Helen G. GRABOWSKI

Helen G. Soucy, 81, of 36 Barkley Cir., Fort Myers, formerly of Whiskey Creek, Ft. Myers, Springfield and West Brookfield, MA died April 14, 2005. Born in Springfield, MA on January 11, 1924, she was the daughter of the late Adolf and Stella (Sczep) Grabowski.She served as a U.S. Army nurse, stationed in the Pacific during WWII. She graduated from Mercy Hospital School of Nursing in Springfield and from Boston College in the first class to include women. She earned a Masters Degree from American International College and was a doctoral candidate at the University of Massachusetts. She spent her career as a nurse, teacher, and college administrator, helping to found Springfield Technical Community College where she served as Chairperson of the Dept. of Allied Health until her retirement in 1980 when she and her former husband Gerald Barry moved to Ft. Myers..Mrs. Soucy was a member of St. Cecilia's Catholic Church, the Whiskey Creek Country Club and the Whiskey Creek Condominium Association. She served as a volunteer in the Cardiac Rehabilitation Unit at Lee County Hospital and at the Barbara Mann Theater.Helen is survived by her husband, Gerard Soucy, her daughter, Marcia Lukon of Clinton, MA, her sons, Thomas Burzynski of Bondville, MA and Mark Burzynski of Southbury, CT and five grandchildren. Also surviving Helen are her sister Jessie Hilliard of Ft. Myers and brother Edmund Grabowski of Southwick, MA, and step-children Christine (Barry) Curley, Geraldine (Barry) Roberson, Nancy (Barry) Kleinman and Norman Soucy. She was pre-deceased by her husbands Thomas Burzynski and Gerald Barry and her siblings Stanley, Joseph and Janina.A Memorial Mass celebrating her life was held on April 18 with burial on April 29 at St. Cecilia's Catholic Church in Fort Myers.