Helen H. Luscher

1926 - 2019

TEMPE, Ariz. - Helen H. Luscher, of Tempe, formerly of Arcade, N.Y., died Sunday (July 28, 2019) in Mayo Clinic Hospital, Phoenix, at the age of 92.

Helen Luscher was born Nov. 6, 1926, in New York City, at Misericordia Hospital. She was the daughter of Helen and John Hand.

Helen attended D'Youville College in Buffalo, N.Y., on a full academic scholarship. She began her undergraduate studies in the fall of 1944. She completed her baccalaureate degree in three years and graduated Magna Cum Laude from D'Youville College in May 1947.

Following graduation she applied for a teaching position near her home in Jackson Heights, Long Island, and was denied. She applied to Fordham University for a graduate degree in mathematics and received a full academic scholarship. She received a master's in mathematics from Fordham University in May, 1948. After completing the master's program at Fordham, she was again denied employment. She was offered a teaching position at D'Youville College in the fall of 1948. She taught college level mathematics for several years at D'Youville College until she was married to her first husband, Donald.

She married Donald G. Watkins Sept. 8, 1951, in New York City. They moved to Arcade in June, 1953, where her husband established a dental practice. They had four children: Donald, Mark, Kathleen and Mary Patricia. She served as office manager and dental assistant in her husband's dental practice from 1953 until June of 1970 when she began teaching mathematics at Pioneer Central School.

Her husband Donald died July 26, 1973. She remained a widowed single mother from 1973 until she married James Luscher Dec. 20, 1980, in Arcade. Their union created a family that included five Luscher children, James, Patricia, Brian, Sheila and Marc; and the three Watkins children, Donald, Mark and Kathleen.

Helen was a Eucharistic minister at St. Mary's Parish in Arcade, where she was also a member of the Altar and Rosary Society. She was a member of the VFW Auxiliary in Arcade. Helen was a member of the Monday Research Club in Arcade and President of the Arcade Free Library Board of Trustees. She was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma Beta Nu Chapter, which is an honor society for women educators.

She is survived by her children, Donald (Diane) Watkins of Franklinville, N.Y., Mark (Terry) Watkins of Chapin, S.C., and Kathleen (Robert) Hand of Tempe; stepchildren, James Luscher of Madison, Wis., Patricia (Charles) Wambold of West Carrolton, Ohio, Brian (Lillian) Luscher of Prescott, Sheila (David) Bright of Seminole, Fla., and Marc (Donna) Luscher of Stevens Point, Wis. Helen had 10 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

She was predeceased by her parents; her husband, Donald G. Watkins on July 26, 1973; and her husband, James Luscher on Dec. 9, 1994; her daughter, Mary Patricia in 1963; and her brother, John Hand in 1992.

Friends may call from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 8, 2019, at W. S. Davis Funeral Home, Inc., 358 W. Main St., Arcade. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, August 9, 2019, in St. Mary's Church, 417 W. Main St., Arcade. Interment will be in SS Peter & Paul Cemetery, Arcade.

Memorials may be made to Resurrection Catholic Church, 3201 South Evergreen Road, Tempe, AZ, 85282; St. Mary's Parish, 417 West Main St., Arcade, NY 14009; or Arcade Free Library, 365 Main St., Arcade, NY 14009.

Online condolences may be offered at www.wsdavisfuneralhome.com.