Helen Marie Carey

Niantic - Helen M. Carey, 90, Black Point, Niantic and formerly of West Hartford, died on April 19, 2014 Helen was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on November 5, 1923, the daughter of Pearl Maria (Buck) Caulfield and Hubert A. Caulfield. Helen’s mother died while she was less than one year old and her distraught father asked his mother, Ellen T. Caulfield and sisters and brother (Edith, Lucille and Bernard) to keep Helen and her brother, John for a time. The young siblings, John and Helen, moved to North Whitney Street, Hartford where they lived with their grandmother, aunts and uncle for several years. Helen always remembered fondly her childhood in Hartford and remained close to her relatives there throughout her life. When Helen’s father remarried, both she and her brother moved to be with their father and second wife, Eleanor, in Yonkers, NY. Helen remained in Yonkers until she married. After graduation from high school, Helen decided that she wanted to become a dental hygienist like her Aunt Lucille and graduated from Columbia University and began her career. In 1948, Helen married Robert S. Carey at Christ the King Church in Yonkers, NY. The newlyweds immediately relocated to Lake Charles, Louisiana where Robert, a civil engineer, started working on a construction project. During the next decade, Helen and Bob started their family and lived in England, Belgium, New Jersey and Pennsylvania as Bob transferred to different job sites. Finally, in late 1956, Helen, Bob and their growing family were able to return to live in her favorite place, Hartford. In the late sixties, Helen decided that she would like to continue her career in dentistry. At first she went to work part-time but after a few years she started to work full-time in the office of Dr. Michael Perl in West Hartford. After several years with Dr. Perl, Helen went to work for the Hartford Public School system, working in several schools on a rotating basis. Eventually she worked at the Sand Everywhere School in Hartford where she came up with an idea that changed hers and many others lives. Helen knew that the children in the school, many on some form of public assistance, had to travel to visit the dentist during school hours, disrupting their school days, and transportation to and from the dentists was costly. After approaching local insurance companies, who were paying the claims of the school children’s dentistry, Helen was able to convince both them and the Hartford School system that she could start and manage a dental clinic at the school. The program was successful and for many years Helen and staff dentists provided services in the school for the children. After Helen’s retirement at age 67, she and Bob moved full-time to the family cottage in Niantic. They enjoyed traveling until Bob’s health declined, and Helen cared for him through his illness and death in 1999. Helen’s drive and determination was an inspiration for all six of her children. They will miss her terribly. Her brothers, John G. and Paul Caulfield, predeceased her. Helen is survived by her sister Jane Jannell of Harwich, MA She is also survived by all six of her children: Robert S. Carey Jr. and his wife Deborah of Simsbury CT; Peter J. Carey and his wife Gaye of Sugar Hill, GA; Marguerite Sergo and her husband Bogdan of Hampton, CT; John T. Carey of Waterford, CT; Brian J. Carey and his wife Mona of Waterford and William F. Carey and his wife Nancy of West Hartford, CT. Helen also leaves seven grandchildren: Katherine Howard; Peter Carey; Julia Carey; Patricia Carey; Elizabeth Carey; Ellen Carey and Thomas Carey and two great-grandchildren: Mia and Kaiya Howard. Calling hours will be held from 4 to 7 pm, Wednesday April 23rd, at the Molloy Funeral Home, 906 Farmington Avenue, West Hartford. The funeral will assemble at 9:00 am, Thursday April 24th, at the funeral home, followed by a funeral Mass at 10 am at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Farmington Avenue, West Hartford. Interment will follow at Mount St. Benedict Cemetery, One Cottage Grove Road, Bloomfield, CT. Donations in Helen’s memory may be made to: Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries, P.O. Box 804, Essex CT 06426. Online expressions of sympathy may be made at www.molloyfuneralhome.com