Helen Francis Orock

Helen Francis Orock (nee Millard) passed away after a short illness on Saturday, July 31st., 2021 in her Cuyahoga Falls home of 64 years while spending the day surrounded by family. Helen was born in Fulton, MO on May 31st, 1925 to Ernest and Eva Millard and spent her early years living in Fulton, MO and Columbia, South Carolina before her family eventually settled in the Akron neighborhood of North Hill just before the outbreak of World War II. While attending North High School, where she graduated in 1942, Helen was an outgoing athlete who excelled in basketball as well as track and field. After high school, she married the late Meade Orock and spent a year during WWII living in San Francisco, a city that would captivate her for the rest of her life. Upon returning to Akron after the war she became mother to Michael and Maureen and also became active in the Shriner Societies Women's Auxiliary where she travelled around the country on various philanthropic trips. She also was instrumental in creating the Northeast Ohio Junior Golf League for which she received the prestigious Akron Touchdown Club award in 1968. Her lifelong love of travelling took her to Europe on several occasions as well as every corner of the continental United States. In 1969 Helen entered her second act with gusto and courage by cultivating a career as an executive with the American Cancer Society where she retired from in the late 1980's. Her energetic and effervescent persona allowed her to enjoy an active social life where she was always the life of any party she might be attending. Upon retiring from the ACS she spent her summers with family and beloved pets (Buffy, Michelle and Gigi) in the Dubois, PA camping resort Treasure Lake and frequent trips to Walt Disney World all the while imbuing her grandchildren with a deep appreciation for the open road and nature. She is survived by sister Patricia Brown; brother-in-law, Don Brown; son, Michael; daughter, Maureen Steele; grandchildren, Missy and Ed Castner of Akron, Joshua and Jennifer Steele of San Francisco, Michael and Amy Steele of Uniontown, Jason Orock of Akron, Jamie and Brad Patterson of Marshallville OH, Suzanne Attalla of North Carolina, Christine Attalla of Chicago; great-grandchildren, Cody, Ethan, Ryan, Tyson, Quin, Zoe, Alexandria, Stephanie and Wyatt; great-great grandchildren, Hayden, Riley and Jace. .. and lastly her dog, Mitzi and cat Maxie. A special thanks to her caregiver Tonya Campbell from First Light as well as the compassionate hospice care provided by Traditions Health. Friends and family are welcome for visitation on Thursday, August 5, 2021 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Clifford-Shoemaker Funeral Home, 1930 Front St., Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44221. A graveside service will follow at 12:30 p.m. at Chestnut Hill Memorial Park, 2613 Sackett Ave., Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44223. Following the services, a memorial gathering will be held in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Memorial donations, if desired, may be made in Helen's honor to the Summit County Metroparks Foundation at https://foundation.summitmetroparks.org/donate-today. To share condolences with the family, please visit www.CliffordShoemaker.com.