1928
Helen
2018
Helen M. Porter Brooks
April 13, 1928 — December 21, 2018
There will be a funeral talk given Saturday, December 29th, at 1:30 p.m. at the Kennebunk Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses located at 2 Harriseckett Road in Kennebunk, ME. A graveside service will be in the North Cemetery in Lunenburg, MA, on Monday, December 31st at noon. A visitation period prior to the burial will be from 10:00-11:30 in the Brandon Funeral Home, 305 Wanoosnoc Rd., Fitchburg
Helen (Brooks) Porter passed away on December 21, 2018, at the Greenwood Center in Sanford, ME, unexpectedly after a brief illness. She was born in Allston, MA, in April 1928 to Thomas and Signe Brooks. Helen was known for her kind, sweet and appreciative disposition and always had a smile.
Helen had resided with her daughter, Debbie Chesbrough, and son-in-law, Jim Chesbrough, in Wells, ME, who cared for her the last three years. She spent 67 years in Lunenburg raising her family with the love of her life and late husband, “Bob Porter the Milkman,” in a home he built for them with his father in Lunenburg, MA.
Helen leaves behind three daughters and their families: Diane Toombs and her husband, Bob, of Cortland, NY; Debbie Chesbrough and her husband, Jim, of Wells, ME (formerly of Leominster, MA); Gail Lamarche and her husband Bill, of Cape Coral, FL (formerly of Manchester, NH); and, two granddaughters: Jennifer Henry and her husband, Jason, of Winchester, VA, and their two daughters, Madilynn and Jacquelynn; and, Danielle Repoza of Grafton, MA.
Helen is survived by one of her six siblings, Signe “Sister” Brooks Kent of Waltham, MA; her brother-in-law, David Porter, and his wife, Zoe, of Leominster, MA; as well as numerous nephews, nieces and their families.
She was predeceased by her sister, Evie as well as her four brothers: Joe, Thomas, Carl and John Brooks.
After graduating from Newton High School in 1946, Helen worked her way through nurses training and graduated from Somerville Hospital getting her cap and cape. Her career path, however, led her to a little town called Lunenburg, where she took a position as a governess for several children. It was there and on that very same road Helen would meet her future husband, Bob. He was instantly smitten, proposed on their third date, and they were married for 54 years until Bob’s death in 2002.
After raising their three children while running a day care in their home, she worked as a home health aide for many years until the time came to care for her husband at home while he was dying of cancer.
Helen loved her family so very much. She played the piano and loved to bake — and was most famous for her Swedish coffee bread. She always had homemade goodies ready for any visitors who were always welcome. Helen loved growing plants, especially African violets and gardenias and was fascinated just watching the birds.
Helen was an active member of the Whalom Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Leominster, MA, for over 60 years until she moved to Wells, Maine, where was instantly loved and adopted by the Kennebunk Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Above all, Helen loved her God Jehovah and shared her faith with others, telling them about God’s promises for a better future when God’s Kingdom Government will bring about a promised new earth free of sickness, old age and death. (Rev 21:3, 4). Even as her health started to decline, she was at the Hall regularly and out in the ministry with her daughter and son-in-law almost every Sunday. Even when it got harder and she had to stay in the van, she still found a way to share her love and hope with others right from her passenger seat. As her health declined in the last few months and needed 24/7 nursing home care, she insisted on listening to her meetings at the Kingdom Hall on Sundays on the phone tie-in. Every Saturday she would record a comment to be played at the meeting the next day while she was on the phone tie-in listening. She loved that and so very much appreciated all her brothers and sisters in the Kennebunk congregation who showered her with love, support, cards and even little hot fudge sundaes. The nursing home staff said Helen was one of the sweetest nicest residents they ever had and a woman of great faith. She will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her and who look forward to welcoming her back when this earth is made new. As her late husband Bob told everyone: “Better days are coming!”
Helen (Brooks) Porter passed away on December 21, 2018, at the Greenwood Center in Sanford, ME, unexpectedly after a brief illness. She was born in Allston, MA, in April 1928 to Thomas and Signe Brooks. Helen was known for her kind, sweet and appreciative disposition and always had a smile.
Helen had resided with her daughter, Debbie Chesbrough, and son-in-law, Jim Chesbrough, in Wells, ME, who cared for her the last three years. She spent 67 years in Lunenburg raising her family with the love of her life and late husband, “Bob Porter the Milkman,” in a home he built for them with his father in Lunenburg, MA.
Helen leaves behind three daughters and their families: Diane Toombs and her husband, Bob, of Cortland, NY; Debbie Chesbrough and her husband, Jim, of Wells, ME (formerly of Leominster, MA); Gail Lamarche and her husband Bill, of Cape Coral, FL (formerly of Manchester, NH); and, two granddaughters: Jennifer Henry and her husband, Jason, of Winchester, VA, and their two daughters, Madilynn and Jacquelynn; and, Danielle Repoza of Grafton, MA.
Helen is survived by one of her six siblings, Signe “Sister” Brooks Kent of Waltham, MA; her brother-in-law, David Porter, and his wife, Zoe, of Leominster, MA; as well as numerous nephews, nieces and their families.
She was predeceased by her sister, Evie as well as her four brothers: Joe, Thomas, Carl and John Brooks.
After graduating from Newton High School in 1946, Helen worked her way through nurses training and graduated from Somerville Hospital getting her cap and cape. Her career path, however, led her to a little town called Lunenburg, where she took a position as a governess for several children. It was there and on that very same road Helen would meet her future husband, Bob. He was instantly smitten, proposed on their third date, and they were married for 54 years until Bob’s death in 2002.
After raising their three children while running a day care in their home, she worked as a home health aide for many years until the time came to care for her husband at home while he was dying of cancer.
Helen loved her family so very much. She played the piano and loved to bake — and was most famous for her Swedish coffee bread. She always had homemade goodies ready for any visitors who were always welcome. Helen loved growing plants, especially African violets and gardenias and was fascinated just watching the birds.
Helen was an active member of the Whalom Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Leominster, MA, for over 60 years until she moved to Wells, Maine, where was instantly loved and adopted by the Kennebunk Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Above all, Helen loved her God Jehovah and shared her faith with others, telling them about God’s promises for a better future when God’s Kingdom Government will bring about a promised new earth free of sickness, old age and death. (Rev 21:3, 4). Even as her health started to decline, she was at the Hall regularly and out in the ministry with her daughter and son-in-law almost every Sunday. Even when it got harder and she had to stay in the van, she still found a way to share her love and hope with others right from her passenger seat. As her health declined in the last few months and needed 24/7 nursing home care, she insisted on listening to her meetings at the Kingdom Hall on Sundays on the phone tie-in. Every Saturday she would record a comment to be played at the meeting the next day while she was on the phone tie-in listening. She loved that and so very much appreciated all her brothers and sisters in the Kennebunk congregation who showered her with love, support, cards and even little hot fudge sundaes. The nursing home staff said Helen was one of the sweetest nicest residents they ever had and a woman of great faith. She will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her and who look forward to welcoming her back when this earth is made new. As her late husband Bob told everyone: “Better days are coming!”
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