Helen Antoinette Vanasse

Helen Antoinette (Szpila) Vanasse, beloved daughter of Antoinette (Klimoski) Szpila O’Leary and Anthony Szpila, was born May 25, 1940, in Northampton, Massachusetts. Helen attended St. Michael’s Catholic Schools, in Northampton from 1946 until graduating in 1958. She was awarded a scholarship to Mercy Hospital School of Nursing, living in the hospital dormitory and graduating in 1961. Helen married the love of her life, Conrad Vanasse, on December 30, 1961 at St. John Cantius Catholic Church in Northampton, Mass. Conrad had accepted a job offer from Marriott and the two newlyweds immediately moved to Washington, DC, settling in Naylor Gardens Apartments in Southeast DC. Helen instantly began working at Providence Hospital in Northeast DC; she took three buses to get to her hospital shift as a dedicated working new wife. She soon became a new mother, moving with Conrad to the DC suburb of Hillcrest Heights, Maryland. They later moved to Indian Head, Maryland, where they settled for good. Helen and Conrad raised four children and were also foster parents to four infants over the years. Helen loved and cherished her family life most of all. She was the teacher, doctor, nurse, referee, babysitter, chauffeur, chef and best friend to her children and husband simultaneously. Helen had a natural gift caring for her patients with dignity, respect and true compassion, caring for thousands of patients and working for over 50 years as a Registered Nurse. Her gift was later exemplified through mentoring and precepting many young nurses, sharing the wisdom and experience she had gained over the years. Patients and families would sometimes stop her when out, recognize her, and tell her how thankful they were for “the nurse that took such good care of me/or my family member.” Helen had such a positive impact on her patient’s needs; she would give homemade “gold stars” to patients with challenging illnesses, or when they passed a significant milestone. She truly always enjoyed helping people. Helen was blessed to work in a variety of areas, including pediatrics, internal medicine, geriatrics, nephrology and intensive care units. She worked in hospitals throughout DC and Maryland, retiring after dedicating 35 years at Southern Maryland Hospital Center. Helen had an incredible green thumb. She regularly read gardening books and could come up with the name of a plant or tree off the top of her head, knew where it came from and how to care for it. Helen was a great artist and especially enjoyed visiting museums. She was a superior cook and could come up with a delicious meal —no recipe— in no time, thrilling her family with her culinary acumen. Helen taught her children to cook by having each child take one night per week to prepare any meal they desired. She was always very proud of this endeavor, savoring meals cooked by her children. Helen thoroughly enjoyed taking cooking, gardening, art and painting classes later in life, usually with Conrad by her side. Helen was devoted to her Catholic faith and never missed Mass. She had attended Catholic schools and often talked about her years living with the nuns in her nursing school in Massachusetts. For years, she and Conrad were involved in monthly Catholic Family Meetings, where they enjoyed very close friendships, faith and food. She also taught CCD classes to children in her parish for years and instilled in her own children strong Catholic faith. Helen and Conrad later became members of the Mount Carmel Secular Order, devoting many hours to prayer and thanksgiving. Helen also had a remarkable ability to always see the good in any situation. She was always positive and supportive to anyone that she talked to and her faith always guided her. Helen was an incredible woman and mother. Her love for her family was profound. Helen was adored, cherished and loved by her husband of 57 years, her four children, six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. She is survived by sons Conrad and Paul, daughters Jacquelyn Ferry and Donna Dorschner, sister Christine Ravish, daughter-in-law Sharan, sons-in-law Donald Dorschner and David Ferry, grandchildren Conrad, Rachel, Evan, Brian, Abigail and Jane, and great-grandchildren Cohen, Caiden and newborn great-grandson Wilder. Helen is predeceased by her beloved husband, her parents, younger brother, John Szpila and newborn great-grandson Cameron McCormack. The family will receive guests at Mount Carmel Monastery in LaPlata, Maryland, on Wednesday, February 15, 2023, 9am to 10am. Funeral Mass celebration will be held at 10am, with graveside burial ceremony immediately following, also at Mount Carmel Monastery. If inclined, donations may be made online or via check in Helen Vanasse's name to the wonderful people at Hospice of the Chesapeake: https://www.hospicechesapeake.org/giving/donate-now/

Helen Antoinette Vanasse

May 25, 1940 - February 5, 2023