabeth Pepe, who is a member of the Commodor John Barry Chapter of the NSDAR. Helen also had the unique opportunity to visit Eckington, England, with her son Joseph and his family as they researched her medieval family lines in that corner of the world.

Due to her military heritage, and always interested in military functions as well as "good road trips", Helen attended her deceased husband's Guadalcanal Marine Air Base Squad One (MABS-1) reunions in Maryland, accompanied by her daughter Elizabeth. Helen frequently accompanied Elizabeth to First Cavalry Division Association reunions at Fort Hood Texas, New Orleans LA, and Bloomington MN; she also was Dr. Pepe's "partner in crime" for various medical seminars to include locations in San Francisco, Denver, New Orleans, and others. A travel enthusiast, Helen and Elizabeth toured Egypt, and visited Italy and Greece. Helen visited Germany with her daughter Patricia Reiser and Patricia's husband Curt, and then she organized extended family small-group tours (the Pepe's were the group!) to Thailand, South America, Tuscany and the Amalfi Coast.

Not one to shirk civic duty in her early adult to late adult years, Helen became certified by the American Red Cross as a First Aid instructor as well as a CPR instructor. She used these certifications to teach First Aid and CPR classes to Girl Scout troops in Cape Coral Florida, as well as to employees at medical offices in Indialantic Florida. She also taught pet CPR in Melbourne Florida.

Helen spent many years as a Brownie Scout assistant leader and then troop leader, a Girl Scout troop leader, and a Girl Scout cookie sales chairman. She was active in the Calloosa Rare Fruit Society in Lee County Florida, and provided monetary donations to many charities. After moving from Cape Coral Florida to Indian Harbour Beach Florida in 2001, Helen became a member of the Rufus Fairbanks Chapter of the DAR, then the Abigail Wright Chamberlain Chapter, and finally the Commodore John Barry Chapter DAR in Melbourne , FL, where she was the "Flag Minute" committee at meetings for a year. Helen was very proud to be a member of the DAR, and crafted a historically accurate period-dress which she wore in parades and other DAR functions.

Due to failing vision, in 2020 Helen moved from Indian Harbour Beach, FL, to Collegeville, PA, to live with her daughter Patricia Pepe Reiser.

Helen passed at the age of 98 on December 2, 2024 in Philadelphia, PA, due to complications after a hip replacement surgery. She is predeceased by her husband, Matteo (Matt) Pepe, and her son, Joseph L Pepe (Dottie). She is survived by her children Thomas F. Pepe (Marleta), James H. Pepe (Joyce), Dr. Elizabeth M. Pepe, Matthew L. Pepe, and Patricia A. Reiser (Curt), as well as eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Helen's wishes were for cremation, to be followed by internment on her birthday (October 17, 2025) next to her son Joseph Pepe at All Souls Cemetery in Coatesville, PA. A celebration of her life will be held after her internment by her extended family in Schwenksville, PA. In lieu of flowers, any contribution to the Wounded Warrior Project would be appreciated by Helen.