SISTER MARY HELEN BRADLEY, CSM

MILLINOCKET and New York Sister Mary Helen Bradley, CSM, entered into eternal rest Sept. 30, 2008, at St. Mary’s Convent, Greenwich, N.Y. She was born Helen Mae Bradley, Nov. 17, 1917, in Millinocket, the daughter of T. Stanley and Lucretia (White) Bradley. She attended Millinocket schools and graduated from Stearns High School, Class of 1934. After graduation she worked for a local drugstore for several years before deciding to go to New York. In 1942 during World War II, she had her first contact with the Community of St. Mary’s when she went to New York to work at St. Mary’s Free Hospital for Children, Long Island, N.Y., to train as a baby nurse, present-day LPN. She worked there for five and a half years. It was Sister Mary Helen’s true joy when she was sharing her life with the babies and the children of the hospital, the orphanage and the many other children that touched her life. She entered the Novitiate at St. Mary’s Convent, March 10, 1948. She made her life profession Sept. 15, 1950. After profession she was sent to the Philippines in 1954 and worked at St. Mary’s Orphanage, Sagada, Mountain Province, until 1958. Upon returning to Motherhouse, Peekskill, N.Y., she spent essentially the remainder of her long and faithful life working as the Infirmarian, a role for which she was perfectly suited, quietly caring for more than two generations of the Sisters in their old age. She was Assistant Superior under Mother Mary Basil from 1969 to 1973, and Assistant Novice Mistress under Sister Anastasia from 1976 to 1980. She was a member of the board of directors for St. Mary’s Hospital for Children, Bayside, N.Y., from 1972 to 1991 and of St. Mary’s Foundation for Children from 1992 to 1996. She was in her 58th year of her profession at age 90 this year in 2008. Sister Mary Helen was predeceased by her parents; her three sisters, Flora Cheney, Nina Baron and Dorice Nisbett; a nephew, Robert S. Nisbett; a niece, Mary (Cheney) Bisson; and aunts, Nina (White) Lyons and Flora (Bradley) Judkins. She is survived by seven nieces and nephews and their spouses and families, Margaret (Cheney) and Stephen Bond of Millinocket, Joyce (Cheney) and William Weber of Collinsville, Conn., Dorothy Baron of Bangor, Jane Baron of Charlotte, Carol (Nisbett) and Timothy Diters of Gilbertsville, N.Y., Thomas and Deborah Nisbett of Houlton and David Nisbett of East Millinocket; her aunt, Margaret Taylor of Millinocket; several great-nieces and great-nephews, and many cousins. Her family was blessed to have Sister Mary Helen for so many years as a part of their lives. It was always a festive occasion when Sister Mary Helen came home. She spent many happy times in Maine, in the summers and falls, with her dear family and friends. Those times were very special to her. When she returned to the convent after her visits, she was always stocked full of everything she or the convent needed from clothes, to candy, to birdseed, to loads of vegetables from Steve’s garden that the convent enjoyed for many months to follow. Sister Mary Helen was a true lover of family, blessed with an enormous heart to love, share and help others. There will be a memorial service to celebrate her life 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1, at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Millinocket. After the service everyone is invited to a reception in the church’s guild room. Gifts in Sister Mary Helen’s memory may be made to St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 40 Highland Ave., Millinocket, ME 04462 or St. Mary’s Convent, 242 Cloister Way, Greenwich, NY 12834.