Passed away at Champlain Manor on Thursday May 21, 2020 in her 91st year.
Beloved wife of the late Lech Kuran. Loving mother of Sophie Mathewson (Stan). Dear grandmother of Julie DeWolfe (Matt) and Adam Cousins (Wilma Tugwood). Proud great-grandmother of Caitlyn, Noah, Alyonna and Caydin. Aunt to Ed, Henry and their families, John, Judy, Liz and Stan. Step-grandmother to Larissa, Heidi, Torsten and Jessica and step-great-grandmother to Cali and Eli. Helena is predeceased by her dear parents, Jan and Krystyna Presz and siblings Antoni, Anna (Chudak) and Mieczyslaw (Mitch).
Helen, was born in Horyszow, Poland to Krystyna and Jan Presz, Helen and her family spent her early teen years in a UN refugee camp in Germany until immigrating to Canada. She arrived in Canada in June 1948 on the S.S Marine Shark in the Port of Halifax, NS. She started her life in Canada as an indentured servant at the age of 18. She later worked at the GE tube plant until the late 60’s. She subsequently attended Shaw Business College and upon completion, began working for CIBC Main Branch on Wellington until her retirement.
Helena had a passion for two things: Wearing nice clothes and cooking for a crowd which gave her purpose. Even in her early days in Canada, she would sacrifice a good portion of some pay cheques to buy a special outfit or piece of jewelry.
Helen and her late husband Lech (Steve) began building a cottage in 1960 in Muskoka and shared a mutual love for spending time there. Helena resided in Toronto most of her adult life until her move to Orillia in 2015. Living in Orillia made it easier for Sophie to continue to drive her to her beloved cottage up until the summer of 2019 despite increasing mobility challenges. The property in Orillia provided a somewhat similar experience although she always made it clear that the air was the best at the cottage.
Due to COVID-19 physical distancing, a celebration of life will be held at a later date. For those who wish, memorial donations may be made through the Mundell Funeral Home (705-325-2231) to the Orillia Soldiers' Memorial Hospital Foundation.