Obituary of Helen I. Slocum

Helen Smith Slocum, 75, of Binghamton, has completed her lifes journey and we celebrate the beautiful person she was. She married James J. Slocum in 1949 and worked as a private care nurse before they started their own family. The oldest of four children, she was raised in Johnson City with her sisters and her brother. Upon graduation from St. Patrick's Academy, she entered St. Mary's Nursing School in Rochester and became a registered nurse. During their 53 years of marriage, Helen and Jim dedicated all their energy and resources to raising their eight children. Helen was tireless in her support for the schools and volunteered as playground pal, lunchroom helper, study hall monitor, and Brownie and Cub Scout leader. She was active in her church through Cruseille and Marriage Encounter. Her love for the outdoors took the family on long camping expeditions from Quebec to Florida. When time allowed, she enjoyed a round of golf, hosted bridge club and painting. She was challenged with multiple sclerosis for the past 30 years which curtailed her activities. But she remained the quiet, pensive thinker, and though her words were few, they were thoughtfully poignant. The past 12 years, Helen resided at Willow Point Nursing Home where she enjoyed the care and comfort of staff. She was a member of St. Thomas Aquinas Church, Binghamton. Helen is survived by her husband, James; her eight children, Mark and Trish Slocum, New Fairfield, Conn. and son Jason, Mary and Bob Rittle, Atlanta, Ga. and sons Tom, Mike and Steve, Joe and Sue LaClair Slocum, Castine, Maine and daughter Emily and son Ben, Ellyn and Ernie Found, Iowa City, Iowa and son Gregg and daughters Catharine and Caroline, Bob and Maryann Slocum, Great Falls, Va. and daughters Melissa and Molly and sons Jimmy and William, Susan and Cedric Alexander, Cabet, Vt. and son Calvin and daughter Lillian, KC and Barry Wright, New London, N.H. and Aileen and Steve Musselman, West Friendship, Md. and daughter Maryellyn and son Luke; sisters, Mary Giblin and Kathy Messersmith; and her brother and his wife, Harry (Bud) and Mary Jane Smith. Helen was predeceased by her parents, Harry and Katherine Smith; and brother-in-law, William E. Giblin. A Funeral Mass will be offered at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, Saturday, at 10 a.m. Burial will be in St. Augustine's Cemetery, Silver Lake, Pa. The family will receive friends at the J.A. McCormack Sons Funeral Home, 141 Main St., Binghamton, Friday, from 4 to 8 p.m. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy in memory of Helen may be made to Seton Catholic Central High School Scholarship Fund, 70 Seminary Ave., Binghamton, N.Y. 13905.