Ellwood (Leppanen), Helen Miriam – of Dartmouth and Elderbank, died on October 7, 2023 at Ivy Meadows LTC, Beaver Bank.
Born in McKerrow, Ontario she was a daughter of the late Niilo and Olga (Pitkonen) Leppanen of Garson, Ontario.
Helen was a registered nurse, being a graduate of Oshawa General Hospital with post graduate studies at St Michael’s Hospital, Toronto. With her husband Geoffrey in the military, the family moved, at one time, six times in ten years in Canada and Germany.
Helen worked at the Victoria General Hospital until the Nova Scotia government hired British nurses to replace the part-timers and then worked for eleven years at Ocean View Manor, Eastern Passage.
She was active in the community as a charity canvasser, a tole painter, a founding member of Dartmouth Lawn Bowls, a curler (and a mate in an eight-ender team), secretary of the now-folded Atlantic Chapter, Prisoner of War Association (European Theatre) and spent part of each summer at the family camp in Skead in Northern Ontario. On a trip to Finland, she found her roots.
Helen is survived by her children, Martha Gordon, London, ON; Jim (Mary), Toronto; and Keith (Holly), Elderbank; grandchildren, Sara (Daniel), Kathleen (Josh), Neil, David (Caitlin), James and Alex; great-grandsons, K’adzah, K’itsi, and Beckett; nieces and nephews, cousins in Finland and good friend, Betty Bruhm.
She was predeceased by her husband of 50 years, Geoffrey (2009); siblings, Martin, Lily and Leo; and son-in-law, David Gordon.
At Helen’s request there will be no funeral. Cremation has taken place and interment of both Geoff and Helen will take place at the Last Post Columbarium, Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax at a future date.
If you desire, a donation would be appreciated to Breast Cancer Canada of which Helen was a 19 year survivor, Canadian Red Cross or a charity of your choice.
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