HELEN T. REED, R.N., 91

Former Director of Nursing at Mary Alley Hospital and
Retired Army Nurse

Helen T. Reed of Cottage Street, Marblehead died Monday, October 27 in Beverly at the home of her sister Kay Hagood, and niece Beverly Waring, where she was being cared for during a prolonged illness. She was 91 and wife of the late Henry "Dick" Reed.

Born Ellen Devine, the daughter of Francis M. and Anna (White) Devine, she was known all through her life as Helen. She was a graduate of Marblehead High School, where she gained a reputation as a small, but feisty guard on the girls' basketball team. Helen was also known as girl who could hold her own with the rowdy "wharf rat" boys who swam off Commercial St. wharf in the town's Shipyard.

A graduate of St. Luke's School of Nursing in New Bedford, Massachusetts, Helen enlisted in the Army Nurse Corps during World War II. She served on hospital ships in the Atlantic and at an American Army Base on Hudson Bay, Canada. Following the war, she returned to Marblehead and the family home on Cottage Street where continued to serve in uniform as an Army Reserve officer, eventually retiring with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. During the late 1980's she was honored to be the speaker at Marblehead's annual Memorial Day observance.

In civilian life, she served as a nurse and eventually as Director of Nursing at Marblehead's Mary A. Alley Hospital, retiring from that position in 1977.

For many years Helen was an active member of the Chaplain Lyman Rollins Post of the VFW and participated in town senior citizens' activities. She was seldom without a camera and was an inveterate chronicler of family celebrations and gatherings. She was a member of Our Lady Star of the Sea Church.

She is survived by her sisters Kay Hagood of Beverly and Edna Glass of Boynton Beach, Florida, and numerous nieces, nephews, who with their children and grandchildren, share fond memories of "Auntie Helen."

She was predeceased by her sister Gertrude Maroni and her brothers Louis F., Francis N. and Benjamin Robert Devine.

Her funeral will be held on Monday at 9:15 A.M. from the Murphy Funeral Home, 85 Federal St., (cor. of North St) Salem to be followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 A.M. in Our Lady Star of the Sea Church 85 Atlantic Avenue, Marblehead. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend. Visiting hours will be Sunday from 2:00P.M. to 6:00 P.M. Interment will be in Waterside Cemetery, Marblehead. Those who wish may make memorial contributions to the Lyman Rollins VFW Post Post 2005, 321 West Shore Drive Marblehead, MA 01945. For additional information or online guest book please call 978 744 0497 or visit www.MurphyFuneralHome.com.