Tonia Helberg

HELBERG Tonia Tonia Helberg of Sylvania Township, a homemaker, organizational volunteer and survivor of the Holocaust, died peacefully Tuesday, April 7, 2009, at the Kingstons Care Center of Sylvania. Born in Poland on January 30, 1925, she had 2 brothers and 1 sister. All of her siblings and her parents were victims of the Holocaust. As a young girl, barely 5 feet in height, she endured years in concentration camps, resorting to an unparalleled inner strength that she would turn to throughout her life. It was in a camp there that she met her future husband of 55 years, Sam Helberg, who at great risk used to sneak her small amounts of food through fences that helped her survive. Following her liberation, she was separated from her entire family and was located in a home for displaced survivors by the "stranger" she knew from a distance in the camps. Together Sam and Tonia began their life and after their first son, Sandy was born in Germany, they immigrated to Toledo, Ohio in 1950. She raised two additional sons, Ted and Tom, both born in Toledo. In Toledo she became active in the local Jewish Community as a member of Haddasah, ORT and Temple B'nai Israel's Sisterhood. She often opened her home for large events held by the organization. She also spent many years in the 70s and 80s helping with the resettlement effort of many Russian Jews. In her later years she was a very proud contributor to the new home of Congregation B'nai Israel and the Helberg Memory Alcove in memory of the 6 million victims of the Holocaust. She loved to dance, garden and travel, especially to their second home in Florida where they had many friends. Of all her travels, her visits to Israel always brought her the most joy, where she often reunited with friends and relatives that were also survivors. Her greatest pleasure was sharing holidays with her family, and she will be greatly missed by them during this current holiday season. She was preceded in death by her parents, a sister and two brothers and her loving husband, Sam. Surviving are sons, Sandy (Harriet) Helberg of Los Angeles, CA, Ted Helberg of Minneapolis, MN, Tom (Shelley) Helberg of Toledo, OH and grandchildren, Simon (Jocelyn), Blair, Roxine, Marisa, Taylor, Jacob and Mason. Services will be held Monday, April 13, 2009, at 11 a.m. at Congregation B'nai Israel, 6525 Sylvania Ave., Sylvania, OH. Interment Beth Shalom Cemetery. Following services family and friends will be received at Temple Shomer Emunim, 6453 Sylvania Ave., Sylvania, OH. The family would like to thank her wonderful friends and caretaker, Patricia Jones, the staff of Kingston Care Center of Sylvania and Heartland Hospice. Memorial tributes suggested in the form of contributions to Congregation B'nai Israel, the Alzheimer's Association Northwest Ohio Chapter or a charity of the donor's choice. Arrangements by Robert H. Wick/Wisniewski Funeral Home, 519-535-5840.