Helen Wylupek, age 93, of Wauconda, passed away Sunday, May 30, 2016, at Hillcrest Nursing Center in Round Lake Beach.
She was born October 25, 1922 in Altoona, PA, to Edward and Marcianna (Novacka) Wydra, immigrants from Poland who settled in the coal country of Eastern Pennsylvania. As a young woman, she lived in Camden, NJ, and was forced to drop out of school during the Depression to work in cigar factories in Camden and Philadelphia. On November 14, 1942, she married Walter Wylupek at St. Joseph’s Polish Catholic Church in Camden. She continued working while her husband was in the U. S. Army in Europe during WWII. In 1947 Helen and Walter moved to Pennsauken, NJ, where they raised two daughters. After Walter passed in 2005, Helen moved to Illinois to be closer to family.
Helen was an amazing mother and grandmother. She took great pride in her home and in being a fantastic cook. She loved reading, knitting, crocheting, and taking pen to paper to write long letters to friends and relatives in her beautiful handwriting.
Helen is survived by her daughters, Cheryl (Craig) Hammond of Johnsburg and Patricia (Michael) Mintzer of Plantation, FL; grandchildren, Michelle (Jeffrey) Hammond-Goddard of Lake Villa, Kimberly (Alan) Webb of Crawfordville, FL, Karen Lennes of Round Lake Beach, Mark (Jennifer) Hammond of Madison, WI, Justin (Margarita) Mintzer of Austin, TX, and Julie Mintzer of Houston, TX; 11 great-grandchildren, a brother, Walter (the late Elizabeth) Wydra of Turnersville, NJ.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Walter Wylupek, on February 13, 2005; and two brothers, Henry and Alexander Wydra.
Visitation will be from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Monday, June 6, 2016, at Justen Funeral Home & Crematory, 3700 Charles J. Miller Road, McHenry, IL, 60050, then leaving in procession for the 11 a.m. funeral Mass at St. Patrick Catholic Church, 3500 W. Washington Street, McHenry. Interment will be in St. Mary’s Cemetery, McHenry.
For information, please call the funeral home at 815-385-2400, or visit www.justenfh.com, where friends may leave an on-line condolence message for her family.
Funeral Home:
Justen Funeral Home & Crematory
3700 Charles J Miller Road
McHenry, IL
United States 60050