New York native, mother of Harvard resident
Helen Palmateer. (Courtesy photo)
Helen Louise Palmateer passed away peacefully at Life Care Center of Nashoba Valley early Friday morning, April 15, 2016, at the wonderful age of 94. Helen was the mother of Susan Palmateer of Harvard and Lauren Palmateer of San Francisco. Her two grandchildren, Nissa and Aliza Maki, were born and raised in Harvard.
Helen led a long and wonderful life. She was born in Brooklyn, New York, on Jan. 28, 1922, the daughter of John C. Tobin and Josephine Siegfried. Helen was progressive for her time, a strong and independent woman. She attended Ladycliff College, where she studied chemistry, and later Katherine Gibbs School in New York. Helen was an office manager for York Air Conditioning in New York City. She became a wife to George R. Palmateer and did a spectacular job raising two strong and independent daughters, both of whom earned Ph.D.s in electrical engineering from Cornell.
Helen and George lived in Norwood, New Jersey, from 1962 to 2002, where they raised their two daughters. They moved to Boxborough in 2002 to be closer to their daughter Susan and her husband, Paul Maki, and granddaughters, Nissa and Aliza. And they enjoyed 14 years together.
Lauren Palmateer lives in San Francisco with her husband, Philippe Jestin.
Helen donated her body to the anatomical program of University of Massachusetts Medical School. She will be buried with her husband, George R. Palmateer, at the Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery in Winchendon.
