Helen Marie Curtis, a vibrant soul who touched the lives of many, peacefully passed away on April 7, 2024 in Southbury, Conn. Born on Jan. 17, 1946, in Denver, Colo. to father Charles A. Curtis and mother Marie (Schutte) Curtis, Helen’s journey was one of love, laughter, and boundless exploration.
A cherished daughter, mother, sister, grandmother, aunt and friend, Helen leaves behind a legacy of kindness and strength that will forever echo in the hearts of those she held dear. She is survived by her daughter Lisa Paccione and wife Melissa Robbins of Chicago; son James Paccione and wife Tracy Paccione of Southbury, Conn.; the father of her children, Dale Paccione; her loving sisters Chris Ertel of Sante Fe, N.M., and Julie Ward and husband John Ward of Portland, Ore. Helen’s adoration extended to her grandchildren, Brynn and Tyler Paccione, as well as numerous nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her longtime partner, Thomas E. Singer, of Woodstock, Vt., with whom she shared many treasured memories.
Helen was known for her generous and kind nature, as well as being strong-willed and principled. She was a multi-talented individual who excelled in various aspects of her life. She thrived in academia, earning an undergraduate degree in Mathematics and Education from Merrimack College, a graduate degree in Mathematics and Education from Bridgewater State University, as well as an MBA from Simmons College. Her professional journey spanned from engineering at ATT to nurturing young minds as a high school math teacher and a math editor at Houghton Mifflin. She even found joy in crafting hand-knit treasures for children through her own venture, Abundancia. Until her death, she continued to dedicate herself to education, working part time as a standardized patient — simulating medical scenarios for first year medical students — at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth.
But beyond her achievements, Helen was an adventurer at heart. She began as a child, traveling often from Boston to Denver by train to spend time with her grandmother and cousins. She grew to travel the globe, from hiking the glaciers of Alaska, traveling to Kenya to photograph an eclipse, to walking with penguins in Antarctica as well as exploring portions of New Zealand, Australia and Europe.
Tennis and winter retreats to Punta Del Este, Uruguay, were among her favorite pastimes, where she reveled spending time with her many friends and visitors. Her zest for life led her to celebrate her 60th birthday with a family hike to Machu Picchu, a testament to her adventurous spirit and family connection. Her adventurous nature wasn’t limited to globetrotting. From summers spent at Humarock Beach in Massachusetts in her youth to earning her membership to the 251 Club of Vermont with friends, she embraced every opportunity for exploration and discovery, finding beauty and joy close to home.
Helen had a passion for art and enjoyed drawing and painting with her friends. As an amateur artist, she entered her work in local art expeditions and won some accolades. Fearless by nature, she submitted and had one of her portraits included in a community project that was part of “The Obama Portraits Tour” exhibit at The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (BFA).
A lifelong devoted fan of the Boston Red Sox, Helen’s unbridled passion for baseball was a bond she shared with her sister Julie through endless commentary and playing spirited games of Baseball Bingo over the Internet during the Sox games.
Her commitment to community service was unwavering, she served on the Board of Directors at the Woodstock Food Shelf and was a longtime member of the library’s arts committee.
A celebration of Helen’s life will be held in Vermont in the coming months. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations to The Woodstock Community Food Shelf (PO Box 570, Woodstock, VT 05091) or the Thompson Senior Center (99 Senior Lane, Woodstock, VT, 05091), in honor of Helen’s compassionate spirit. Though she may have left this world, Helen’s grace, intelligence, humor, and warmth will forever remain in the hearts of those who were privileged to know her.
To leave an online condolence please visit munsonloveterefuneralhome.com.
