Our beloved mother and grandmother, Helen Brown Hovis, 92, of Ithaca, NY, formerly of Indiana, passed away Tuesday, July 18, 2017, after taking a fall while on a walk outside.
Born June 20, 1925, Helen was the daughter of the late Milton Ruffner and Elinor Allison Brown.
She was the bright spot in our lives, an inspiration to all and will be missed terribly.
Helen graduated from Indiana High School, received her bachelor’s degree from Muskingum College and her master’s degree in home economics education from Penn State University. She taught home economics in York, then became a professor at Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 1959, retiring in 1988. She was an active member and elder at Graystone Presbyterian Church and was involved in many committees and groups there, including the library committee and Presbyterian Women. She joined Calvary Presbyterian Church several years ago and loved that church family as well. She was always on the go and busy with various activities, including IUP’s retired faculty group, Questors, PEO, ADK and Meals on Wheels. She was a fabulous cook, baker, basket maker and seamstress, a wonderful conversationalist, an independent woman and a stalwart supporter of her two daughters. She set an amazing example of selflessness by caring for her elderly aunts and loved her family dearly, especially her five grandchildren.
She is survived by her daughters: Christine Hovis Sukel, of Chagrin Falls, OH; and Kathryn Hovis-Younger and husband Todd, of Locke, NY; her five grandchildren: Zachary, Griffin, Spencer, Ellie and Abby; a sister, LaRue Kensey, of Clymer; and a sister-in-law, Irene Brown, of Indiana.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 55 years, William Hovis, and her brother, Milton Brown.
Visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday at Robinson-Lytle, Inc. A celebration of life will be held at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, with a reception to follow, at Calvary Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Dr. Richard L. Cassel officiating. Interment will be in Oakland Cemetery.
The family kindly suggests memorials in Helen’s honor be made to Calvary Presbyterian Church, 695 School Street, Indiana, PA 15701 or Meals on Wheels, 534 Philadelphia Street, Indiana, PA 15701.
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