Helen Sward

1930 - 2025

Helen Sward, 94, passed away peacefully on Sunday, June 1, 2025, at her home in William Penn Senior Suites in Jeannette. She was born in P rnu, Estonia, to Karl and Alma (Kama) Koplus on Nov. 1, 1930. She left that country with her family during World War II as a teenager and learned her trade as a beautician in Sweden. She then immigrated to Toronto, Canada, with her family in 1951, where she opened her own beauty shop and met the love of her life (and greatest dance partner), John Sward. They married in April 1955 and came to the U.S. in Dec. 1958. They lived in Carlisle, PA, for 40 years, where they made many lifelong friends and loved to travel. They moved to Delmont, PA, in 1998 to be closer to their daughter and grandchildren. Helen was a kind, loving soul who was known for her incredible chocolate chip cookies and knitting, had a great sense of humor, and had a way of making you feel loved just by being around her. Her greatest joy in life was being a wife, mother, and grandmother. She was preceded in death by her loving husband, John, to whom she was happily married for 65 years. She is survived by her only child, Nancy Sward-Martin; son-in-law, Daniel Martin; and grandchildren Meghan (Alex) Tretiak, Kirstin Martin, and Maxwell Martin, as well as many nieces and nephews in Canada, Ohio, and Sweden. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her. The family would like to thank the staff at William Penn Senior Suites and Heartland Hospice for their loving care of Helen, especially her hospice nurse, Chris King, who loved her like family. There was a memorial service at 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 7, 2025, at William Penn Senior Suites. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to St. Jude's or Heal Animal Rescue (formerly known as Animal Friends of Westmoreland). Arrangements entrusted to BASH-NIED-JOBE FUNERAL HOME, 152 Abbe Place, Delmont (724-468-8381). online condolences can be made at www.BashNiedJobeFuneralHome.com.