Helen Gillette Crosby, 86, born May 19, 1930, of Lorraine passed away on May 25, 2016. Helen’s family went back several generations in Lorraine; she lived most of her life there. Helen is survived by three sons: Dennis Hough (Syracuse, NY), Darrell Hough (Tucson, AZ, and his wife, Brenda, and their two children, Caitlin and Christopher), and William “Gil” Freeman (Frankfort, NY, and his wife, Veronika). She is also survived by nieces Terri Territo and Brenda Beverly, and nephews Brian and Dale Cutshaw. Passing before her were three husbands: Dick Hough, Horace Hall Freeman and Jim Crosby, and her two younger siblings, Barbara and Lyle. Helen has a special love for dogs, and had several poodles in her lifetime; the last was her beloved Sassy, who passed away December 29, 2015. Helen enjoyed socializing and dining at her two favorite local restaurants, The Gathering Place (Shar’s) in Redfield and Gram’s in Adams. So many people were charmed by her laughter and no-nonsense attitude – someone was always stopping by her table to say hello. She admired and appreciated the owners and waitresses at both restaurants, and even when she moved to Utica she would tell strangers if they were wandering up north they had to check out those diners! Helen was also a huge Yankee fan! Gil & Veronika gifted her some new Yankees item every holiday, among her Yankee treasures were: a Jeter bobblehead, a clock, a lamp, t-shirts, jerseys, jackets, a custom teddy bear, and blanket throws. The gift that topped them all was the special Yankee blanket, made by her longtime hairdresser in Adams, Kelly Simonton. Helen cherished that blanket and has very fond memories of her weekly visits with Kelly at The Hair Boutique. The family would like to thank Martha Miscuk, who cared for Helen previous to her moving to Utica. Martha took her on shopping trips, out to her favorite restaurants, and “fixed” her phone on countless occasions. Sometimes Helen’s dementia made her cranky or sad, and Martha was there with a kind word or the tough talk Helen needed to make her feel like herself again. Gil and Veronika will never forget the love and compassion Martha had for her. Helen absolutely loved her very best friend, Virginia “Faye” Clemens. They shared numerous adventures together – ask Faye about “The Perm,” one of Helen’s favorite stories! Living right next door, Faye watched over Helen and was an invaluable resource to the family when it came to medical history. When Helen was in rehab recovering from hip surgery Faye went over to her place every day and cared for Sassy, feeding her and sitting on the couch to comfort her. Helen also spoke frequently of Shelmidines, of which there seems to be dozens upon dozens in the Lorraine area! They all seem to have two traits in common: big hearts and an even bigger sense of humor – neither of which were lost on Helen, she loved spending hours chatting and laughing with them. Helen was blessed to have lived in some of the most caring and lovely residences in the Utica/Herkimer area. She first moved into Schuyler Commons in Utica. She enjoyed two years there, making several friends and getting her hair done by Nikki Fraccola, whom she adored. Nikki always knew what to say to make Helen smile. Two dear friends at SC were Jack and Pam Reardon. They made sure Helen got to special events at SC and that she didn’t miss “The Lunch Bunch Bus” on Fridays! Since they lived in the building next door, they were key to ensuring Helen’s health and well-being; letting the family know if there was anything wrong. They came to visit her often when she left Schuyler Commons. As Helen began to have difficulty breathing, she spent some time in Valley Health, and eventually moved into Valley Residential (assisted living). These sister facilities have the most attentive and caring staff… she appreciated their hard work and loved chatting with them. Both places were a Godsend to the family, as they could rest easier knowing she had round-the-clock-care. Although Helen couldn’t keep Sassy with her, Valley Residential were very welcoming to Sassy’s visits, which helped Helen adjust to the assisted living environment. Helen eventually moved on to Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown, and their hospice program began managing her comfort care. Another amazing facility with a talented and compassionate staff, caring for both Helen’s and her family’s needs. When the doctors at Basset felt she could be transferred, Helen returned to Valley Health, where she remained under the loving care of their staff and the Hospice and Palliative Care organization. Per Helen’s wishes, there will not be a formal funeral; we will hold a memorial gathering over the summer in the Lorraine area for those who would like to share stories and a meal – two of Helen’s favorite things to do with friends. If you are so inclined, any of the above facilities (or any local animal shelter) would welcome a donation in Helen’s name. If you wish to honor Helen in a more personal fashion, take a bouquet of flowers to someone who needs a pick-me-up (“You should have your flowers while you’re alive, and can smell ‘em” – HC), or take someone who doesn’t get out much to lunch, (“You can’t go wrong with a bacon Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Harry J. and Kevin E. Enea of the Enea Family Funeral Home, (F.K.A. Holleran Funeral Service) 220 N. Washington Street, Herkimer, NY 315-866-1011.