Helen Louise Skilling Alderfer
Helen Louise Skilling Alderfer, 97, Syracuse, died peacefully after a brief illness on Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2015, in Indianapolis.
She was born in Philadelphia in her maternal grandmother’s home on Jan. 29, 1918, to Helen (Phelert) and Paul Skilling. Her mother died in the flu epidemic of 1918 when Helen was two weeks old, and she was raised by her father’s sister, Catherine Skilling Banks and her uncle, Rudolph Banks. Helen graduated from Friends Central High School in 1935, from Ursinus College in 1939, and received a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania in 1943.
She married Henry Harr Alderfer, MD in 1943. Helen worked at the Montgomery Children’s Aid Society in Philadelphia, and while her husband served as a physician in Normandy during WWII, she lived with her family in Swarthmore, PA. They moved to Madison, WI after the war and eventually settled in Marion, IN where she lived for 35 years while raising her family. In 1976, she returned to work for ten years as the school social worker for Marion Community Schools. She was a member of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Marion, IN serving as an Elder, but in her heart Helen was always a Quaker.
Helen was active in many civic and social organizations. A lifelong Girl Scout, she loved spending summers at camp in Chester County, PA and later became a Girl Scout leader in Marion, eventually receiving her 50 year pin. Helen was a member of the American Association of University Women, the League of Women Voters, Meshingomesia Country Club, Tippecanoe Lake Country Club (Ladies Bridge), Reading Club, The Hostess House, Research Club, Portfolio Club and was proud to be a 56 year member of PEO.
After she retired, Helen lived full time at Lake Wawasee in Syracuse. She was the loving matriarch of her family, opening her home to extended family and friends who cherished their time with her at the lake. She enjoyed bridge, book clubs, volunteering for Meals on Wheels, travel, daily crossword puzzle, reading and using her Kindle to follow her family on Facebook and to play solitaire. Helen is remembered for her courage in the face of adversity, her resilient nature, sense of humor, her quiet strength and her ability to befriend people from all walks of life all the way through to her final days. But most of all, we remember Helen for her love and devotion to her family and her many, many friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband: Henry, in 1973; and her daughter: Kathryn Alderfer Kofron, in 1976. Helen is survived by her daughter: Deborah (Larry) Stone, Denver; and son: Mark (Anne) Alderfer, Indianapolis; eight grandchildren: John (Kristy) Kofron; Henry (Rachel) Kofron; Kate (Trent) Labore; Emily (Vinton) Lee; Sara Stone; and Henry; Sam; and Ben Alderfer; and four great-grandchildren: Jack; Morgan; Ruby; and Zella Kofron. In addition she is survived by her cousin with whom she was raised: Richard William “Bill” (Susie) Banks.
She will be buried in Marion between her husband and her daughter, Kathryn. A Celebration of Life will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 4, at Tippecanoe Lake Country Club, Leesburg. Memorial Contributions may be made to Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation, Syracuse.