KOBELSKY, Sister Helen, (formerly Sister Lucy) School Sister of Notre Dame,
died at Notre Dame Convent, Waterdown, Ontario on January 31, 2018 at the age of 92 and in her 67th year as a School Sister of Notre Dame. Predeceased by her parents, Ferdinand and Eva (Hiebert) Kobelsky, both emigrated from Russia, her brothers, Edward, Emmanuel, Nickolas, Leo, John, Paul and her sisters, Agnes Leidl, Frances Schermann, Philomena Schermann, Mary Sittler, Emilia Koblesky, Monica Bauml, Elizabeth Stifter, Anne Schmidt, Angela Lesmeister. Following her profession of vows in 1950, she moved back to her home province, Saskatchewan, teaching in Leipzig until 1953. Again, in 1957 she returned to Leipzig. Here she taught many of the pupils she formerly had in primary grades. From 1960 to 1971 Sister Helen was both principal and teacher in the following schools, St. Joseph, Fergus, St. Thomas Aquinas, Hamilton, Canadian Martyrs, Hamilton, St. Clement, Cambridge, Notre Dame , Kitchener, St. Mary, Owen Sound, and Sacred Heart, Walkerton. Her next teaching assignment was in Edmonton, Alberta. Sister Helen, then, focused her attention on social justice issues. In preparation for this she studied at Divine Word, London and St. Paul University, Ottawa. From 1978 – 1988 she was a member of the Social Awareness Office in the Diocese of Hamilton. On October 21, 1988 she was awarded a Certificate of Recognition by the city of Hamilton for her contribution to the Mayor’s Race Relations Committee. In November 1992 Sister Helen was presented with the World Citizen Award in the city of Hamilton. This special recognition was for her years working for the poor and disadvantaged especially in her efforts toward global understanding and world peace. She was a member of several organizations advocating for social justice, human rights and world peace. She visited a refugee camp in Honduras, worked in poor sections in Bolivia and Peru. She valued this first-hand experience. In 1995 Sister Helen moved to Saskatoon where she was involved in prison ministry. She lived in Wilkie, Saskatchewan, before retiring to Notre Dame Convent in 2005. Visitors will be received at Notre Dame Convent on Sunday, February 4, 2018 from 2:30 to 4:00 p.m. and from 7 – 8 p.m. Prayer service will be held on Sunday at 3:00 p.m. and Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Monday, February 5, at 10:30 a.m. in Notre Dame Convent Chapel. Interment at St. Pascal’s Church Cemetery, Leipzig Saskatchewan at a later date. On-line condolences can be made to www.dermodys.com