Helen J Finn

Helen Jane Finn (Nee St. Martin) of South Milwaukee, Wisconsin, died peacefully at home surrounded by family on Saturday, March 21, 2015. Helen was born in Escanaba, Michigan on April 13, 1928 to Elmer and Henrietta St. Martin (VandeWiele), graduated from Escanaba high school, and received a teaching degree from Northern Michigan University. For four years she taught in the South Milwaukee school system until 1956, when she married LeRoy Clifford Finn, also of Escanaba. Helen willingly shared her wisdom, knowledge, inspiration, faith, jokes, and groan-worthy puns in numerous rolesas mother, grandmother, math teacher, science teacher, Girl Scout leader, Cub Scout leader, substitute teacher, musician, and friend. She always kept her family warm with freshly baked treats and countless gorgeous hand-knit blankets, sweaters, hats, mittens and so much more, while also crafting a separate stack of baby sweaters each year to donate to charity. Her original watercolor paintings decorate the walls of her family's homes. Always the faithful fan, Helen attended many of her children and grandchildren's sports and arts performances, enthusiastically cheering on their teams' basketball, football, swimming, track, volleyball, rugby, soccer, lacrosse, jump roping, theater, musical theater, opera, choir, band, and marching band. As a life-long Green Bay fan, Helen eventually forgave Packer management and fans for their treatment of Brett Favre. Helen is survived by her sister, Louise Boddy (Aunt Sis), eight children; Kathleen (Ken) Wright, Susan Finn (Jim Green), Matthew (Deborah) Finn, Barbara (Rob) Comito, Joseph (Lori) Finn, Anthony (Darlene) Finn, Peter (Joyce) Finn, and Patrick (Nicole) Finn, eighteen grandchildren: Kimberly (Matthew Smith), Kevin, Lindsay, Michael, Megan, Danielle, Adam, Jake, Ryan, Sarah, Katie, Lea, Jamie, Alex, Daniel, Madeline, Cooper, and Hunter, and one great granddaughter; Lilly. Helen was preceded in death by her beloved husband LeRoy, her brothers Frank St. Martin, John St. Martin, and Robert St. Martin, her sister Mary Arbour and her precious grandson Justin. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations be made to the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association or the charity of your choice. To celebrate her life, her family invites friends to attend a wake on Tuesday, March 24th at Max A Sass & Sons South Shore Chapel in South Milwaukee starting at 5:00pm with an informal eulogy at 7:00. The funeral is planned for 11:00 on Wednesday March 25th at Divine Mercy Parish, 800 Marquette Avenue in South Milwaukee immediately followed by the burial at Holy Sepulcher Cemetery.