Obituary of Helen Guley Zabinski

Helen Guley Zabinski, 90, passed away unexpectedly on February 25, 2015, at Cortland Regional Medical Center. She was a graduate of Binghamton Central High School, where she met John, her husband of 41 years. Helen was a cheerleader, an accomplished figure skater, and member of the National Honor Society. She held bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees from Cornell University's College of Human Ecology. Helen completed her undergraduate degree in three years in 1946 as part of a special wartime program. Her master's (1970) and doctorate (1972) were earned after raising her family of five children. She was a secondary education school teacher and worked for Cornell Cooperative Extension before becoming a registered dietitian and the head dietitian at Lourdes Hospital in Binghamton for many years. In 1986 Helen retired from Syracuse University after ten years as an associate professor in the College for Human Development. During her tenure at Syracuse, she served for a semester in England in the university's study abroad program and traveled extensively. She taught for a further year at SUNY Oneonta before fully retiring. Helen and her second husband of 10 yrs. shared the excitement of travel, enjoying holidays in Europe, Canada, China, and the United States. Enthusiastic about dancing, they belonged to Binghamton's Monday Afternoon Club. Helen volunteered through RSVP before her move to Cortland in 2000 and again in the Cortland community. She belonged to numerous organizations including the Friendship Force, Cornell Club, Catholic Daughters, YWCA and Cortland Free Library book club. A communicant of St. Mary's Church she was a longtime member of the church choir. She was predeceased by her husband's John Guley and Leo Zabinski, parents Michael Weldon and Helen Rogalski Murphy, siblings and spouses: Mary Jane and John Carroll Smith, John and Norma Murphy, Robert Murphy, and son in law Gerald DiGiusto. Helen is survived by her daughters, Christina DiGiusto, Ellen (David) Hammes, her sons Mark (Beth) Guley, Michael (Tina) Guley, John (Lauren) Guley her sister-in-law Jean Murphy; sister and brother-in-law Gertrude and Harold Heenan Croghan, grandchildren Matthew (Erin) Hammes, Michael (Jennifer) Hammes, Alex Guley, Alyssa Guley, Kim Cooney, Breanne Cooney, Daniel Guley, Steven Guley, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. For her precious family Helen set an example of devotion, strength, courage, caring and kindness and loved them above all else. She found great joy and pride in their accomplishments. Her children extend heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to the staff of the Elizabeth Brewster House, which includes Connie Masten, a dear new friend who encouraged Helen's interest in spinning, enabling her to spin three miles almost every day. A Mass of Christian burial will be held Tuesday March 3 at 11 a.m. at St. Mary's Church, Cortland. Burial will be at the Calvary Cemetery, Johnson City. Friends may call at the Wright-Beard Funeral Home, 9 Lincoln Ave., Cortland NY, 13045, from 4-6 p.m. on Monday March 2. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to St. Mary's Church or St. Mary's School or CNY SNAP, Central Ave., Cortland NY. To offer online condolences visit www.wright-beard.com