It is with much sadness and much love that we say goodbye to our beloved wife, sister, mother, and grandmother, Helen, who passed away suddenly but peacefully July 3, 2017 at the age of 73 years. Helen is lovingly remembered by her husband George; her brother Mike (Maria); her children Gail (Ed), Mark (Doris), and Joyce (Bruce); seven beloved grandchildren, and a multitude of family and friends.
The Funeral Service is July 8, 2017 at 11:00 am at St Agnes Church, 10826-62 Avenue, Edmonton with a lunch to follow at Strathcona Community League, 10139-87 Avenue Edmonton. There will be a viewing Friday, July 7, 2017 from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm at Serenity Funeral Service, 5311-91 Street, Edmonton.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Helen’s name may be made to Strathcona Community League or a cause of your heart.
Helen’s Bio
Helen was born Sept 29, 1943 to Peter and Rose Zalaski and big brother Michael. She grew up on the family farm in Coaldale where she has many special memories, including lots of fun times with her many cousins. She moved to Lethbridge for Junior College where she met her love, George. Helen then moved to Edmonton for her medical lab technician training. In 1965, she married her own Magnum P.I. and joined his family as a new “favourite big sister”, a role that she took to heart and continued all through her life. After George & Helen were married they lived in Whitecourt and Watson Lake, Yukon, before moving to Edmonton. After the heartbreak of losing her first child Alice Marie, they had three more children in Edmonton, Gail Rose, Mark Eugene and Joyce Marie. She poured her heart and love into her kids, but also loved work as a lab technician at the Provincial Lab. She loved to travel and do special things with her family especially if it meant visits to her rapidly growing family in Southern Alberta, including her husband’s 10 brothers and sisters, their spouses and their children. The following years were filled with many weddings, reunions, and special occasions where everyone knew by her service, gifts, warm embrace, kind words and ever-present smile that they were accepted, loved and cherished. A few years after her children had graduated from high school, Helen got very sick and since then, struggled with chronic pain and illness. Despite the unending challenges of this time, these years have been overwhelmingly characterized by the joy she found in her treasured grandchildren, grand nieces and nephews and countless adopted siblings, kids, grandkids, etc.… Every detail from every story was carefully written down, read over multiple times and shared with everyone else she talked to. One of the most difficult things she had to deal with was losing her mom, our precious Baba, a few years ago, who was a special confidante and friend. Helen lived her whole life paying more attention and care to the needs, pain and celebrations of everyone else around her, filling us with faith in God’s love for people, hope that kindness always defeats fear, and most of all, love, for her but also for all those God puts in our path. We will choose, as she did, to love daily, as this was her lasting legacy to us. Please join us in remembering Helen, who will be loved, missed and forever held dear.

Nos plus sincères sympathies à la famille et aux amis de Helen Joyce Marie Durupt – September 29, 1943 – July 3, 2017.source

Décès pour la Ville: Edmonton, Province: Alberta

avis deces Helen Joyce Marie Durupt – September 29, 1943 – July 3, 2017- avis mortuaire Helen Joyce Marie Durupt – September 29, 1943 – July 3, 2017