Obituary of Helen S. Roach

Helen S. Roach of Delhi, our loving and supportive mother, grandmother and aunt, passed peacefully into the arms of her Lord on January 6, 2019.  She is now at rest and reunited with her husband Ray.

                Helen was born on February 6, 1927 in Andes, to the late James A. and Carrie Sanford Stott.  In the early 1930’s, Helen and her siblings, Jim and Irma, went into foster care, living with several families in the Andes and Delancey area.  Although she lived most of her life in Delhi she remained a proud member of the “Delancey Gang”.

                A 1944 graduate of Delaware Academy, Helen always enjoyed keeping track of her classmates and helped to organize class reunions for many years.  Following graduation, she worked as a secretary in Delhi for Dewey Bramley Insurance and later at Delaware Academy working for R.R. DeGelleke.

                In 1948 Helen met the love of her life, Ray Roach.  After an inauspicious beginning, they soon fell in love and were married on September 4, 1949.  What followed was 68 years of devotion to each other until Ray’s passing in 2017. After marrying she and Ray lived in Syracuse for a while and then made the decision in 1952 to move to Delhi. There Helen realized her goals of being a wife and mother, excelling at both. 

                Helen and Ray purchased the big house on Elm Street in 1954 and put it to good use.  In addition to their children, there began to be a steady stream of family members, friends and students who lived with Helen and Ray over the next 35 years, all welcomed with open arms. There was always room.

Helen waited patiently for grandchildren and when her three grandsons arrived, Anthony in Delhi and Tyler and Kyle in Latham, she loved them with all her heart.  She always was interested in how and what they were doing and attended their school and sporting events when possible.

                Helen had many interests; garage sales with Grandpa, photography, the New York Yankees, the Tuesday night home demonstration group, and her Friday night bowling league with the girls, but there are three that she really embraced. Helen loved working on needlepoint pieces, completing and gifting many of them over her lifetime.  Some of you who are reading this were recipients of her handiwork, often marking weddings and births.  We hope they are cherished.  Helen was a great cook and a wonderful baker.  There always seemed to be something delicious in the cookie jar.  Her favorite time to bake was Christmas and the quality and quantity of her Christmas cookies was amazing.  Twelve different kinds each year and 12 dozen of each, dutifully marked off on her calendar.  Helen loved gardening and being outside her home.  She could often be found on her hands and knees tending to one of the village’s flower beds or her own.  What she liked a lot, and took great pride in, was manicuring “her” lawn.  As many of you have told us over the years, the corner of Main and Clinton was a bad place to be a dandelion or a leaf.

                Helen was a member of various community organizations over the years but the one that best reflects her spirit was the Delhi Children’s Christmas Fund.  For many years she joined with other local ladies to provide a better Christmas for the less fortunate children in the Delhi area.  She involved the entire family in the shopping trips to purchase the needed toys and clothing and this became a big part of our family Christmas. Helen had experienced being less fortunate when she was young and this was a way for her to help bring some joy and happiness to the children who received the gifts.  This wonderful program was carried on over the years by many caring people and still continues today.

                Helen was a woman of great faith and was confidant in God’s love for us all.  The family would like to thank Father Darius Mojallali and Deacon Nancy Truscott for the pastoral care they provided to Helen and Ray over the past several years, as well as the Delancey Presbyterian Church who always paid them a visit at Christmas.

                Helen is survived by her children, son: Paul and Tish Roach and grandson Anthony of Delhi; daughter: Carol Kelly of Albany; son: Mark and Lisa Roach and grandsons Tyler and Kyle of Latham; sister-in-law Angie Roach of Valrico, FL and many nieces, nephews and cousins whom she loved dearly.  She will be greatly missed by us all!

                In addition to her husband Ray and her parents, Helen was predeceased by her brother and sister-in-law James and Anne Stott, sister and brother-in-law Irma and Elmer Clark, nephew Michael Stott, son-in-law William Kelly and brother-in-law Clyde Roach.

                Calling hours for Helen will be held from 10-11:30AM on Saturday, April 13, 2019 at the MacArthur Funeral Home, 134 Main Street, Delhi, followed by a funeral service for Ray and Helen at 12 noon at St. John's Episcopal Church, 134 1/2 Main Street, Delhi. Burial will follow at Woodland Cemetery, Delhi. 

                Donations in memory of Helen may be made to St. John’s Episcopal Church, P.O. Box 121, Delhi, NY 13753; or Delhi Christmas Fund, c/o Barb Sturdevant, 13 Second Street, Delhi,  NY 13753.

Please visit www.macarthurfh.com to share a condolence with the Roach Family.