Helen W. Tao

Helen Wang Tao, 82, of Edison, New Jersey, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, at Morristown Memorial Hospital, surrounded by her loving family. Helen had been hospitalized for seventy-one days, during which she faced her illnesses with remarkable strength and grace.
Born in Zhenjiang, China during World War II on July 17, 1943 to Wu Chia-Hua and Tao-Ming Wang, Helen and her family fled war and famine to Taiwan shortly after her birth, where she spent her early years. As a young woman, she traveled the world in pursuit of education and opportunity, eventually arriving at Indiana University. It was there that she met her husband of 56 years, William W. ("Bill") Tao. The two quickly formed a deep bond over both their shared past and dreams for the future. They married in 1969, beginning a marriage that would last a lifetime.
Helen was a devoted wife and mother, following Bill wherever his career took him. His work first led them to different areas of New Jersey, including Elizabeth, Roselle Park, Rahway, and Clark, and then to Greensboro, North Carolina. They settled permanently in Edison, New Jersey, in 1979, where they raised their three sons.
Although she had left her studies at Indiana University to support her husband and growing family, Helen's passion for education never waned. With steadfast determination, she later earned her bachelor's degree in computer science from Rutgers University, attending night school while raising her three boys-a testament to her perseverance and commitment to learning.
Helen worked for a short time as a computer programmer for several companies, but her heart always remained centered on her home and family. She found great joy in preparing nutritious meals for her family and the simple pleasures of life-especially gardening. Helen spent countless hours tending to her beloved vegetable garden, filled with traditional Chinese vegetables (particularly certain unusual varieties her "boys" didn't always enjoy). Occasionally, Bill would persuade her to join him on a weekend bus trip to Atlantic City, usually with a bit of bribing of casino chips and a buffet dinner, but she always enjoyed the adventure once she went along.
Helen especially delighted in sharing meals with her loved ones. Indeed, in her later years she was happiest when out to eat or at her daughter-in-law's table, enjoying a meal and the company of others. Helen also greatly cherished time spent with her seven grandchildren, and closely followed their activities, milestones, and accomplishments with a deep sense of pride and affection.
Helen was predeceased by her devoted husband Bill Tao, who passed away on June 29, 2025. She is survived by her three sons: Donald and his wife Jacqueline Fung, Patrick and his wife Andrea, and Curtis and his wife Lisa Colone; and her seven treasured grandchildren: Vanessa, Quentin, Claudia, Annabelle, Thomas, Williams, and Briony, all of whom she was enormously proud. She also leaves behind her dear brother Pong Wang and his wife Haw-Miin Wang, her beloved sister Hsiang Wang and her husband David Lee, and many nieces and nephews and extended family.
Visitation will be held on Sunday, November 9, 2025, from 5:00 to 8:00 PM at Higgins Home for Funerals, 752 Mountain Boulevard, Watchung, New Jersey. A second visitation will take place on Monday, November 10, 2025, from 9:00 to 11:00 AM at the funeral home, followed by a funeral service at 11:00 AM officiated by Rev. Sean Kenny. Interment will follow at Resurrection Cemetery in Piscataway, New Jersey, where Helen will be laid to rest beside her beloved husband, Bill.
Helen will be remembered for her quiet strength, fighting spirit, and deep love of her sons and grandchildren, in whom her legacy will endure.