Helen Cotthaus 1915-2008
A Life Well Lived
While we doubt she ever believed us, Helen Cotthaus would always giggle with embarrassment when we teasingly told her that she was our neighborhood “role model” for growing older gracefully, with strength, resilience and mental acuity.
Helen passed away on Jan. 7th after a brief illness. Up until two weeks prior, Helen remained active in her local organizations, such as the First Reformed Church of Piermont, American Legion John M. Perry Post No. 1044 Auxiliary of Sparkill, the Piermont and Orangetown Senior Citizens, Tappan Homemakers and various volunteer organizations in Rockland County. She was probably best known by Palisades residents as the School Crossing Guard for many years.
Helen Elizabeth Harris was born in Nyack, NY on June 15, 1915. She married Harry Ward Cotthaus Jr. in Stony Point in 1937 and lived in Palisades for 68 years. She took great delight in being a homemaker and devoted mother to Harry “Ward” III, of Hobe Sound, FL, Donald, of Clintondale, NY, and Sharon Hansen of Goshen, NY.
In later years, Helen became the proud grandmother of Harry (“Skip”) Ward IV, Glenn, Clayton, and William. In 2007, Helen also became a great-grandmother to Chase.
With the passing of her husband, Harry, in 1997, Helen timidly made amazing strides learning how to manage her home on her own. Her local friends (affectionately known as “The Wild Ones”) took her under their wing and she blossomed. Because of the many hours they lingered after their Homemakers meetings at the Piermont Reformed Church, the Rev. Vandenoever was thoroughly convinced these lovely ladies were masterminding a bank heist while they knitted and crocheted! From thereon in, Helen’s social life became a whirlwind of club meetings, shopping, cruises with her family and other activities that would have proven exhausting to someone half her age. She will never live down the fact that on one recent New Year’s Eve, she and her cohorts arrived home at 5 a.m.!
The highlight of Helen’s life was always a visit from one of her children or grandchildren. An accomplished cook and baker, Helen would push her culinary skills into overdrive days before her family’s arrival, always making her famous crumbcake on her bakery-sized cookie sheet. She also took great delight in showing off her prized orchids and African violet collection to any neighbors who happened to pass by.
It was rather ironic that Helen passed away on the exact day she was scheduled to fly to Florida for her yearly wintertime visit with her family. Even though she said she could have never stayed in her Palisades home without her neighbors and friends, SHE was the one who enriched our lives everyday with her stability, devotion to her family and unwavering kindness .We will miss her always.