Helen Clifford

Helen R. Clifford, age 83, died comfortably at her home in Woodbridge surrounded by family and friends. She was born in 1935 in White Plains, NY and grew up in Shelton. At Shelton High School she was an excellent basketball player and graduated in the class of 1953. In 1955 she married the love of her life, James Clifford. They were longtime members of the Tuesday night bowling league at the Valley Bowl. Helen and Jim hosted several Rotary International Exchange Students in their home. They loved to travel with their friends. Helen was always quick with a smile or a kind word. Her home at the Linden was made more pleasant by the numerous staff who helped her; Theresa, Leon, Monica to name a few. Helen will live on through her passions: if she loved you, she probably made you a personalized quilt, photo scrapbook, or both. Helen and her best friend Marcia were often seen in craft supply stores! Helen was known as the 'Queen Bee' in her Red Hot Crafters group at BellaVista, which was formerly a Red Hat group. The weekly group crocheted blankets for children in need for 'R' Children Inc. through the South Central Agency on Aging. Helen also volunteered at Marrakech Inc. She would help with projects and also donated craft supplies to the agency's East Street Arts Program in New Haven, a program that provides a place for artists learn new skills or pursue their artistic passion. Helen's genealogy research took her around the United States and as far away as Ireland. She leaves behind the precious gift of a family tree traced back several hundred years. She is a member of the Connecticut Society of Genealogists Inc. She is survived by her sisters, Barbara (Dennis) Welcome of Fort Myers, FL and Eleanor (John) Katz of West Plains, MO; daughters, Kathleen (Walter) Adams of New Haven and Diane Millan of Derby; granddaughters Tammy (Joseph) Boylan of Ansonia and Alexandra Millan of Portland, ME; great-grandson Dominick Boylan of Ansonia, and several nieces and nephews. She is predeceased by her parents, Charles and Olga Gatley; husband, James L. Clifford; son, James Winfield-Clifford; grandson, Tyler Clifford; and son-in-law Jose Luis Millan. Friends are invited to visit with Helen's family on Friday, July 5th from 9:00 to 11:30 a.m. at BEECHER & BENNETT, 2300 Whitney Ave., Hamden. A Mass of Christian Burial celebrating her life will be held at 12:00 p.m. in Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church, Hamden. Burial will be private.