Helen Mary Mandeville

Helen passed away peacefully surrounded by loved ones, on her own terms, just how she lived her life. Born in Ithaca to Chuck and Hazel Mandeville, she was known for her independent spirit, natural sense of style, adventurous nature, and daily walks along Brooktondale Road. She was a music lover; collector of books, LPs, and antiques; steward of Six Mile Creek; avid traveler, Grassroots clogger, and generous host, welcoming friends, family, and strangers alike into her home.

Helen was a teacher by nature, always eager to share her knowledge and inspire her students, in lessons inside and outside of the classroom. She filled her days with world travel, cross-country road trips, and backpacking adventures. Her fervor for the freedom of the open road was boundless.

Moving to San Francisco in the '60s, she met some of her greatest friends and her partner in mischief and mutual care, Jimmy Dochney. Helen hosted an annual Christmas party, where the lovingly prepared mulled wine was more admired than drunk, earning a reputation as a festive curiosity. Helen remained a dedicated 49ers fan and true ambassador of San Francisco. Her work and travels took her around the world, but she always came back to her twin homes, San Francisco and Ithaca.

A tireless donor to progressive and environmental causes, Helen made her financial support known through her local PBS stations, donating under different aliases. And she brought that same commitment to the Friends of the Library book sale, donating piles of novels only to return home with bags bursting with new ones.

A memorial gathering will be held in the spring. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Bound for Glory Archive Project, one of Helen’s many causes.