Helen Jenkins

Helen Jenkins, 92, died August 21, 2019 at Akron General Medical Center.

Helen was born in Syracuse, NY on July 29, 1927 to parents Clair King Osborne and Charles Herrick Osborne. She graduated from Warrensburg, NY schools as a member of the National Honor Society and continued her education at Cornell University, finishing there with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. She married Jerome “Jerry” Marshall Jenkins of Bronxville, NY in 1950 and they eventually settled in Niles, Michigan. While raising four children she never ceased active participating in the arts. She eventually earned a Master’s in Fine Arts degree from Notre Dame University and became an art teacher in the Buchanan, Michigan public schools. After she and Jerry moved to Fairlawn, Ohio in 1982 and became members of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Helen participated on the Vestry and with her special love, the Needlework Guild. Helen served as the designer for many of the hand-stitched kneelers and hangings throughout the church, which along with the people who created them, were photographed and written about in a book entitled “A Thousand Places to Kneel”. She also served as a docent at the Snite Museum of Art of Notre Dame University in South Bend, Indiana and at the Akron Art Museum where she was docent chairperson.

Preceded in death by Jerry, she is survived by her children, Susan Jenkins (Tobey Levine), Deborah (Ed) Alyanak, Betsy (Guy) Hasegawa, and Peter Jenkins; six grandchildren; sister, Ruth (Wilfred) Rouleau and nieces and nephews across the country.

A memorial service celebrating Helen’s life will take place at 11:00 AM SATURDAY, September 14th, at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in the chapel, 1361 W. Market St, Akron OH 44313, with Rev. Mark Pruitt officiating. Inurnment in St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Memorial Garden will take place immediately after the service. Memorials may be made to St. Pauls’ Episcopal Church or the Akron Art Museum, 1 S. High St., Akron, OH 44308.

Services in care of "The Billow Funeral Homes and Crematory, 85 N. Miller Road Akron, OH  44333"