Obituary of Helen Korniat

ILION – Helen Korniat, age 97, of State Rt. 5, North Ilion, passed away peacefully, on Monday, November 5, 2018, at Valley Health Services, Herkimer.

She was born on April 25, 1921, the daughter of Stephen Polansky and Theresa (Pytel) Polansky and attended schools in Oppenheim and Dolgeville.  At one time, she owned and operated a farm in Manheim, NY, for 28 years.  Helen was housekeeper and child care giver for the Applegate Family, in Ilion and Basloe Family, in Herkimer for many years.  She was a member of the Church of the Annunciation and Herkimer Co. Home Bureau.  Helen loved gardening, needlepoint, creative stitchery and picking blueberries.  She also loved cooking and was famous for her baked goods, especially her “buckeyes”.

Surviving family members include her daughter, JoAnn Chapman and her husband, Bob, with whom Helen resided; her sister, Rose Parks; several nieces, nephews and cousins; and her “adopted family”, Don and Judy Applegate and their five children, Mark, John, Jay, Justin and Suzette who called her “Grandma Helen”.

She was predeceased by her mother, Theresa Polansky; her father, Stephen Polansky; her sister, Mary Kazmierski; and her brothers, Peter, William and Alec Polansky.

Friends and relatives are invited to attend Helen’s Mass of Christian Burial, which will be celebrated on Monday, November 12, 2018, at 10:30 a.m., at the Blessed Sacrament Church, E. Main St., Mohawk, by Rev. Leo Potvin, assisted by Sister Mary Jo Tallman, Parish Life Director.  Interment will be in the Applegate Family lot, at North Columbia Cemetery.

In keeping with Helen’s wishes, there are no scheduled calling hours and please omit flowers and consider memorial contributions to the Shriners Hospitals for Crippled Children, 3551 N. Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19140.

Anyone wishing to share a memory of Helen, or add to her online memorial, may go to www.applegateandday.com.

Helen’s funeral and interment instructions were prearranged and entrusted to her true friend (like family) of forty years, Don Applegate, Funeral Director of the Applegate-Day & Enea Family Funeral Home’s original location, at 102 West St., Ilion, NY (315-895-7722).