Helen Mary McPhillips

Helen's life was defined by her unwavering devotion to her family, deep rooted belief in her faith and friendships that spanned many generations. Helen died peacefully of natural causes surrounded by her children at the age of 93.

Helen was born and raised in Schenectady, New York, by her mother, Grace (Loeffler) Reisinger, and father, George Reisinger, along with her sister, Florence. She came from a loving family of aunts and uncles who gathered frequently. She married Gerald Joseph McPhillips on June 30, 1956, and together they raised 6 children, predominantly in the Windham, NH area.

Helen's nurturing and friendly spirit knew no bounds. She lived for moments spent with loved ones which included her family, friends, church and community members that she met throughout the years. Helen was kind, generous, and always willing to listen to anyone in need. She was a person that people loved and trusted.

Helen's presence lit up every room, a true people person. Her legacy will live on in the laughter of her children, grandchildren and great children, with stories and memories told by those who knew and loved her.

Helen attended SUNY/Albany College. She left school early to start her family. She later re-entered college as an adult to earn her BA in Theology from Saint Anselm College. At that time, she held the record as the oldest graduating student. Being married and raising her children was her purpose and among her greatest joys. She also taught swimming lessons in Windham. She was a special-education teacher at Pelham High School and was voted 'most kind' by the students. Helen had many interests including world travel and writing poetry. Several of her poems have been published. At age 70, she trained and completed a half marathon in Lake Tahoe with 3 of her daughters. Helen was active in the Catholic Church, pro-life education and her faith guided her life. In her later years, she was an avid scrabble player with her family and was nicknamed scrabble queen.

Helen is survived by her children, Karen MacKenzie of Danville, NH; Kathleen Chulada (Neil) of Londonderry, NH, Kenneth (Debbie) of Billerica, MA; Kristen McIsaac (Lawrence) of The Villages, FL; Mary Menendez (Marco) of Kingston, NH; and Anne Stuart (Kevin) of Auburn, NH. She has 8 grandchildren, Robert, Neil, Jennifer, Ashley, Elizabeth, Daniel, Marco and Nicole. Five great grandchildren; Jacob, Neil, Kaitlyn, Adeline and Madison, and many nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents, Grace and George Reisinger, Helen is predeceased by her loving husband, Gerald J. McPhillips and her sister, Florence Colbert.

Visitation will take place on Thursday, August 28, 2025, from 4-7pm, at the Carrier Family Funeral Home, 38 Range Road, Windham, NH 03087. Funeral Mass will then follow on Friday, August 29, 2025, beginning at 11am, at St. Matthew's Church, 2 Searles Rd., Windham, NH. Following the service at St. Matthews, interment will take place at the Cemetery on the Plains in Windham, NH.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Dominican Nuns, 1430 Riverdale Street, West Springfield, MA 01089.

Arrangements are in the care of the Carrier Family Funeral Home. For directions, or to leave a message of condolence, please visit www.carrierfuneralhome.com