Helen was born on September 24, 1926 in Hillsdale, New Jersey, a daughter of John and Hanna Wister. She passed away surrounded by her family at her daughter’s home in Santa Fe, New Mexico on October 12, 2013. She was predeceased by her sisters Agnes and Marie, her brother Edwin, and by her first granddaughter Joy. Helen is survived by daughter Joyce Levine and her husband Jerry, daughter Tricia Elwyn, and her son Charles A. Elwyn, Jr. and his wife Wendy; grandchildren Tom Kraus, Adam Levine, Charles Elwyn, Cheri Nowak, and Tara O’Gorman; great grandchildren Kirstie, Courtney, Nicole, Thomas, April, Aidan, Beau, Sophia, and Giovanna.

Helen married Charles Elwyn in 1943 and they raised 3 children in Old Tappan, New Jersey. Helen was a tax accountant for over 60 years—for a CPA in New Jersey and for William Sweeney, CPA from 1971 to 2001 in Saranac Lake, New York. Helen and Charlie purchased an inn in Lake Clear, New York in 1967 and ran Charlie’s Inn for 18 years. When they became legally separated in 1985, Charlie continued to run the Inn and Campsite and Helen continued to handle the accounting for the business and worked for William Sweeney, CPA and then for Edenfield and Snow. In 1998 Charlie and Helen sold the Inn and in 1999 they sold the Campsite. Helen moved from Saranac Lake in 2008 and spent time between her daughters Joyce in Santa Fe, New Mexico and Tricia in Daytona Beach, Florida. Helen returned to Saranac Lake every year to visit Charlie and to see her many friends in the area. Helen and Charlie remained friends for life and Helen passed away 2 weeks after Charlie died.

Helen worked hard all her life and had many talents—she sewed clothes and coats for her children through their growing up years; she made them all Easter outfits and Halloween costumes. She crocheted and knitted blankets and afghans for everyone in the family and made many gifts in embroidery, needlepoint, and cross stitch. She loved to travel with her family and was able to see places like Norway, Hawaii, London, Bahamas, Caribbean and Mexico, all with her family by her side. She enjoyed playing cards with family and friends and gambling, especially at Buffalo Thunder in New Mexico. She loved reading, bowling, fishing, and snowmobiling. Helen had a lot of spunk and was ready to try anything. She loved and was loved and she will be missed so much.


Family and friends can share their memories and sign the online guestbook at fortunekeoughfuneralhome.com

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Helen Jeanette Elwyn (Wister), please visit our Heartfelt Sympathies Store.