Pauline Helen Feather

Pauline "Helen" Hamelly Sestak Feather, 99, of Jefferson City, Missouri passed away peacefully on January 2, 2025, at Heisinger Bluffs Care Center, surrounded by her family.
Helen was born on April 8, 1925, in Jackson Center, Pennsylvania, to the late John and Pauline (Zelinski) Hamelly, who immigrated from Hungary around 1910 through Ellis Island. She graduated from Grove City High School in 1942. Following high school, Helen contributed to the war effort by working for Cooper-Bessemer Company during World War II.
At age 20, Helen married Marine Staff Sergeant Joseph R. Sestak, after meeting at a USO Dance during the war. They moved near Russellville, Missouri, where they owned and operated a dairy farm. She was a woman of many talents and interests. Helen enjoyed reading and writing poetry, dancing, and spending time with family and friends. A lover of music, Helen could play the harmonica and accordion by ear and cherished watching her son Michael perform with his band. Helen was also fluent in Hungarian and enjoyed cooking traditional Hungarian dishes. She served as a translator during the time of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution for a Hungarian refugee family who helped on the Sestak family dairy farm near Russellville, Missouri.
After her first marriage ended, Helen spent 24 years living in Jefferson City. She worked in sales for several local businesses, including Saffees, Bartletts, Kress, and Gerbes. In the 1980s, she transitioned into the home health care field until her retirement. Later in life, Helen married Calvin Feather from Grove City, Pennsylvania, and they spent their summers there until his death.
Helen is survived by her two sons, Alan Sestak (Kathy) of Richmond, Virginia, and Michael Sestak, Sr. (Cheryl) of Jefferson City; four daughters, Sharon Strickland of Jefferson City, Jeanine Minella (Robert) of Bentonville, Arkansas, Paula Cliburn of Columbia, Missouri, and Sandra Stabilito (Don) of Lebanon, Pennsylvania; one granddaughter, Jennifer Kopesky-Doyle (Ed); five grandsons, Adam Brobst (Sujiery), Paul Brobst (Melissa), Robert Sestak (Vilma), Michael Sestak, Jr., and Trey Sestak; and six great-grandchildren, Maya Brobst, Adam Xavier Brobst, Barrett Sestak, Ehren Brobst, Luka Brobst and Scarlett Doyle.
She was preceded in death by three brothers: Lewis Hamelly, Henry Hamelly, and Frank Hamelly; two sisters: Emma Bryer and Irene Turek; and her first husband, Joseph R. Sestak.
A private celebration of life will be held on April 8, 2025, with time and location to be announced.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Helen's memory to the United Service Organization (USO) via Houser-Millard Funeral Directors or online at secure.uso.org.
Arrangements are under the direction of Houser-Millard Funeral Directors, 2613 W. Main St., Jefferson City, MO 65109. Condolences may be left for the family at www.millardfamilychapels.com.