Helene B. Petraske

Helene B. Petraske passed away peacefully on Monday, February 7, 2005 at the age of 91. She was born on July 21, 1913 in Gloversville NY, the daughter of Frederick Joseph and Nellie (Dodge) Bevington. She married William C. Petraske also of Gloversville, NY on July 23, 1938 and lived in Utica, NY, and Philadelphia, PA before coming in 1944 to Nashua NH where she lived for 22 years and raised her family. In Nashua she was active in the work of the Church of the Good Shepherd where she taught Church School, and served as Director of the Altar Guild and president of the Women’s Auxiliary. She was a long-time member of the Good Cheer Society, and a member and past president of the Nashua Garden Club. Always interested in drama, she was one of the founders of the Nashua Theater Guild and was chairman of the drama group of the Nashaway Women’s Club for a number of years. She participated actively in scouting as a Den Mother for seven years in Cub Scout Pack 1 and a leader in the Brownies and intermediate Girl Scouts. For 11 years she served as Executive Secretary for the Nashua-Hudson Community Chest and was cited for contributions there. Mrs. Petraske moved to Milford, NH in 1966 where she and her husband lived for 37 years on Federal Hill Road. She joined the Church of our Savior in Milford and served as a member of the Altar Guild there and as an officer in the Women’s Auxiliary. She continued her interest in gardening and was twice president of the Milford Garden Club, District Director for the Monadnock District, and Secretary of the N.H. Federation of Garden Clubs. Mrs. Petraske studied to achieve the status of Master Judge, and Judge Emeritus, internationally accredited. She was a member of the Judges Council of the N.H. Federation of Garden Clubs and a member of the American Guild of Flower Arrangers. She lectured and presented programs on Flower Arranging and Horticulture throughout New England. She was a long-time member of the Milford Rug Hookers Club. She was also active in the Milford Historical Society and the Milford Women’s Club and acted as secretary for the building committee of the Wadleigh Library. She remained active in the Library as a member of the Book Club after she and her husband moved to Goffstown NH in 2003 to an apartment added to the residence of her daughter and son-in-law, Elisabeth and Theodore Bertsch, on 236 Elm St. In Goffstown, she joined St. Mathews Episcopal Church. Helene is survived by Elisabeth and Theodore; by a son, Alan Petraske of Annandale, NJ; and by a son and daughter-in-law, Eric and Edda Petraske of Bethel, Connecticut. She had four grandchildren: David Osterkamp of Canyon Country, California; Sasha Petraske of New York, NY; Alana Petraske of London, England; and Stefan Petraske of Wheatogue, Connecticut. Her beloved husband of 66 years, William C. Petraske, died in September, 2004. Following cremation, a memorial service will be held at The Church of Our Savior in Milford, New Hampshire on Sunday, February 13 at 2:00 pm. Flowers of all shapes and sizes are requested and much desired from those who wish to contribute to this celebration of Helene’s life. Interment will be at the family plot in Riverside Cemetery in Milford this spring.