HELEN NEWELL Obituary

NEWELL
HELEN M. NEWELL
June 29, 1930-Sept. 27, 2018
Helen Newell passed away peacefully on September 27, 2018, in Colorado Springs. Helen was born in the Bronx, NY, to Paul and Loretta Smythe and, along with her twin sister Marie, was the youngest in a family of six girls. She earned degrees from Hunter College and Cortland State Teachers College in New York, and also studied at the Sorbonne in Paris. She later obtained a PhD in Psychology from the Union Graduate School.
As a young college graduate, Helen taught school in NY for several years, and then joined the USAF and became a WAF Squadron Leader at Norton AFB in CA. She was later sent to Alconbury AFB in England, where she was a postal officer. Shortly after her arrival in England, she met and married the great love of her life, Milton O. Newell, her husband and best friend for 58 years.
In 1971, Milt and Helen, now the parents of six children, moved to Colorado Springs. Despite her constant longing for the green of New York and a good Jewish deli, she grew to love her adopted state.
After husband, family, and faith, Helen's great passion were her students and her community at Divine Redeemer Catholic School, where she taught for 29 years. A quirky and entertaining teacher, Helen's greatest gift was her open-hearted love and acceptance of each of her students. She could be found on the sidelines of every game and event, cheering them on, providing encouragement and support. Helen's compassion for people knew no bounds. In her spare time, she worked with many other groups, including runaway girls, young children at the Myron Stratton Home, and those entering Hospice. She was also a docent at the Fine Arts Center for ten years. As she often said, love was her "ministry," and her life was a clear reflection of that.
Helen is survived by her devoted husband of 58 years, Milton Newell, and her children: Jim (Nina), Marie (Mark), Suzy (Jon), Joey (Eric), Andy (Juliet), Lisa (Paul). She will also be missed by 19 grandchildren, 2 great-grandchildren, and hundreds of former students, friends, and relatives.
Please join the family for a celebration of Helen's life on Saturday, October 6, at 10 a.m. at Divine Redeemer Catholic Church in Colorado Springs.